May 18
(A Word of Saint Ephraim, on how one ought with every diligence to honor the holy books.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
The word of God says that the imagination of the heart of man is evil from his youth (Gen. 8:21). And truly, nothing persecutes us throughout life so much as evil thoughts. You may intend even a good deed, yet something unclean will unfailingly attach itself to it. You stand at prayer, and even there sometimes you will not be freed from temptations of thought; they speak about God, about faith, about eternal salvation, and even there wicked questions and thoughts contrary to the teaching of the faith begin to present themselves to our mind. In general, it is difficult even to say how much evil we think in life, and how much sinful and impure matter nests within the soul.
And meanwhile, one cannot remain indifferent to all this impure and sinful matter; for the word of God says that an unrighteous thought is an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 15:26), and that nothing unclean shall enter into the Kingdom of God (Rev. 21:27). Therefore sinful thoughts are not insignificant; therefore the Lord will judge us also for them; therefore we too must struggle against them unceasingly, with all the powers of our soul. And for successful struggle one must know the means that are trustworthy in battle. What then are these means? Saint Ephraim says concerning this the following:
“My friend, when an evil thought comes to you, draw out your sword, which is the fear of God, and you will cut down all the power of the enemy. And instead of a summons to military battle, possess the Divine books. Just as a military trumpet calling to battle gathers together the soldiers, so also the holy books, when read by us, gather together our mind and compel it to think upon the fear of God. And just as the military trumpet sounding during battle arouses courage even in an inexperienced soldier, so also the Divine books arouse in us good thoughts and strengthen us against the passions. Therefore, my friend, compel yourself to read such books more often, in order to bring your thoughts into proper order, thoughts which the enemy scatters by his wiles. Arise, beloved one, take courage, strive constantly to devote yourself to the reading of the Divine books, so that they may teach you what must be done in order to escape the snares of the enemy and obtain eternal life. The reading of the Divine books frees the mind from evil thoughts and directs it to think about God... Therefore do not be lazy concerning the building of your salvation, but build it by reading, and pray to God that He may enlighten your mind, and you will become perfected and preserved from evil thoughts. As the thirsty deer desires to come to the springs of waters, so you also be swift in hastening to the reading of the Divine books, in order by the power of the teaching contained in them to quench and overcome the power of the passions rising up against you.”
And indeed the Divine books truly are for us the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17), capable of striking down and destroying within us everything impure and sinful. Therefore listen attentively to what is said even concerning only one Divine book, the Psalter, in its preface:
“The singing of psalms drives away demons, banishes darkness..., for the sinful man it is the strengthening of the mind..., as water cleanses, as fire burns away..., it puts the devil to shame..., it extinguishes fleshly lusts..., it drives out savagery and calms every rage and crushes anger..., it drives away every sin..., it purifies the lips and slays every evil.”
And this is accomplished by one Divine book alone; but what shall be said concerning the many others, and above all among them — concerning the Gospel? Is not the word of the Lord terrible to the enemy of our salvation? Is it not powerful to sanctify and instruct us, to cleanse the mind from vain thoughts and the heart from wicked lusts? Or how many instructions for the struggle against evil thoughts are set forth in the writings of the Fathers of the Church! And how many examples of struggle against these thoughts and victory over them may be found in the lives of the saints!
Thus, truly, the holy books are a reliable weapon against evil thoughts; for, as we have seen and as the Holy Fathers learned by experience, they “drive away demons, extinguish fleshly lusts, drive away every sin, purify the lips, and slay every evil.” Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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