NOTE: — 51 —

[...that we might] [...], or that we might taste of the noxious bitterness of their confessions; for they do not call themselves strangers to the Church, like the Heathens or like the Jews, but enter in as Christians, and then pour forth the venom of bitterness, and employ their alien teachings to deceive and beguile those men who are yet childish in character” (*In Comm. II Pet., Homily VI*). And the second cause that brings darkness and deprives [one] of the Divine, intelligible light of the Spirit, is hatred, grudges, and dissensions that cast out holy brotherly love; unto which the holy Evangelist Yovhannēs testifieth, writing thus: “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is a liar, and is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes” (I John ii. 8–11). Here the holy Evangelist reiterates the indispensable command of his true Master, Jesus Christ our Saviour: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John xiii. 34; xv. 12). Wherefore, without brotherly love and love of the nation, our virtues and the devotions of our faith are not pleasing before the adorable and worshipful All-Holy Trinity. The blessed Apostle Pōghos delineates this truth: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” Seest thou? First he bringeth forward the grace of tongues: though I speak, saith he, with the tongues of all the nations of the earth, and have the office of the angels’ doxology, being a partaker of their intelligible voices, and have not brotherly love, I am become as brass that only soundeth, and I become an insignificant and confused noise, a certain useless clamorer. “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” — He wisheth to...