Symeon the New Theologian, 11th Ethical Discourse.
Written early 11th century.
Source: Symeon the New Theologian. On the Mystical Life. Vol 2: On Virtue and Christian Life, p. 150-151. PPS 15. Trans: Alexander Golitzin. SVS Press. 1996.
You who have been commanded to visit those in prison and minister to them according to your ability, to make no request of him who has taken what is yours, and give your cloak as well to him who would sue you for your coat, nor this alone, but to lay down your very life unto death for the sake of God's commandment, when you go to court for the sake of lost money and transgress God's precept, when you are grieved, vexed, and consign your brother to prison: are you not obviously insane by angering God and waning against Him, and depriving yourself of eternal life? He who would pastor Christ's flock, therefore, and feed His sheep with the teaching we have described in order to make them fat and fruitful with righteousness, how can he worry about fields at the same time and engage in concern for possessions, go to court for them and frighten off those who would abuse them unjustly, sometimes approaching the judge and sometimes resisting controversies and lies, and sometimes even becoming himself responsible for oaths and perjuries? For it is necessarily the case, given that the pastor is telling the truth, that his opponents in court will lie and take oaths and commit open perjury. But, if this is the way things happen, how will such things be bearable to the soul that loves God, or how will the people involved be pleasing to the God Who said: "But I say to you, do not swear at all...but let what you say be simply `Yes' or 'No' anything more than this comes from the evil one" [Mt 5:34, 37]; and again: "Amen, amen I tell you, on the day of judgement men will render account for every idle word" [Mt 12:26].
You who have been commanded to visit those in prison and minister to them according to your ability, to make no request of him who has taken what is yours, and give your cloak as well to him who would sue you for your coat, nor this alone, but to lay down your very life unto death for the sake of God's commandment, when you go to court for the sake of lost money and transgress God's precept, when you are grieved, vexed, and consign your brother to prison: are you not obviously insane by angering God and waning against Him, and depriving yourself of eternal life? He who would pastor Christ's flock, therefore, and feed His sheep with the teaching we have described in order to make them fat and fruitful with righteousness, how can he worry about fields at the same time and engage in concern for possessions, go to court for them and frighten off those who would abuse them unjustly, sometimes approaching the judge and sometimes resisting controversies and lies, and sometimes even becoming himself responsible for oaths and perjuries? For it is necessarily the case, given that the pastor is telling the truth, that his opponents in court will lie and take oaths and commit open perjury. But, if this is the way things happen, how will such things be bearable to the soul that loves God, or how will the people involved be pleasing to the God Who said: "But I say to you, do not swear at all...but let what you say be simply `Yes' or 'No' anything more than this comes from the evil one" [Mt 5:34, 37]; and again: "Amen, amen I tell you, on the day of judgement men will render account for every idle word" [Mt 12:26].
