The Fruitlessness of Nominal Repentance

It was being shown. Having gathered the points, the woman exerted repentance through all her senses and through her habits which had sinned;rence that she was mourning her sins publicly and in an obvious way, whereas she used to practice sin privately in her leisure. As for us, our promise announces repentance, but our practice shows nothing additional, but rather we maintain the same state of life which we lived even before the sin.

For brightness is the same, and the same clothing, and a luxurious enjoyment of the table, and long sleep relaxed into indolence, and various distractions and cares producing forgetfulness to the soul through its own self-care. But we are only inscribed with the name of repentance, being both unfruitful and inactive; keeping ourselves away from the mysteries and the communion of the sacred thingst all for a return toward them, but rather despising the enjoyment as if it were easy.

Understand, man, that you are worthy of many things, yet you have been separated from the participation of those. If you were a participant at a royal table, and then, having struck against the honor, you were cast off, how much wealth would you spend to become a friend and table-fellow again? And what doors would you not have pursued, begging, being at a loss, groaning, considering life unlivable, manifesting the pain of the grief in the depths through rank and relation of person, moving every stone, even the stone of the word, until you had overcome the calamity for yourself?

But he who, having been separated from the intimacy toward God and having fallen from truly high honor, what great and meaningful act of humility will a corrupted soul demonstrate? It is not consistent to say that one who is sick is changing to the same life as those who are healthy. For a different diet is for the sick one, and a different life for the healthy one.

See how great is the change of the well-off toward the condition of the ailing; for he, sensing the illness according to its state, lies down in a small room, having withdrawn from all habit, neglecting agriculture, being a very farmer, and abandoning concern for wealth...