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On the saying of Paul: I do not want you to be ignorant

ON THE APOSTOLIC SAYING I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all through the

passed through the sea.

51.241 1. Sailors especially love that part of the open sea which is interspersed with frequent harbors and islands. For the harborless open sea, even if it is calm, provides much fear for those sailing; but where there are anchorages, and headlands, and shores stretched out on all sides, they sail with great safety. For even if they see the sea slightly stirred up, having refuge nearby, they would be able to find a very quick and easy deliverance from the impending evils. Because of these things, not only when they are sailing near a harbor, but even if they are far off, they receive much comfort even from this sight. For it is natural for their souls to be refreshed in no ordinary way both by a mountain peak appearing from afar, and by smoke rising up, and by flocks of sheep grazing at the foot of the mountain.

And when they come to the very mouth of the harbor, they enjoy complete gladness. For then they both lay aside the oar, and wash their bodies, pickled by the brine, with fresh water, and going out onto the shore, and communing a little with the land with their naked bodies, they put aside all the hardship from the voyage. Therefore, just as they especially embrace this part of the sea because of these frequent and continuous rests; so too do I especially love this season, not because we have been delivered from winter, nor because we are enjoying summer, with a clear west wind blowing, but because we have spiritual harbors succeeding one another for us, I mean the festivals of the holy martyrs. For harbors are not so constituted to refresh sailors, as the feasts of these saints are to refresh the faithful. For harbors deliver them from the assault of sea waves and from long rowing; but the memory of these saints is accustomed to snatch away those who come to a festival of martyrs from wicked and 51.242 unclean spirits, from absurd reasonings, from the great storm that arises in the soul. And if someone should enter dragging in some despondency from either civic or domestic affairs, having put it all aside, he thus departs, and becomes lighter and more relieved, not by laying aside an oar, nor by rising from the helm, but by dissolving the hard-to-bear and varied burden of life's sorrow, and receiving great gladness in his soul. And you are witnesses of all these things, you who yesterday delighted in the contests of the blessed Barlaam, and with great security leapt into his harbor, and washed away the brine of life's cares, and returned home lightened by the accounts of him.

But behold, the festival of other martyrs now approaches again. Therefore, until we reach their harbor, come, let us imitate the sailors. And just as they sing while sailing the open sea, consoling their labor with song; so let us too, until we reach their harbor, stir up some spiritual words among ourselves, making the blessed Paul the guide of this good discourse, and following whichever path he should command. What path then does he command us to follow? The way through the wilderness, and of the wonders that happened there. For you heard him today crying out and saying: But I do not want you to be ignorant,

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In dictum Pauli: Nolo vos ignorare

ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΙΚΟΝ ΡΗΤΟΝ Οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν πάντες ὑπὸ τὴν νεφέλην ἦσαν, καὶ πάντες διὰ τῆς

θαλάσσης διῆλθον.

51.241 αʹ. Οἱ ναῦται τοῦτο μάλιστα φιλοῦσι τοῦ πελάγους τὸ μέρος, ὅπερ ἂν λιμέσι πυκνοῖς καὶ νήσοις διειλημμένον ᾖ. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀλίμενον πέλαγος, κἂν γαλήνην ἔχῃ, πολὺν παρέχει τοῖς πλέουσι τὸν τρόμον· ἔνθα δὲ ἂν ὦσιν ὅρμοι, καὶ ἀκταὶ, καὶ αἰγιαλοὶ πανταχόθεν ἐκτεταμένοι, μετὰ πολλῆς πλέουσι τῆς ἀσφαλείας. Κἂν γὰρ βραχὺ διεγερθεῖσαν τὴν θάλασσαν ἴδωσι, δι' ὀλίγου τὴν καταφυγὴν ἔχοντες, ταχίστην καὶ εὔκολον τῶν ἐπικειμένων κακῶν ἀπαλλαγὴν εὕρασθαι δύναιντ' ἄν. ∆ιὰ δὴ ταῦτα, οὐχ ὅταν πλησίον λιμένος ἐλαύνωσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ κἂν πόῤῥωθεν ὦσι, πολλὴν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὄψεως ταύτης παράκλησιν δέχονται. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἔτυχεν αὐτῶν τὰς ψυχὰς ἀνακτᾶσθαι πέφυκε καὶ ὄρους κορυφὴ φαινομένη πόῤῥωθεν, καὶ καπνὸς ἀναθρώσκων, καὶ προβάτων ποίμνια παρὰ τὴν ὑπώρειαν νεμόμενα.

Ἐπειδὰν δὲ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦ λιμένος τὸ στόμα ἔλθωσιν, ὁλόκληρον καρποῦνται τὴν εὐφροσύνην. Τότε γὰρ καὶ κώπην ἀποτίθενται, καὶ τὰ σώματα ὑπὸ τῆς ἅλμης τεταριχευμένα ποτίμοις περικλύζουσιν ὕδασι, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλὸν ἐξελθόντες, καὶ τῇ γῇ μικρὸν ὁμιλήσαντες γυμνοῖς τοῖς σώμασι, πᾶσαν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ναυτιλίας ἀποτίθενται ταλαιπωρίαν. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι τοῦτο μάλιστα τῆς θαλάσσης ἀσπάζονται τὸ μέρος διὰ τὰς πυκνὰς ταύτας καὶ συνεχεῖς ἀναπαύσεις· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐγὼ ταύτην μάλιστα φιλῶ τὴν ὥραν, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ χειμῶνος ἀπηλλάγμεθα, οὐδὲ ἐπειδὴ θέρους ἀπολαύομεν, ζεφύρου λιγυρὰ πνέοντος, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοὺς πνευματικοὺς λιμένας ἔχομεν συνεχῶς διαδεχομένους ἡμᾶς, τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων λέγω τὰς πανηγύρεις. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως οἱ λιμένες πλωτῆρας, ὡς αἱ τῶν ἁγίων τούτων ἑορταὶ τοὺς πιστοὺς ἀνακτᾶσθαι πεφύκασιν. Ἐκείνους μὲν γὰρ θαλαττίων κυμάτων ἐμβολῆς καὶ ἐρεσίας μακρᾶς ἀπαλλάττουσι λιμένες· τοὺς δ' εἰς πανήγυριν μαρτύρων ἀπαντῶντας πνευμάτων πονηρῶν καὶ 51.242 ἀκαθάρτων, λογισμῶν ἀτόπων, πολλῆς τῆς ἐν ψυχῇ γινομένης ζάλης, ἡ τῶν ἁγίων μνήμη τούτων ἐξαρπάζειν εἴωθε. Κἂν ἐκ τῶν πολιτικῶν, κἂν ἐκ τῶν οἰκιακῶν πραγμάτων ἀθυμίαν τινὰ ἐπισυρόμενος εἰσέλθῃ, πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἀποθέμενος, οὕτως ἄπεισι, καὶ ῥᾴων γίνεται καὶ κουφότερος, οὐχὶ κώπην ἀποτιθέμενος, οὐδὲ οἰάκων ἐξανιστάμενος, ἀλλὰ τὸ δυσβάστακτον καὶ ποικίλον τῆς βιωτικῆς λύπης φορτίον διαλύων, καὶ πολλὴν τῇ ψυχῇ δεχόμενος τὴν εὐφροσύνην. Καὶ τούτων ἁπάντων μάρτυρες ὑμεῖς, οἱ τοῖς ἄθλοις τοῦ μακαρίου Βαρλαὰμ χθὲς ἐντρυφήσαντες, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀδείας εἰς τὸν ἐκείνου σκιρτήσαντες λιμένα, καὶ τὴν ἅλμην τῶν βιωτικῶν φροντίδων ἀπολουσάμενοι, καὶ κοῦφοι οἴκαδε ἀπὸ τῶν ἐκείνου διηγημάτων ἀναχωρήσαντες.

Ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ καὶ ἑτέρων μαρτύρων προσελαύνει πάλιν πανήγυρις. Ἕως ἂν οὖν εἰς τὸν ἐκείνων λιμένα φθάσωμεν, φέρε δὴ μιμησώμεθα τοὺς πλωτῆρας· καὶ καθάπερ ἐκεῖνοι τὸ πέλαγος πλέοντες ᾄδουσι, τῇ ᾠδῇ τὸν πόνον παραμυθούμενοι· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἕως εἰς τὸν ἐκείνων φθάσωμεν λιμένα, λόγους τινὰς πνευματικοὺς πρὸς ἀλλήλους κινήσωμεν, τὸν μακάριον Παῦλον τῆς καλῆς ταύτης ὁμιλίας ἡγεμόνα ποιησάμενοι, καὶ ἥνπερ ἂν αὐτὸς κελεύῃ, ταύτην ἑπόμενοι. Ποίαν οὖν ἕπεσθαι κελεύει; Τὴν διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου, καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ συμβάντων θαυμάτων ὁδόν. Καὶ γὰρ ἠκούσατε σήμερον αὐτοῦ βοῶντος, καὶ λέγοντος· Οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν,