My brothers and fathers

In the previous sermon, we discussed what self-watchfulness is, and we left our subject incomplete in order to avoid prolonging the discussion. Now, in this sermon, we come to pay the debt of discussion that we owe you. We are in this responsibility for this matter, and we are always obligated to provide your love with what is due.[1] From the word.

What is self-care and self-watching as we mentioned earlier? For each one to be mindful of himself means the following: “To say to himself, ‘Is there any desire that does not rule over me? For as I hear in the Holy Scriptures, he who has one desire will not enter the kingdom of heaven. For it is written, ‘For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one point is guilty of all.’ In the same way, self-watching means for one to say to himself, ‘Have I not neglected this and that commandment? Am I not making light of them, and not ignoring them and not applying them?’ For our Lord Christ says, ‘Not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law until all is accomplished.’”[2]He also says: “Whoever therefore breaks one of these least commandments and teaches men so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.”[3].

But we should be more careful when reading the Holy Scriptures. One should look at oneself and reflect within oneself as in a mirror. [4]. In what condition is it the same? What do I mean? Then the Lord hears him say: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[5]Then he should remember how he spends his days. If he is truly repentant, he will multiply and prolong his work, but if he is lazy, he will correct his ways.

And he also hears the Lord saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”[6]Then he has to examine himself.[7] At every opportunity of his humility, I mean when he is insulted, humiliated and treated with contempt. He should look to himself whether he has the virtue of humility or not, because he who has it endures all things without pain and discomfort. Nothing hurts his heart if it happens to him. But if he is affected a little by it without being hurt, on the contrary, he grieves in himself and considers himself unworthy because of that wound in his heart, because he grieved instead of accepting what happened to him with joy. He grieves and laments when he enters the bedroom[8] He prostrates himself before God and confesses to Him as if he had completely lost his life.

Then he also hears: “Blessed are those who mourn.”[9]Notice that the Lord did not say “those who mourned,” but “those who mourn continually and continually.” Here too we must examine whether we mourn every day. For if we are humbled by repentance, it is clear that not a single day or night will pass without tears, weeping, and regret.

Also: “Blessed are the meek”[10]Is there anyone who is sad every day and can continue in a state of anger without gaining meekness? Just as water extinguishes fire, so the anger of the soul is extinguished by sadness and tears. Thus, someone who has been angry for a long time will see that his mood has changed and become completely calm. Then one should look at himself in this way too to see if he is truly meek. Someone in this state cannot see the violation of God’s commandments, but mourns over those who commit sin as if he himself had committed the sin.

In the same way, one should examine himself to see if he is hungry and thirsty for righteousness.[11]It is possible for one to search and find a righteous person who does not hunger or thirst for righteousness. God is the righteous one.[12] Just as you hear his name "Sun of righteousness"[13]Such is he who hungers and thirsts for Him, for he counts the whole world and the things in it as loss.[14]As for the honor of princes, he considers it a disgrace and does not look at human glories.

And again, “Blessed are the merciful.”[15]Who are the merciful then? Those who give money and feed the poor? No. Who are they then? Those who became poor for the sake of the Lord, who became poor so that we might become rich.[16]They have nothing to give but are always attentive to the poor, widows and orphans.[17]In addition to the sick. They feel sorry for them and shed hot tears for them because they always miss them. They are like Job when he said: “Did I not weep for him whose day was hard?”[18]They give generously.[19] And rejoice when they possess anything, and also generously remind them of the things that are useful for the salvation of their souls, in obedience to Him who said: “And what you have learned in sincerity, share in generosity.”[20]These are the ones whom the Lord calls blessed. These are the truly merciful, for from this mercy they climb, as on a ladder, to reach perfect purity of soul.

After this and on the same basis, the Lord blesses those with pure hearts by saying: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”[21]If the soul does not reach this state, it will not be able to attain constant sorrow or perfect meekness, nor will it thirst for righteousness, nor will it be like a mirror. This is what our Lord and Lawgiver knows. Moreover, if the soul fails to be in this state, it will not see the face of the Lord for itself. For the soul that has reached this stage sees God in every face and is reconciled with Him.[22]Peace reigns between our Lord and Creator on the one hand and the soul that was previously hostile to Him on the other. Therefore, the Lord blesses it because it made peace, as He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”[23]They have reconciled with the One who came to give peace to those far and near.[24]He came to us who were enemies.[25] To reconcile us with his Father and to unite those who are far apart into one.[26] And may He grant us His Holy Spirit. It is clear, then, that those who see God are truly reconciled to Him, for they have found the peace they longed for and have become children of God.[27]“It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?”[28]But if you hate your brother whom you have seen, how can you love God whom you have not seen?[29] If you cannot love God, and do not wish to, then it clearly means that you have not been reconciled to Him. So, brothers, let us long “with all our souls.”[30] To see Him, to reconcile with Him, and to love Him as He has commanded us.

Again one hears the Lord say: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”[31]The point here is that one should examine himself to see if he has been persecuted for any of God’s commandments, because as the Apostle says, “And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”[32]That is why the Lord Christ adds these words and says: “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”[33]So why did he put the persecuted and the outcast last and command them “as having authority”?[34] To rejoice and be glad? For he who has shown worthy repentance for his sins and has humbled himself and is found daily worthy of mourning and meek, he who hungers and thirsts with himself for the Sun of Righteousness, is blessed and merciful. He takes up all the passions, sorrows, and weaknesses of men. And as he weeps and is purified, he sees God and is reconciled to Him and becomes truly a peacemaker and is worthy to be called a child of God. Such a person can bear everything with indescribable joy and happiness, even if he is persecuted, beaten, insulted, and wronged, and even if he hears all the falsehood against him. Knowing this, our Lord clearly declared, “Rejoice and be glad.” But he who has not attained this state and does not possess abundant essential joy within himself, how can he bear all these things without malicious thoughts? It is impossible.

So, fathers and brothers, let us not stop examining and testing ourselves.[35] With great zeal, day by day, and hour by hour if possible. Nay, as we said, let us go through the commandments and see ourselves by examining and observing ourselves in each one. If we find that we fulfill them, let us give thanks to the Lord our Master and from that moment on let us keep them without error. But if we have hitherto forgotten and failed to keep them, I beg you to hasten and immerse ourselves in them and hold fast to them, lest we be despised and enter as the least into the kingdom of heaven.[36]So we reach the city of the kingdom, as I know very well, by climbing the ladder step by step. There, as I said before, our Lord stands waving and saying to us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”[37]And when we get there, we see Him, according to man’s ability to see, and we take from His hands the kingdom, which is the Holy Spirit and is in us permanently.[38], as the Lord Himself declares. So we must live like angels on earth and even more so as children of God. We must be holy, and in everything for God.[39] Our Father. May we enjoy the sweetest vision now and always and forever. Amen.

Sermon by Saint Symeon the New Theologian
Translated by Father Antoine Malki
Quoted from Orthodox Heritage Magazine

Footnotes:

[1] Luke 12:42. This phrase is a reference to the verse: “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?” This reference is clearer in the Greek text, which uses the same phrase sitomeJtrion as in the verse, but the wording in the Arabic translation is not possible by using the same phrase.

[2] Matthew 18:5

[3] Matthew 19:5

[4] James 23:1

[5] Matthew 17:4

[6] Matthew 3:5

[7] 1 Corinthians 11:28

[8] Matthew 6:6

[9] Matthew 4:5

[10] Matthew 5:5

[11] Matthew 6:5

[12] 1 Corinthians 1:30

[13] Malachi 2:4

[14] Phil 8:3

[15] Matthew 7:5

[16] 2 Corinthians 8:9

[17] James 1:27

[18] ie25:30

[19] Romans 8:12

[20] Wisdom 13:7

[21] Matthew 8:5

[22] Romans 10:5

[23] Matthew 9:5

[24] Eph 7:2

[25] Romans 10:5

[26] Eph 13:2

[27] John 12:1 and Matthew 9:5

[28] Romans 8:33-34

[29] 1 John 4:20

[30] Mark 30:12

[31] Matthew 10:5

[32] 2 Timothy 12:3

[33] Matthew 11:5-12

[34] Matthew 29:7

[35] Accor 3:4

[36] Matthew 19:5

[37] Matthew 28:11

[38] Luke 21:17

[39] Eph 1:5