The Spiritual Homilies
Homiliae spirituales
The Fifty Spiritual Homilies are transmitted under the name of Macarius the Egyptian (c. 300–391), the desert father of Scetis. Scholars now ascribe them to an anonymous Syrian monk of the late fourth century, sometimes identified with Symeon of Mesopotamia.
Whoever wrote them, the Homilies rank among the most beloved works of Christian spirituality: intimate, experiential sermons on the heart's encounter with grace — prayer, temptation, the Spirit's transforming work, and the soul as God's dwelling.
This volume holds Homilies 5 and 6; the remaining homilies toward the full fifty will follow.
© 2026 SaneApps. This translation is free to share and adapt, even commercially, as long as you credit SaneApps. Draft translation, prepared with AI assistance and not yet independently reviewed. Verify against the original before citing. Translated from PG 34 Spiritual Homilies (Homiliae spirituales); Homilies 5–6 from OCR Greek.
Two worlds: the Christian and the worldly — the heart's true treasure§5
5There is a great remove between Christians and the people of this present world. Those who have the spirit of the world are bound, heart and mind, in earthly fetters; but those who long for the love of the heavenly Father keep him alone before their eyes with a single desire.
The Christian's world is another world: another way of life, another mind, another speech, another deed. The world's people have their own way, mind, speech, and deed. The two are not the same kind of thing. When love of the world weighs even a little in the heart's yoke, the evil logos at once comes forward as far as the lips, and the mind stretches darts from within and wounds the neighbor through the tongue — seeking its own glory of its own will.
From this root every evil grows: theft, gluttony, lust, vainglory, anger, love of money, love of honor — every passion. God says, 'I am a jealous God' (Exodus 20:5). He scatters the bones of those who please themselves (Psalm 53:6). Whoever loves anything of the world binds himself under the yoke of his own will. The Christian must not be a man-pleaser (Galatians 1:10); 'friendship with the world is enmity with God' (James 4:4).
The Lord shows that those who follow the deceits and wills of the evil one bear Cain's image of wickedness: 'You wish to do the desires of your father; he was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth' (John 8:44). So the whole sinful race of Adam holds that sentence in secret — trembling and shaken in the sieve of the earth by the sieving Satan. As from one Adam the race was spread over the earth, so one wickedness of the passions has sunk into the sinful race, and the ruler of wickedness tosses all in restless, material, empty, troubled thoughts.
As one wind can shake every plant and seed, or one night's darkness cover the whole inhabited world, so the ruler of wickedness — a rational darkness of evil and death, a hidden fierce wind — tosses every race of people on earth, carrying them about in restless thoughts and worldly desires, filling every soul not born from above with darkness of ignorance, dullness, and forgetfulness.
True Christians differ from the whole race of people here: their mind and understanding remain in a heavenly way of thinking, and they behold the eternal goods by sharing in the Holy Spirit. They flee the world's desire and seek the heavenly treasure; they renounce self and the world and cleave to the Father alone. 'Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also' (Matthew 6:21). Do not love the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15-17).
Greek · §5
Πολλὴ μετάστασις μεταξὺ τῶν Χριστιανῶν καὶ τῶν ἀγθρώπων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πνεῦμα τοῦ χόσμου ἔχοντες, τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ τῷ γῷ ἐν τοῖς γηΐνοις δεσμοῖς δέδενται" οἱ δὲ τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ ἐπουρανίου Πατρὸς ἐπιποϑοῦσιν, αὑτὸν μόνον πρὸ ὀρθαλμῶγ ἐν πο.1.1ῃ ἐπιθυμίᾳ Α΄, Ὃ τῶν Χριστιανῶν χόσμος ἕτερός ἐστι, χαὶ διαγωγὴ, καὶ νοῦς, καὶ λόγος, χαὶ πρᾶξις ἑτέρα τυγχάνει, χαὶ ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῦ χόσμου τούτον διαγωγὴ, χαὶ νοῦς, καὶ λόγος, χαὶ πρᾶξις ἑτέρα. "Ἄλλο τί εἰσιν ἐχεῖνοι χαὶ ἄλλο τί εἰσιν οὗτοι, χαὶ Ῥαίον εαἰοδιὶς [αοἰοί υἱπαϊείαπι οἰαπιαπίϊιηι αὐ αἷθ αἊ ποοίθ ἢ ἘΠ ουθάϊι, ἀΐςοῃ8 (ετγία αἶσο υοϑὶφ, εἰ [ιοῖοι υἱπαϊοίαπι ἱ{ονιηι δ. ἘΠῚ τυγϑιτι ΔάΠΟΓ- ἰαίυν οί οἰ ἀαδίμιν υοϑὲδ. Οπιπὶδ ἐπὶπι φιιὶ μοί, αεοὶρὶ!, οἱ φμὶ φιατὶ!, ἱπυοπῖϊ, οἱ μμείδαηιὶ ἀρεγὶοίμγ ὅδ. Ετ ραυϊυ ργοστοβ805 Θμαπίο πιαφὶς Ῥαΐον υδδίον οσοἰοειὶς ἀαδὶς δρὶγιίμαπι δαποίμηι ρμοεξοοπιΐθει8 διιηι δ᾽ ὃ Αηϊόπ αἶοσο υοδὶξ, οἰδὶ πον ααδὶϊ ἐλ, ἐο φιοά αηιΐσιι5 δἰ(, Ῥυορίον ἱπιριαοπίϊαηι ἰαπιθη 67)ι8 δμγροί, εἰ ἀαὐϊὲ φμαπίιπι οριι8 μαϑεῖ ΧΧΥΠΙ. Αὐβδᾷὺθ ρμυάοτα ἰφίυυν, ἰηάοβιπθ ον δ ἰηάοίο886 υἱ ροϊληηυβ Δ0 ἀοιυμ ται οπηΐθυ8 Θχῃοτίδίυ5 οοῖ. ῬΓΟΡΙΟΡ ΡΘΟΟΔίοΓΘ8 ΘΗ ΪπΠὶ γϑηΐῖ, αἱ οΘοηγογοΓοηὶ δα ᾿Π]υπὶ|, αἱ ουγαγοί οτα- ἀφηίος ἰρ5ὶ. Μοάο ποβ8 ἱμϑὶ ἃ π14}}8 ργ:οσουραί πηὶ- θὺ8 δι ποδιηυβ, ΄συδηΐιπὶ πῃ Υἱγὶ ὨΟΒιΓΪ8 οἱ οὐΐο ργοβαᾳυδπηλυγ ΟροΓἃ τη8]8, οἱ πὐυῃάϊ (Θε δι Δίχιυδ ἱπηργο ν81:08 ΒΘΓΠΊΟΠ65 ΔΡΠΟΓΓΘΆΠΙΙ5, οἱ ρ6γ οἵηπΐᾷ οἱ, φιιδηίυιη ἤδτὶ ροίοϑῖ, ἀρσί αἰ ΠῸΓ. [μ86 αυϊάδπι ρᾶγδίι8 οὶ Ἔχ ἢ ΘΓ Π0}}18 βι0πὶ αὐχὶ!πτ. Ῥτγορίογοα ΪΠὶ ΠΟ ΓΊΟΟΓΒ δϑῖ, Υἱν! ἤοδη οἱ Δδο 0Π68 ἰπΠουΓΔ}}168, οἱ ΓΟ ΘΙ (ΟΠ ΘΙῺ [Δοθς ἱηνοσδηΐ ουπ, οἱ ΄αυὶ Δἀ 6διπὸ νογϑὶ, οπιηὶ ἢ] δοἰΐοπο πυπάϊΐ, φυδηίυπι ἤοτὶ ρο- [ο9ι, Βροῃία οἱ νοϊυμίαγὶα γοοοἀηΐ, αυϊᾳυθ ᾿πϑηΐθιῃ ἃ ἰογγοΐβ Δρϑίγδοίδπι δὰ οὕ υοὶὸ οἱ ἐδοἰἀοτῖο βυθροπάυπι. ΕἸ] υϑπηοαϊ δηϊπ)ὰ δυχ]!]!ο ἀϊρι Βαρδίιτ, φυ ΟἸμηἶα ΡΓῸ ϑυρογα οχἰϑιϊπδὶ, οἱ ἰῃ τ πηυπάδηϑ δοαυΐαϑοϊ(; ὀχδρδοίλι ἢ ΓΘ- Ὀαηϊμχηϊίαιῖα τααυϊοϑοοσα οἱ ραυάσγα οἱ βὶς ΡΟΡ υὐυσπιοάϊ ἤάδιη οΟἰοϑία ἀομπὶ σοΟηβθουί8, ΟΙΠΠ6 ϑυυπι ἀοϑ᾽ ἀστγίυπιὶ ἦγ ΡῈ πα ἤάἀ6 ΡῈ φγαιίδη) ἙοΟἸ]οοδὶ, οἱ ἀδηΐᾳφιθ οουσγαδ δὲ ΘΟ γοΠ Θμ Γ ϑρὶγὶ- τὰἱ βαηοῖο πἱπἰοίγοῖ, φυοιἀϊα Ροηϊίαια ρτγοβοὶϊ, ἰπάυθ Υἱὰ ἠπϑι1{18 ρουθανογαηβ ἴῃ ρογροίυυπι, δά το δ] εἶδα σοῦ ἤοη ΠοοΙ αν, ποο δὰ υἱι]8 υ}}0 πηοὰο ἀοοϊίπαι, δἰᾳυο φγαιϊίδηι ἴῃ ἢ0}}8 Γὰ ἰγἰϑι ἴα ΔΠὲοὶ!, δὲ φίογῃδ βδ]υῖδ6 οὐπὶ ΟἸηηΐ 58η6(ἰ8 ἀΐχηα ὁ61.- βοίυν, νοϊυϊ βοοΐα οἱ οοπιοᾶ ἱπλ ἰι ΘΟΓΌΠῚ πῃ τῦπὰο οοπγοτγϑαία. ἀτθη. ὅτε δὴ χοινωνὸς χαὶ σύνδρομος αρπα αἰετοπεῖα ἱπίεν Οκτὶδιΐαιος ὁὲ μοπιῖθ8 ἠπ}εξ ἐαομὶ. Ηἰὶ οπῖηι Ἔργα ππμιαὶ ργιαα μὲ απϊηιοίοπμᾷ αὐ οογάε ἰογγοξίγίδιια οἱπομίϊα υἱμοῖὶ διπί Ὁ6ΥῸ αἰοοίίοπο οὐἰοειὶς Ῥαϊγίς ἀοεεν εἴ, ἀμπὶ δοίμηι οὗ ΟΕ,» ἰος ἱπ οπιπὶ ἀδεὶ το μβαϑεπί. ΑἸΐίυβ οδὶ Εἰ γἰβιϊδπογυιν τηυηάυ8, «ΑἸ γ᾽ Ἰηϑ.} ΠΊΘΠ5, βασι δίᾳι Οροῦϑ; οἱ δ᾿ υἱίϑο ἰηδεϊ ππΔ ᾿ιολΐπυπὶ ἢυ}8 τυυπα!, ΔΙ Πη6η5, γπ0, Δί4ι ορϑγᾶ Δ βυηῖ οἱ δἰαἀ δυμὶ ἢ οἱ πηᾶσηδ αἰ Πογὸμ ἰΔ 65ὲ ἰη6 Ὁ μος οἱ Ηδθίτδίοτοβ δηΐπὶ ἰογγῶ, δἱ ἢ} μα͵π8 Ϊ π|1165 ϑυηϊ [Γυτηδηίο0 ἰῃ οὐ γύτῃ ἢ υ}08 [ΟΥΓΩ ςοπ͵οοῖο, φαυΐρρα ηυἱ οοπιππογδπίαν Πυχὶα.
The resurrection of the body and the garment of glory§6
6Let us then struggle by faith and a virtuous way of life to gain that garment here and now, so that when we put on the body we may not be found naked, with nothing to glorify our flesh on that day. Each person is counted worthy, by faith and zeal, to share as much of the Spirit as he can hold; that measure becomes the covering of immortality.
Those who are Christians in truth and power take courage and rejoice when they leave the flesh, because they already have that house not made with hands — the power of the Spirit dwelling in them. If the house of the body is taken down, they do not fear: they have the heavenly house of the Spirit and that incorruptible glory which, on the day of resurrection, will also build and glorify the house of the body. As the Apostle says: 'He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you' (Romans 8:11). And again: that the life of Jesus may be shown in our mortal flesh, and that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life (2 Corinthians 5:4).
All these things are examples, types, and images of Christians in the resurrection. For every God-loving soul — that is, for true Christians — there is first a Xanthicus, called April, which is the day of the resurrection. By the power of the sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2) the glory of the Holy Spirit comes out from within, covering and sheltering the bodies of the saints — the same glory they already held hidden in their souls. What the soul has now comes then outside the body. This first month brings joy to all creation: it clothes bare trees, opens the earth, gives gladness to every living thing. So for Christians Xanthicus is the season of the resurrection, when their bodies will be glorified by the ineffable light already in them — the power of the Spirit, which will then be for them garment, food, drink, exultation, joy, peace, clothing, and eternal life.
Question: Can Satan be united with God? Answer: The sun, though a creature, shines on filth and is not defiled; how much more the divine and heavenly fire, when it meets the devil, is not defiled but burns away what is evil. God allowed evil as a gymnasium for human beings — for testing and training. Therefore each of us must believe, endure, and press on in every virtuous practice, so as to be found worthy of the heavenly garment and the glory of the Holy Spirit in the inner person, that our bodies also may be raised and live. 'This mortal must put on immortality' (1 Corinthians 15:53).
Greek · §6
᾿Αγωνισώμεθα οὖν διὰ τῆς πίστεως χαὶ τῆς ἐναρέτου πολιτείας ἐντεῦθεν κτήσασθαι τὸ ἔνδυμα π ἐχεῖνο, ἵνα μὴ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸ σῶμα γυμνοὶ εὗρε- θῶμεν, χαὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃ δοξάσει ἡμῶν ἐν ἐχείνῃ τῇ Β ἡμέρᾳ τὴν σάρκα. Ἕχαστος γὰρ ὅσον κατηξιώθη β διὰ τῆς πίστεως χαὶ σπουδῆς μέτοχοέ ἁγίου Πνεύ- βατο; γενέσθαι, τοσοῦτον ἐν ἐχείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ δοξα- σθήσεται αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ σῶμα. “Ὁ γὰρ νῦν ἐναπεθη- σαύρισεν ἔνδον ἡ ψυχῆ, τότε ἀποχαλυφθήσεται χαὶ φανήσεται ἔξωθεν τοῦ σώματος. Ὥσπερ τὰ δένδρα Ιογ παρεληλυθότα τὸν χειμῶνα ἐπιθαλψάσης δυνάμεως [ἰοπ ἀοράτου, ἔκ τε τοῦ ἡλίου χαὶ τῶν ἀνέμων ἔσωθεν, γ ἐκφύει χαὶ ἐχδάλλει ὥσπερ ἐνδύματα φύλλα, χαὶ ἱπά ἄνθη, καὶ χαρποὺς ὁμοίως τὰ τοῦ χόρτου ἄνθη ἐν ρ ἐκείνῳ τῷ χαιρῷ, ἔνδοθεν ἐχ τῶν χόλπων τῆς γῆς ρτ προέρχονται, χαὶ σχέπεταν αὶ ἀμφιέννυται ἢ γῇ, χαὶ ὁ χόρτος ὡς τὰ κρίνα, περὶ ὧν ὁ Κύριος εἶπεν" Ὅτ οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ κεριεδά- απεο -1ετο ὡς ἕν τούτων. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάγτα ὑποδείγμα- τα, καὶ τύποι, καὶ εἰχόνες εἰσὶ τῶν Θ'. Οὕτω πάσαις ταῖς φιλοθέοις ψυχαῖς, τουτέστ τοῖς ἀληθινοῖς Χριστιανοῖς, ἔστι μὴν πρῶτος Ξαν- Ὀ θικὸς, ὁ καλούμενος ᾿Απρίλλιος, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἢ ἡμέρα τῆς ἀναστάσεως, καὶ διὰ τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ ἡλίου το τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἔνδοθεν ἐξέρχεται δόξα τοῦ ἁγίου ἱ Πνεύματος, καλύπτουσα χαὶ σχεπάζουσα τὰ σώματα τῶν ἁγίων ᾿ ἤνπερ δόξαν εἶχον ἔνδον ἐγκεχρυμμέ- νην ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἔχει νῦν, αὐτὸ προέρ- χεται ἔξωθεν τοῦ σώματος τότε. Οὗτος, φημὶ, ὁ μὴν πρῶτός ἐστι τοῖς μησὶ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ οὗτος χαρὰν προσφέρει πάσῃ τῇ χτίσει" οὗτος ἀμφιέννυσι τὰ ατΌ γυμνὰ δένδρα, τῆν γῆν διανοίγων᾽ οὗτος πᾶσι τοῖς ζώοις χαρὰν προσφέρει, οὗτος τὴν ἱλαρότητα πᾶτι Ὦ δεικνύει, οὗτός ἐστι τῶν Χριστιανῶν πρῶτος μὲν σα Ξανθικὸς, ὅς ἔστι τῆς ἀναστάσεως καιρὸς, ἐν ᾧ δοξα σθήσονται τὰ σώμστα αὐτῶν, διὰ τοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ροτ ὄντος ἐν αὐτοῖς φωτὸς ἀῤῥήτου, τουτέστι τῆς δυνά- Ί μεως τοῦ Πνεύματος, ὅπερ ἔσται αὐτοῖς τότε ἕνδυ- οχαυ μα, βρῶσις, πόσις, ἀγαλλίασις, χαρὰ, εἰρήνη, ἅμ- φιον, ζωῇ αἰώνιος πᾶσα γὰρ καλλονὴ λαμπρότη- εοη τος, Χα) ὡραιότητος οὐρανίου, εἰς αὐτοὺς τὸ Πνεῦ τῆς θεότητος γίνεται τότε δασθαι χατ Ρ. |ῶς τοίνυν ἔκαστος ἡμῶν ὀφείλει πιστεῦσαι, σ59 μρῃι. γι, ![[1(οτ.ιν, Ρλτιοι. σα