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De jejunio, de Davide

On fasting, and on David, and concerning presbyters, and on Joseph, and against Novatus.

62.759 Suggesting to us a universal, and not a partial, song, the blessed David proceeded to sing: I will confess to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonders. O the piety of the blessed David, who sinned, and did not despair! For though as a man, having slipped, he fell, yet as a man he confessed. I will confess to you, O Lord, with my whole heart. For if I do not confess to you, I am not freed from my sins. I will confess to you, O Lord, with my whole heart. For if I do not confess to you, I will not be made white as snow. I will confess to you, O Lord. For if I do not confess to you, the devil does not cease making sport of the murder-adultery. I will confess to you, O Lord. For if I do not confess to you, I do not return to my former honor. I will confess to you, O Lord. For if I do not confess to you, I am not able to be called your father according to the flesh. I will confess to you, O Lord. For if I do not confess to you, the Holy Spirit suggests nothing to me, and no one can bear to learn the fiftieth psalm. It is fitting for each one of those who approach holy baptism to say the words of the blessed David, I will confess to you, O Lord, with my whole heart. For if I do not confess to you, I do not put off the old man. I will confess to you, O Lord. For if I do not confess to you, I do not put on the new man. I will confess to you, O Lord. For if I do not confess to you, I will not be numbered with the flock of the faithful. I will confess to you, O Lord, with my whole heart. For I was persuaded by you saying, do not be ashamed to confess your sins. I will confess to you, O Lord, with my whole heart. For I heard you saying, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. It is also opportune to speak the words of the blessed Paul. What are these? Now is the acceptable time. What time? The adornment of the fast. What time? The enlightenment of love for the poor. What time? The provision of repentance. Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. Indeed, Ecclesiastes, writing these same things, says: A time to weep for sin, and a time to laugh in salvation. To laugh, not to laugh scornfully; for rash laughter is one thing, and beneficial laughter is another. And that I am not lying in saying these things, take the proof from the divine Scriptures themselves. For concerning the one who laughs rashly, hear Wisdom saying: A fool does evil in laughter; but concerning the one who laughs with understanding and beneficially, hear Job saying: Every gift of the ungodly he will not receive, but a truthful mouth he will fill with laughter. Well, therefore, did Ecclesiastes say: A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to weep for sin, and a time to rejoice in righteousness; 62.760 for the Lord is righteous, and has loved righteousness. A time to break enmity, and a time to join in love; being persuaded by the blessed Paul who says, Let not the sun go down on your anger. A time to uproot impiety, and a time to plant piety. And our Lord, showing all these things to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the thorn-sprouting land of the Jews, said to him: Behold, I have appointed you this day

1

De jejunio, de Davide

Περὶ νηστείας, καὶ εἰς τὸν ∆αυῒδ, καὶ περὶ πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ εἰς τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ κατὰ Ναυάτου.

62.759 Καθολικὸν ἡμῖν, καὶ οὐ μερικὸν μέλος ὑπαγορεύων ὁ μακάριος ∆αυῒδ, ἐπῆλθε ψάλλειν· Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου· διηγήσομαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσιά σου. Ὢ τῆς εὐλαβείας τοῦ μακαρίου ∆αυῒδ, τοῦ πταίσαντος, καὶ μὴ καταφρονήσαντος! Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὀλισθήσας ἔπεσεν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐξωμολογήσατο. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν οὐκ ἀπαλλάττομαι. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, ὡς χιὼν οὐ λευκανθήσομαι. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, ὁ διάβολος τὴν φονομοιχείαν παίζων οὐ μεθίσταται. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, εἰς τὴν προτέραν τιμὴν οὐκ ἐπανέρχομαι. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, πατήρ σου κατὰ σάρκα ἀκούειν οὐ δύναμαι. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον οὐδὲν ὑπαγορεύει μοι, καὶ οὐδεὶς τὸν πεντηκοστὸν ψαλμὸν ἐκμαθεῖν ἀνέχεται. Ἁρμόζει δὲ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν προσερχομένων τῷ ἁγίῳ βαπτίσματι λέγειν τὰ τοῦ μακαρίου ∆αυῒδ, Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἀποδύομαι. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, τὸν νέον ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἐνδύομαι. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε. Εἰ μὴ γάρ σοι ἐξομολογήσωμαι, οὐκ ἂν τῇ τῶν πιστῶν ποίμνῃ συναριθμηθήσομαι. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου. Ἐπείσθην γάρ σου λέγοντος, μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς ἐξομολογῆσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου. Ἤκουσα γάρ σου λέγοντος, Οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν. Εὔκαιρον δὲ καὶ τὰ τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου λέξαι ῥήματα. Ποῖα ταῦτα; Νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος. Ποῖος καιρός; ὁ τῆς νηστείας καλλωπισμός. Ποῖος καιρός; ὁ τῆς φιλοπτωχίας φωτισμός. Ποῖος καιρός; ὁ τῆς μετανοίας πορισμός. Νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος, νῦν ἡμέρα σωτηρίας. Τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστὴς γράφων λέγει· Καιρὸς τοῦ κλαῦσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ γελάσαι τῇ σωτηρίᾳ. Γελάσαι, οὐ καταγελάσαι· ἄλλο γὰρ γέλως προπετὴς, καὶ ἄλλο γέλως ἐπωφελής. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι ταῦτα λέγων, ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν θείων Γραφῶν λάμβανε τὴν ἀπόδειξιν. Περὶ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ προπετῶς γελῶντος, ἄκουσον τῆς Σοφίας λεγούσης· Ἄφρων ἐν γέλωτι πράσσει κακά· περὶ δὲ τοῦ συνετῶς γελῶντος καὶ ἐπωφελῶς, ἄκουε τοῦ Ἰὼβ λέγοντος· Πᾶν δῶρον ἀσεβοῦς οὐ λήψεται, ἀληθινὸν δὲ στόμα ἐκπλήσει γέλωτος. Καλῶς οὖν ἔλεγεν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής· Καιρὸς τοῦ κλαῦσαι, καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ γελάσαι. Καιρὸς τοῦ κλαῦσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ εὐφρανθῆναι τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ· 62.760 ∆ίκαιος γὰρ Κύριος, καὶ δικαιοσύνας ἠγάπησε. Καιρὸς τοῦ ῥῆξαι τὴν ἔχθραν, καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ συνάψαι τὴν ἀγάπην· πειθόμενοι τῷ μακαρίῳ Παύλῳ τῷ λέγοντι, Ὁ ἥλιος μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν. Καιρὸς τοῦ ἐκριζῶσαι τὴν ἀσέβειαν, καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ φυτεῦσαι τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἐμφαίνων Ἱερεμίᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ περὶ τῆς ἀκανθοβλάστου τῶν Ἰουδαίων χώρας ἔλεγε πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἰδοὺ καθίστημί σε σήμερον