Catechesis 57

On guarding the soul from destructive passions.
Wednesday of the Second Week.

Brethren and fathers, now that we have fasted for the first week we appear to each other somewhat different to what we were, leaner and paler. But even if our outward nature is wasting away, as the Apostle says, the inner is being renewed day by day [2 Cor. 4:16]. For what it is to see a body healthy-looking and sleek through pleasure; this it is to understand what follows for the soul through self-mastery, so that by humbling the body we shall bring about the beauty of the soul, that beauty which the holy David longed for when he prayed, Lord, by your will you have granted power to my beauty. With this beauty moreover the blessed Paul confirms that we are betrothed to Christ, For I have betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, so your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere commitment to Christ [2 Cor. 11:2-3]. Do you each see the greatness of the gift, that we have been granted to have Christ as Bridegroom? Does each of you see how afraid our groomsman is for our safety? So our soul is like a maiden who has been brought into the bridal chamber. Just as she deprives herself of the sight of males, keeping herself within the bridal chamber, exercising every care to preserve herself incorrupt, until the moment comes for her marriage, the soul too requires the same behaviour, with every care to keep herself pure from the corrupting passions of sin, until her departure; at which, as though going from the body as from a bridal chamber, if she were comely, resplendent by good works, she would give joy to the holy Angels, indeed most fittingly; but if she were ugly through wickedness, she will be an object of malignant delight for the demons, an insult to Christ; which is pitiable both to speak and to think about. This is the reason for the punishing of the body; because of this there is austerity, like a bit, reining in the impulses of the flesh, so as not to unseat the charioteer — the mind, not only at the present moment, but throughout the whole of life. For what is the ascetic life but mastery of the passions, control of thoughts and unrelenting wrestling against invisible foes? And how should these things not afflict the flesh? But this slight momentary affliction of ours, as it is written, is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory, beyond all measure, because our aim is not what can be seen but what cannot be seen [2 Cor. 4:17]. So then for things which cannot be seen, things which Angels too hope to glimpse [1 Peter 1:12], for the Bridegroom Christ to whom we are betrothed, I ask and beseech you, brethren, that keep our own soul pure from evil deeds, from sordid thoughts, which defile us, as the Lord said; not thinking any wickedness at all; for by thinking desire is set alight like fire; but taking our stand far from the passions and beating off the tempter from the moment of provocation,^[fn] both by good works making the soul resplendent, and holding fast more fervently to the self-mastery which lies before us, so that, when we have in purity passed over from things here, we may depart in unspeakable joy to heaven and delight in the joy of the heavenly bridal chamber, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. 

Translation and note by Fr Ephrem Lash. Scriptural citations added.