§ 145. Особенности в словах по их предмету, объясняемая состоянием слушателей. Внимание к оратору в храме.

For the present time, it is not entirely clear how St. could speak about such lofty objects as the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Gregory from the church pulpit to the people and speak as he spoke. But we must listen to St. Gregory, to find out with what fervor such subjects were talked about everywhere then - not only in houses, but also in squares. With everyone's attention to the great dogma, the words of St. Gregory about it could have been accessible to everyone, or at least they were necessary for everyone, especially in the form in which they spoke about dogma. The immoderate fervor with which they then entered into disputes about the sacraments of faith, people who were called to something completely wrong, people who humiliated the truth by arguing about it, was not reasonable 599 . And it was this heat that Gregory cooled; it was he who brought it within his boundaries; instead of it, he aroused the life-giving warmth of active love. This is the disposition in which he spoke to his listeners, preparing them for words about theology: “First, let us consider what this passion for word debate means? what does this tongue disease mean? What is this new illness and insatiable thirst? We don’t care about hospitality, about brotherly love, about marital love, about childhood, about charity for the poor; All-night standing, tears, pacifying the body with fasting are not up to us.” And turning to Eunomius, who especially introduced dialectical disputes into force, he says to him: “But, tell me, by what power do you ordain some theologians in one day? Why do you assemble meetings of unlearned wordsmiths and entangle the weak in cobwebs? Why do you bring forth hordes of dialecticians, ancient fables of giants? No, friends and brothers, no, let’s not think like that; Let us not allow ourselves to rush like ardent and indomitable horses, throwing off the rider - reason, and rejecting piety, which can curb us 600. “I want to speak courageously and strongly,” he said in another word, “so that you may become better, so that you may turn from the carnal to the spiritual, so that you may rise in the right way in your spirit” 601. And he convinces us to despise everything temporary, to ascend to the eternal, to purify the heart with good deeds. Given the disposition of his contemporaries, he needed to talk about peace so often. On this last subject Gregory summoned all the power of his eloquence. His word about peace, his word about maintaining moderation in disputes, is animated either by indignation at the passion for church disputes, or by the life-giving breath of the spirit of the love of Christ, then they show in experience the harmful consequences of this passion, then they reveal the depths of the heart and reveal the black principles of this passion - pride and vanity. It is clear that words about Theology had and still have the right to be examples of church word, but words that are difficult to imitate. With what attention, with what thirst they hurried to listen and listened to the words of Gregory, Gregory himself tells us about this. In his farewell speech he says: “Farewell, lovers of my speeches, quickly and noisily flocking from everywhere, open and secret scribblers, and this fence, which was so often besieged for words; farewell, dignitaries and servants of the chambers, I don’t know whether you are faithful to the Tsar, but for the most part you are not faithful to God! Clap your hands, throw sharp words, lift up your speaker with praises. The evil and talkative tongue has fallen silent for you: but it will not be completely silent; he will fight you with hand and cane” 602. Depicting a vision of his beloved Anastasia’s church, which reminded him of reality itself, he says: “I imagined that I was sitting on a high throne, but not with my eyebrows raised high.... On both sides below me sat the elders (presbyters), the leaders of the flock, mature in age. The ministers (deacons) stood in bright robes, like images of angelic radiance. Some of the people, like bees, huddled against the bars, and everyone tried to come closer; others crowded into the sacred vestibules, equally hurrying with their ears and feet; and others were further led to hear my words by the colorful marketplaces and the streets resounding under their feet, pure virgins, together with well-behaved wives, bowed the dean's ears from above 603. A wonderful sight! “It has come to the point that every market place is resounding with controversy, every feast is overshadowed by boring idle talk, every holiday becomes not a holiday, but a time of despondency; and women’s rooms - the home of simplicity - are full of embarrassment, - the color of chastity flies away from the speed of disputes: this evil is unstoppable.” Word 4. about theology. Orat. 49.9. (§ 4. p. 365). Orat. 32. r. 528. V. U. 42. r. 767. Carm. 9. r. 78. According to the translation of the works of St. fathers under Moscow. Spirit. Academy. 1844 IV part. You might be interested in: