Joseph Kenny OP: Readings Lent Wednesday 4

READINGS: LENT WEDNESDAY IV

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

PSALMS and BACK
שׁוּבוּ וְהָשִׁיבוּ מִכָּל־פִּשְׁעֵיכֶם — וַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם לֵב חָדָשׁ וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה

Even Years: Leviticus 26:3-17,38-45
3 אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוֹתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם׃
4 וְנָתַתִּי גִשְׁמֵיכֶם בְּעִתָּם וְנָתְנָה הָאָרֶץ יְבוּלָהּ וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה יִתֵּן פִּרְיוֹ׃
5 וְהִשִּׂיג לָכֶם דַּיִשׁ אֶת־בָּצִיר וּבָצִיר יַשִּׂיג אֶת־זָרַע וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע וִישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח בְּאַרְצְכֶם׃
6 וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּם וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה רָעָה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְחֶרֶב לֹא־תַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצְכֶם׃
7 וּרְדַפְתֶּם אֶת־אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְנָפְלוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָרֶב׃
8 וְרָדְפוּ מִכֶּם חֲמִשָּׁה מֵאָה וּמֵאָה מִכֶּם רְבָבָה יִרְדֹּפוּ וְנָפְלוּ אֹיְבֵיכֶם לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָרֶב׃
9 וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם וְהִפְרֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶתְכֶם וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתְּכֶם׃
10 וַאֲכַלְתֶּם יָשָׁן נוֹשָׁן וְיָשָׁן מִפְּנֵי חָדָשׁ תּוֹצִיאוּ׃
11 וְנָתַתִּי מִשְׁכָּנִי בְּתוֹכְכֶם וְלֹא־תִגְעַל נַפְשִׁי אֶתְכֶם׃
12 וְהִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בְּתוֹכְכֶם וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ־לִי לְעָם׃
13 אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִהְיֹת לָהֶם עֲבָדִים וָאֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֹת עֻלְּכֶם וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם קוֹמְמִיּוּת׃ פ
14 וְאִם־לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ לִי וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כָּל־הַמִּצְוֹת הָאֵלֶּה׃
15 וְאִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַי תִּמְאָסוּ וְאִם אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי תִּגְעַל נַפְשְׁכֶם לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹתַי לְהַפְרְכֶם אֶת־בְּרִיתִי׃
16 אַף־אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה־זֹּאת לָכֶם וְהִפְקַדְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם בֶּהָלָה אֶת־הַשַּׁחֶפֶת וְאֶת־הַקַּדַּחַת מְכַלּוֹת עֵינַיִם וּמְדִיבֹת נָפֶשׁ וּזְרַעְתֶּם לָרִיק זַרְעֲכֶם וַאֲכָלֻהוּ אֹיְבֵיכֶם׃
17 וְנָתַתִּי פָנַי בָּכֶם וְנִגַּפְתֶּם לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְרָדוּ בָכֶם שֹׂנְאֵיכֶם וְנַסְתֶּם וְאֵין־רֹדֵף אֶתְכֶם׃...
38 וַאֲבַדְתֶּם בַּגּוֹיִם וְאָכְלָה אֶתְכֶם אֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיכֶם׃
39 וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּכֶם יִמַּקּוּ בַּעֲוֹנָם בְּאַרְצֹת אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְאַף בַּעֲוֹנֹת אֲבֹתָם אִתָּם יִמָּקּוּ׃
40 וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת־עֲוֹנָם וְאֶת־עֲוֹן אֲבֹתָם בְּמַעֲלָם אֲשֶׁר מָעֲלוּ־בִי וְאַף אֲשֶׁר־הָלְכוּ עִמִּי בְּקֶרִי׃
41 אַף־אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ עִמָּם בְּקֶרִי וְהֵבֵאתִי אֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם אוֹ־אָז יִכָּנַע לְבָבָם הֶעָרֵל וְאָז יִרְצוּ אֶת־עֲוֹנָם׃
42 וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב וְאַף אֶת־בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶזְכֹּר וְהָאָרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר׃
43 וְהָאָרֶץ תֵּעָזֵב מֵהֶם וְתִרֶץ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ בָּהְשַׁמָּה מֵהֶם וְהֵם יִרְצוּ אֶת־עֲוֹנָם יַעַן וּבְיַעַן בְּמִשְׁפָּטַי מָאָסוּ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתַי גָּעֲלָה נַפְשָׁם׃
44 וְאַף־גַּם־זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם לֹא־מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹא־גְעַלְתִּים לְכַלֹּתָם לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם׃
45 וְזָכַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית רִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי־אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם לִהְיֹת לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי יְהוָה׃

3 If you live according to my laws, if you keep my commandments and put them into practice, 4 I shall give you the rain you need at the right time; the soil will yield its produce and the trees of the countryside their fruit; 5 you will thresh until vintage time and gather grapes until sowing time. You will eat your fill of bread and live secure in your land. 6 I shall give peace in the land, and you will go to sleep with no one to frighten you. I shall rid the land of beasts of prey. The sword will not pass through your land. 7 You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before your sword; 8 five of you pursuing a hundred of them, one hundred pursuing ten thousand; and your enemies will fall before your sword. 9 I shall turn towards you, I shall make you fertile and make your numbers grow, and I shall uphold my covenant with you. 10 Having eaten all you need of last year's harvest, you will throw out the old to make room for the new. 11 I shall fix my home among you and never reject you. 12 I shall live among you; I shall be your God and you will be my people, 13 I, Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you should be their slaves no longer, and who broke the bonds of your yoke and made you walk with head held high.
14 But if you will not listen to me and do not put all these commandments into practice, 15 if you reject my laws and detest my customs, and you break my covenant by not putting all my commandments into practice, 16 this is how I shall treat you: I shall subject you to terror, consumption and fever, making you dim of sight and short of breath. You will sow your seed in vain, for your enemies will eat it. 17 I shall turn against you and you will be defeated by your enemies. Your foes will have the mastery over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you... 38 you will perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies will swallow you up. 39 Those of you who survive will pine away in their guilt in the countries of their enemies and, bearing the guilt of their ancestors too, will pine away like them. 40 Then they shall admit their guilt and that of their ancestors and their infidelities against me, and further, their setting themselves against me. 41 I in my turn will go against them and bring them into the land of their enemies.
Then their uncircumcised hearts will grow humble and then they will accept the punishment for their guilt. 42 I shall remember my covenant with Jacob, I shall remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham; and I shall remember the country too. 43 Abandoned, the country will keep its Sabbaths, as it lies deserted in their absence, and they will have to accept the punishment for their guilt, since they detested my customs and rejected my laws.
44 Yet, in spite of all this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I shall not so utterly reject or detest them as to destroy them completely and break my covenant with them; for I am Yahweh their God. 45 For their sake I shall remember the covenant I made with those first generations that I brought out of Egypt while other nations watched, so that I should be their God, I, Yahweh.
Odd Years: Hebrews 9:1-10
εἶχε μὲν οὖν καὶ ἡ πρώτη δικαιώματα λατρείας τό τε ἅγιον κοσμικόν.
σκηνὴ γὰρ κατεσκευάσθη ἡ πρώτη
ἐν ᾗ ἥ τε λυχνία καὶ ἡ τράπεζα καὶ ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων,
ἥτις λέγεται ἅγια:
μετὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα σκηνὴ ἡ λεγομένη ἅγια ἁγίων,
χρυσοῦν ἔχουσα θυμιατήριον
καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης περικεκαλυμμένην πάντοθεν χρυσίῳ,
ἐν ᾗ στάμνος χρυσῆ ἔχουσα τὸ μάννα
καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος ἀαρὼν ἡ βλαστήσασα καὶ αἱ πλάκες τῆς διαθήκης,
ὑπεράνω δὲ αὐτῆς χερουβὶν δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον:
περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν νῦν λέγειν κατὰ μέρος.
      τούτων δὲ οὕτως κατεσκευασμένων,
      εἰς μὲν τὴν πρώτην σκηνὴν διὰ παντὸς εἰσίασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς τὰς λατρείας ἐπιτελοῦντες,
      εἰς δὲ τὴν δευτέραν ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ μόνος ὁ ἀρχιερεύς,
      οὐ χωρὶς αἵματος, ὃ προσφέρει ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ ἀγνοημάτων,
τοῦτο δηλοῦντος τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου,
μήπω πεφανερῶσθαι τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ὁδὸν ἔτι τῆς πρώτης σκηνῆς ἐχούσης στάσιν,
ἥτις παραβολὴ εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τὸν ἐνεστηκότα,
καθ' ἣν δῶρά τε καὶ θυσίαι προσφέρονται
μὴ δυνάμεναι κατὰ συνείδησιν τελειῶσαι τὸν λατρεύοντα,
μόνον ἐπὶ βρώμασιν καὶ πόμασιν καὶ διαφόροις βαπτισμοῖς,
δικαιώματα σαρκὸς μέχρι καιροῦ διορθώσεως ἐπικείμενα.
1 The first covenant also had its laws governing worship and its sanctuary, a sanctuary on this earth. 2 There was a tent which comprised two compartments: the first, in which the lamp-stand, the table and the loaves of permanent offering were kept, was called the Holy Place; 3 then beyond the second veil, a second compartment which was called the Holy of Holies 4 to which belonged the gold altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant, plated all over with gold. In this were kept the gold jar containing the manna, Aaron's branch that grew the buds, and the tables of the covenant. 5 On top of it were the glorious winged creatures, overshadowing the throne of mercy. This is not the time to go into detail about this. 6 Under these provisions, priests go regularly into the outer tent to carry out their acts of worship, 7 but the second tent is entered only once a year, and then only by the high priest who takes in the blood to make an offering for his own and the people's faults of inadvertence. 8 By this, the Holy Spirit means us to see that as long as the old tent stands, the way into the holy place is not opened up; 9 it is a symbol for this present time. None of the gifts and sacrifices offered under these regulations can possibly bring any worshipper to perfection in his conscience; 10 they are rules about outward life, connected with food and drink and washing at various times, which are in force only until the time comes to set things right.

Even Years: Gregory of Nazianzen, Sermon 45, 23-24 (PG 36, 654-655)
Μεταληψόμεθα δὲ τοῦ Πάσχα, νῦν μὲν τυπικῶς ἔτι, καὶ εἰ τοῦ παλαιοῦ γυμνότερον (τὸ γὰρ νομικὸν Πάσχα, τολμῶ καὶ λέγω, τύπου τύπος ἦν ἀμυδρότερος)· μικρὸν δὲ ὕστερον, τελεώτερον καὶ καθαρώτερον, ἡνίκα ἂν αὐτὸ πίνῃ καινὸν μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ Λόγος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀποκαλύπτων καὶ διδάσκων, ἃ νῦν μετρίως παρέδειξε. Καινὸν γάρ ἐστιν ἀεὶ τὸ νῦν γνωριζόμενον. We are soon going to share in the Passover, and although we still do so only in a symbolic way, the symbolism already has more clarity than it possessed in former times, because under the Law the Passover was, if I may dare to say so, only a symbol of a symbol. Before long, however, when the Word drinks the new wine with us in the kingdom of his Father, we shall be keeping the Passover in a yet more perfect way, and with deeper understanding: he will then reveal to us and make clear what he has so far only partially disclosed. For this wine, so familiar to us now, is eternally new.
Τίς δὲ ἡ πόσις καὶ ἡ ἀπόλαυσις, ἡμῶν μὲν τὸ μαθεῖν, ἐκείνου δὲ τὸ διδάξαι, καὶ κοινώσασθαι τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς τὸν λόγον. Τροφὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δίδαξις, καὶ τοῦ τρέφοντος. It is for us to learn what this drinking is, and for him to teach us. He has to communicate this knowledge to his disciples, because teaching is food, even for the teacher.
Ἀλλὰ δεῦρο, καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῦ νόμου μεταλάβωμεν εὐαγγελικῶς, ἀλλὰ μὴ γραπτῶς· τελείως, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀτελῶς· ἀϊδίως, ἀλλὰ μὴ προσκαίρως, Ποιησώμεθα κεφαλὴν, μὴ τὴν κάτω Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄνω μητρόπολιν· μὴ τὴν ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων νῦν πατουμένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὑπ' ἀγγέλων δοξαζομένην. So let us take our part in the Passover prescribed by the Law, not in a literal way, but according to the teaching of the Gospel; not in an imperfect way, but perfectly; not only for a time, but eternally. Let us regard as our home the heavenly Jerusalem, not the earthly one; the city glorified by angels, not the one laid waste by armies.
Θύσωμεν, μὴ μόσχους νέους, μηδὲ ἀμνοὺς κέρατα ἐκφέροντας καὶ ὁπλὰς, παρ' οἷς πολὺ τὸ νεκρὸν καὶ ἀναίσθητον· ἀλλὰ θύσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως, ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνω θυσιαστήριον, μετὰ τῆς ἄνω χοροστασίας. Διάσχωμεν τὸ πρῶτον καταπέτασμα, τῷ δευτέρῳ προσέλθωμεν, εἰς τὰ Ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων παρακύψωμεν. We are not required to sacrifice young bulls or rams, beasts with horns and hoofs that are more dead than alive and devoid of feeling; but instead, let us join the choirs of angels in offering God upon his heavenly altar a sacrifice of praise. We must now pass through the first veil and approach the second, turning our eyes toward the Holy of Holies.
Εἴπω τὸ μεῖζον, ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς θύσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ· μᾶλλον δὲ, θύωμεν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν καὶ πᾶσαν κίνησιν. Πάντα ὑπὲρ τοῦ Λόγου δεχώμεθα, πάθεσι τὸ πάθος μιμώμεθα, αἵματι τὸ αἷμα σε μνύνωμεν, ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἀνίωμεν πρόθυμοι. Γλυκεῖς οἱ ἧλοι, καὶ εἰ λίαν ὀδυνηροί. Τὸ γὰρ μετὰ Χριστοῦ πάσχειν, καὶ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ μετ' ἄλλων τρυφᾷν αἱρετώτερον. I will say more: we must sacrifice ourselves to God, each day and in everything we do, accepting all that happens to us for the sake of the Word, imitating his Passion by our sufferings, and honouring his blood by shedding our own. We must be ready to be crucified.
Ἂν Σίμων ἦς Κυρηναῖος, τὸν σταυρὸν ἆρον, καὶ ἀκολούθησον. Ἂν συσταυρωθῇς ὡς λῃστὴς, ὡς εὐγνώμων τὸν Θεὸν γνώρισον· εἰ κἀκεῖνος μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη διὰ σὲ καὶ τὴν σὴν ἁμαρτίαν, σὺ γενοῦ δι' ἐκεῖνον ἔννομος. Προσκύνησον τὸν διὰ σὲ κρεμασθέντα, καὶ κρεμάμενος· κέρδανόν τι καὶ παρὰ τῆς κακίας· ὤμνησαι τῷ θανάτῳ τὴν σωτηρίαν· εἰς τὸν παράδεισον εἴσελθε μετὰ Ἰησοῦ, ὥστε μαθεῖν ὧν ἐκπέπτωκας· Τὰ ἐκεῖ κάλλη θεώρησον· τὸν γογγυστὴν ἄφες ἀποθανεῖν ἔξω, μετὰ τῆς βλασφημίας. If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up your Cross and follow Christ. If you are crucified beside him like one of the thieves, now like the good thief acknowledge your God. For your sake, and because of your sin, Christ himself was regarded as a sinner; for his sake, therefore, you must cease to sin. Worship him who was hung on the Cross because of you, even if you are hanging there yourself. Derive some benefit from the very shame; purchase salvation with your death. Enter paradise with Jesus, and discover how far you have fallen. Contemplate the glories there, and leave the other scoffing thief to die outside in his blasphemy.
Κἂν Ἰωσὴφ ᾖς ὁ ἀπὸ Ἀριμαθαίας, αἴτησαι τὸ σῶμα παρὰ τοῦ σταυροῦντος· σὸν γενέσθω τὸ τοῦ κόσμου καθάρσιον. If you are a Joseph of Arimathea, go to the one who ordered his crucifixion, and ask for Christ's body: make your own the expiation for the sins of the whole world.
Κἂν Νικόδημος ᾖς, ὁ νυκτερινὸς θεοσεβὴς, μύροις αὐτὸν ἐνταφίασον. If you are a Nicodemus, like the man who worshiped God by night, bring spices and prepare Christ's body for burial.
Κἂν Μαρία τις ᾖς, κἂν ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία, κἂν Σαλώμη, κἂν Ἰωάννα, δάκρυσον ὀρθρία. Ἴδε πρώτη τὸν λίθον ἡρμένον, τυχὸν δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους, καὶ Ἰησοῦν αὐτόν. If you are one of the Marys, or Salome, or Joanna, weep in the early morning. Be the first to see the stone rolled back, and even the angels perhaps, and Jesus himself.

Odd Years: John Chrysostom, Homily 11 on 2 Corinthians, 3-4 (PG 61, 478-480)
Ἔπεμψε τὸν Υἱὸν ὁ Πατὴρ παρακαλέσαι, καὶ πρεσβεύσασθαι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν σφαγεὶς ἐκεῖνος ἀπῆλθεν, ἡμεῖς διεδεξάμεθα τὴν πρεσβείαν, καὶ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμᾶς. Τοσούτου τιμᾶται τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος, ὅτι καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἐπέδωκε, καὶ ταῦτα εἰδὼς ὅτι σφαγήσεται, καὶ ἀποστόλους ἡμᾶς δι' ὑμᾶς ἐποίησεν· ὥστε εἰκότως ἔλεγε, Πάντα δι' ὑμᾶς... Μὴ τοίνυν νομίσητε, φησὶν, ὑφ' ἡμῶν ἀξιοῦσθαι· αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστὸς ὑμᾶς παρακαλεῖ, αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Πατὴρ δι' ἡμῶν.
Τί ταύτης τῆς ὑπερβολῆς γένοιτ' ἂν ἴσον; Αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ μυρία εὐεργετήσας ὑβρισθεὶς, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπῄτησε δίκην, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔδωκε τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα καταλλαγῶμεν. Οὐ κατηλλάγησαν οἱ δεξάμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔσφαξαν.
Πάλιν ἔπεμψεν ἑτέρους πρέσβεις παρακαλοῦντας· καὶ τούτων πεμφθέντων, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀξιῶν. Τί δὲ ἀξιοῖ; Καταλλάγητε τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Καταλλάξατε ἑαυτοῖς τὸν Θεόν· οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν ὁ ἐχθραίνων, ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς· Θεὸς γὰρ οὐδέποτε ἐχθραίνει. Καὶ δικαιολογούμενος δὲ καθάπερ πρεσβευτὴς ἀποσταλεὶς,
Τὸν γὰρ μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησε, φησίν... Διὰ τοῦτο μόνον οὐκ ἂν εἴητε δίκαιοι καταλλαγῆναι, δι' ὅπερ ἐποίησεν εἰς ὑμᾶς νῦν; Καὶ τί ἐποίησε; Τὸν γὰρ μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν, δι' ὑμᾶς ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν ἤνυσε, τοῦτο δὲ μόνον εἰργάσατο, ἐννόησον ἡλίκον ἦν τὸ ὑπὲρ τῶν ὑβρικότων τὸν Υἱὸν δοῦναι. Νυνὶ δὲ καὶ μεγάλα κατώρθωσε, καὶ μετὰ τούτων τὸν οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἠδικηκότων κολασθῆναι εἴασεν.
Ἀλλ' οὐκ εἶπε τοῦτο, ἀλλ' ὃ πολλῷ μεῖζόν ἐστι τούτου τέθεικε. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν, φησὶ, τὸν αὐτοδικαιοσύνην ὄντα, ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησε· τουτέστιν, ὡς ἁμαρτωλὸν κατακριθῆναι ἀφῆκεν, ὡς ἐπικατάρατον ἀποθανεῖν· Ἐπικατάρατος γὰρ ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου. Τοῦ γὰρ ἀποθανεῖν τὸ οὕτως ἀποθανεῖ πολλῷ μεῖζον ἦν· ὅπερ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ αἰνιττόμενος, φησὶν, Ὑπήκοος γενόμενος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ κόλασιν εἶχε μόνον τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ αἰσχύνην. Ἐννόησον τοίνυν ὅσα σοι παρέσχε.
Ἐὰν τοίνυν φιλῶμεν τὸν Χριστὸν, ὡς φιλεῖν δεῖ, ἑαυτοὺς τιμωρησόμεθα ἁμαρτάνοντες... Μὴ τοίνυν γέενναν φοβώμεθα, ἀλλὰ τὸ προσκροῦσαι τῷ Θεῷ· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐκείνου χαλεπώτερον, ὅταν ἀποστρέφηται ὀργιζόμενος... Ταῦτ' οὖν ἐννοοῦντες, πρὸ πάντων ἁμαρτίαν φοβώμεθα· τοῦτο γὰρ κόλασις, τοῦτο γέεννα, τοῦτο τὰ μυρία κακά. Μὴ φοβώμεθα δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ φεύγωμεν, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ σπουδάζωμεν διηνεκῶς ἀρέσκειν· τοῦτο γὰρ βασιλεία, τοῦτο ζωὴ, τοῦτο τὰ μυρία καλά. Οὕτω καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη τῆς βασιλείας ἐπιτευξόμεθα, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν· ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Prayer