BENEDICTINE SPIRITUALITY:
TRANSFORMING PHILANTHROPY
in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
 

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I LEARNED both what is secret and what is manifest,  ²² for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. For in her there is a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible,  ²³ beneficent (euergetikon), humane (philanthrōpon), steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most subtle.  ²⁴ For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.

ΟΣΑ τέ ἐστιν κρυπτὰ καὶ ἐμφανῆ ἔγνων ἡ γὰρ πάντων τεχνῖτις ἐδίδαξέν με σοφία ²²  ἔστιν γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ πνεῦμα νοερόν ἅγιον μονογενές πολυμερές λεπτόν εὐκίνητον τρανόν ἀμόλυντον σαφές ἀπήμαντον φιλάγαθον ὀξύ ἀκώλυτον ²³  εὐεργετικόν φιλάνθρωπον βέβαιον ἀσφαλές ἀμέριμνον παντοδύναμον πανεπίσκοπον καὶ διὰ πάντων χωροῦν πνευμάτων νοερῶν καθαρῶν λεπτοτάτων ²⁴ πάσης γὰρ κινήσεως κινητικώτερον σοφία διήκει δὲ καὶ χωρεῖ διὰ πάντων διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα.

ET quaecumque sunt absconsa et inprovisa didici omnium enim artifex docuit me sapientia ²² est enim in illa spiritus intellectus sanctus unicus multiplex subtilis mobilis dissertus incoinquinatus certus suavis amans bonum acutus qui nihil vetat ²³ benefacere humanus stabilis certus securus omnem habens virtutem omnia prospiciens et qui capiat omnes spiritus intellegibiles mundos subtiles ²⁴ omnibus enim mobilibus mobilior est sapientia adtingit autem ubique et capit propter suam munditiam.

BUT but when the goodness and loving kindness (philanthrōpia) of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, ⁶ which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.all .

ΟΤΕ δὲ ἡ χρηστότης καὶ ἡ φιλανθρωπία ἐπεφάνη τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ, ⁵ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων τῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ἃ ἐποιήσαμεν ἡμεῖς ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως πνεύματος ἁγίου, ⁶ οὗ ἐξέχεεν ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς πλουσίως διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, ⁷ ἵνα δικαιωθέντες τῇ ἐκείνου χάριτι κληρονόμοι γενηθῶμεν κατ᾽ ἐλπίδα ζωῆς αἰωνίου.

CUM autem benignitas et humanitas apparuit Salvatoris nostri Dei, ⁵ non ex operibus justitiae, quae fecimus nos, sed secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus Sancti, ⁶ quem effudit in nos abunde per Jesum Christum Salvatorem nostrum: ⁷ ut justificati gratia ipsius, haeredes simus secundum spem vitae aeternae.

FOR a bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless [...] ⁸ but hospitable, (philoxenon) a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled;  ⁹ he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.

ΔΕΙ δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνέγκλητον εἶναι ὡς θεοῦ οἰκονόμον, [...]  ⁸  φιλόξενον φιλάγαθον σώφρονα δίκαιον ὅσιον ἐγκρατῆ,  ⁹  ἀντεχόμενον τοῦ κατὰ τὴν διδαχὴν πιστοῦ λόγου, ἵνα δυνατὸς ᾖ καὶ παρακαλεῖν ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ καὶ τοὺς ἀντιλέγοντας ἐλέγχειν.

OPORTET enim episcopum sine crimine esse sicut Dei dispensatorem [...]  ⁸ hospitalem benignum sobrium iustum sanctum continentem  ⁹ amplectentem eum qui secundum doctrinam est fidelem sermonem ut potens sit et exhortari in doctrina sana et eos qui contradicunt arguere

LOVE one another with brotherly affection (philadelphia); outdo one another in showing honor.¹¹ Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

TH φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι, τῇ τιμῇ ἀλλήλους προηγούμενοι, ¹¹ τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες,¹² τῇ ἐλπίδι χαίροντες, τῇ θλίψει ὑπομένοντες, τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτεροῦντες

CARITATEM fraternitatis invicem diligentes honore invicem praevenientes ¹¹ sollicitudine non pigri spiritu ferventes Domino servientes ¹² spe gaudentes in tribulatione patientes orationi instantes.