St. Symeon the New Theologian

 Words (53 - 92)

Contents

Homily fifty-three. 1. On love and what is the life and deeds of virtuous men. 2. And the blessing of those who have heartfelt love. 1

Homily fifty-four. 1. About perfect love - what is its effect? 2. And that if we do not take care to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit here, in this life, then it is impossible for us to be faithful and Christians; nor will we be children of God. 3

Homily Fifty-Five. 1. Of those who partake of the grace of the Holy Spirit. 2. And that he who loves human glory will not receive any benefit from other virtues, even if he corrects all of them. 5

Homily Fifty-Six. 1. Of faith, and of those who say that it is impossible for him who lives in the world to attain perfection in virtue. At the beginning of the word there is a useful story. 7

Homily Fifty-Seven. 1. About the terrible day of the Lord and about the future judgment; what day of the Lord is this, and to whom is it revealed? 2. He acts in us even before death, and is revealed to those in whom he acts in the present life. 3. Faith in Christ alone cannot save us if we do not consciously receive the grace of the Holy Spirit. 4. How can we know that the grace of the Holy Spirit has been received? And the interpretation of the words: in the beginning was the Word. 5. The blessing of those who have received the grace of the Holy Spirit. 10

Homily Fifty-Eight. 1. About love and faith. How can one acquire love for God in one's soul? 2. On the radiance and contemplation of light, and on the mysterious conversation of the Spirit. 19

Homily Fifty-Ninth. 1. It is necessary for every Christian to partake of the grace of the Holy Spirit. 2. It is impossible that the works of virtue should be firm and lasting except by the grace of the Holy Spirit, without which no one can successfully walk the path of virtue, nor make use of others, nor accept and resolve the thoughts of others. 3. The Triune Godhead is equal in all things (that is, all persons are equal in everything). 21

The Sixtieth Word. 1. The first theological word against those who say that the Father is before the Son. 24

Homily Sixty-One. 1. Theological second. Against those who attempt to theologize without having the grace of the Holy Spirit. 29

Homily Sixty-Two. 1. Theological third, that what is the Father is the same is the Son, and that what is the Son is the same is the Holy Spirit, and that these three are one Spirit, one honorable, one in essence, and one throne. 32