Emilianós served as bishop in Cyzicus during the reign of the nefarious Emperor Leo the Armenian, the iconoclast. Since he did not want to submit to the decrees of the emperor concerning the removal of icons from the churches, Emilianós and other Orthodox bishops were banished into exile. He spent five years in exile, enduring much pain and humiliation for the sake of Christ. Emilianós died in they year 820 A.D. and took up habitation among the citizens of heaven.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
14 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
20 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
The reason we have ill conceived ideas is that we do not look deeply into them to observe what they are, but develop a like or dislike from the first glace, judging from appearances. These likes and dislikes bias our mind and obscure it. And thus it cannot form a correct judgment of reality. So, dear brother, if you desire freedom from this prejudice of your mind, maintain strict watch over yourself, and when you observe something with your eyes, or if you envision something in your mind, keep a steady grasp on your will and do not permit yourself to form a like or dislike at a first glace for it, but rather study it in a dispassionate way with just your mind. Unhindered by desire, the mind stays in a state that is natural, free and pure, and this allows the truth to penetrate into the depths of the matter, where evil often hides, under a deceitfully attractive exterior and where sometimes good is concealed by an evil countenance.
However if your desire comes first and immediately either likes something or is repelled by it, your mind no longer has the ability to know it correctly as it should. Because if this bias, or indeed this passion comes before every judgment, it goes within and becomes a barrier between the mind and that thing, clouding the mind, forcing it to shape its opinion from passion. Simply put, it sees things not according to reality, which strengthens even more its first bias. The further this bias proceeds, or the more it favors or dislikes something, the more it clouds the mind with regards to that thing, until it completely clouds the mind. The passion in relation to this thing comes to its final end, so that it seems to be either the most attractive or the most detestable of all the things he ever encountered.
So it happens that when the rule I mentioned is not followed, namely, when the will is not held in check from developing likes and dislikes before something is correctly examined, then the powers of the soul and mind will never work correctly, submerging one more and more deeply from darkness into darkness, and from sin into sin.
Take heed, dearly beloved, with careful attention and defend yourself from having a preference for something from your desires, prior to studying it properly with the light of knowledge and the righteous word of Holy Writ, with grace and prayer, and the help of your spiritual father. For otherwise you might sin mistaking evil for good, and good for what is in fact evil. This occurs mostly with certain actions, which are good and holy themselves, but which under the circumstances, that is, when performed at the wrong time or place or to an inordinate degree, cause harm to those who perform them. We understand from experience what persecutions are endured by some on account of such noble works.
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