John Cassian

For among them (the Egyptians) these offices, which we are taught to render to the Lord at separate hours and at intervals of time with a reminder from the convener, are celebrated freely and continuously throughout the whole day in conjunction with their work. For manual labor is continuously practiced by them in their cells in such a way that meditation on the Psalms and the rest of the Scriptures is always before them. To this at every moment they mingle short petitions and prayers, spending the whole day in those offices which we celebrate at fixed times. Thus, except for vespers and nocturns, there are no public services among them in the day except on Saturday and Sunday, when they meet together at the third hour for the purpose of Holy Communion. For what is continuously offered is greater than what is rendered at intervals of time. And a free gift is more acceptable than the duties which are performed by the compulsion of a rule. For such as this, David rejoices somewhat exultingly when he says, “Freely will I sacrifice to you;” and, “Let the free will offerings of my mouth be pleasing to you, O Lord.”

And so for keeping up continual recollection of God this devotional formula is to be ever set before you. “O God, make speed to save me. O Lord, make haste to help me.”This verse has not unreasonably been picked out from the whole of Scripture for this purpose. It embraces all the feelings which can be implanted in human nature, and it can be fitly and satisfactorily adapted to every condition and all assaults. Since it contains an invocation of God against every danger, it contains humble and devout confession, it contains the watchfulness of anxiety and continual fear, it contains the thought of one’s own weakness, confidence in the answer, and the assurance of a present and ever ready help. For anyone who is constantly calling on his protector is certain that God is always at hand. It contains the glow of love and charity, it contains a view of the plots and a dread of enemies from which one, who sees himself day and night hemmed in by them, confesses that he cannot be set free without the aid of his defender. This verse is an impregnable wall for all who are laboring under the attacks of demons, as well as impenetrable coat of mail and a strong shield. It does not allow those who are in a state of moroseness and anxiety of mind or depressed by sadness or all kinds of thoughts to despair of saving remedies, as it shows that he, who is invoked, is ever looking on at our struggles and is not far from those who call on him. It warns us whose lot is spiritual success and delight of heart that we ought not to be at all elated or puffed up by our happy condition, which it assures us cannot last without God as our protector, while it implores him always and speedily to help us.
This verse, I say, will be found helpful and useful to every one of us in whatever condition we may be. For one who always and in all matters wants to be helped, shows that he needs the assistance of God not only in sorrowful or hard matters but also equally in prosperous and happy ones, that he may be delivered from the one and also made to continue in the other, as he knows that in both of them human weakness is unable to endure without God’s assistance.

And so it is most clearly established by examples and testimonies from Scripture that the mischief of pride, although it comes later in the order of the combat, is yet earlier in origin and is the beginning of all sins and faults. Neither is it (like the other vices) simply fatal to its opposite virtue—that is, humility—but it is also at the same time destructive of all virtues. Nor does it only tempt ordinary folk and small people, but chiefly those who already stand on the heights of valor. For thus the prophet speaks of this spirit, “His food is choice.” And so the blessed David, although he guarded the recesses of his heart with the utmost care, so that he dared to say to him from whom the secrets of his conscience were not hid, “Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor are my eyes lifted up; neither have I walked in great matters, nor in wonderful things above me. If I was not humble” and again, “He that is proud shall not dwell in the midst of my house.” Still, because he knew how hard that watchfulness is even for those that are perfect, he did not so presume on his own efforts, but prayed to God and implored his help, that he might escape unwounded by the darts of this foe, saying, “Let not the foot of pride come to me.” For he feared and dreaded falling into that which is said of the proud, namely, “God resists the proud” and “Every one that exalts his heart is unclean before the Lord.”

But it is, as we have already said, impossible for a novice to understand or to teach this. For if one is incapable of receiving it, how can he be fit to pass it on to another? But if he has had the audacity to teach anything on these matters, most certainly his words will be idle and useless and only reach the ears of his hearers without being able to touch their hearts. Uttered as they were in sheer idleness and unfruitful vanity, they do not proceed from the treasure of a good conscience, but from the empty impertinence of boastfulness. For it is impossible for an impure soul (however earnestly it may devote itself to reading) to obtain spiritual knowledge. No one pours any rich ointment or fine honey or any precious liquid into a dirty and stinking vessel. A jar that has once been filled with foul odors spoils the sweetest myrrh more readily than it receives any sweetness or grace from it, for what is pure is corrupted much more quickly than what is corrupt is purified. And so the vessel of our heart unless it has first been purified from all the foul stains of sin will not be worthy to receive that blessed ointment of which it is said by the prophet: “Like oil on the head, which ran down upon Aaron’s beard, which ran down to the edge of his garment.” Nor will it keep undefiled that spiritual knowledge and the words of Scripture which are “sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.” “For what does righteousness share with wickedness? Or what agreement has light with darkness? Or what friendship has Christ with Belial?”

But what should be said concerning the evening sacrifices, since even in the Old Testament, by the law of Moses, these are ordered to be offered continually? We can show that the morning whole-burnt offerings and evening sacrifices were offered every day continually in the temple, although with figurative offerings. This is seen from what is sung by David: “Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as the incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.” We can understand in a still more spiritual sense that the true evening sacrifice is what was given by the Lord our Savior in the evening to the apostles at the Supper, when he instituted the holy mysteries of the church, and what he himself, on the following day at the end of the ages, offered up to the Father by the lifting up of his hands for the salvation of the whole world. The spreading forth of his hands on the Cross is quite correctly called a “lifting up.” For when we were all lying in Hades, he raised us to heaven, according to the word of his own promise, when he says: “When I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.”