Слово 45. Похвальное о преподобном Иоанне, названном «Великим»

This is a terrible struggle and an extraordinary feat, surpassing every mind, every concept, every hearing and every word. That most destructive and most vicious demon, this fierce beast himself, envying the man who brought divinely inspired prayers to Christ from the depths of his very soul and from the bottom of his heart, clothed himself in the likeness of a serpent and wrapped himself all around him from his feet to his honest gray hair and holy lips; but even in this way he could not distract his sacred mind and tear him away from the sacred prayerful mood; but without any fear he remained in imperturbable silence, mentally enjoying the light to which he was attached. Oh, what strength of soul! What a mind incomprehensible to God! The saying that says that evil will never overcome God-inspired wisdom (Wisdom 7:30), to which you, Father, have become a most sincere friend, was not false. You have clearly proven that the disastrous ancient fall of the forefather, into which he led all of humanity, was accomplished by his foolishness in relation to the Creator, and not by the destructive power of the charming serpent. In whom unceasing divine love burns and who is diligently sober in mind and heart, this daring person is scolded like a weak sparrow and lies wounded under the feet of the pious. You might be interested in: