for they have not learned to maintain chastity before marriage. Hence arise fights, insults, the destruction of homes, and daily wars. Hence the love one has for his wife grows weak and withers, as it is dissolved by frequenting brothels. But if he learns to maintain chastity, he will esteem his wife above all others; he will look upon her with great benevolence, and he will maintain great harmony with her. If there is peace and harmony, all good things will enter that home. In order, therefore, that the affairs of this life may be rightly ordered by us, and that with them we may obtain the kingdom of heaven, let us, for the sake of this command especially, take care of ourselves and our children, so that we may not enter into that spiritual marriage clothed in filthy garments, but may with confidence enjoy the honor reserved for those who are worthy there. May we all obtain this, through the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, be glory, honor, and power, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and for ages of ages. Amen.
SERMON II. Regarding the faith of Anna, and her philosophy—that is, her moderation of mind and modesty—and regarding the honoring of priests; and how one ought to pray at both the beginning and the end of a meal; and how she was both mother and father.
A Nothing is equal to prayer, beloved, nor is anything more powerful than faith. Anna recently demonstrated both of these to us; for, approaching God with these gifts, she accomplished all that she desired. She corrected a sterile nature, opened a womb that had been closed, removed her disgrace, dissolved the insults of her rival, and restored herself to great confidence, when from a barren rock she reaped a grain. All of you heard how she wept, how she prayed, how she entreated and prevailed; she conceived, gave birth, raised, and consecrated Samuel. And so, he would not be mistaken who called this woman the mother and father of the child alike. For although the husband had provided the seed, her prayer granted power and efficacy to that seed, and caused Samuel to be born from more honorable beginnings. For the origin of this birth was not, as it is with other men, merely the sleep and union of parents, but prayers, tears, and faith; and for this reason the prophet had a more illustrious birth, being born on account of his mother's faith. Therefore, one might justly say of this woman: "They who sow in tears shall reap in joy" (Ps. 125, 5). Let us men emulate her, let women imitate her; for this woman is a teacher for both sexes. Let those who are sterile not despair; let those who are mothers raise their children thus; but let us all together imitate the philosophy of this woman, which she possessed before the birth, the faith she had at the birth, and the zeal she had after the birth. For what could be more philosophical than that woman, who bore so intolerable a calamity calmly and bravely, and did not cease until she had dispelled that distress and found an end to the evil—an end both wonderful and incredible, with no helper or ally summoned from earthly things? B She knew the kindness of the Lord, and for that reason she alone approached Him, and she obtained whatever she desired. For the correction of that sorrow required not human assistance, but divine grace: for it was not born from the loss of money, so that one might wash away the anguish with gold brought in; nor from infirmity of the body, so that she could drive away the disease by summoning physicians. Nature was in a bad state, desiring a heavenly hand. And so, having truly abandoned all earthly things, she fled to the Lord of nature, nor did she cease until she entreated Him to remove the childlessness, to open her womb, and from a sterile woman to make a mother. And so she is blessed for this very reason: not that she became a mother, but that, being none, she became one. For the former is common to nature, but the latter was an exceptional merit of the woman. Indeed, she is blessed because of those birth pangs, yet nonetheless blessed because of all those things that preceded the birth. For you all surely know, whether women or men, that nothing more grievous or more intolerable can befall a woman than to be deprived of children; to such an extent that if she otherwise enjoys a thousand prosperities, she can never expel from her soul the pain born of this wound. But if this is so intolerable even now, when we have been called to a greater philosophy, and when there is no regard for present things for those who are tending toward heaven, but we are being adorned for another life, and when virginity is praised with many praises: C think how great a misery that situation appeared to be then, when there was no hope of future things, nor even consideration of them among those ancients, but everything was done for the sake of present things: when at that time to be a sterile and childless woman carried the brand of condemnation. No one can utter, nor can any speech reach, the magnitude of the pain coming from this wound. The women themselves are witnesses, who, although they displayed every philosophy in other matters, did not bear this unhappiness with an even mind; but some vented their anger against their husbands, others judged life to be unpleasant for themselves. But this woman was besieged not only by the anxiety arising from sterility, but also by another evil: namely, anger on account of the insults of her rival. And just as when winds clash against each other from opposite directions, grasping the middle of a skiff while they fight, and with many waves rising partly from the prow and partly from the stern, the helmsman sitting at the tiller saves the ship, driving away the incursions of the waves with his skill in steering: so also this woman, when anger and grief like winds made an attack upon her soul, disturbing her reason and exciting many waves, not for two or three days, or twenty days, but for whole years (for this, as the Scripture says, was done over a long time [1 Kings 1, 7]), D she bravely endured the tempest, and did not suffer her reason to be submerged. For the fear of God, as a pilot sitting at the helm, persuaded her that the tempest was to be endured with a great heart; nor did it cease to steer her mind until it brought the ship, full of its cargo, into a tranquil harbor—that is, the womb laden with a precious treasure. For it did not carry gold or silver, but was carrying a prophet and priest and
the sanctification of her womb was twofold, both because the child she was carrying was such, and because she received the beginning of the conception through prayer and grace from above.
B 2. But not only was the burden strange and wonderful, but the manner of the transaction also became even stranger; for she did not sell him to men, nor to some merchants or tradesmen, but straightway, having cast him out of the ship, she sold him to God; and she carried out such a transaction as it was natural for one in communion with God to carry out. For after she had received him, He gave her another child in return; or rather, not one, nor two, nor three, and four only, but even many more, *For the barren*, he says, *has borne seven*, (1 Kings 2:5), and the interest exceeded the principal. For such is business with God: He gives back not a fraction of the principal, but many times the amount. And He gave not only female children, but brought her interest from both genders; so that her joy was made complete. I say these things, not that you may only praise, but that you may also emulate the faith and the long-suffering of the woman, which you heard of in part even before; but so that I may provide the rest, grant me to tell you a little about the words uttered after the first prayer, to the priest and to the son of the priest, so that you may learn the gentle and mild disposition of the woman. *And it came to pass*, he says, *as she multiplied praying before the Lord, and Eli the priest was keeping watch over her mouth.* (Ibid. 1. 12).
Here the writer confirms a twofold virtue in the woman, both the perseverance in prayers, and the watchfulness of her mind; the former by saying, *Multiplied*, the latter by adding, *Before the Lord*: for we all indeed pray, but not all before God. For when the body is lying on the ground, and the mouth is babbling pointlessly, but the mind is wandering everywhere, to the house and to the marketplace, how shall such a one be able to say that he prayed before God? For he prays before the Lord who collects his soul from everywhere, and having nothing in common with the earth, but having, as it were, C migrated to heaven itself, and having cast all human reasoning out of his soul; just as this woman did then; for having gathered herself together entirely, and having strained her mind, she called upon God with a soul in pain. But how does he say that she even *multiplied* the prayer? Although the measure of the woman's prayer was short. For she did not stretch out long speeches, nor did she extend the petition to length, but said a few and simple words: *Adonai Lord Eloi Sabaoth, if looking on, thou shalt look upon the humiliation of thy handmaid, and remember me, do not forget thy handmaid, and give to thy handmaid seed of men, I will give him before thee a gift until the day of his death. And wine and strong drink he shall not drink, and iron shall not come up upon his head.* (1 Reg. 1. 11). What is this multitude of words? What then did he hint at by saying, *Multiplied*? She was speaking the same things continuously, and did not leave off, spending much time through the same words. Thus, indeed, in the Gospels also, Christ commanded us to pray. For having said to the disciples not to pray like the heathens, and not to use vain repetition, He taught us a measure of prayer, showing that being heard does not lie in the multitude of words, but in the sobriety of the mind. How then, one might say, if one must pray little, did He propose to them the parable about the need to pray always, that a certain widow, by the persistence of her petition, bent a judge, both inhuman and neither fearing God nor regarding man, by the frequency of her approach? And how does Paul also exhort, saying, *Continuing steadfastly in prayer* (Rom. 12:12), and again, *Pray without ceasing* (1 Thess. 5:17)? For if one must not extend long speeches, and must pray continuously, this is contrary to that. But it is not contrary, may it never be, but it is rather very much in agreement. For both Christ and Paul commanded prayers to be made short and frequent, with small intervals. For if you extend the speech to length, often having become negligent, you have given much opportunity to the devil to approach, and to trip you up, and to lead the mind away from what is being said; but if you make the prayers continuous and frequent, occupying all the time with this frequency, you will be able to be sober easily, and to pray the prayers themselves with great watchfulness. Which is what she also was doing, not extending long speeches, but approaching God frequently and more often. Then, since the priest had stopped her mouth—for this is, *He was keeping watch over her mouth*, and her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard—she was compelled both to obey the priest and to cease from the prayer. Her voice was stopped, therefore, but her boldness was not stopped, D but rather her heart inside cried out more vehemently. For this is prayer in the highest degree, when the cries are carried up from within: this is most characteristic of a soul in pain, not to show the prayer by the tone of the voice, but by the fervor of the mind.
3. Thus also Moses prayed; wherefore, even when he said nothing aloud, God says to him, *Why do you cry to me?* (Exod. 14:15). For men indeed hear only this voice, but God hears those who cry from within before this. It is possible, therefore, even without crying aloud to be heard, and while walking in the marketplace to pray in one's mind with great precision, and while sitting with friends, and doing anything whatsoever, to call upon God with a vehement cry—I mean the one from within—and to make this clear to no one of those present. Which is just what this woman also did then. For her voice was not heard, he says; and God heard her. Such was her cry from within. And Eli’s child said to her: *How long wilt thou be drunk? Put away thy wine from thee, depart from the presence of the Lord.* (1 Reg. 1. 14). Here it is most of all possible to see the philosophy of the woman. In the house the rival was reproaching; she came to the temple, and the priest's child insulted her, and the priest
she is reproached as drunken; she comes into the temple, and the priest's son [servant] afflicts her with insults, and the priest himself rebukes her. She had fled from the house. A She fled the winter, only to find the sea—she came to the port and encountered waves again; she came to receive a remedy, but was given the laceration of a reproach, so that the wound might increase rather than be healed. For you know how B souls that are pained are disposed toward insults and invective. Just as the more severe wounds cannot bear the touch of a hand, so too a troubled and morose soul is indignant at everything and is bitten by even a slight word. Yet this did not happen to this woman, not even when she was insulted by the boy. For if it had been the priest who insulted her, her tolerance would not have been so admirable—for the magnitude of his office and the gravity of his authority would have compelled her to be modest, even against her will. But now, she was not even indignant at the priest's boy; and for this very reason, she gained God’s favor all the more. Thus, whenever we are affected by a thousand evils and insults, C if we bear the insults with a generous spirit, we gain greater benevolence for ourselves from God.
The tolerance of insults is an opportunity for merit; David.
Whence is this evident? From what happened to David. But what happened to him? He was once an exile from his country, in danger of losing both his liberty and his life, and while he had an army drawn up against that intemperate youth, a tyrant and a parricide, he wandered in the desert (2 Kings 16); yet he was neither indignant nor did he lose heart toward God; nor did he say: "What is this?" He permitted the son to rise up against the one who begat him. And even if he had something for which he could justly complain, he ought not to have done so; but now, although he had been wronged in neither a small nor a great matter by us, yet he walks aboutbout, desiring to stain his right hand with paternal blood, and God sees these things and permits them. But he said none of these things. Moreover—and this is truly greater and more admirable—a certain wicked and criminal man named Shimei pursued him while he was wandering and driven from everywhere, calling him polluted by murder and impious, and attacking him with countless other insults; yet not even then was he exasperated. But if someone should say: "What wonder is it that he did not take revenge, since on account of his weakness he lacked the power to do so?" First, I would say this: I would not admire him as much if he were wearing a diadem, possessing a kingdom, and sitting on a throne, and had endured the insulter, as I now admire him for philosophizing at a time of such calamity. For in that state, the magnitude of empire and the lowliness of the insulter have often persuaded one to disregard an insult. Many kings have often shown a similar moderation of spirit, having accepted the remarkable madness of those who insult them as an excuse. For abuse does not usually sting us as much in prosperity as it does in adversity; but where we have fallen, there the insults prick and bite us more sharply. Furthermore, regarding this, one may add another thing, namely, that it was in his power to take revenge, and yet he did not. And so that you may see that his moderation of spirit was not from lack of power, but from patience, when the leader of the army desired to have it entrusted to him to go to the insulter and cut off his head, David not only did not permit it, but was further indignant, saying: "What have I to do with you, O son of Zeruiah? ... Suffer him to curse, that the Lord may see my humility, and may return to me good for this cursing, this day" (2 Kings 16. 10-12), which indeed came to pass. For this reason, once when he found Saul between two walls, even when there was the power to kill him, he spared him, and this, even when his companions were urging him to pierce him with his sword; nor could the provocation of those who were present, nor the memory of the many injuries he had suffered, nor the danger of suffering worse things, drive him to unsheathe the sword. Even though it would not have been evident to the army that it was murder if he had carried out that slaughter, since it was a cave, and no one else was present. Nor did he say what someone about to commit adultery once said: "Darkness is round about me, and the walls, what do I fear?" (Ecclesiasticus 23. 26). Rather, he fixed his gaze on the sleepless eye, and knew that the eyes of the Lord were ten thousand times brighter than the sun. Therefore, he did and said everything just as if He were present, and were passing judgment on the things being said. He says, therefore: "I will not put forth my hand against the Lord's anointed" (1 Kings 24. 7). I do not look at his wickedness, but at his dignity. Let no one say to me that this man is violent and nefarious; for I defer honor by God’s calculation, even if this man appears unworthy. For it is not my crime that he appears unworthy of honor. Let them hear, those who despise priests, and learn what reverence he showed to the king. And yet, the priest is much more worthy of honor and veneration than a king, as he is called to an even greater authority. Let them learn not to judge or demand punishments, but to be subject and to yield. For you, indeed, do not know the life of a priest, however abject and vile he may be; but he [David] knew well all the things that Saul had done; nevertheless, he revered the authority given to him by God. But as for you, even if you know things well, you are nonetheless unworthy of pardon and excuse if you despise magistrates and do not obey their words. Hear how Christ has taken from us this excuse, in the things He said in the Gospels: "The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses. All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, do ye; but according to their works do ye not" (Matthew 23. 2-3). Do you see how, concerning those whose character was so depraved that they were worthy to be reprimanded by their disciples, he nonetheless did not despise their exhortation, nor reject their teaching? I do not say these things because I wish to accuse priests—far from it, for you are witnesses of their life and piety—but so that we may show them far greater reverence and honor. For the benefit will not flow so much toward them, as toward ourselves. "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive the reward of a prophet." For if those who...are not permitted to pass judgment upon one another's lives, much less are we permitted to pass judgment upon our fathers. But, as I was saying—for it is necessary to return again to this woman—because bearing insults with nobility becomes for us the cause of many blessings, this same thing also occurred in the case of Job. I do not admire him so much before the admonition of his wife as I do after that catastrophic counsel. And let no one think what is said is paradoxical. Often, indeed, those whom the nature of things did not cause to stumble, a word and corrupted counsel have overthrown. And the devil, knowing this, after the blow from experience, brings on the assault through words; which is what he also did in the case of David. For when he saw him having borne with nobility the insurrection of his son and that lawless tyranny, desiring to cause his mind to stumble and to persuade him to fall into anger, he brought down that Semei against him, having prepared him to bite his soul with bitter words. This is what he also contrived against Job. For when he saw that he too had laughed his shafts to scorn, and stood bravely like an adamantine tower against everything, he armed the woman against him, so that the counsel might be unsuspected, and concealed the poison in her words, and rendered the calamity more tragic. What, then, does that noble man say? "Why hast thou spoken as one of the foolish women? If we have received good from the hand of the Lord, shall we not sustain the evil?" (Job 2.10). What he says here has this meaning: If he were not the Master, and did not so far exceed us, but were some fellow-equal friend, what apology would we have, having been so benefited by him, and yet repaying him with the opposite? You see a God-loving mind, and how he is not arrogant, nor does he grow haughty at having borne with nobility those sufferings beyond nature, nor does he judge such patience to be a matter of wisdom and greatness of soul, but, as if paying off a necessary debt, and having suffered nothing unusual, he thus silenced the woman from his abundance. This also happened in the case of this woman. For when he saw her bearing her childlessness with nobility, and falling down before God, he brought down the priest's son, so as to exacerbate her more. But the woman suffered none of these things; but having practiced to bear insults in her home, and having been exercised by the reproaches of her rival, she henceforth fearlessly stripped herself for such assaults. Wherefore, in the temple also, she displayed much gentleness, bearing the mocking with great courage and greatness of soul—the mocking regarding drunkenness and revelry. There is nothing like hearing the very words themselves. For when the young man had said, "Take away thy wine from thee, and depart from the presence of the Lord," Anna answered and said, "Not so, sir." She called the one who had insulted her "master." And she did not say what many people would say: "Tell me, does the priest speak these things to me? Does the one who teaches others mock at drunkenness and revelry?" But she looked only to how she might repel the suspicion, even though it was not true.
5. How insults are to be borne. Prayer after eating.
We, however, frequently, when we are insulted, instead of offering an apology and clearing ourselves, kindle the fire, and like wild beasts we leap upon those who are attacking us, holding, dragging, demanding accounts of what has been said, and by these very deeds of ours, we confirm the suspicion against us. For if you wish to show those who have insulted you that you are not drunk, show it through gentleness and kindness, not through insolence, nor through abuse. For if you strike the one who has insulted you, all will condemn you of drunkenness; but if you bear it with nobility, you will repel the malicious suspicion through your deeds; which is what the woman also did then, and by saying, "Not so, sir," she showed by the very facts that the suspicion was false. Whence, moreover, did the priest suspect this at all? For did he see her laughing? Or dancing? Or reeling and falling? Or uttering some shameful and base word? Whence, then, did he have this suspicion? Not simply, nor as it happened, but from the time of the day; for it was midday, when she was offering her prayer. Whence is this clear? From the very things said above. "Anna rose," it says, "after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk, and stood before the Lord" (1 Reg. 1.9). Do you see? The time which everyone makes a time of relaxation, she made a time of prayer, and after the table she ran to supplication, and sent forth fountains of tears, and provided a mind that was sober and vigilant, and after the table she prayed so intensely that she received a gift beyond nature, and loosed her barrenness, and corrected a nature that was failing. These things, therefore, we have gained from the woman: so that we may know to pray after a feast. For he who is prepared for this will never fall into drunkenness and revelry, nor will he ever be burst by gluttony, but, having the expectation of prayer as a bridle for his reason, he will touch all of the things set before him with the appropriate measure, and will fill his soul with much blessing, and his body as well. For a table that begins with prayer and ends in prayer will never be lacking, but will bring us all good things more opulently than a fountain. Let us not, therefore, overlook such gain. For it is absurd that our servants, if at any time they receive a portion of the things set before us, give thanks to us and depart with words of praise; yet we, enjoying so many good things, do not render such honor to God, and this, when we are about to enjoy much security. For where there is prayer and thanksgiving, the grace of the Holy Spirit arrives, demons are put to flight, and every hostile power flees and departs. He who is about to turn to prayer does not dare to speak anything absurd, not even in the middle of a meal; or if he does speak it, he quickly repents. Therefore it is necessary to give thanks to God both when beginning and when ending; for most especially we shall not fall into drunkenness easily, as I have already said, if we establish ourselves in this habit. So that even if you ever rise while suffering from a hangover or drunk, do not even then abandon the custom, but even if we have a heavy head, and are reeling and fall-and sink into dejection, let us nonetheless pray, and not break off the habit. For if you prayed in this manner on the previous day, on the second day you shall correct the disgrace that occurred on the first. Whenever, then, we dine, let us remember this woman, and those tears of hers, and also that noble drunkenness of hers. For the woman was drunk, not from wine, but from an abundance of piety. For if she was such after a meal, what was she at dawn? If she prayed so intensely after eating and drinking, what was she like while fasting?
B Reverting, then, let us return to her words, which are full of much philosophy and gentleness. For when she said, "No, sir," she added, "I am a woman in a hard day, and I have not drunk wine or any intoxicating thing" (1 Kings 1:15). Observe how she does not here mention the insults of her rival, nor does she betray her malice, nor does she exaggerate the domestic calamity by spreading it about, but she reveals her own anxiety only so far as to clear herself before the priest. "I am a woman in a hard day," she says, "and I have not drunk wine or any intoxicating thing, but I pour out my soul before the Lord." She does not say, "I beseech the Lord, I supplicate the Lord," but, "I pour out my soul before the Lord"; that is, I have turned my whole self toward the Lord, I have emptied my mind before Him, with my whole soul and with my whole strength I have performed my prayer, I have told God of my calamity, I have shown him the wound; He can provide the remedy. "Do not count your handmaid as a daughter of pestilence" (1 Kings 1:16). Again she calls herself a handmaid, taking great care lest she receive an evil reputation from the priest; nor did she say to herself, "What care I for the accusation of this man? He accuses me ignorantly and rashly, and suspects where there was no need; let my conscience be pure, and let everyone traduce me." But she fulfilled that apostolic law which commands us to provide for good things not only before the Lord, but also before men (Rom. 12:17). And in every way she warded off the suspicion, saying, "Do not count your handmaid before your face as a daughter of pestilence." And what is "before your face"? Do not think me brazen and impudent. This boldness is of anguish, not of drunkenness; it is of sorrow, not of intoxication. What, then, did the priest do? Consider also his prudence. He did not inquire curiously about the nature of the calamity, he did not scrutinize more exactly the cause of her anguish; but what does he say? "Go in peace; may the Lord God of Israel grant you every petition which you have asked of him" (1 Kings 1:17). How good a thing is humanity and gentleness. For an insult, she received substantial provisions as she departed, and she obtained a defender and intercessor, whom she had previously had as a judge. And not even then did she desist, but again she says, "Let your handmaid find grace in your eyes" (ibid. v. 18): that is, would that you might learn from the outcome and the end of things that I made this prayer and supplication not out of intoxication, but out of anguish. And when she departed, it is said, she was no longer dejected. Do you see the faith of the woman? Before she received what she had asked for, she was as confident as if she had already received it. The cause was that she prayed with much fervor and much zeal, without any hesitation. For this reason she went away as if she had obtained everything. Nay, moreover, God had already cast all anxiety out of her mind, being about to give the gift she was seeking.
C A moral epilogue. Let us imitate this woman, and in all afflictions let us flee to God. And if we have no children, let us ask them of Him; and if we receive them, let us educate them with great care, withdrawing the adolescents from every vice, but especially from lasciviousness, because this is a difficult battle, and no other matter is more troublesome to that age than this plague. Let us, therefore, fortify them on all sides with counsels, admonitions, fears, and threats. If they overcome this desire, they will not easily be conquered by others, but they will be superior to money, and they will overcome drunkenness and vinolency, and they will, with all zeal, avoid wicked associations, and they will be more lovable to their parents and more respected by all men. For who would not respect a youth who lives chastely and soberly? Who would not embrace and kiss him who has put a bridle upon his desires? Who, even among the very wealthy, would not with much pleasure wish to betroth his daughter to him, even if he were the poorest of all? Just as, on the contrary, no one is so miserable or of such abject fortune that he would wish to take to himself as a son-in-law one who lives luxuriously, even if he were the most affluent of all; conversely, no one is so foolish as to reject a sober and chaste man and treat him with disgrace. In order, therefore, that our sons may become respected by men and lovable to God, let us adorn their souls, and lead them to marriage with chastity. For thus, as if from a fountain, all things will flow to them, and they will have God as propitious, and they will enjoy the glory of the present and the future life; which may it be our lot to attain, by the grace and goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory, honor, and dominion, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
SERMON III. On Anna, and concerning the education of Samuel, and that slowness in childbearing is useful, and that it is dangerous to have children while being negligent.
a. If I do not seem to some to be tiresome and a burden, I wish to touch again upon the same subject that I discoursed to you about previously, and to lead you to Anna, and to introduce the discourse into the meadow of her virtues; a meadow, I say, not one that bears rose gardens or flowers that wither, but one that bears prayer and faith and great tolerance. For these are far superior to the vernal flowers in fragrance, as they are not watered by springs of water, but by a shower of tears. For indeed, the springs of rivers do not render gardens as flourishing as the springs of tears irrigate the plant of prayer, leading it to the greatest height; which was what happened to this woman. For as soon as she spoke, her supplication flew up into heaven, and she expelled her dejection, being about to receive the gift, and brought the fruit of her prayer. Res spirituales can be adorned by various forms without ceasing. Anna is a guide in the education of children.