And then there is the next paragraph on page 9, which is beautiful. I read it as one of our readings at the office the other day. God is with you. God is in you, everywhere you are. Don't try to go from one place to the other to find God, saying God is here and God is there. God is within you, wherever you are. become guileless, like the guileless sheep whose wool is sheared out without their saying a word. Do not go from one place to another saying, I will find God here or there. God has said, I feel the earth. I feel the heavens. If you cross over water, I am with you. The waves will not swallow you up. My son, be aware that God is within you in such a way that you dwell in his law and commandment. And so the rest of the paragraph is beautiful. There was a thief on the cross, and he entered paradise. On the other hand, there was Judas among the apostles, and he betrayed his master.

[01:04]

There are a long series of parallels like that. On the one hand, Rahab, the prostitute, listed among the saints. On the other, thief in paradise, deceived. On the one hand, Job, on the dying thief, compared to his Lord. On the other, and then in paradise and you fell away from the love so it doesn't matter too much where you are it's how you are and how you relate to God and the others and then Following the next paragraph, how long, my son, are you careless? Carelessness again. And then he gave the example of Samson. Samson was very strong. But anyone fearless, I mean, if you're a big cat, then that was the end of his strength. and says, if God did not, next paragraph, center of the page, if God did not spare the fan, did not spare the fan, so be careful with us, why would he spare you?

[02:14]

Then he comes back to the very subject of the cathesis. Why to get upset when a brother says something to you? So when a brother doubts his word at you, probably what happened, why do you get angry? Why become a beast to him? That's very clear. You don't remember that Christ died for you? On the other hand, the minute the enemy, the devil, whispers in your ear, you tip them in his direction for him to pour in filth. You open your heart to him and absorb the poison he throws your way for you. I like that translation. This is the time for you to become a beast or to become a flame and consume all these matters, not against your brother, but against the devil. You have to be a beast to the devil, not to your brother. To get nauseated and vomit up is stinking evil. You must not let this poison spread through and kill you.

[03:20]

Oh man, you did not put up with the tiny world dotted at you by your brother. But when the enemy wants to devour your soul, what do you do? You show impatience. You show patience with the devil, with the pouring-in-you-all kind of filth. And if your brother comes to you with a little more work, you are just upset. That makes no sense. No need to hate. No need to mourn for you, because instead of her wearing a golden headdress, your head will be shaved because of your words. But take care of yourself. Put up cheerfully with the one who insults you. Be merciful to your brother. have no fear of punishment of the flesh. That's really where it comes to the real point of the Catechism. And then the rest will be elaboration on the same thing. It says, pay attention, my son, to the words of the wise Paul.

[04:26]

Paul's example. And then, again, beware of fornication. That's the same word that was translated in the Biography IV Contribution. do not corrupt the members of Christ. And then, take refuge in Christ. That's a beautiful paragraph. Take refuge in God, and God who is Christ. My son, take refuge at the feet of God. And you remember that by Comus, when he described his own temptation, on page three, he said, I think it was in page three, yeah, he said, well, I went through all those trials too, but I took shelter at the feet of God. Then I was saved. Then here he comes back and uses the same expression. Take refuge at the feet of God. For it is He who created you. It is for you that He underwent this suffering. So it does not say take refuge at the feet of Christ or the feet of God.

[05:28]

It says it is He, God, who underwent suffering. of God's suffering in Christ. In fact, he said, I turn my back towards the whip and my cheek towards the slaps and so on, as a servant of God. The rest of the paragraph is beautiful, too. The transgression is zero. And then again, he comes back to the same kind of question, and says, well, do not look about for a throne of human glory. If you are angry because the brother said a little praise to you, a little word that might be an insult, it's because you are full of pain and glory. You are too concerned about human glory. So do not look for a throne of human glory, so that God may shelter you against winds you do not know and set you up in his capital, the heavenly Jerusalem.

[06:30]

Then again, like Barak, be careful in using this word. You have to use this word, but be careful in the way you use it. Now, then, my son, make careful use of this word. Go on counting yourself as nothing. Follow the Lord in all things, to have security in the body of Jehoshaphat. Be considered in the world as one of its rejected, and discover yourself clothed with glory on the day of judgment. And trust your heart to no one for the gratification of your person. But put all your cares in the hands of God, and he will heed you. And keep away from fornication again. And then guard your body and your heart in all watchfulness. Seek out the peace and purity that are knit together, peace and purity, and you will see God. And here, again, in long quotation from Athanasius, that part. And it's the same spirituality.

[07:38]

The content is very similar. But you will see that this is another style. Much more altered logically, another type of logic. It's more Greek. Let's read that biography and I think you will see immediately that although the content is basically the same, the ideas are altered in a different way. Do not be in trouble with anyone, because he who is in trouble with his brother is in enmity with God, and he who is at peace with his brother is at peace with God. So have you not learned by now that nothing is preferable to peace, so that each one loves his brother, and so on. So I read that text this morning. It's a beautiful one. And then the next one is just the same. Love your enemies, not only your brother, but Christ said that you have to love even your enemy, even the brother who made an insult to you.

[08:41]

If the Lord has ordered us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, brother that curse you, and to do good to those who persecute us, what danger we are in when we hate one another, our brother members, one with us, sons of God, branches of the true vine, sheep of the spiritual flock, gathered by the true shepherd, the only begotten of God, who offered himself in sacrifice for us. So our brothers in the community, by commutes or in the local church, or at the nations. Our brothers are members of the same body, sons of the same God, branches of the same true vine, sheep of the same spiritual flock, gathered under the same true shepherd, who is the only begotten of God. So if we ate one of them, in what trouble we are? We are supposed to have ridden our enemies. The living world put up with this suffering for such a great creation, and you, man, ate it through jealously and vainly, or avarice or contempt, things for which the enemy has ensnared you to make you a stranger to God.

[09:57]

What will be your defense before Christ? He will say to you, just as you hate your brother, so I hate you, and you will go off to eternal torment, because you are hostile to your brother. your brother will enter into eternal life because he humbled himself before you on Thursday." And I got the quotation of Matthew 25, by which we ended this Sunday morning. I was Thursday, I was on Thursday, and you recognized me in the little one. So we have to beware because if you don't forgive, God will not forgive you. That's the next paragraph. And then page 15. Let's live according to our proposition, to our ideal. Dearly beloved, you know that we are put on Christ, the good friend of man.

[10:58]

Let us not take him up through our evil works. We are put on Christ, but if we do evil, we put him up. Having promised God purity, having promised the monastic life, that short sentence is added by Faconius to Athanasius, let us act accordingly with fast, unceasing prayer, purity of body, purity of heart. So, again, the monastic prayer, unceasing prayer, has purity of body and purity of heart. If we have promised God purity, may we never be caught in fornication, of which there are several forms. It is, in fact, said, they prostituted themselves in a number of ways. All kinds of sins are prostitution, because, yes. Infidelity to God. My brothers, may no one ever catch us in works of this kind.

[12:02]

May no one ever find us inferior to any man. And then next paragraph, we have promised to be disciples of Christ. We have also promised one another to be disciples of Christ. Do you see the expression? We have promised one another to be disciples of Christ. The meaning of community life, a commitment to one another, and not only a commitment to one another, but a commitment made to one another to be disciples of Christ. So each one of us is responsible now, accountable for the commitment of the other. Let us multiply ourselves, because multiplication deals roughly with impurity. Here we are in combat. Let us not run out for fear of becoming slaves of sin. We have been set up as torches for the world. Let no one be scandalized in us. Let us put on silence for many who silence their salvation. Be vigilant again. Watch over yourself, brother.

[13:03]

Let us not be demanding upon another, for fear they be demanding of us in the hour of justice. Whether you are virgins, that's Athanasius speaking, whether you are virgins or apotactics, whether you are hermits, they will still say to you, give me back my goods with interest. They will reprimand us and say, where is the wedding garment? Where is the light of the lamps? So whatever is your state of life, God will be asking you to give an account. It's how you have been fit for your state of life that counts. It's not the state of bargain itself. If you are next page in the top second line, if you have had hatred of me in this world, depart from me, for I do not know. Whatever was your state of life, you were a monk, you were a hermit, you were a virgin, whatever you were. If you have hatred for one of my sons, I do not know you.

[14:06]

If you have hated your brother, you are a foreigner in my kingdom. If you have had differences with your brother, If you have not pardoned him, they will tie your hands behind your back and throw you into the darkness outside, where they will be whipping and gnashing your feet, just like in the beautiful painting by Laverne. The scale is going to the ladder, the ladder going to heaven, and then the monkey is just falling asleep in the mouth of the dragon. if you have hit your brother you will be handed over to pitiless angels and in torment of fire you will be whipped for all eternity and so on and so on and then there is a beautiful text uh... next paragraph about chrisis speaking uh... the same uh... same way as in the in popper reporters on the uh... Good Friday.

[15:12]

Did I leave you in one when I emigrated into the world? That's right, not when I became a nun. When I emigrated into the world. That's it, that's it. Migrated. Migrated. Yeah, when I became a stranger in particular. I don't know if I can find it yet. Just be patient for a minute. I have to find the append text to see the reference to. That was the beginning of here. So in Catholic, that would be page 17. Thank you. Translation is good. It will be when I travel.

[16:13]

When I travel into this world. Migrate. This gives the meaning quite well. Did I leave you in Mount when I traveled, when I became one of you? Did I not satisfy you with my body and blood as living food? I've given you anything you needed. Did I not taste death because of you to save you? Did I not bring you to know the heavenly mystery of the sacrament to make of you my brother and friend? Did I not give you the power to crush serpents and scorpions and the whole power of the enemy under your foot? Did I not supply you with a whole stack of medicines for life so that you could save yourself? My miracles, my prodigies, and my wonder-walking were my military armament here in the world. I have given them to you as your equipment for beating Goliath, that is, the devil.

[17:15]

What is lacking to you now that you shall have become a stranger to me? Your negligence alone has cast you into the gulf of hell. So you have everything. I have given you everything you needed. All the armaments and all the equipment you needed. And the only thing that has cast you into the gulf of hell is your negligence. So you see why it's interesting so much about not to be negligent. Now think of the judgment, next paragraph, think of the judgment. And then what we have been given by God, next page, 17. We were given faith, first we were given faith and knowledge to be able to cast out unbelief. And then we were given charity and peace, powerful in our heart. And then two long paragraphs on page 17 and another one on page 18 about not drinking too much wine.

[18:21]

Because gluttony or lack of, how do you say, temperance is uh... pretty much like uh... fornication and pretty much uh... bound up to with uh... within glory because it felt pattern which one of those uh... center uh... sub-continents so after speaking of fornication and wine then again speak of humility next paragraph page eighteen the center better still we have been given humility so we have been given uh... uh... faith, and knowledge, charity, and being. We have been given humility, which watches over all the virtues, and is the great holy strength God clothed himself with when he came into the world. He came with humility. Humility is the rampart of the virtues, the treasury of works, saving armor, and the cure for every wound.

[19:28]

And so, next paragraph, well, we live in a time of trial. We live in a time of sin. and we live in a time of threat, page 19. And so let's be constant in the struggle, second paragraph of page 19. And in the group number one yesterday morning, they mentioned, and I think it's very true, that that paragraph can be considered as a concise summary of the whole spirituality of that text. Let us keep up the fight, my dearly beloved, to receive the crown now beckoned. The throne is ready. The door of the kingdom is open. I shall give sacred manna to the one who will conquer. If we struggle with and conquer the passions, we shall reign eternally. But if we are conquered, we shall have regrets and with bitter tears. Let us do battle with ourselves, not with the brother who has cursed us. Let us do battle with ourselves, since penance is within our grasp.

[20:35]

The metanoia, the conversion of the heart, is within our grasp. That's something that we can do ourselves, to be given to us. But it is within our grasp because let us put on mortification. That's what we can do. And then we shall be renewed in purity. That means that we will receive the gift of conversion. To be converted is to be renewed in purity. This is given by God. We cannot do it ourselves. But it is within our grasp all the same because we can receive it. God is always ready to give it to us if we do the mortification, which is preparation to it. So, and the part of that preparation is, let us love man, and we shall be friends of Jesus, friend of mankind. That's beautiful. Jesus is friend of man. He came, he stood on top of us, and both of us. And so, if we love man, we are friends of Jesus. We are friends of man.

[21:36]

Let us love one another. Then, if you have promised God the monastic life with love, virginity, not only of body, but virginity, you will drown from every sin. And then here, after that first sentence, is the end of Athanasius' quotation. And then the rest is dichotomous. In the Gospel, the virgins were set back because of their laziness, while those that kept courageous watch entered into the wedding chamber. May we all enter there for eternity. And then it's page 20, second paragraph. It's the conclusion, it's the first conclusion. There is a kind of conclusion there with the Amen. But it seems then he decided to add a few more reflections on the same paragraph. He wanted to come back to the real, the real subject of the Catechesis.

[22:41]

So the first conclusion was something very special. Beloved, I greet you in the Lord. Yes, you have taken up God as your support. You have become dear to Him. You have set out with all your heart on a march according to the orders of God, so on and so on. Then he added a few recommendations. After all this, I urge you again not to give your heart rest. For the pleasure of the demons is in the heart of man at rest. For leading him out towards ambush before enough is said, do not be careless then about taking instructions in fear of the Lord. Page 21, second paragraph. Well, what is proposed to us is struggle. It's not that pseudo rest, that struggle. Now then, here is the struggle that is proposed to you. Ponder daily whatever happens to you, to see whether you are on our side or on the side of those that fight against us.

[23:46]

It's important to know on what side of the battle we are. To you demons come from the right, while to all others men they come from the left. That's a bit obscure, but I won't try to make an excuse of that. But what is important is the next one, paragraph. Be imitator of Christ. Now, my son, put on humility. For that struggle, you need an armor. You have to put on something. Put on humility. Take Christ and his good father as your counselors. Be the friend of man, of God. Be the friend of a man of God, having the law of God in his heart. So have as one of your friends a man of God who has the law of God in your heart and can lead you. As we said at the beginning, if you cannot make the journey alone, then join another who is walking according to the gospel of Christ.

[24:47]

The same idea here. Be the friend of a man of God, having the law of God in his heart. So if you cannot, either you listen to yourself, the law of God, or you obey to someone who listens to it. The same idea here. Be like a poor one carrying his cross and loving his tear. Beautiful. You, too, be poor, with a sweatband above your head. May your dwelling be a thorn for you, as you wait for God to raise you and give you the crown of victory. Do you have a disagreement with a brother?" I should not forget that. That's the thing I was thinking about. you have a disagreement with a brother who has caused you to suffer by your work, or if you have wound a brother by saying, he does not deserve that, or if the enemy hints to you against someone that he does not deserve that praise. If you agree with this thought and suggestion of the devil, if the hostility of your understanding increases, if you are in a dispute with your brother, knowing that there is no God and God alone in your company, then

[26:01]

Take shelter, without delay, in solitude, with the conscience of God." Same expression as, take refuge at the feet of God. So if you are in all those things, you may feel anger in your heart. If your brother is insulting you, you may feel all kinds of bad feelings. You may be wounded, you may have wounded your brother. Whatever happens, They take shelter without delay, in solitude, with the conscience of God, with alone with Christ. And then the Spirit of Jesus will speak to your understanding, to your heart. He will convince you of the fullness of the love. He will instruct you, and then certainly will instruct you completely of the fullness of the love. The Spirit of God can do that. Spirit of Jesus. Very often, by coming to the expression, the Spirit of Jesus, Well, Paul, what need is there if you're fighting alone?

[27:02]

Because if you fight alone, you are sure that you will be a loser. What need do you have to fight alone? Making yourself seem a beast, as if all this venom were in you. So don't fight alone. Fight with the Spirit of Christ. And if your brother has inculcated you, if your brother has sinned against you, you have to remember that you are a coward very often, too. you have sinned against Christ very often. Remember that you, too, have fallen often. Have you not heard Christ saying, forgive your brother 77 times? Have you not often wept while praying, forgive me the great number of my sins? Now, if you insist on the little your brother owes you, the Spirit of God will lose no time in setting judgment and fear of justice before your eyes. For if you want to be forgiven, forgive. So, again, let us do battle against ourselves.

[28:06]

Not against our brother, but against ourselves. Now then, my brother, let us do battle against ourselves. You know that darkness falls on different sides. Now there is a kind of, that commences a bit discouraging. The churches are filled with quarrels and the impatient. Monastic congregations have become ambitious. Pride reigns as master. There is no one left who is dedicated to his neighbor. On the contrary, everyone is crushing his neighbor. We are plunged into misery. There is neither prophet nor master. I mean, the one we know. No one is left who can win over another, for harmless are the bound. Those who understand keep silent, for the times are evil. Each one is his own law. These are the control where there should be no straw." Well, I have some doubt about the The origin of the paragraph, the original or afterword is so different from the rest of the catechism.

[29:08]

Anyway, the last one is beautiful. Now then, my brother, be at peace with your father. That's the last lesson. If you have been upset because your brother has insulted you, if you have become spiteful just because you were full of Ben's glory, and that was very dangerous because then you were a victim of the devil and he had taken a hold of you and he could take anything he wanted with you. But now the last lesson, be at peace. Pray for me too. For I can do nothing, though I am tormented by my desires. As for you, be ever watchful. Pray, preach, be steadfast in trial. Stay in the combat of the monastic life right to the end, with humility, mildness, and trepidation of the worlds you will hear. Trepidation of the worlds you will hear. Keeping your virginity, avoiding lack of moderation.

[30:13]

Sorry, the summary of all the things that were mentioned. and avoiding those frightful, misplaced words. Abiding within the writings of the saints, but firm in faith to Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory to Him, to His good Father, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. Bless us. And I think the time has stopped. And the side two. We spoke with Bill the other day about the Book of Verses, early morning and early evening. I thought of continuing this morning, but then I changed my mind once more. This early morning, I was in one of the groups, group number 4. Group number 1, group number 1. And they made some very good reference to that catechesis concerning a 5-year-old. And with them, I discovered a certain number of things that I had not noted before.

[31:16]

This morning I went back to that catechism and I read it very carefully again and I found it much more interesting than I had otherwise thought it was. So I would like to come back to that catechism with you this morning to try to see the the following of code that is in a different sequence of code. It's very interesting. There is a little pedagogy in that. Those are the expressions of the Python lab, you know. In the TV or radio sometimes, somebody's shirt thing, they will just... The same thing. They don't do that anymore. It's more straightforward now. But PyConvue is going to try to correct this mark.

[32:25]

and he has a very specific thing against him he wants to speak to him about but he's affording the subject in a very gradual way and he's introducing many other elements as a way of preparation and he's relating that question probably that man has been hurt in his coming out in the Is it coming out in the loudspeaker? No. But maybe you have to turn the loudspeaker on the amplifier. Is it any... Is the volume there? Better now? Okay. probably that monk had some uh... he was hurt in his pride by a remark by some of his brothers and so uh... the real uh... reason for his uh... fight from that fight from that is that he uh... is is vain is vainglory so Pachomius is bringing uh... him uh... to the awareness of that vainglory gradually but that is related also to all the other dimensions of life and so and the uh...

[33:49]

We should not try to find in the catechesis by a Coptic monk or abbot of the 3rd century a Cartesian logic of somebody of the 20th century. They have another type of logic. Maybe it's closer to life. But then even, I will mention the part where he quotes Athanasius, and then we find in that part something which is much more out there. Because Athanasius, he was a Coptic writer, as Lefebvre has shown, but he had a Greek formation. So the Greek formation appears there. You will see the difference quite clearly. So, just try to give the general outline of the Coptic essence, and reading the most significant parts of it. There is the title, First Biograph Catechesis, pronounced by and so on. This is added, of course, by the scribe.

[34:52]

And then it begins with the words, my son, listen, be wise, accept the true doctrine. The true doctrine, for there are two ways. And he mentions in the following biograph only one way. But when he says, accept the true doctrine, that means there is a true doctrine because there are two ways. There is the other way, the way of evil, the wrong one. But now I'm going to give you the right one, the true doctrine. Be able to obey God. So a true doctrine, the true way, is the way of obedience, like Abraham. And then he gives the example of Abraham, next paragraph, Isaac, then Jacob, then Joseph. Abraham's obedience, Isaac's candor, Jacob's humility, Joseph's wisdom and submission. And then he says, at the end of the page, my son, compete with the lives of the saints. Practice their virtues.

[35:54]

Wake up and do not be negligent. Do not be negligent, once more. Compete with the saints. That's the true doctrine, that's the true way. The example of the saints. That's a good introduction. And then if you do that, next page, grace will blossom within you. In fact, it is patience that discovers every grace. The saints received all that was promised them because they were patient. The pride of the saint is patience. And so, next paragraph, be patient. And then the top paragraph is very good because it gives most of the elements of the monastic association. the struggle against the temptations, the paths and prayer and chastity and so on. Let's read that paragraph. Be patient to be admitted to the Legion of the Saints. Sure that you will have a crown that will never rot. A thought, that means that you are the thought.

[36:57]

A thought, in Celtic, is furia, that's the partition of logisma. Logisma in Greek. Logisma is a temptation, a thought of something, a temptation of something. The logismoi are the temptations. So, a thought, come to terms with it in patience, waiting for God to give you calm. You have to be patient if you are tempted. The devil is around you. Be patient. Don't get upset. Don't lose control of yourself. Just be patient. And it is God who will give you time. The time will come from God, not by your getting upset. And then fasting. What about fasting? So God will give you perseverance. By the Messiah was prepared a reasonable fasting done with perseverance and somebody will try to fast the whole week and then be the victim of the illusions of the devil.

[38:01]

He put up with it with perseverance. Prayer without let up in your room between you and God. Then one single heart with your brother. Virginity in all your members. Virginity in your thoughts. Purity of body and purity of heart. Are they in the car? The humble and humble heart, gentleness in the moment of anger. It's a long enumeration of virtues and attitude fitting to the mind without much of explanation. But it's good to have all of them together. When a thought bothers you, a temptation. When a thought bothers you, do not be timid, but put up with it in courage, saying, though they completely unsettle me, I put them back in the name of the Lord. and the divine help arrives at your side immediately. You push them far off, God protects you, and the divine glory walks with you, because courage walks with him who is humble.

[39:03]

So we had said at the beginning, never thought, come to terms with it in patience. We think for God to give you calm, and here we explain how God gives you calm. He does it if you are humble, and God comes to your rescue and helps you. The rules of God are, in fact, humility of heart and gentleness. Gentleness powers oneself. Gentleness powers the situation in which you are. For it is said, Whom shall I consider? Consider, if not the humble and the gentle one. Gentleness. If you look ahead on the ways of the Lord, He will watch over you, will give you strength, will fill you with knowledge and wisdom. Your memory will be present to him always. What is present to God? Your memory will be always mindful of God. That's contemplation. That's prayer. When we see that prayer is not mentioned very often. In fact, it is mentioned here in many ways. Your memory will be present to him always.

[40:06]

If this is not contemplation, I don't know what it is. He will save you from the devil and will please you with his peace through your dying day. He has spoken about the struggle against the devil. And now, as a good spiritual master, it's going to help him to identify the forces of evil in him and around him. That's one of the main thing in our ascetical life, in our struggle, is to identify the forces that are present in us. The spirit of God and the spirit of evil. And then Pythagoras has a good experience of that. He will mention his own experience in the next paragraph. But here he says, who are those spirits? My son, I ask you to be watchful and to bear your guard. acquainted with those who lie in ambush against you. We have to be acquainted with the armed forces, if you don't want to be deluded by them. The spirits of cowardice and distrust walk hand in hand. The spirit of lying and the spirit of suspicious plans walk hand in hand.

[41:11]

The spirits of greed and commercialism... I don't know what is the Catholic word. It sounds very modern. I will have to find another translation. Of perjury and dishonesty, and that of jealousy, while hand in hand. The spirit of vanity and the spirit of gluttony, while hand in hand. The parallel is not always very obvious. So you have to rely on the experience of dichotomy to know that vanity and gluttony, they go together. Fornication and impurity, enmity and disappointment, particularly the poor soul in which they make their home and take over. They hold such a soul far from God because it is in their power. It wrangles from side to side and ends in the abyss of hell. And if Pachomius is able to identify like that the spirit of evil, it's because he has gone through the struggle against them.

[42:16]

My son, obey me. Do not be careless. Listen to me. Well, it's the same word in Catholic, like in French. In the old French, écouter, that means to obey. So obey and listen. Sometimes you translate obey, sometimes Catholic listen. But in Catholic, it's the same word. My son, listen to me. Do not be careless. Do not give your eyes sleep, or let your eyelids droop, so that like a gazelle, you may escape the net. For my son, all these spirits have attacked me often since my childhood. I know what I'm speaking about. When I was in the desert, it tackled me until I thought my heart would give out, to the point where I thought I could not resist the threats of the dragon. It tormented me in every possible way. And then he explained all his own conclusions. And then he was delivered from there. When I took shelter at the feet of God, at the end of the biography, when I took shelter at the feet of God with tears, humility... Humility is one of the words that comes most often in that catechism.

[43:23]

With tears, humility, fast, and vigils, when the enemy and all his spirits grew weak before my eyes, the divine elder came into me, and I understood at once what the help of the God means. So we don't know what the health of the God means until we have experienced it, until we have realized that it is only through that health that we could get away from the snare of the dragon. But the health of God burned when it took shelter at the feet of God. with tears, humility, fast, vigil, what are the means to have the head of God. Following his mercy, he makes his strength and availability known to the sons of God, of men. Now he's getting to the subject gradually. The oriental usually will never get the subject to stone.

[44:25]

they talk around, talk around for about half an hour and then gradually you begin to understand why they came forth. So, he's doing that back from his disciple. That's it. He's not able to tell the mountaineer's autism. Well, I heard that you had an argument with your brother yesterday. No, he's just speaking generally about the imitations of the saints and the and the assassins and the struggle against the devil and uh... and then you get to graduate the subject my son never had a full opinion of anyone you cannot be judge of anyone and if he has been hurt by the remark of his brother because he has pride in himself and if he has pride in himself it's because he has a full opinion of others that's what the muse is making him aware of that My son, never have a poor opinion of anyone. If you see someone getting ahead, you shall never say, he already has received his reward.

[45:30]

Never think in this way. It is very bad. For God detests the man who has praise only for himself. He's calling his brother. So that man will never understand the lesson that Pachomius is giving him if he does not acquire a humble attitude. So Pachomius is first bringing him to a humble attitude. At the end of the paragraph, he judges no one as a poor opinion of no one. Before that, when a man says he has acquired humility, he has judged himself and said that his sins are greater than those of any man. He judges no one as a poor opinion of no one. Who are you to judge a servant that is not yours? The Lord can certainly raise up anyone who has fallen. Keep watch over yourself, my son. Have a poor opinion of no one. Give all the virtues a try and keep them. And then he gave a... that's a first clear hint at his point.

[46:39]

Now, he let this monk digest that. And so he will be speaking about the biblical examples. A long paragraph about biblical examples of Daniel and the others. Paragraph on page 4. And then after that long series of biblical examples at the end of the page, He will say, be steady, be constant yourself. Recite the words of God every hour. Be steady in the face of fatigue. Be grateful for everything. Shun the praise of man, because that man is too eager to be praised. He is upset if he is not praised. So shun the praise of man. Love the one who, in fear of the Lord, gives you a reprimand. Oh, you have received a reprimand. Love that man. May all be good for you, so that you may be good for all. Persevere in your work, and in language about reproach. Do not take one step forward, then a step backward.

[47:40]

For God to best you, for the crown goes to the one who perseveres. And then the next paragraph, don't be no joking among brothers, no pleasantries, be serious. And then, take God as your hope. And now, my son, if you take God as your hope, He will be your help in time of anguish. For it is important for the one who turns to God to believe that He exists and that He rewards those who search for Him. If you really search for God, put your hope in Him. And then he says at the end of the page, Maybe you are forgetful, you are negligent, but be aware that your enemy is never negligent. It's always watchful. Maybe you are a bit forgetful, but your enemies have not fallen asleep. At night and day, they do not neglect to set up ambushes for you. Do not seek after honors. One of the ambushes of the devil is that he makes you seek after honors.

[48:46]

He makes you proud. Do not seek after honors. Then, so as not to be humiliated to the great joy of your enemies. And here there is a play of words in Gabbic, to be humble and to be humiliated, to be degraded. Try rather to be humble, for he who exalts himself will be lauded, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. And then there is a very important thing here, a very good advice, which deals with something about which we spoke yesterday, the spiritual direction. If you cannot get along alone, get along alone, that means, meaning is, if you cannot go further by yourself, if you cannot journey by yourself alone, if you are at a loss, join another who is walking according to the gospel of Christ, who is walking according to the mercy.

[49:53]

So if you do not know how to go further by yourself in your spiritual journey, join another one who is experienced, who is walking along according to the Gospel of Christ, and you will make progress with him. That's the meaning of living in a community or living with a spiritual master. Either listen or submit or obey. Instead of submit, we say obey. Either listen or obey to one who listens. Or be strong and be called Elias or obey the strong and be called Eliasius. For obeying Elias, Eliasius received the double of Elias' spirit. So, either you listen to the scripture, or if you cannot understand the meaning of the scripture, you obey to someone who is listening to the scripture. And then you are imitating either Elias or Eliasimus.

[50:59]

And Eliasimus received the Bible after the Spirit. This might be a wrong translation. I tried to check, but I don't have the Coptic dictionary here. Do you have in the library letters? Crown? No. It is a reference to the book of the Kings, chapter 2, verse 9, where Elias asks of Elijah to have a double part of his spirit. So, it is said that Elijah received a double part, I think we should translate, a double part of the Elijah spirit. That does not mean necessarily twice the spirit of Elijah. What it means exactly, I don't know. But it is, in Catholic justice, a translation of the Bible, a double part of the spirit. I think the double of Elijah's spirit is a bit of a crime.

[52:00]

And then there is the next paragraph again about the example of the prophets. Do you wish to live among men? Imitate Abraham, Lot, Moses and Samuel. Do you wish to live in the desert? All the prophets have led you the way there. So you have always examples in the Bible. If you live among men, among men does not mean in the world, means in community. if you live with men. And then if you live in the desert as a hermetic life, all the prophets have led you the way there. So the monk who, to whom Bacchus is speaking, is not necessarily one of his monks. And as a matter of fact, it was not one of his monks. But a monk was brought to him by an abbot, abbot Ebony, to be judge or to be corrected by him. So, not know if that monk lived in a chenobium or in a desert under the direction of Abba Edwonek.

[53:10]

So that teaching that Bacchomius is giving him here is a basic monastic teaching and can be applied to any type of monastic life. It's not necessarily the Bacchomian type. And then, my son, three concupiscences. And then that will come over and over again, two or three times. And Pythagoras shows, in a very delicate way, the link between concupiscence and loss and fornication, and then glory and pride. There is a very deep psychology in that approach. And he does not insist, he just says it by the way, and then he would say it again to remind his mom that if you are proud, be careful what can happen to you at that level. And then it says, after mentioning that, turn toward God.

[54:14]

My son, convert toward God. Unlock him. Flee the enemy. Despise him. May the favours of God come your way, and may you prepare to the blessing of Judah, son of Jacob. It is said, Judah, your brothers will bless you. Your hands will be on the back of your enemies, and the sons of your father will be your servants. Keep away from pride. It is the beginning of every evil. So the beginning of the evil for which your father brought you to me, your spitefulness, is pride. And so, convert. Convert from, flee from the enemy. As I say, just try to fight against that individual sin that you have committed. But flee from your enemy. And convert from pride. The beginning of pride is keeping your distance from God. And what follows is hardening of the heart. So if you think that you can struggle alone against the devil, so you flee away from God.

[55:21]

That's the beginning of pride. And that's also the beginning of the hardening of heart. Your heart will become hardened and then you will not fear God anymore. If you watch out for this, your resting place will be the heavenly Jerusalem. If the Lord loves you and gives you glory, but the only glory that you have to wait for is the glory that God will give you, not the glory that man can give you. If the Lord loves you and gives you glory, keep from becoming proud. On the contrary, persevere in humility, and you will abide in the glory that God has given you. Watch out. Be vigilant. but blessed is the one who is found on a watch, because he will be set over the good of his master, and he will enter joyous into the kingdom, the joyous kingdom of God. But the friends of the bridegroom will love him because they have found him keeping watch over his vineyard. And then it's okay, humility, but then strive to acquire all the virtues.

[56:29]

And the next paragraph is about all series of virtues that you have to acquire. And then he comes again after that paragraph. There is a general paragraph and then he always comes back to pride or to humility. Next paragraph. Do not desire to be praised. And it's getting more and more to the point. Then he had said, if you are in the world among men, and if you are in the desert, and then here he comes back. If you are in the desert, do battle with prayer, fasting, mortification. Go tell the truth of the monk in the desert. Prayer, fasting, modification. If you are among men, be prudent as serpents and simple as dogs. And then, that's really the thing that happens, if someone curses you, put up with him cheerfully. Ah, it's that easy. Hope that God will bring about what is best for you. Ask for yourself.

[57:30]

Do not curse the image of God. The image of God is a neighbor. To love the image of God is to love one's brother. So the expression, the image of God is an expression just to say that the brother or the neighbor. So do not curse the image of God. Do not curse your brother. It is God himself who has said, the one who glorifies me, I shall glorify. And the one who curses me, I shall curse. So, if someone curse you, well, don't be upset. But, if on the other hand, someone praises you, do not be happy about that. You have to be indifferent. Do not be happy about somebody praising you. Why? Well, it is written, too bad for you if I'll praise you. That's Luke. Well, I don't know exactly what is the... Because sometimes the... Bacchomius is always quoting from the... sorry, the translation of the New Testament.

[58:31]

And in many instances, there is a little nuance proper to that translation. What is the corresponding in Luke 6, verse 86? Anybody know by heart? Oh, okay. Oh, too bad. Furthermore, blessed man, if you are snapped for act and hounding, if your very name is cast out as devil, remember all your fathers, Dharma, Vassa, and Paul, when praised, shredded their clothing and bathed themselves out of scorn for human glory. Peter and John, too, and so on. So you have to be careful not to be touched more by praise than by cursing. And then you have to spurn not only cursing and praising, but all the conveniences of this world. You, my son, ought to spurn the conveniences of our times, I think we should translate, of this world, to enjoy yourself in the time to come.

[59:42]

Do not be careless, letting the days pass by till quite suddenly they come looking for you. and you arrive at the dangerous place of doom and judgment. And the power of his surround you and drag you out violently and something. But the end of the paragraph is, do not be upset when you are cursed by men. Be upset and sigh over your sins. That's the only thing about which you should be upset, your sins. The true curse, they are the true curse, your sins. And over you, you come out to such a wishful end. So again, after that, beware of vainglory. That's the meaning of the next paragraphs. I heard you from my heart to strong vainglory. You could say that the Catechism is about vainglory, it's about pride, because that is the root of the other sins. And then there is the next paragraph on page 9, which is beautiful.

[60:43]

I read it as one of our readings at the office the other day. God is with you. God is in you, everywhere you are. Don't try to go from one place to the other to find God, saying God is here and God is there. God is within you, wherever you are. Become guileless, like the guileless sheep whose wool is sheared up without their saying a word. Do not go from one place to another saying, I will find God here or there. God has said, I feel the earth, I feel the heavens. If you cross over water, I am with you. The waves will not swallow you up. My son, be aware that God is within you, in such a way that you dwell in his law and commandments. End of side one.

[61:33]

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