10. Do not shy away from catechetical teachings: no matter how long they are spoken, so that your thought does not weaken someday. For you receive weapons against the opposing forces, against heretics, Jews, Samaritans, and pagans. You have many enemies, try to have many weapons, you place arrows in many, so you must know how to strike a Greek with them, how to fight a heretic, a Jew and a Samaritan. And now the weapon is ready, and the spiritual sword is even more ready. At the same time, it behooves you to stretch out your right hand by good will, in order to wage war against the Lord, in order to overcome the opposing forces, in order to be invincible in any heretical attack.

11. And I advise you also this: learn what has been said to you, and keep it; do not consider these teachings to be ordinary conversations. For though these also are good and worthy of faith; but if we omit anything in them today, we shall know tomorrow. And what is taught to you in order about the bath of birth, if this day is omitted, then when will it be rewarded? Imagine that it is time to plant trees: if we do not dig up the earth and plant them; then at what other time can it be planted well, that at first it is planted badly? Imagine that a catechetical instruction is a structure. If we do not strengthen it properly with ties, so that there are no crevices; then the structure will be unstable. But it is necessary, in order, to lay stone upon stone; to tie the coal to the corner; discard the superfluous, and thus elevate the structure. Likewise, we deliver to you as if it were the stones of knowledge. We must hear about the living God, we must hear about judgment, we must hear about Christ, we must hear about the resurrection; many things must be spoken of in order; now this is said separately, and then it will be presented in connection. But if you do not combine into one, and do not remember the first and the second, then he who builds will build, and your building will be bad.

12. Then, as the catechetical sermon says, if a catechumens ask you, what did the teachers say to you? Don't answer anything to a stranger. For we give thee the mystery, and the hope of the age to come. Keep this secret for the sake of the Rewarder, and do not listen when someone tells you what is the trouble, if I also find out? And the sick ask for wine; but if it is given untimely, then madness is to be produced; from which two evils are born: the sick dies, and the physician remains in ignominy. Thus, if the catechumens hear something from the faithful; then even the catechumens fall into madness; because he does not understand what he hears, yet it denigrates and ridicules what is said, and the faithful are condemned as a betrayer of this mystery. Behold, thou art already near to us; See that you do not tell, not because what is preached here is not worthy of telling; but because hearing is not worthy of hearing. Thou wast once a catechumen; then I did not tell you what was to be reported. When you comprehend the height of the teaching by experience, then you will know that the catechumens are not worthy of hearing.

13. You, whose names are included in the list of those who are enlightened, you have become sons and daughters of one mother. When you ascend before the incantations, let each one of you speak of something pious; and if any of you is not there, send for him. For if you were called to dinner, would you not wait for him who was invited with you? If I had a brother, would I not have tried for his good? However, do not be curious about useless things; For example: what is being done in the city, what is being done in the village, what is the king doing, what is the bishop doing, what is the presbyter doing. Woe1 behold, this is what your time demands; Be abolished, and understand that I am God (Psalm 45:11). If you see faithful servants and those who are not embarrassed, then they have the immutable, they know what they have received, and they keep their blogging. And you are still at the point of equilibrium, whether you will receive it or not. Do not imitate those who are calm, but be filled with fear.

14. When there is an incantation, then, until the arrival of the other conjured, the men must remain with the husbands, and the wives with the wives. By the way, now let's remember Noah's ark. Noah and his sons, and his wife, and the wives of his sons were in it. Though there was one ark, and the door was shut, yet everything was all right there. Though the temple be shut up, and all things within it, yet there must be division among you; Husbands should be with men, and wives with wives, so that the assumption of salvation may not be a case of destruction. A good suggestion is to sit one next to the other; but let the passions be removed. For what reason should sedentary men have a useful book; let one read, and the other listen; if there is no book. then let one pray, and the other should say something useful. And virgins, when they gather, must either sing or read silently, so that the lips speak, but do not hear the ears of others. For I do not command a woman to speak in church (1 Cor. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:12).

And a married wife should do the same and pray; let the lips move, but let not the voice be heard: that Samuel may come to pass; that thy barren soul, being heard by God, may bring forth salvation. For this is the meaning of the name of Samuel.

15. I will notice the diligence of everyone, I will notice the reverence of everyone. Let the mind be kindled to reverence, let the soul be unchained, let the cruelty of unbelief be broken, let the superfluous captivity be separated from the iron; let only the pure remain; let the rust fall from the iron; Let only the natural remain. And when God will show you that night, the darkness shining with the light of day, of which it is said: "Darkness shall not be darkened by Thee, and the night shall shine like a day" (Psalm 138:12); then let the gates of paradise be opened to everyone. Then let you enjoy the Christ-bearing, fragrant waters, then let you receive the name of Christ, and the power of Divine things. Now lift up your mental gaze to grief; behold the faces of the angels, and the Lord of all, God who sits, and the only-begotten Son who sits at the right hand, and the Spirit who is present; And the thrones and dominions are ministering, and each and every one of you who are being saved. Make it clear to you now, that as you have been catechumens, that pleasant voice which the angels will utter when you are saved: blessed are they who have forsaken iniquity, and whom the sin has hid themselves" (Psalm 31:1). When you, like the stars of the church, will rise pure in body and bright in soul.

16. A great thing is the baptism that is to be offered. It is the redemption of captives, the remission of sins, the death of sin, the rebirth of the soul, a bright garment, a holy, indestructible seal, a chariot to heaven, the consolation of paradise; the kingdom of intercession, the gift of adoption. However, the serpent watches over those who pass by on the way, see that he does not wound you with unbelief. He sees so many who are being saved, and seeks whom He may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). You enter into the Father of spirits, but you pass by this serpent. How can you pass by him? put on your nose for the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15), so that, even if it hurts, you will not suffer harm. Establish faith in yourself, have firm hope, strong shoes, so that you may pass by the enemy and ascend to the Lord. Prepare your heart for the reception of the teaching, for the communion of the Holy Mysteries. Pray more often, that God would vouchsafe you the heavenly and immortal Mysteries. Do not be idle day or night: but as soon as sleep falls from your eyes, let your mind rise to prayer. And if you feel that an evil thought is entering into it, arouse in yourself the salvific remembrance of judgment. Occupy your mind with teaching, so that it may forget the abominable things. If anyone says to you, "And you want to immerse yourself in water? Are there no baths in the city?", then know that the serpent of the sea is telling you this. Do not heed the words of the speaker, but the working God. Guard your soul, so that you may not be caught, and that, remaining in hope, you may become an heir of eternal salvation.

17. We, as men, command and teach; but do not build your building of straw, reeds, and chaff, lest we lose our labor when the work is burned up; but make the work of gold, silver, and precious stones. My business is to speak, to agree with yours, and to do God's work. Let us direct our minds, let us attune our souls, let us prepare our hearts: we strive for our souls, let us drink eternal treasures. But God is mighty, who leads your hearts, and knows who is sincere and who is hypocritical, to preserve the sincere, and to make the hypocrite faithful. For God can make an unbeliever faithful, (if only this one will give Him his heart), and blot out the handwriting that condemns us. May He forget your former sins, may He plant you in the church, and may He choose you into His army, having clothed you with the armor of righteousness; may He fill them with the heavenly things of the new covenant, and may He seal them with the seal of the Holy Spirit, indestructible for ever, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory to Him forever and ever. Amen.

Catechetical Instruction First

To those who are preparing in Jerusalem for enlightenment, spoken without preparation, leading those who are approaching baptism, to the words of the prophet Isaiah: "Wash yourselves," etc. (Isaiah 1:16).  

1. Disciples of the New Testament and communicants of the mysteries of Christ! Now by calling, and soon by grace, make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 18:31), so that the celestials may rejoice. For if, according to the Gospel, there is joy over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7), how much more will the salvation of so many souls stir up heaven to joy? Having entered upon the blessed and good path, walk reverently in the field of godliness, for the Only-begotten Son of God, always ready for your deliverance, stands here, saying: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). Burdened with transgressions and bound by the bonds of their sins! Hear the prophetic voice, crying out: "Wash yourselves, be clean, take away evil from your souls before my eyes" (Isaiah 1:16), so that the angelic countenance may call out to you: "Blessed are those whose iniquity hast been forsaken, and whose sins have been hidden" (Psalm 31:1). Having now kindled the lamps of faith, keep them unquenchable in your hands, so that Him Who then opened paradise to the thief on this all-holy Golgotha for his faith, may vouchsafe you also to sing a wedding song.

2. If anyone here is a slave of sin, let him prepare himself by faith for freedom and the regeneration of adoption, and, having laid aside the most shameful slavery of sin, and having entered into the most blessed service of the Lord, let him be counted worthy to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven through confession; put on the old man, who decays in the lusts of charms (Eph. 4:22; 4:24), that ye may put on the new, who is renewed in understanding after the image of Him who created him (Col. 3:10). Through faith obtain the earnest of the Holy Spirit, that ye may be received into the dwellings of eternity. Approach the mysterious sealing, so that you may be known to the Lord, and that, having been numbered among the holy and verbal flock of Christ, you may stand at His right hand and inherit the life prepared for you. For those who are still under the weight of sins remain untouched, because they do not approach the grace of God, which is given by Christ in regeneration through baptism. And I do not mean regeneration of the body, but of the soul, the spiritual rebirth. For bodies are born of visible parents, but souls are regenerated by faith, for the spirit, where it wills, breathes (John 3:8). And then, if you are worthy, you will hear: "Good, good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:21)! When, that is, not the slightest filth of pretense is found in the conscience.

3. For if anyone who is here thinks to tempt grace, he deceives himself and does not know power. Have, O man, an unfeigned soul, for the sake of the searching heart and womb (Psalm 7:10). For just as those who recruit men for the army diligently look at the age and bodily constitution of those who are chosen, so the Lord, in choosing souls, tests arbitrariness. And if there is a pretense in someone, then he rejects such a person as incapable of true military service. And if he finds someone worthy, he will hastily give grace to him: "The saint does not give a dog" (Matt. 7:6), but in whom he sees a good conscience, on him he places a salvific, miraculous seal, from which evil spirits tremble and which the angels know, so that they, being driven away, may flee, and these, as their own, accompany him. Thus, those who receive this spiritual and salvific seal must also have their own will. For as for the pen or the sword there is need of the one who acts, so for grace are the believers.