John Cassian

In his own words on Sirach

• Sirach 2:5

  We know that even the saints have been given over in the flesh to Satan and to great afflictions for some very slight faults, since the divine mercy will not suffer the very least spot or stain to be found in them on the day of judgment. He purges every spot of filth they have while in this world as the prophet, or rather God himself says, in order that he may commit them to eternity as gold or silver refined and needing no punishment for purification. "And," he says, "I will entirely purge your dross, and I will take away all your tin. And after this you will be called the city of the just, a faithful city." And again: "Just as silver and gold are tried in the furnace, so the Lord chooses the hearts." And again, "The fire tries gold and silver, but human beings are tried in the furnace of humiliation." And this also, "For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every child whom he receives."

  CONFERENCES 1:7.25

• Sirach 3:30

  Eternal salvation is promised not only under the particular name of repentance, of which the blessed apostle Peter says, "Repent and be converted that your sins may be forgiven." John the Baptist and the Lord himself said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The burden of our sins is also overwhelmed by the affection of love, for "love covers a multitude of sins." In the same way, by the fruits of almsgiving a remedy is also provided for our wounds because "as water extinguishes fire, so does almsgiving extinguish sin." So also the washing away of offenses is gained by the shedding of tears, for "every night I will wash my bed; I will water my couch with tears." Finally, to show that they are not shed in vain, he adds, "Depart from me all you who work iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping." Moreover, by means of confession of sins, their absolution is granted, for "I said, I will confess against myself my sin to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my heart," and again, "Declare your iniquities first, that you may be justified." Forgiveness for crimes committed is obtained also by afflicting the heart and body, for he says, "Look on my humility and my labor, and forgive me all my sins." This is especially true when considering the amendment of one's life. "Take away," he says, "the evil of your thoughts from my eyes. Stop doing evil; learn to do good. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the orphan, defend the widow. And come, reason with me, says the Lord, and though your sins were as scarlet, yet they shall be as white as snow, though they were red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool."

  CONFERENCES 3:20.8

• Sirach 11:28

  But that even the powers above are, as we said, subject to change is shown by those who fell from their ranks through the fault of a corrupt will. This is why we should not think that the nature of those who remain in the blessed condition in which they were created is unchangeable, simply because they were not similarly led astray to choose the worse part. For it is one thing to have a nature incapable of change and another thing for a person through the efforts of his virtue, and by guarding what is good through the grace of the unchangeable God, to be kept from change. For everything that is secured or preserved by care can also be lost by carelessness. And so we read, "Call no one happy before his death," because so long as an individual is still engaged in the struggle, and if I may use the expression, still wrestling—even though he generally conquers and carries off many prizes of victory—yet he can never be free from fear and from the suspicion of an uncertain outcome. And therefore God alone is called unchangeable and good because his goodness is not the result of effort, but he possesses it naturally, and so he cannot be anything but good. No virtue then can be acquired by an individual without the possibility of change. However, in order that when it once exists it may be continually preserved, it must be guarded with the same care and diligence with which it was acquired.

  CONFERENCES 1:6.16

• Sirach 15:9

  Of those then who seem to acquire some show of knowledge or of those who while they devote themselves diligently to reading the sacred volume and to committing the Scriptures to memory, yet do not leave behind carnal sins, it is well said in Proverbs: "As a golden ring in a swine's snout, so is the beauty of an evil-disposed woman." For what does it profit someone to gain the ornaments of heavenly eloquence and the most precious beauty of the Scriptures if by clinging to filthy deeds and thoughts he destroys it by burying it in the foulest ground or defiles it by the dirty wallowing of his own lusts? For the result will be that which is an ornament to those who rightly use it is not only unable to adorn them but becomes dirty by the increased filth and mud. For "from the mouth of a sinner praise is not attractive." In fact, the prophet says about souls like this, "Why do you declare my righteous acts and take my covenant in your lips?" They never possess in any lasting way the fear of the Lord of which it is said, "The fear of the Lord is instruction and wisdom." And yet, they try to get at the meaning of Scripture by continual meditation on them. Thus, it is appropriately asked about them in Proverbs: "What use are riches to a fool? For a senseless person cannot possess wisdom."

  CONFERENCES 2:14.16

• Sirach 25:3

  Just as young people are not all fervent in the Spirit in the same way and not all are completely formed in learning and good morals, so also old people are not always found equally perfect and exemplary. In fact, the wealth of old people is not to be measured by gray hairs but by their diligence in youth and the rewards of their past hard work. For, it says in Scripture, "How will you find in your old age the things you did not collect in your youth?" "For venerable old age is not longevity or counted by the number of years, but the understanding of a person is gray hairs, and a spotless life is old age." Therefore, we are not to follow in the steps or embrace the traditions and advice of every old person whose head is covered with gray hairs and whose age is his sole claim to respect. Rather, we should only follow those whom we find to have distinguished themselves in youth in an approved and praiseworthy way—those who have been trained not in self-assurance but in the tradition of the elders.

  CONFERENCES 1:2.13

• Sirach 39:16

  All the merits of holiness, though good and useful not only for the present life but also in view of gaining eternity, when compared with the merits of divine contemplation must nevertheless be considered vile and, so to speak, of little worth. And so that this comparison would be confirmed by the authority of the Scriptures, is it not true that the Scripture states comprehensively concerning all the things created by God, "And all the things that God created were very good," and, "All the things created by God are good in their time"? So then, the things of the present world are not simply called good but superlatively good. For us who live in this world, they serve for the needs of life, of bodily health, or some other useful reason unknown to us. Or, they are even "very good" in that they enable us "to see the invisible things of God from the creatures of the world, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead," through such a great and ordered disposition of the created universe and of all the things existing in it. Yet all of these things will not be deemed worth being called good once they are compared with the future age, in which there will be no alteration of good things and where no interruption of the true blessedness is to be feared.

  CONFERENCES 3:23.3