61
When the
soul is agitated by anger or made turbid by drunkenness or troubled by severe
despondency, then however one might press the mind, the mind is unable to
become master of the remembrance of the Lord Jesus. For having become wholly darkened by the
terribleness of the passions, the mind becomes wholly estranged from its native
[spiritual] sense; and for that very reason the mind does not have anywhere for
the desire to imprint its seal so that the mind bear unforgettably the form of
the meditation, the intellect’s memory having become hard from the rawness of
the passions.[1] If, however, the mind should be beyond these
things, then even if what is desired[2]
be stolen for a short time by forgetfulness, immediately the mind, making use
of its natural aptitude, lays hold again of that highly desired and salvific
prey. For then the soul has Grace itself
meditating together with it and crying the ‘Lord Jesus’[3]
together with it, just as a mother might teach her own infant the word
‘father’, and, again, might meditate together with the infant on that word
right up to the time that she guide the infant into the habit of calling
clearly on the father even in sleep, to the exclusion of any other infantile
speech at all.[4] For this reason the Apostle says: ‘Similarly,
then, the Spirit helps our weakness; for we do not know the ‘what shall we
pray’ as it should be but the very Spirit intercedes for us with unutterable
sighs.’ For since we are infants in
regard to the perfect in the virtue of prayer, we at all events need the
assistance of the Spirit so that, all our thoughts having been recollected and
sweetened by the Spirit’s unspeakable sweetness, from our whole disposition we
be set into motion towards the memory and love of our God and Father. Wherefore we cry in the Spirit, as again the
divine Paul says, when we are regulated by the Spirit to call on God the Father
unceasingly: ‘Abba, Father.’[5]
62
More than
the other passions anger has the custom to agitate and confuse the soul;
however, there are occasions when it is of the greatest benefit to the
soul. For whenever we make use of anger
without agitation against those who are acting impiously or in any way
immorally, so that either they be saved or they be shamed, we provide an
addition of meekness to the soul. For in
every way we concur with the goal of the righteousness and the goodness of God,
but in addition, when we are sternly angered against sin we also often make
manly the womanishness of the soul. It
must also not be doubted that if we rebuke the demon of corruption with anger
when we are in great despondency we are minded above the boast of death. So that he teach us this very thing, the Lord
twice rebuking Hades in the Spirit and agitating himself—although doing
everything he wants without agitation by an act of the will only—thus restored
the soul of Lazarus to the body, so that prudent anger[6],
it appears to me, rather has been given to our nature as a weapon by God who
created us. If Eve had made use of which
very anger against the serpent she would not have been set into activity by
that impassioned pleasure. It therefore
appears to me that he who prudently[7]
makes use of anger on account of a zeal for piety will in every respect be
found in the scale of recompenses[8]
to be more tried and tested than he who is never moved to anger at all on
account of an inertia of mind. For the
latter appears to have the charioteer of the human wits[9]
unexercised whereas the former is ever brought on the horses of virtue into the
midst of the front line of the phalanx of demons in battle, fully exercising
the four-horse chariot of temperance[10]
in the fear of God. Which very thing we
find spoken of by Scripture as ‘the chariot of Israel’ in the ascension of the
divine Elias, for God first appears to speak in various ways concerning the
four virtues to the Jews. For which
reason this one who was nourished so much in wisdom was entirely taken up on a
chariot of fire, the prudent one[11],
it seems to me, using his own virtues as horses, in the Spirit which ravished
him in a breeze[12]
of fire.
63
He who
partakes of holy gnosis and tastes the sweetness of God ought neither to sit in
judgement[13]
nor under any circumstances bring a law-suit against anyone, even should
someone take those very things in which he is clothed. For the righteousness of the rulers of this
world is at all events defeated in the righteousness of God or, rather, it is
nothing compared to what is right before God, because what difference is there
between those who are nourished by God and the men of this Age[14]
if not that what is right before the latter would appear imperfect compared to
the righteousness of the former, so that the one be called human right and the
other divine righteousness? So neither
therefore did our Lord Jesus upbraid in return when he was being upbraided nor
did he threaten when he was suffering, but he endured in silence even the
removal of his clothing and, to say the great thing, prayed the Father for the
salvation of the wrongdoers. However, the
men of this world would not cease to go to law unless occasionally they should
[beforehand] regain with something extra the things for which they are going to
law,[15]
and certainly when they receive the interest before the principal[16]—so
that their right often becomes the beginning of a great injustice.
64
While
certain pious persons were speaking I heard one say that we must not allow any
chance individuals to seize those very things which we have for our own
administration or even for the repose of the poor, and certainly not if we
suffer this from Christians—so that we not become occasions of sin to those who
do us injustice through those things towards which we are long-suffering.[17] This is nothing more than to want one’s goods
rather than oneself, coupled with an absurd excuse. For if abandoning prayer and attention to my
own heart I little by little begin to proclaim law-suits against those who wish
to use me badly and to frequent the vestibules of the law-courts, it is obvious
that I consider the things sought greater than my own salvation, not to say
greater even than that salvific command.
For how at all costs will I follow the evangelical command which orders
me, ‘And do not demand your things from him who takes them;’ unless in
accordance with the Apostolic saying I endure with joy the plundering of those
things which belong to me—when, going to law and recovering as much as he
wanted, usually one would still not have freed the avaricious person from his
sin?[18] Moreover, the corruptible courts are not able
to delimit the incorruptible judgement seat of God, for at all events the
accused answers fully only to those particular laws before which he happens to
defend himself and in support of his case.[19] So it is good for us to bear the violence of
those who wish to commit an injustice against us and to pray for them, so that
they be freed from the crime of avarice through repentance and not through the
restitution of those things of ours which they have seized. For this is what the righteousness of the
Lord wishes, that we at some time take back not that which was coveted but the
avaricious person free of sin through repentance.
65
Once we
have come to know the road of piety it is most appropriate and beneficial in
every respect immediately to sell all our goods and to manage the monies from
them in accordance with the commandment of the Lord, and not to disobey the
salvific command with the excuse that we want to keep the commandments always.[20] For from this there will be for us first the
good freedom from care and on account of that thenceforth an uncrafty poverty
minded above every injustice and every law-suit since we no longer have the
material which ignites the fire of the covetous. And more than the other virtues humility will
then warm us round and give us repose in its own bosom as being naked—like a
mother who takes up and completely warms in her arms her own child when in its
childish simplicity it has taken off and thrown somewhere far away its own
clothing, on account of its great guilelessness enjoying its nakedness rather
than the many colours of the clothing.
For it says: ‘The Lord guards the infants; I humbled myself and he saved
me.’
66
The Lord
will at all events demand of us an account of our almsgiving according to what
we have, not according to what we have not.
Therefore, if on account of the fear of the Lord I scatter in a goodly
way in little time whatever I had to give over many years, concerning what will
I who have nothing still be arraigned?
But someone will say: ‘Whence then will those poor be shown pity who
were accustomed to being managed bit by bit from our modest means?’ Let such a person learn not to upbraid God
from the actual motive[21]
of his own love of money. For God will
not lack, managing his own creature as from the beginning. For neither did the poor lack for food or
clothing before this or that person rose up in charity. It is therefore good that, strictly in
accordance with this very knowledge[22],
we cast off with a good ministry the foolish boast that arises from wealth,
hating our own desires—which very thing is to hate our own soul—so that we no
longer hold our soul in great contempt by rejoicing over the scattering of
money as working nothing of the virtues.
For as long as we are somewhat well-provided with goods, we rejoice
greatly over their scattering (if indeed there is an activity of the good in
us), as cheerfully ministering to the divine commandment; but when we have
exhausted our goods, then limitless sorrow and lowliness steal over us as
practising nothing worthy of righteousness.
Whence thereafter the soul returns to itself in great humility so that
whatever it cannot acquire day by day by means of almsgiving it take a care to
acquire in itself from assiduous prayer, patient endurance and humility. For it says: ‘The beggar and the poor man will
praise your name, O Lord.’ For neither is the charism of theology[23]
made ready by God for someone unless he make himself ready by divesting himself
of all his goods for the sake of the glory of the Gospel of God, so that he
preach the wealth of the Kingdom of God in a God-loving poverty. For he clearly means this very thing who
said, ‘You have prepared for the beggar in your goodness, O Lord;’ and added,
‘God will give speech in great power to those who preach the Gospel.’
67
All the
charisms of our God are exceedingly good[24]
and able to provide every goodness but nothing kindles and moves our heart to
the love of God’s goodness like theology.
For being the precocious offspring of the Grace of God it is at all
events the first charism[25]
to grant even gifts to the soul. First,
it prepares us to despise with joy all the friendship of this life since we
have instead of corruptible desires the sayings of God as unspeakable wealth. Next, it illuminates our mind with the fire
of change[26],
whence it even makes our mind to be in communion with the ministering spirits.[27] Therefore, beloved, we who have been prepared
for it beforehand genuinely yearn after this virtue; this comely virtue; this
virtue which sees all; this virtue which provides every freedom from care; this
virtue which nourishes the mind in a dawn of unspeakable light in the words of
God; and, not to go on at length, this virtue which by means of the holy
Prophets harmonizes the rational soul towards an inseparable communion with the
Word of God, so that even among men—Oh the wonder!—the Divine Leader of the
Bride[28]
harmonize the God-given voices singing clearly the mighty deeds of God.[29]
68
Most of the
time our mind finds prayer[30]
hard to bear because of the extremely narrow and restrained character[31]
of the virtue of prayer;[32]
however it gives itself over to theology rejoicing because of the broad and
released nature of the divine contemplations.[33] Therefore, so that we do not give a road to
the mind to want to speak much, or even allow it to take wing beyond measure in
its joy, let us for the most part spend our time in prayer, and [secondarily]
in psalmody and the reading of Holy Scripture, not overlooking the
contemplations[34]
of learned men whose faith is recognized through their words.[35] For if we do this, neither will we prepare
the mind to mix its own sayings[36]
with the words[37]
of Grace nor will we allow the mind to be dragged under by vainglory, the mind
having been dissipated through much joy and loquacity; but we will also keep
the mind outside of fantasy in the time of contemplation[38],
and from this we will procure for the mind that almost all its thoughts be
tearful[39]. For reposing in the times of stillness[40]
and indeed sweetened by the sweetness of the prayer[41],
the mind does not only come to be outside the aforementioned faults but is more
and more renewed in the acute and painless intuitive apprehension of divine
contemplations[42],
along with progressing with much humility in the contemplation[43]
of discernment. However, it must be
known that there is a prayer[44]
which is above every diffuseness. This
prayer is only of those who are filled with divine Grace in every [spiritual]
sense and inner spiritual assurance.
69
In the
beginning Grace is accustomed to illuminate the mind in much [spiritual]
perception in Grace’s own light but as the battles progress it usually sets its
own mysteries into action in the theological soul[45]
in an unknown manner, so that in the first case it let us loose rejoicing on
the trail of the divine contemplations[46]
as having been called from ignorance to gnosis, whereas
it preserve our gnosis free from vainglory in the middle of the struggles. We must therefore be moderately sorrowed as
having been abandoned so that we be humbled more and submit more to the glory
of the Lord, yet occasionally rejoice having been given wing in the good hope.[47] For as great sorrow envelops the soul in
despair and lack of faith, thus also great joy provokes it to conceit—I am
speaking of those who are still in a state of [spiritual] infancy—, for the
mean between illumination and abandonment is experience whereas the mean
between sorrow and joy is hope.[48] For it says: ‘Abiding patiently, I patiently
abided the Lord and he took heed to me;’ and: ‘According to the multitude of
the pains in my heart, your consolations have gladdened my soul.’
70
Just as the
doors of the baths quickly propel the interior warmth towards the exterior when
they are open, thus also the soul disperses its own remembrance [of God] through
the gate of the voice when it wishes to discuss many things, even if it should
say all things well. Whence the soul is
thenceforth deprived of seasonable thoughts[49]
and speaks the clashing of its thoughts[50]
more or less in a mob[51]
to those who chance to be there, because thenceforth it does not have the Holy
Spirit to preserve in it an intellect free of fantasy. For as being foreign to all agitation and
fantasy the Good [Spirit] ever flees garrulousness. Therefore silence is good in its proper time,
being nothing other than the mother of the wisest thoughts[52].
[1] What the author means is that because of the harshness of the
passions that he lists, the mind is unable, even the ascetic wants, to
establish the repetition of the Jesus Prayer in its consciousness. The author makes the important psychological
observation that the reason for this inability is that the ‘intellect’s memory’
has become hard because of the rawness of the passions. This refers to the subjective conscious world
of someone who is very upset: their interior mental world—their ‘fabric of
consciousness’—is so ‘hardened’ by the passion that it is simply impossible for
them to establish the repetition of the Prayer in it: the Prayer simply won’t
‘imprint’ the disturbed consciousness, which indeed has acquired a hardened
texture.
[2] I.e. the Prayer of Jesus.
[3] This is again in the vocative, indicating that this is not the full
text of the formula of the Jesus Prayer but rather the name of the formula. In ecclesiastical practice, prayers often
take their name from their first few words.
Compare the ‘Our Father’.
[4] This is a very important, if succinct, description of how through
the action of Grace the mind is led to the automatic repetition of the formula
of the Jesus Prayer even in sleep.
[5] Greek: Abba o pater. Of course, Abba is the Aramaic familiar term for one’s own father that Jesus
himself is recorded in the Gospel as having used for his Heavenly Father.
[6] ‘Prudent anger’: Greek: sophrona
thumo. It is hard to convey the
nuance of this phrase in context. The
author wishes to refer to an anger that is of sound mind, in its senses,
prudent, chaste; not an anger that is extreme, uncontrolled or
impassioned. There are many repetitions
of sophron in its various cognate
forms in this chapter.
[7] ‘In a prudent way’. Greek: sophronos.
[8] I.e. at the Last Judgement.
[9] ‘Wits’: Greek: phrenes. This word is a cognate of sophron, which is derived etymologically
from ‘having the wits whole or sound’.
[10] Recall that the author has already established that ‘temperance’ is
the common name of all the four virtues. Hence, he is now drawing an extended
metaphor between the four virtues and the four-horse chariot on which the
Prophet Elias ascended.
[11] ‘The prudent one’. Greek: o sophron.
[12] Greek: aura. In the Septuagint this word is used not for
Elias’ ascension but for the theophany on Horeb: God appeared there to Elias
not in the earthquake or storm but in the fine breeze (lepte aura). Whether this
is to be taken as an inadvertence on the part of the author or as a subtle
allusion would depend on the reader’s judgement.
[13] Greek: dikazein. Des
Places interprets this as ‘ne doit pas se défendre en justice’.
[14] I.e. by the world.
[15] I.e. they settle out of court advantageously.
[16] I.e. the payments are first applied to interest owed and then to
principal.
[17] I.e. We are now showing long-suffering in the seizure by others,
especially Christians, of our goods rather than preventing the seizure or
prosecuting the culprits but supposedly we would prevent these persons from
sinning if we were to take them to court (through the fear of the gendarme).
[18] This abrupt change from the first to the third person is in the
text here and elsewhere.
[19] I.e. the court narrowly considers only the specific laws which
apply to the matter at hand whereas the justice of God considers the whole
situation, including the whole person involved.
[20] I.e. the author is counselling us to sell our goods and give the
money away immediately, not to keep the money with the excuse that we want to
fulfil over a long period the commandment to help the poor.
[21] ‘Actual motive’. Greek: Prophasis.
[22] Cf. the beginning of Chapter 63.
[23] In this chapter the charism of theology seems to be the preaching
of the Gospel.
[24] Greek: kala lian, in an
allusion to the Genesis account of Creation (Septuagint).
[25] We take prota in an adverbial sense as following on
‘precocious’, but English cannot support a literal translation of the
construction. The author wants to exhort
his disciples to concentrate on theology; hence he emphasizes theology as the
first charism to grant gifts, thus exciting his disciples’ desire to occupy
themselves with theology in the manner he describes.
[26] Greek: allage. The use of this word seems a little imprecise
for someone of St Diadochos’ literary stature, but there is probably a
reference here to a phrase from the Psalms in the Septuagint: ‘This change is
of the right hand of the Most High.’
[27] I.e. the angels.
[28] The soul is here treated as the bride of God being led to marriage
with God by the Holy Spirit.
[29] The author seems to mean that the Holy Spirit, as the leader of the
soul to God, harmonizes here on earth the spiritual voice of the soul with the
voices of the angels and Prophets in Heaven.
There also seems to be an allusion to the participation of the monk or
nun in the services of the monastery, where they would be united to the angels
and saints in Heaven in singing the word of God (primarily the Psalms). However, it must be said that we have no
information on St. Diadochos’ monasteries and the services conducted in them.
[30] This would be the Jesus Prayer.
The author is saying that to concentrate the mind on the words of the
Jesus Prayer, and especially so with the mind and the words of the Prayer
focused in the heart, is actually quite vexing to the mind.
[31] The author is referring to the very concentrated, secret, private
and silent practice of the Prayer of Jesus in the heart. Everything is focused there. It is terribly hard.
[32] Greek: euktikes aretes. This should not be understood in a vague sort
of way as the moral virtue of praying often (not that that is not a virtue) but
more specifically as the practice of the Hesychast form of the Jesus Prayer.
[33] Greek: theoremata. This normally refers to a speculative
contemplation in the nature of ‘thinking about with words’, not an intuitive
rapture of the mind into God. The author
is contrasting the very difficult focusing of the Prayer of Jesus as practised
by the Hesychast he is addressing, and the release of the built-up mental
tension of the Prayer in the practice of the speculative contemplations of
theology. Again, however, this theology
is already defined by the author as a charism.
It is not academic theology.
[34] Greek: theoremata. I.e. speculative theology.
[35] I.e. we should only read theological writers whose works are
recognized to be sound.
[36] Greek: remata.
[37] Greek: logois.
[38] Greek: theoria. This is direct intuitive sight of
spiritual things.
[39] This is the Hesychast’s charism of tears.
[40] Geek: hesychias.
[41] Greek: euche. This would again be the Prayer of Jesus
repeated constantly.
[42] Greek: theoremata. These would be speculative contemplations
again.
[43] Greek: theoria. This would be intuitive knowledge again.
[44] Greek: euche. The author is referring to a certain high
stage in the practice of the Jesus Prayer in Hesychasm.
[45] ‘Theological soul’. Rutherford reads ‘theological
intellect’ but this reading does not persuade us in context. The phrase would refer to the Hesychast who now
enjoys the charism of theology that the author has discussed in the previous
chapters.
[46] Greek: theoremata. These are the discursive contemplations of
theology. The image here seems to be of
the dogs let loose with joyous barking on the trail of the quarry.
[47] This sentence is a capsule description of the spiritual state of an
advanced Hesychast.
[48] The author is using the schema of traditional Greek philosophy: a
virtue is a mean between two extremes.
[49] Greek: ennoion.
[50] Greek: logismon.
[51] ‘More or less in a mob’.
This refers to how the ascetic speaks, not to the people standing by.
[52] Greek: ennoion.