Athanasius of Alexandria, Sermon for Those Who Have Renounced the World

Sermo pro iis qui saeculo renuntiarunt

To measure oneself, but to hold oneself as unknown, reveals to man that he does not seek to do his own will, but that of god. he who speaks his word b

Your eyes, and your heart will not see evil. for he who looks at a woman with pleasure, commits adultery. guard your hearing, so that you do not gathe

The lord is coming lest he should enter suddenly, and find you sleeping. take heed lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness, a

Let us strive therefore, brothers, because the day has drawn near. blessed is the man who has this care every day and hour. for the fruit having becom

to measure oneself, but to hold oneself as unknown, reveals to man that he does not seek to do his own will, but that of God. He who speaks his word before many, makes it clear about himself that the fear of God is not in him. He who wishes to be saved will give his time to God, and will trample on the passions. To be mindful with knowledge drives out the passions; for it is written: "Care will come upon a wise man." Just as acedia is an aid to the passions, so also long-suffering is a power for the virtues. Not judging a man is an insurmountable wall; but to blame or speak evil works destruction for the soul. To control the tongue makes it clear that one is active in the virtues; but the lack of discipline of the tongue signifies that one does not possess virtue within. Almsgiving with knowledge begets foresight, and leads to love; but lack of mercy begets inhumanity. The mother of virtues is compassion; but the fullness of evils is insubordination. Goodness begets purity; but quick temper begets the passions. Hardness of heart begets anger; but acedia begets want. Satiety of sleep is a disturbance of the passions; but the soul's salvation is a measured vigil. Sleep in satiety is a multitude of fantasies; but the flower of the mind is a vigil in prayer. Much sleep thickens the heart, but a vigil makes it subtle; and I speak of a vigil that is according to God, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. For good is sleep in silence for those who keep vigil in vain talk. Mourning drives out the passions, but laughter separates from God. Not to strike a man, humility begets; but the glory of men begets 28.1413 pride. Freedom from anger begets meekness; but remembrance of wrongs begets destruction. To love broadness drives out the virtues; but confinement humbles the passions. The desire for foods leads to the passions; but self-control drives them out. Adornment of the body is the soul's destruction; but wasting of the body is the renewal of the soul. Contempt for the body is the soul's salvation; but care for the body is a snare for the soul. And wasting of the body is the illumination of the soul. To keep the mind always upward begets love for God; but the care of this life drives out the virtues. To guard the mouth arouses the intellect toward God; but much talking begets acedia and madness. To do the will of one's neighbor means the mind sees the virtues; but to do one's own will means ignorance. Meditation in fear guards the soul from every evil; but to speak worldly words darkens the soul. To love the matter of the world separates the mind from God; but possessionlessness looks to God with confidence. Not to bring forth one's thoughts makes it clear that one seeks the shameful and vain glory of this world; but to make them known to spiritual fathers drives them out. Just as a moth, the monk is consumed by the glory of men, if his heart is persuaded by it. Just as a worm, or bindweed, entwined with the vine, destroys its fruit; so vainglory destroys the fruit of the monk, if his heart is persuaded by it. Before all the virtues is humility of mind; and before all the passions is gluttony. The end of virtues is love; but the fullness of evils is to consider oneself to be righteous. Just as a worm eating wood destroys it, so the remembrance of wrongs destroys the soul of the monk. To cast oneself down before God begets the bearing of insult without disturbance; but not to despise oneself begets pride. Do not be confident in your own power, and the help of God will dwell with you. Do not have enmity with anyone, since your prayer is unacceptable. Love truth; for he who lies rejects the good one. Guard the

μετρῆσαι ἑαυτὸν, ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν ἔχειν ἄγνωστον, φα νεροῖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ὅτι οὐ ζητεῖ ποιῆσαι τὸ ἑαυτοῦ θέλημα, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ λέγων τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πολλῶν, δῆλον ἑαυτὸν ποιεῖ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι φόβος Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. Ὁ βουλόμενος σωθῆναι σχολάσει τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ καταπατήσει τὰ πάθη. Τὸ φροντίσαι ἐν γνώ σει ἐκδιώκει τὰ πάθη· γέγραπται γάρ· «Φροντὶς ἐπελεύσεται ἐπ' ἄνδρα σοφόν.» Ὥσπερ ἡ ἀκηδία βοή θειά ἐστι τῶν παθῶν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ μακροθυμία δύ ναμίς ἐστι τῶν ἀρετῶν. Τὸ μὴ κρίνειν ἄνθρωπον τεῖ χός ἐστιν ἀντίτητον· τὸ δὲ ψέξαι ἢ καταλαλῆσαι ἀπώλειαν τῇ ψυχῇ κατεργάζεται. Τὸ κρατῆσαι τῆς γλώττης δηλοποιεῖται, ὅτι πρακτικός ἐστι μὲν ταῖς ἀρεταῖς· ἡ δὲ ἀπαιδευσία τῆς γλώσσης σημαίνει, ὅτι οὐ κέκτηται ἀρετὴν ἔνδοθεν. Ἡ ἐν γνώσει ἐλεημοσύνη τίκτει τὸ προορᾷν, καὶ ὁδηγεῖ εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην· ἡ δὲ ἀνελεημοσύνη τίκτει τὴν ἀπανθρωπίαν. Μήτηρ ἀρετῶν ἐστιν ἡ συμπάθεια· πλήρωμα δὲ κακῶν ἡ ἀνυποταξία. Ἡ ἀγαθότης τίκτει τὴν ἁγνείαν· ἡ δὲ ὀξυχο λία τίκτει τὰ πάθη. Ἡ σκληροκαρδία τίκτει τὴν ὀργήν· ἡ δὲ ἀκηδία τίκτει τὴν ἔνδειαν. Κόρος ὕπνου ταραχὴ παθῶν· σωτηρία δὲ ψυχῆς ἀγρυπνία ἔμμετρος. Ὕπνος ἐν κόρῳ πλῆθος φαντασιῶν· ἄνθος δὲ τοῦ νοῦ, ἀγρυπνία ἐν προσευχῇ. Πολὺς ὕπνος παχύνει καρδίαν, ἀγρυπνία δὲ λεπτύνει αὐτήν· ἀγρυπνίαν δὲ λέγω τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν γινομένην ἐν ψαλμοῖς, καὶ ὕμνοις, καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς. Ἀγαθὸς γὰρ ὕπνος ἐν σιωπῇ τῶν ἀγρυπνούντων ἐν ματαιολογίᾳ. Τὸ πένθος ἐκδιώκει τὰ πάθη, τὸ δὲ γέλως χω ρίζει ἀπὸ Θεοῦ. Τὸ μὴ πλῆξαι ἄνθρωπον τίκτει τα πείνωσις· ἡ δὲ δόξα τῶν ἀνθρώπων τίκτει τὴν ὑπερ 28.1413 ηφανίαν. Ἡ ἀοργησία τίκτει τὴν πραότητα· ἡ δὲ μνησικακία τίκτει τὴν ἀπώλειαν. Τὸ ἀγαπᾷν τὸν πλατυσμὸν ἐκδιώκει τὰς ἀρετάς· ἡ δὲ στενοχωρία ταπεινοῖ τὰ πάθη. Ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ἐδεσμάτων δι άγει εἰς τὰ πάθη· ἡ δὲ ἐγκράτεια ἐκδιώκει αὐτά. Κό σμησις σώματος, ψυχῆς καταστροφή· τῆξις δὲ σώμα τος, ἀνακαινισμὸς ψυχῆς. Περιφρόνησις σώματος, σω τηρία ψυχῆς· ἐπιμέλεια δὲ σώματος, παγὶς τῇ ψυχῇ. Τῆξις δὲ σώματος φωτισμὸς ψυχῆς. Τὸ προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν ἄνω πάντοτε, τίκτει τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν πρὸς Θεόν· ἡ δὲ μέριμνα τοῦ βίου ἐκδιώκει τὰς ἀρετάς. Τὸ φυλά ξαι τὸ στόμα, διεγείρει τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· ἡ δὲ πολυλογία τίκτει τὴν ἀκηδίαν καὶ τὴν μανίαν. Τὸ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πλησίον, σημαίνει ὁ νοῦς βλέπειν τὰς ἀρετάς· τὸ δὲ ποιῆσαι τὸ ἴδιον θέλημα, σημαίνει τὴν ἄγνοιαν. Ἡ μελέτη ἐν φόβῳ, φυ λάσσει τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ· τὸ δὲ λαλεῖν τοὺς κοσμικοὺς λόγους σκοτίζει τὴν ψυχήν. Τὸ ἀγαπᾷν τὴν ὕλην τοῦ κόσμου, χωρίζει ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν νοῦν· ἡ δὲ ἀκτημοσύνη παῤῥησίᾳ βλέπει τῷ Θεῷ. Τὸ μὴ ἐξάξαι τοὺς λογισμοὺς δηλοποιεῖται, ὅτι ἐκζητεῖ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου τὴν αἰσχρὰν καὶ ματαίαν· τὸ δὲ γνωρίσαι αὐτὰ πνευματικοῖς πατράσιν, ἐκδιώ κει αὐτά. Ὥσπερ ὁ ἰὸς βιβρώσκεται ὁ μοναχὸς ὑπὸ τὴν δόξαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐὰν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ συμ πεισθῇ αὐτῷ. Ὥσπερ σκώληξ, ἤτοι σμίλαξ, συμπλακεὶς τῇ ἀμπέλῳ, ἀφανίζει τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῆς· οὕτως ἀφανίζει κενοδοξία τὸν καρπὸν τοῦ μοναχοῦ, ἐὰν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ συμπεισθῇ αὐτῇ. Πρὸ πάντων τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐστιν ἡ ταπεινοφροσύνη· πρὸ δὲ πάντων τῶν παθῶν ἐστιν ἡ γαστριμαργία. Τέλος ἀρετῶν, ἀγάπη· πλήρωμα δὲ κακῶν, τὸ ἑαυτὸν λογίσασθαι εἶναι δίκαιον. Ὥσπερ σκώληξ κατεσθίων ξύλον ἀφανίζει αὐτὸ, οὕτως ἀφανίζει μνησικακία τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ μοναχοῦ. Τὸ παραῤῥίψαι ἑαυτὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τίκτει τὸ ὑπο φέρειν ὕβριν ἀταράχως· τὸ δὲ μὴ ἐξουθενεῖν ἑαυτὸν, τίκτει τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν. Μὴ ἔσο πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ δυνάμει, καὶ ἡ βοήθεια τοῦ Θεοῦ παροικήσει σοι. Μὴ ἔχε ἔχθραν μετά τινος, ἐπεὶ ἀπρόσδεκτός ἐστιν ἡ προσ ευχή σου. Ἀλήθειαν ἀγάπα· τῆς γὰρ ψευδόμενος ἀθετεῖ τὸν καλόν. Φύλαξον τοὺς