The Great Canon Á-? On Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent - Page 10 of 59
29.
See, see that I am God: give ear, my soul, to the Lord Who
is appealing to you, and tear yourself from your former sin,
and fear Him as the Avenger, and as your Judge and God.
(Deuteronomy 32:35; Hebrews 10:30)
30.
Whom do you resemble, O most sinful soul? Surely the
first Cain and that wicked Lamech. For you have stoned your
body with evil deeds, and you have murdered your mind with
irrational appetites.
(Genesis 4; 4:23)
31.
Running through all who lived before the Law, my soul,
you have not been like Seth, nor imitated Enos, nor Enoch
by translation, nor Noah. But you are seen to be bereft of the
life of the righteous.
(Genesis 5)
32.
You alone have opened the cataracts of the wrath of God,
my soul, and have flooded as the earth all your flesh and
actions and life, and have remained outside the Ark of
Salvation.
(Genesis 6-8)
33.
"I have killed a man to the wounding of myself," said
Lamech, "and a young man to my own hurt," he cried out
wailing. But you, my soul, do not tremble, while polluting the
flesh and defiling the mind.
(Genesis 4:23)
34.
O how I have emulated that old murderer Lamech! By my
pleasure-loving cravings I have killed my soul as the man,
my mind as the young man, and my body as my brother, like
Cain the murderer.
(Genesis 4:23)
35.
You would have contrived to build a tower, my soul, and
erect a stronghold for your lusts, had not the Creator
confounded your plans and brought your schemes crashing
to earth.
(Genesis 11:3-4)
36.
I am struck and wounded! See the arrows of the enemy
with which my soul and body are pierced all over! See the
wounds, the sores and the mutilations that cry out and
betray the blows of my self-chosen passions!