Homilia

HOMILY. The teaching of Abbot Macarius concerning those who are in monasteries. First of all, if a man begins to know himself, why he was created, and has sought his maker God, then he will begin to do penance for those things which he committed in the time of his negligence. And thus finally the kind God gives him sorrow for his sins, and after this again, out of his kindness, gives him affliction of the body, fasts and vigils and persistence in prayers, and contempt for the world, so that he willingly endures injuries inflicted upon him, and holds in hatred every bodily comfort, and loves lamentation more than laughter. After this, he bestows upon him a desire for lamentation and weeping, and humility of heart, so that he considers the beam in his own eye, and does not strive to pluck out the mote of another; and he always says: "For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always against me" (Psalm 50). And that he may be mindful of the day of his end, and how he will appear in the sight of God, but also that he may set before the sight of his mind the judgments and punishments, and not least the deserved honors which are given to the saints. But if he sees that these things are pleasant to him, he tests him to see if he renounces his own desires, and resists the assaults of the prince of this world, who had previously bound him with the bait of various delights which soften the heart, so that he might again almost be able to conquer.

But also bodily weariness and the length of desire, with his thoughts saying to him, For how long a time will you be able to endure this labor? And because it is of arduous labor that one may merit having God as a dweller, especially you who have sinned much: and how many sins can be remitted to you by God? If, however, he has recognized that his heart is firm in the fear of God and does not abandon its place, but strongly resists the thoughts, then thoughts come to him under the pretext of justice, saying: You have sinned, indeed, but you have done penance; you are already holy, and they make him recall the sins of certain men who have not done penance, oversowing in his heart vain glory. Not only this, but they also cause certain men to praise him deceitfully, and to provoke him to works which he cannot bear, sending into his soul thoughts of not eating and not drinking, as well as of vigils, and many other things which it is long to recount. And they grant him facility to accomplish these, if only they can entice him to them, with Scripture warning and saying: Do not turn aside to the right nor to the left, but enter the straight path (Deut. 5 and 17). If, however, the kind God has perceived that he has yielded to none of these of his own accord, with David signifying and saying concerning temptations of this kind: You have tested my heart, and visited by night; you have examined me by fire, and no iniquity has been found in me (Ps. 16).

And it should be observed why he said "by night" and not "by day"; namely, because the snares of the enemy are night, as the blessed Paul says, that we are not of darkness, but of light, because the Son of God is day, while the devil is likened to night (1 Thess. 5). But if the soul has overcome all these battles, then adverse [hostile] thoughts begin to thrust themselves upon it, the desire of fornication, and the unspeakable defilement of boys. In all these things, therefore, the soul is weakened and the heart wastes away, so that it believes the guard of chastity to be impossible for itself, they adding to it, as I said, the length of time, the strength of the labor. And because the burden itself is great and unbearable, they add to it the weakness of the body and the frailty of nature. But if it does not grow weary at these assaults, then the kind and merciful God sends to it holy strength, and confirms its heart, and gives it joy and refreshment and ability, so that it is found stronger than the enemies, so that their attack against it does not prevail, fearing the strength that dwells in it. As the holy Apostle says, "Strive, and you will receive strength." This indeed is the strength of which the blessed Peter says: "An incorrupt and unfading inheritance, preserved in the heavens, for those who are guarded in the strength of God through faith" (1 Pet. 1).

Then the kind and merciful God, if He sees that one’s heart has been strengthened against its enemies, gradually withdraws the virtue that was assisting it, and allows the enemies to assail it with various lusts of the flesh, as well as with vainglory, covetousness, pride, and the other things that drag one to perdition, so that it becomes almost like a ship that, without a rudder, strikes against rocks here and there. But when that heart has withered, so to speak, in these things, and has failed at each individual temptation of the enemy, then God, the lover of men, having care for His creature, sends it holy virtue and strengthens it, subjecting both its soul and body and all its inward parts under the yoke of the Paraclete, the Lord Himself saying: “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me that I am meek and humble of heart” (Matt. 11). And thus at last that kind God begins to open the eyes of its heart, so that it may understand that it is He who strengthens it; and then truly will a man begin to know how to give honor to God, with all humility and thanksgiving, as David says: “A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit” (Ps. 50), and meekness of hearts is brought about. Therefore, when he has been tested in all these things, then the Holy Spirit will begin to reveal heavenly things to him: that is, what is justly and deservedly owed to the saints, and to those who hope in His mercy.

Then the man reflects within himself, saying with the Apostle: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory that will be revealed in us" (Rom. 8). And also that saying of David: "For what remains for me in heaven, and what did I seek from you on earth?" (Ps. 72). That is: O Lord, how much you had prepared for me in heaven, and what did I seek from you in mortal life? And thus the torments that sinners will suffer are revealed to him, and many other things which, even if I remain silent, the holy man understands. After all these things, however, the Paraclete begins to make a pact with the purity of his heart, the steadfastness of his soul, the holiness of his body, and with the spirit of humility he makes him rise above every creature, so that his mouth does not speak of men's works, so that he sees rightly with his eyes, places a guard over his mouth, makes straight the path of his steps, and has justice in his hands—that is, diligence in work and prayer, as well as affliction of the body and frequency of vigils. And He arranges these things with him in measure and discretion, not in turmoil, but in tranquility. But if his mind despises the arrangement of the Holy Spirit, then the virtue that had been conferred upon him departs, and thus the slaughter of battle occurs in his heart, along with disturbances, and the passions of the body trouble him at every moment through the assault of the enemy.

If, however, it has been turned, and has obeyed the precepts of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s rejection will come upon it, and then the man recognizes that it is good to cling to God without ceasing, and that his life is in Him, as David says: “I cried out to you, and you healed me.” And again: “Because with you is the fountain of life” (Ps. 35). Therefore, according to my advice, unless a man possesses great humility, which is the summit of all virtues, and has placed a guard on his mouth and heart through the fear of God, and does not prefer himself to others in that in which he finds himself excelling, as if he had accomplished some good, and endures the injuries inflicted upon him, and offers the other cheek to the one striking him, and bursts forth swiftly to every good work, and carries his soul in his hand as if about to die daily, and judges all things that are seen under this sun to be worthless, and says: “I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ” (Phil. 1); and: “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Ibid.); he will not be able to keep the precepts of the Holy Spirit.