'Yes, I exhort, yes, I implore, my brothers, make my
joy complete, as the Apostle again says, be of the same mind, having the
same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from
selfish ambition or vainglory; but in humility think of others as better
than yourselves [Phil 2,2-3]. Let us secure our senses, sight, hearing,
smell, taste, touch, through them death enters. Let us bridle our mind
not to be carried off to things it should not, not to step into the
pitfall of unseemly things, not to picture to ourselves evil images nor
to conceive sinful desires, from which we gain no profit or pleasure; on
the contrary we are pained and crushed accomplishing nothing useful.
There is one repose then and one pleasure, to cleanse the soul and to
look towards dispassion. And let us not grow despondent when called to
repose and the joy of dispassion, but let us hasten and press forward
intently with diligence to right every defect; and God is our helper;
for the Lord is near those who wait for him. And by living thus may we
reach the kingdom of heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory
and might with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the
ages of ages. Amen.'
