Conferences XVIII–XXIV, Conference XXIII

Conference XXIII

• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.1 — Discourse of Abbot Theonas on the Apostle's words: “For I do not the good which I would.“. At the return of light therefore, as the old man was forced by our intense urgency to investigate the depths of the Apostle’s…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.2 — How the Apostle completed many good actions. It remains therefore for us to measure its meaning and drift from the inmost feelings of the speaker, and to discuss what the blessed Apostle called good, and what he…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.3 — What is really the good which the Apostle testifies that he could not perform. What then is that one thing which is so incomparably above those great and innumerable good things, that, while they are all scorned and…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.4 — How man's goodness and righteousness are not good if compared with the goodness and righteousness of God. How man’s goodness and righteousness are not good if compared with the goodness and righteousness of God. But…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.5 — How no one can be continually intent upon that highest good. For who, when “delivering the poor from the hand of them that are too strong for him, and the needy and the poor from them that strip him,” who when…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.6 — How those who think that they are without sin are like purblind people. As if we were to suppose that two men, one of whom was clear sighted with perfect vision, and the other, one whose eyesight was obscured by…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.7 — How those who maintain that a man can be without sin are charged with a twofold error. The reason however which drives us into this error is that, as we are utterly ignorant of the virtue of being without sin, we…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.8 — How it is given to but few to understand what sin is. Those on the other hand who make the sum of all their joy and delight and bliss consist in the contemplation of divine and spiritual things alone, if they are…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.9 — Of the care with which a monk should preserve the recollection of God. I should say then that the saints who keep a firm hold of the recollection of God and are borne along, as it were, with their steps suspended on…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.10 — How those who are on the way to perfection are truly humble, and feel that they always stand in need of God's grace. How those who are on the way to perfection are truly humble, and feel that they always stand in…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.11 — Explanation of the phrase: “For I delight in the law of God after the inner man,” etc. And they “delight” indeed “in the law of God after the inner man,” which soars above all visible things and ever strives to be…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.12 — Of this also: “But we know that the law is spiritual,” etc. And this law the Apostle also calls spiritual saying: “But we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.” For this law is spiritual…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.13 — Of this also: “But I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.”. Because then the original curse of God has made us carnal and condemned us to thorns and thistles, and our father has sold us by…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.14 — An objection, that the saying: “For I do not the good that I would,” etc., applies to the persons neither of unbelievers nor of saints. An objection, that the saying: “For I do not the good that I would,” etc.,…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.15 — The answer to the objection raised. Theonas: Your notion does not come to much; as you yourselves have actually now begun to maintain that this cannot possibly stand in the person of those who are out and out…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.16 — What is the body of sin. This then is that body of death from which we cannot escape, pent in which those who are perfect, who have tasted “how gracious the Lord is,” daily feel with the prophet “how bad for himself…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.17 — How all the saints have confessed with truth that they were unclean and sinful. And therefore with daily sighs all the saints grieve over this weakness of their nature and while they search into their shifting…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.18 — That even good and holy men are not without sin. But that no one however holy is in this life free from trespasses and sin, we are told also by the teaching of the Saviour, who gave His disciples the form of the…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.19 — How even in the hour of prayer it is almost impossible to avoid sin. Whoever then ascribes sinlessness to human nature must fight against no idle words but the witness and proof of his conscience which is on our…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.20 — From whom we can learn the destruction of sin and perfection of goodness. Lastly if you would like to investigate more thoroughly whether it is possible for human nature to attain sinlessness, from whom can we more…vatican.va
• Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIII.21 — That although we acknowledge that we cannot be without sin, yet still we ought not to suspend ourselves from the Lord's Communion. That although we acknowledge that we cannot be without sin, yet still we ought not to…vatican.va