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Symeon the New Theologian

Symeon the New Theologian Biography

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“Have you not come to fight against invisible foes? Did you not come here to take up the warfare against your passions? For what reason did you wish to be enlisted and take your place in the ranks of Christ’s soldiers? Was it to receive rations and pay on the same terms as they, and to sit at their table like those who on the stage eat their fill and get drunk? If that is what you think, woe to you on that day of judgment, when Christ comes “to repay every man for what he has done.”

JudgmentHoliness
Book:Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses
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“But, being Himself at once God and man, His flesh and soul were and are holy - and beyond holy. God is holy, just as He was and is and shall be, and the Virgin is immaculate, without spot or stain, and so, too, was that rib which was taken from Adam. However, the rest of humanity, even though they are His brothers and kin according to the flesh, yet remained even as they were, of dust, and did not immediately become holy and sons of God.”

ChristianityTheologyOriginal SinImmaculate Conception
Book:On the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses : On Virtue and Christian Life Vol. 2
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“The aim of all those who live in God is to please our Lord Jesus Christ and become reconciled with God the Father through receiving the Holy Spirit, thus securing their salvation, for in this consists the salvation of every soul. If this aim and this activity is lacking, all other labour is useless and all other striving is in vain. Every path of life which does not lead to this is without profit.”

IfsDoeSoulSpiritFatherJesusChristLordPathHolyPleaseActivityJesus ChristAimSalvationStriveProfitUselessVainHoly SpiritLabourReceivingLackingOur LordLord Jesus ChristOur Lord Jesus Christ
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“O Woe to his blinded soul! Saying this, he as it were said to God: "Thou Thyself are guilty, because the woman whom Thou gavest me hast deceived me." This very same thing I myself now suffer, wretched and miserable, when I do not desire to be humbled, and to say with my whole soul that I myself am guilty of my perdition. But on the contrary I say: "That person over there inspired me to do or say this. He advised me and knocked me off the path." Woe is my poor soul which speaks such words filled with sin! O most shameless and irrational words of a shameless and irrational soul!”

PersonsSaidSoulWholeDesireSufferingSpeakSinPoorPathHumilityFilledInspiredContraryGuiltyMiserableIrrationalWoeWretchedDeceivedThyselfBlindedShamelessPerdition
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“A person who suffers bitterly when slighted or insulted should recognize from this that he still harbors the ancient serpent in his breast. If he quietly endures the insult or responds with great humility, he weakens the serpent and lessens its hold. But if he replies acrimoniously or brazenly, he gives it strength to pour its venom into his heart and to feed mercilessly on his guts. In this way the serpent becomes increasingly powerful; it destroys his soul's strength and his attempts to set himself right, compelling him to live for sin and to be completely dead to righteousness.”

IfsWayGivingShouldHeartPersonsStillsSoulSufferingFreedomSinPowerfulHumilityEndureAncientInsultGutsBreastsRighteousnessCompellingHarborsSerpentInsultedVenomChristian HumilitySlighted
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“When a man walks in the fear of God he knows no fear, even if he were to be surrounded by wicked men. He has the fear of God within him and wears the invincible armor of faith. This makes him strong and able to take on anything, even things which seem difficult or impossible to most people. Such a man is like a giant surrounded by monkeys, or a roaring lion among dogs and foxes. He goes forward trusting in the Lord and the constancy of his will to strike and paralyze his foes. He wields the blazing club of the Word in wisdom.”

PeopleIfsKnowsMenSeemsAbleStrongDifficultWalksLordImpossibleDogClubsStrikesGiantsWickedLionsFoxesMonkeysNo FearFoeInvincibleArmorConstancyRoaringBlazingWicked Man
Book:The practical and theological chapters ; and, Three theological discourses
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“Provided they live a worthy life, both those who choose to dwell in the midst of noise and hubbub and those who dwell in monasteries, mountains and caves can achieve salvation. Solely because of their faith in Him God bestows great blessings on them. Hence those who because of their laziness have failed to attain salvation will have no excuse to offer on the day of judgment. For He who promised to grant us salvation simply on account of our faith in Him is not a liar.”

ChristianAchieveBlessingOffersMountainJudgmentAccountsSalvationExcuseWorthyNoiseMidstOrthodoxLiarsGrantsLazinessCavesOrthodox ChristianNo ExcusesMonasteries
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“Through repentance the filth of our foul actions is washed away. After this, we participate in the Holy Spirit, not automatically, but according to the faith, humility and inner disposition of the repentance in which our soul is engaged. For this reason it is good to repent each day as the act of repentance is unending.”

SoulReasonActionChristianSpiritHumilityHolyEngagedHoly SpiritEach DayOrthodoxRepentanceDispositionRepentFoulUnendingFilth
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“Unbelievers, those who believe with difficulty, or believe in part, are those who do not show their faith through works. Apart from works the demons also believe (cf. Jms. 2:19) and confess Christ to be God and Master. 'We know Who You are' (Mk. 1:24), they say, 'You are the Son of God' (Mt. 8:29), and elsewhere, 'These men are the servants of the Most High God' (Acts 16:17). Yet such faith will not benefit the demons, nor even humans. This faith is of no use, for it is dead.”

KnowsMenBelieveHumansUseShowsChristianChristSonMastersBenefitsDifficultyWho You AreServantDemonOrthodoxElsewhereCfsUnbelievers
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“'Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord' (Heb. 12:14), Why did he say 'strive'? Because it is not possible for us to become holy and to be saints in an hour! We must therefore progress from modest beginnings toward holiness and purity. Even were we to spend a thousand years in this life we should never perfectly attain it. Rather we must always struggle for it every day, as if mere beginners.”

IfsMenShouldYearsChristianHoursLordStruggleProgressHolyThousandMereStriveSaintThis LifePurityHolinessOrthodoxThousand YearsModestBeginners
Book:Symeon New Theologian
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“When your soul is pricked by compunction and gradually changed, it becomes a fountain flowing with rivers of tears and compunction. ... If any one of you ever happens to communicate with tears, whether you weep before the Liturgy or in the course of the divine Liturgy, or at the very time that you receive the divine Gifts, and does not desire to do this for the rest of his days and nights, it will avail him nothing to have wept merely once. It is not this alone that at once purifies us and makes us worthy; it is daily compunction that does not cease until death.”

IfsDoeSoulHappensChristianDesireNightCoursesChangedTearsDivineRiversCommunicateWorthyCeaseYour SoulOrthodoxFountainOrthodox ChristianDay And NightLiturgyCompunction
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“Since ... 'the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force' (Mt. 11:12), and it is impossible for the faithful to enter it by any other way, unless they come through the narrow gate of trials and tribulations, the divine oracle rightly commands us, saying: 'Strive to enter by the narrow door' (Lk. 13:24). Again He says, 'By your endurance you will gain your souls' (Lk. 21:19), and, 'Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven' (Acts 14:22).”

WaySoulChristianSufferingForceHeavenViolenceImpossibleDoorsDivineGainsStriveTrialsViolentKingdomsCommandYour SoulFaithfulEnduranceOrthodoxGatesOrthodox ChristianTribulationKingdom Of HeavenTrials And TribulationsOracles
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“Just as gold tarnished in depth (cf. Jms. 5:3) cannot be properly purified and restored to its proper brightness unless it is cast in the fire and thoroughly hammered with mallets, so when the soul has been tarnished with the rust of sin and become thoroughly useless it cannot be cleansed and recover its original beauty unless it meets many trials and enter into the furnace of tribulations.”

Has BeensSoulChristianSinFireGoldOriginalsDepthCastsTrialsUselessOrthodoxBrightnessRustTribulationCfsFurnacesHammered
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“Spiritual knowledge is like a house built in the midst of secular and pagan knowledge, in which there is laid up, like a solid and well-secured chest, the knowledge of the inspired Scriptures and the inestimable riches they contain. Those who enter into the house will never at all be able to see those treasures unless this chest is opened for them. But it does not belong to human wisdom (cf. I Cor. 2:13) ever to be able to open it, so that the riches of the Spirit deposited in it remain unknown to all who are worldly.”

HumansWellsDoeAbleChristianSpiritualSpiritHouseBuiltInspiredRichesScriptureTreasureMidstOrthodoxChestsSecularWorldlyOrthodox ChristianPaganSecuredCfsHuman WisdomSpiritual Knowledge
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“... men... who say that there is no one in our times and in our midst who is able to keep the Gospel commandments and become like the holy Fathers? To them the Master rightly says with a loud voice, 'Woe to you scribes and Pharisees (Mt. 23:13)! Woe to you, blind guides of the blind (Mt. 23:16), because you do not enter into the kingdom, and you hinder those who wish to enter' (Mt. 23:13).”

MenAbleChristianFatherWishVoiceMastersHolyBlindGuidesKingdomsLoudOur TimeMidstOrthodoxCommandmentsWoeOrthodox ChristianHinderPhariseesScribesLoud Voices
Book:Symeon New Theologian
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“... I pray... that you may discern your affairs in a manner pleasing to God and may so act and endeavor that you may find Christ, as He even now cooperates with you, and in time to come will bestow on you abundantly the enjoyment of the illumination that comes from Him. Do not follow the wolf instead of the shepherd (cf. Mt. 7:15), nor enter into a flock that is diseased (cf. Ezek. 34:4). Do not be alone by yourself?”

MayChristianChristPrayingAffairEnjoymentOrthodoxEndeavorI PrayIlluminationFlocksShepherdsCfsDiseased
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“Tremble with awe, O men! The insults God suffered for the sake of our salvation you too must endure! God is slapped on the face by the basest of slaves (Jn. 18:22). He gives you an example of victory, yet do you refuse to undergo this at the hands of a man of like passions as yourself? You are ashamed of becoming an imitator of God (Eph. 5:1), how then will you reign with Him and share in His glory in the kingdom of heaven if you do not endure that man?”

IfsMenGivingHandsChristianFacesPassionHeavenShareExampleBecomingVictoryGlorySalvationSlaveEndureSakeRefuseKingdomsInsultAweAshamedOrthodoxReignOrthodox ChristianKingdom Of HeavenImitator
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“O man, do you believe that Christ is God? If you believe, fear, and keep His commandments? there is no other God but He (cf. Dt. 4:35). To Him no one is equal, nor can become equal (cf. Is. 40:18). He is Ruler of all things, the Judge of all, the King of all, the Maker of light and the Lord of life. He is the Light that is ineffable, inaccessible (cf. I Tim. 6:16), and He is the Only One. By His appearing He causes all His enemies to vanish before His face (cf. Ps. 68:2 f.), as well as those who do not perform His commandments, just as the sun when it rises drives away the darkness of night.”

IfsMenBelieveWellsLightChristianFacesNightCausesChristLordEnemyDarknessSunJudgingKingsEqualAll ThingsOrthodoxMakersRulersCommandmentsIf You BelieveOrthodox ChristianAppearingCfsIneffableInaccessibleDarkness Of Night
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“There are times when I, without willing it, mount to the height of contemplation; with my will I am drawn down from it because of the limitations of human nature and [find] safety in abasement. I know many things that are unknown to most men, yet I am more ignorant than all others. I rejoice because Christ, 'whom I have believed' (II Tim. 1:12), has bestowed on me an eternal and unshakable kingdom, yet I constantly weep as one who is unworthy of that which is above, and I cease not.”

KnowsMenHumansChristianChristHuman NatureWillingEternalSafetyCeaseKingdomsIgnorantLimitationHeightContemplationOrthodoxRejoiceUnworthyUnshakableAbasement
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“... those who sit in the darkness of passions and whose minds are blinded by ignorance, or, rather, those who have not acquired the 'mind of Christ' (I Cor. 2:16), think that he who has the mind of Christ is foolish, and that he who has it not is sensible. Of these the prophet David rightly states, 'The ignorant and foolish perish together' (Ps. 49:11). Therefore such men twist the whole of Scripture according to their own desires (cf. II Pet. 3:3, 16) and corrupt themselves in their own passions. But it is not divine Scripture that suffers from this, but those who disfigure it!”

ThinkingMenMindStatesWholeChristianTogetherDesireSufferingPassionChristDarknessIgnoranceDivineFoolishScriptureIgnorantProphetPetOrthodoxSensibleTwistsBlindedCfs
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“What is the cause that one is hardened, and another readily moved to compunction? Listen! It springs from the will, in the latter case a good will, in the former an evil one. It springs also from the thoughts, in the former case evil thoughts, in the latter from the opposite; and similarly from actions, in the former case actions contrary to God, in the latter godly ones... it is by free choice of the will that every person either attains compunction and humility, or else becomes hard-hearted and proud.”

PersonsHardActionChristianChoicesEvilCausesCasesHumilityProudSpringOppositesMovedContraryFormerLatterOrthodoxGodlyHeartedGood WillHardenedFree ChoiceEvil ThoughtsCompunction
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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“If through fear of God you cutoff your own will - inexplicably, for you do not know how this happens - God will give you His will. You will keep it indelibly in your heart, opening the eyes of your mind so that you recognize it; and you will be given the strength to fulfill it. The grace of the Holy Spirit operates these things: without it, nothing is accomplished.”

IfsKnowsGivingMindHeartHappensEyeChristianSpiritGivenKnow HowGraceHolyGods WillOpeningHoly SpiritAccomplishedOrthodoxOrthodox ChristianHeart Opening
Author:Symeon the New Theologian
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