479 part iii: meditations for the commons spiritual. For He Himself is our Leader, He Himself gives us help. He overcomes the enemies whom He allows to attack us, so that the merit of fortitude may increase for us and the multitude of thanksgiving may increase for Him. For as in the pillar of fire by night, and in the pillar of cloud by day, He was preceding the Jewish people going to the Promised Land (cf. Ex 13:22) so that He might not only show them the way as a faithful guide, but also destroy their enemies; so He never abandons any of His servants at the present better time, especially in conducting spiritual wars. Indeed, as He shows us the way leading to the heavenly Fatherland, He also gives us help, fighting against our enemies of any kind. For this reason, He invited you to His table today, that you might be illuminated by Him on the way and strengthened for the battle. FOR THE COMMON OF SEVERAL MARTYRS IN PASCHAL TIME Before and After Holy Communion, as on the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist (see above, ff.111v-112v, pp. 357-359). FOR THE COMMON OF A CONFESSOR BISHOP Before Holy Communion 1. “a man going on a journey” (Mt 25:14). Consider that you are a wayfarer, a pilgrim on the earth, and that you do not have a permanent abode. For your body, since it is from the earth, hastens to go back there from whence it came, while the soul that derives its origin from Heaven [f.155v] ought to tend toward there as toward the center. As for you, work hard, that your soul does not take itself away from this center, dragged downwards by carnal delights. Also, as pilgrims do not negligently pass any inn in which they know that they are going to be well treated, and in which they will provide
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