On the birth of Saint John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist

Today the Pharisee invited the Vladyka to dinner, mixing honor with reproach; and the harlot treated him to faith. While he was in Simon's house, behold, a harlot wife (Luke 7:37) entered there. A crazy sight: a harlot wife in the city - (it’s like) war within the walls, not an iron arrow; she is the lure of young men, the touchstone of desire, the awakening of passion, profiteering in the body, useless trade, a harmful enterprise that brings death to the seller and the buyer, a network of youth, an unhidden trap. The eyes of a harlot are a snare for sinners; (she) is a pledge of debauchery, a self-seller who enslaves buyers, a many-headed lioness, the stench of the city, an ulcer that spreads through all the senses, a fishing rod for the eyes, a circular death, a market of loss, the passion of destruction, the smell of death, a multi-purulent wound. “And behold, a woman of that city” (“Behold, a woman in the city”) is the plague of the inhabitants, the rapist of marriage, the loss of honor, the struggle of husbands and wives, a meal that requires bad expenses, the emptying of purses, the waste of property, the destruction of labors, the winepress for heirs, on which the pressers have fun, trampling their own nakedness. “And behold, a woman of that city, who was a sinner” (“Behold a woman in the city, even a sinner” (Luke 7:37). But that sinner resorted to Justice and destroyed her sins like thorns in fire. The thicket of the forest became paradise, the lioness a lamb, the stench of the world, death a treasury, the crow a dove, the harlot a virgin, the sister of Christ, the bride of the Word. She, the disciple of the bleeding woman, stood behind Jesus, watered (His) feet with tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed and anointed him with precious myrrh. She brought the whole armor of sin to the King, asking for peace; and she laid all the armor of evil at the feet of the Lord. Just as she once brought many to passion with forced tears, so now she resolved herself with true tears, a timid glance at the Lord; (once) she maliciously braided her hair and obscenely raised it in the form of a tower, (now) she wiped the feet of Christ with her hair, like a thin linen, not whitening the Master, but sanctifying herself. She confessed with her hair how many people she had caught with her hair and put to death. “And she anointed her with much-valued ointment” (Luke 7:38). For what? Once, anointed with myrrh, she polluted many; Likewise, with overused scents, she turned her lovers into sensitive dogs. Now, having made good use of the world and brought the world to the True One, she washed away the satanic anointings from herself. When the Lord accepted her for this task, Simon grumbled, becoming a tester of the Lord’s goodness. The Lord says to him: “Simon!” You called Me for the sake of honor, and did not honor Me, which I did not expect. “A certain creditor had two debtors” (“Two debtors were best to a certain creditor”) (Luke 7:40–41). You and she are not my debtors (only), not obligated (only), but obligated debtors, doubly responsible: having received both a natural loan and the capital of the law, in both they lost faith in their Benefactor. “One owed five hundred denarii” (“One owed five hundred denarii”) - this is you, a Pharisee, who has more sins against the soul, and especially grave ones: “publicans and harlots go ahead of you into the Kingdom of God” (“as tax collectors and fornicators bring you into the kingdom of God”) (Matthew 21:31). “And the other fifty” ( “The other is fifty”) - the harlot’s lifestyle is responsible for this. “But since they had nothing to pay” (“They had no way to repay”) by doing good deeds, he forgave them both the debt; having received faith, he tore up the manuscript. “Tell me, which of them will love him more?” ("Say, which... will love him... more") (Luke 7:41–42). Then the Pharisee: “I think the one to whom I forgave more” (“I think that to whom I have given more”) (Luke 7:43). And he, the responsible one, became a judge of himself, and found a praiser in the Lord: “Thou hast judged rightly” (“thou hast judged rightly”) (Luke 7:43). Listen further: “Do you see this woman” (“Do you see this woman”) (Luke 7:44), who owes less than you and gives more hospitality and gifts? Do you see this woman who was the destruction of many? (Do you see) an animated coffin, a circular death? “I came into your house” (“I breathed into your house”) (Luke 7:44), - water is cheap and available to everyone, (and) you did not bring it for My feet; This same one brought sources of tears to My feet. “You did not give me a kiss” (“You did not give me a kiss”) (Luke 7:45), - she pressed her lips to My feet. “You did not anoint my head with oil, as one who had mercy on me” (“You did not anoint my head with oil”) (Luke 7:46), - she anointed my body with myrrh, my deity with faith. “Therefore I tell you: her sins, many, are forgiven” (“For his sake, I say to you: her sins... many are forgiven”) (Luke. 7:47), so that what was said in the psalm would be fulfilled: “You have forgiven the iniquity of your people, you have covered all their sins” (“you have forsaken the iniquity of your people”) (Ps. 84:3), and what was preached by John: “behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (“behold, the lamb of God, take away the sin of the world”) (John 1:29). glory forever. About the Pharisee and the Harlot (spoken on Holy and Great Thursday). For anyone who wishes, any time is convenient for repentance. It is possible for everyone, if they wish, to grow good life in the spring, and to gather sheaves of salvation in the summer, and to notice the harm and corruption of the soul in the fall, and to avoid the winter of lawlessness in the winter; with any change (it is possible) to change for a better change: at night to evade the night of sin, and during the day to escape to the light of a clear conscience and resort to the Creator; the present time, protected by abstinence and fasting, is more convenient for repentance, but not for everyone. Some voice almost says: “If anyone comes to me, I will take him and lead him to the common creator.” Let us inspire ourselves with faith and repentance and fly up to our creator: both we, as the firstborn sons of the church, and you, as if embryos, lying in the bowels of the church and wishing with love to receive a blessed and painless birth and become the children of a champion for us (and the grace of faith is also necessary for you, who have to enjoy the same benefits); we - in order to wash with tears the royal clothes, which we have soiled by wearing them, and you - in order to be able to dress in them and keep them clean from all dirt. Without pure faith, it is impossible for anyone to be worthy of God’s love for mankind. My word is confirmed, in addition to countless other (examples), that harlot who possessed faith and repentance, as if two lamps, resorted to the heavenly bridegroom and became the bride of Christ in one day. But since I remembered the blessed harlot - I’m calling her common name for now (so that we know who she was before and what happened after) - I want to introduce her into the holy church, so that we can learn from her how we should approach Christ and receive deliverance from sins. What she did is clear evidence of what we should do; and the Savior’s conversation with her will be a consolation for sinners. Whoever hears that a wife, covered with countless impurities, received the reward of virginity, since she ran only to Him and wet His feet with warm drops of tears, let him show in himself the same image in order to reap the same fruit. Who, discussing her change and retribution (her), will not develop the same intention in order to acquire the same reward? What is a harlot but destruction, an open reproach of nature, a public triumph over the female sex, an insult to soul and body, a delightful ulcer, a whitened tomb, the unbridled and hateful mouth of hell, an adorned threshold of death, a delightful poison, daring shamelessness, a shameless requisition, a beautiful death, the bait of debauchery, the noose of youths, the huckster with one’s own members, the depth of destruction, a favorite shipwreck, the common misfortune of all sin, a daring den, a teacher of all iniquity, an organizer of enmity towards God, material for the eternal fire of hell? However, the servant of so many evils is inscribed in the gospel books, because, contrary to (her) custom, she loved chastity. Having opened them (the books), let us use her story of how she benefited from Christ. “One of the Pharisees asked Him to eat food with him; and He entered into the house of the Pharisee and lay down" ("A certain one of the Pharisees prayed to Jesus that he might eat with him: and he entered into the house of the Pharisees and lay down" (Luke 7:36). Who saw that the king was invited by a warrior? Who saw that the ruler feeds on the slave? Who has seen such heights descend into such humility? Oh, overwhelming amazingness! O divine condescension! He did not say to the Pharisee who called: “You invite Me to dinner, who invites all people to the heavenly dinner; you invite Me to dinner, Who fed a whole people with five loaves; you invite Me, Who gives food to all flesh, to dinner!” The Savior said nothing of the kind, but silently lay down in the Pharisee’s house. He knew in advance what kind of dinner He intended to prepare; He already knew that the harlot had to approach Him and be saved, and everywhere he turned his gaze to those around him, looking at the door, and just did not exclaim to those reclining: “I will eat the food that you will see a little later; I will eat food - for the salvation of the woman who has one, come to Me; My nourishment is the conversion of people; My food is the life of My servants; My feast is the repentance of sinners; My delight is the resolution of the condemned; My treat is the release of prisoners.” When the Savior said this on the bed with his gaze and appearance, “behold, a woman of that city who was a sinner” (“behold a woman in the city who was a sinner”) (Luke 7:37). The prey came running under the gun of the heavenly King; The catcher was already reclining ready, and the catcher hurried to the catcher: “And behold, a woman from that city who was a sinner.” (These are) two grave signs of wickedness. Tell me, Evangelist, her name, write the name of her wife; Let's find out what it was called. It had the name sin and the name bad behavior. Seeing Jesus reclining in the house of the Pharisee, she said to herself: “Within is Christ, pouring out love for mankind and exuding mercy; within is Christ, who gives both the word of healing and the sound of healing; within is Christ, glorified by the angels and living among men as one of them; inside is Christ, co-throne with the Father and under the same roof with the Pharisee; within is Christ, nourishing all with divinity and nourished by humanity; Christ is inside - and endures the Pharisees' meal, filling every meal with every good thing; and He fully deigned to enter the house of the Pharisee, sinless, and fully allowed Himself to be treated to a sinner. I have good hopes regarding my wickedness: he who appeared thus in relation to the Pharisee will also be kind and philanthropic in relation to me in everything. I found, as I wished, general propitiation; I found one who finds those who seek Him, I found one who seeks those who want Him, I found one who runs to those who run and precedes those who come to Him, I found a time and place convenient for me. I will approach a pure source, polluted by voluptuousness; I will not remain defiled when such a source has appeared; I will wash myself for free, - this is what the source wishes. I will approach the eternal light - it is useful both during the day and at night; I will see heavenly light in the light; I will approach the sun of righteousness, bringing upon myself the darkness of unrighteousness. Who, when dealing with light, does not receive part of the light? I will approach the King of heaven, who has come to me for me, who has occupied this house and, it seems, has been awaiting my arrival for a long time; I will approach the heavenly doctor, rejected by everyone; I will go to the heavenly doctor, sick in health; so, having seen me, He can put a medicine on my passions that can lull all the pain. I’ll show someone who knows my wounds and take the medicine. I will approach a single life, having separated myself from life by the worst life; I will approach the humane judge, condemned. Before the resurrection of the dead I will resolve my debt, until the Last Judgment I will escape judgment, before the terrible seat I will stealthily steal my punishment; Before I see that Christ is a judge, I will see that He speaks humanely; Before being afraid of the punisher, I will caress the person present. I am not the first to dare to have a conversation with Him; already another, as I heard, a Samaritan woman, lawless under the law, met with a source at a source, and went away, having drawn knowledge of God. And again some other wife of the Canaanite family, a free branch of the cursed and slave seed, came up with a request against the demon who forcibly ruled over her only begotten; she returned, having received power against the demon: the mother became a doctor for her daughter, and this cruel and rude demon, frightened by the command of the voice of Christ, did not dare to approach the girl anymore. I will imitate this one too; I will be near the One who gives and takes everything; I will use my usual shamelessness for my benefit; I will stand uninvited at the Savior's, being treated, having the appearance of being a citizen among many feasting; I will let my hair down and mourn my misfortune; I will open cunning nets to catch the generous giver of mercy; I will pay once well, having often laughed badly, I will now pay with a humane judge, so that in the end I will not cry uselessly; I will complain a little now, so as not to complain much then; I will flood Christ’s feet with tears, so that He may wash away my iniquities with words; I will wipe away my tears with my braids, so that there may be some sanctification for them too; I will kiss the immaculate feet that even the sea kissed, so that with chaste kisses I will spew out for me the poison of dissolute kisses; I will embrace the divine body, the virgin, from the Virgin, so that I can transfer some drop of truth from that holy body to my condemned body. The merciful will incline to this; He will have mercy on the one who is falling, whom he did not punish for sinning; He will have mercy on the kneeling woman, whom he constantly did good for dancing randomly; He will have mercy on the one who works salvation, whom he meekly lifted up when he found her perishing. He cannot bear sincere tears, and He cannot help but appear to me as He is by nature, merciful; A groan rising from the depths of the soul can do much before Him; He has great boldness in repentance; He will say in every possible way to me something meek, quiet and befitting His deity.” This is how the wise woman thought, this is what the faithful one did. And having dressed herself in a woman’s veil, like a girl, and not like a harlot, and thus hiding her entire face, until then open to everyone, as in a theater, and carefully looking around everywhere so that no fornicating appearance would enter with her to the Lord, denouncing her, she ran into the house of the Pharisees and, standing at the feet of the Master, fulfilled her intended desire: “brought alabaster vessel of ointment, and standing behind him at His feet and weeping, she began to wet His feet with tears and wipe them with the hair of her head, and kissed His feet and anointed them with ointment" ("having brought alabaster of ointment, and standing behind his foot, weeping, they began to wash his nose with tears, and wiped the hair of their heads, kissed his nose, and anointed them with ointment") (Lk. 7:37–38). She speaks silently and exclaims silently, raises a cry in her soul to one who knows how to hear suffering souls and, with silent lips, writes the following prayer with tears: “I am abandoned like a lost sheep, but I recognized You, my shepherd and Lord; by will, I was captured by wild animals, but I came up with the idea of ​​​​avoiding the sharp bites of the wolf; often, at will, she suffered shipwreck, but was saved, clinging to Your coming as an anchor. But I have no boldness; every sinner without boldness; there are no excuses; Every sinner and lawless person is irresponsible; no voice: everyone condemned has no voice; a vicious conscience blocks my lips, which my dissolute life has corrupted; the accuser - wealth crushes my tongue with the ever-present exclamation within me: shut your mouth; The lips of sinners are not bold to intercede, a condemned tongue is not suitable for supplication, and a deceitful word is not suitable for asking. Silently, I teach You, who knows everything about me; I speak with my eyes, I exclaim with my eyes, with my eyes I preach about iniquities, with my tears I declare my sins, with my groans I proclaim that I am unable to hide from You alone. Like a captive, with all my weapons I fall under Your feet, the King of heaven; and I bring my whole body, with which I fought against You, or better yet, against myself, to You, O lover of mankind! Have mercy on this head, “for my iniquities have exceeded my head” (“for my iniquities have exceeded my head”) (Ps. 37:5); have mercy on this hair which You have created; have mercy on these eyes which You have made; have mercy on this dirt, which You yourself transformed into beauty, and I used the beauty for ugly obscenity; have mercy on Your image, which the enemy abused as he wished; have mercy on Your column, which, as having no Master, was carried away by Your enemy; accept the tears as a ransom and resolve the accusations as good; just wish, and I am allowed; just give me a sign and I am redeemed; command, and the desired is done. What You desire is accomplished, and Your word is deed. I will receive freedom from Your most pure feet, just as I stole healing from the hem of Your bleeding garment, when You desired this theft; and I will be a story for those who follow me about Your love for mankind. Let me go, and what about me - (this will be) for subsequent births a wonderful memory of Your mercy; let everyone say that the once lawless and condemned harlot, coming to Jesus, was justified by Him; and, having seen, let everyone come with me and delight in Your gifts. A righteous and philanthropic judge who treats the condemned with great philanthropy! I have come here to You as a judge - here declare my absolution; do not triumph over my sins before every creature; do not announce my iniquities to everyone at the future judgment; do not send me to hellfire, which has as its substance the life of the careless. Jesus Christ, Son of the Virgin Mary and Creator of the Virgin! Through the Virgin and Thy Mother and again the Virgin, through her restore the saint to me, the criminal, and make me innocent. Having also been born of a woman, You know, as You only know, the weakness of people.” When the faithful and pleading wife spoke thus to herself, the Savior, being close, gave the willing (opportunity) to take advantage of the desire and embrace His legs for insatiable pleasure; being on the bed, He takes advantage of her tears, feasts on her tears of repentance, and thirsts, thirsting for mercy. The Pharisees whispered quietly to each other, saying: “What is this strange and unexpected sight? Who taught this harlot chastity? Who prompted the one who indulged in shameful pleasures to have such thoughts? Isn't she a deliberate disgrace to our city? Isn't she the wife of constant desires? Isn't she the accuser of sin for everyone? Isn't she the enemy of chastity and the destroyer of legal marriages? Wasn't she the one who kidnapped people with flattery? How from like this and suddenly like this? How did the one who loves laughter and pleasure appear to the one who loves tears and sadness? How did the unreasonable and inappropriate thing, betrothing everyone to death with its image, its gaze, its appearance, its vain gait and its whole body, change into this reasonable appearance? Oh, an unexpected change! Oh, strange change! They reasoned like this, and the Pharisee who called Jesus, generating blasphemous thoughts in his soul, said: “If He were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman touches Him, for she is a sinner” (“If he were a prophet, he would see who and what kind of woman is touching him: for she is a sinner”) (Luke 7:39). The simple case is that He is called a prophet; and I was deceived with the others by bringing Him into my house as a tester of (everything) unknown. If He were a prophet, He would clearly know the future. He does not know what is obvious and obvious to everyone (sinner), - how can he know what is secret to everyone? How does He endure the hands of harlots? How does he not drive away someone who has nothing innocent in her body? How does he not disdain something vile and full of all shame?” The Pharisee condemns great love for mankind as ignorance, and calls condescension ignorance, himself suffering from ignorance of what is happening. “Jesus turned to him and said: Simon! I have something to tell you." ("And Jesus answered and said to him: ... the imam said something") (Luke 7:40). I know what you say without saying anything; I know what you are silently shouting about; I know what you are silently exclaiming; I know with what this one also addresses Me in her thoughts; I know what thoughts you build in your soul against Me. I will tell the speeches of your thoughts, I will declare your blasphemy, I will reveal the arrogance of your thoughts, since I am in the thoughts of your soul. You say this: “If He were a prophet, He would know who and what kind of woman touches Him, for she is a sinner.” These are the words of your thought. How would I recognize in the depths of your thoughts the excitement of raised thoughts if I were not God, the organizer of everything? As you already suspect from the answer, know Who I am, who answers you when you say nothing; I open speeches to your soul. If I were a prophet, would I know who and where the wife is from? Where is the illumination necessary for the prophet to know what is visible? I don't know who's standing in the square? I don't know what's obvious to everyone? I don’t know this one for which I came to you? I know who and where this wife is from; nothing is hidden from divine eyes - neither self-seeking, nor bad behavior; I know who and where this woman is from, and that she is a sinner; and I am glad that I am being held by her, since I will save her, timidly holding on to Me, as befits God. I do not defile myself with her hands, but make her pure. Uncleanness does not darken the sun, dirt does not change pearls, sin does not plague the sinless. Didn’t I recently touch a leper and the suffering disappeared? After all, you didn’t become a leper by approaching a leper? So now I perform the usual miracle: I change her into holiness, but I myself do not change into her quality, enduring the touch of (her) hand. I am a doctor, but not a doctor of wounds, rot and purulent blood, but I accomplish the salvation of those who are sick in soul; I am the creator, and I spare My creation; I am the Master, and I do not tolerate the punishment of a slave who loves the Master; I am a shepherd, and I rejoice when I find My wandering sheep; I am a pier, and I accept all those who rush (towards Me). “Simon! I have something to tell you: ... a certain creditor had two debtors” (“Simon, the Imam said something... Two debtors were bestowed upon a certain creditor”) (Luke 7:40–41). While you are standing in the same row with her; Why do you rebel against her, as one who has only ascended to the fortress of virtues? While you stand accountable before Me; Why are you judging her as the only irresponsible one? There are two debtors - you and she, and I am the creditor; I lent you and my wife real life. “One owed five hundred denarii, and another fifty” (“One owed five hundred denarii, and another fifty”) (Luke 7:41). She owes five hundred denarii, since she has sinned in many ways; you owe fifty because you were a little mistaken; however, you are accountable in life. “But since they did not have anything to pay, he forgave them both” (“But to those who have not to repay, give to both”) (Luke 7:42). I have forgiven you your faults, I also forgive her her mistakes; You were the first to taste My coming, let her also taste My unforgettable malice. Did you want Me to appear humane to you and inhumane to her? But I do not allow you to be taken as a manager of My goodness. If you took her place, she is yours, would you want her to say about you what you think against her? Have you not heard that what you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others; this is a general law of nature. So tell me: “Which of them will love him more?” (“who will love him more”) (Luke 7:42). In response, Simon said: “I think the one to whom he forgave more” (“I think that he has given more”). And to him the Savior: “You have judged correctly” (“thou hast judged rightly”). So, remain with what you yourself first decided. “And turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?” (“And turning to the wife, Simon said: have you seen this woman?”) (Luke 7:43–44). I no longer call a harlot who threw away her name along with her deed. Do you see this woman, who has self-proclaimed to come to us, showing herself a commendable shamelessness, making shamelessness desirable, the leader along the path that leads to Me, the head of piety, the teacher of repentance, who taught deeds, constantly crying, the boldness of sinners, the preacher of My mercy, who made your house a church, only her praying to the One, looking at Me as on a person, and beseeching, like God, kneeling before Me, as before a judge, although without bodyguards and a judge’s seat, worshiping (Me) reclining? Do you see this wife, tireless, a doer of good, weaving for herself the garment of immortality with her hair and tears, interceding for herself with her whole body, insatiable in that which did not need to be seen, and more insatiable in that whose excess is gratified? Consider what you have done, and look at what she has done, and you will crown yourself with Me. If you are not amazed at piety and its works, blame My compassion. “I came into your house” (“I came into your house”) I, Christ, am above and below and everywhere and here the same as you see; with His coming I honored you and your house; and you “did not give water to my feet” (“you did not give water to my nose”); You did not pour on my feet what was comfortable, light and accessible, “but she wet My feet with tears” (“this, reviled by you, poured tears upon my nose”), which the waters and waves of the whole sea do not wet. You see (the wife) pouring a strange irrigation on My feet; you see unexpected rain, not rushing from the clouds, but born from women’s eyes. What source pours out as many streams as did she get down? What spring does not become scarce, emitting so many drops? “She wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head”; She prepared a strange ribbon from her hair, and made an unexpected towel for My feet from her braids. “You didn’t give me a kiss”; you did not deign to put your lips to My lips; “And she, since I came, has not ceased to kiss My feet” (“this same one, even as soon as I breathed in, did not stop kissing my nose”). Oh, pleasant zeal! Oh, divine kisses! Oh, spiritual kisses that compensate for previous embraces! “You did not anoint my head with oil” (“You did not anoint my head with oil”); You did not moisten the more valuable part of the body with simple oil, “but she anointed My feet with myrrh” (“this anointing ointment is mine noze”) (Luke 7:44–46). So, what do you think? Shall I reject the one who brings Me such treats? Will I throw off the gifts that are dear to Me? Won't appeal to this arrangement? Will I not turn to the faith of the highest heaven? Shall I despise something so beautiful? Will I despise pitiful moans? But I am not like that by nature. Will I despise the sources of tears? But I can't. Will I despise the tear-stained image? Out of love for mankind, only I took the form of a slave. Will I give up Myself for you? Will I hate Me, who loves me so sincerely? Shall I drive away the one hugging My legs like this? Shall I drive away the petitioner who has no hope for this? Will I fulfill the will of the devil? Shall I give My spoils to the enemy? Shall I send my dove to the hawk again? I won’t have pity on someone who doesn’t say anything other than “have mercy on me”? Will I not have mercy on the one who ran away from the devil and came running to Me? Why did I come down from heaven? Why did you put on a visible body? Why am I inside your house? If I intended to drive away the one who appears and wants to be caught, then why did I take the place of catching? But “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (“I did not come... to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”) (Matthew 9:13); Therefore I say to you: “Her sins, many, are forgiven because she loved much, but he who is forgiven little, loves little” (“Her many sins are forgiven, because she loved much... Whoever loves little, loves little”) (Luke 7:47). Having said this to the Pharisee, Christ honored (the wife) who clung to Him with a meek and affectionate look and speech and, bending slightly towards the closed and pleading one, honored her with the desired absolution: “Your sins are forgiven” (“your sins are forgiven”) (Luke 7:48). Finally, wife, accept the request, sealed with tears, accept the reward of faith, accept the reward of obedience, accept the gifts of piety, accept the crown of repentance, accept the sweetest fruit of bitter groans, accept the sweetest harvest of sad sowing. You sowed with tears, reaped with joy: “Your sins are forgiven.” The ropes of a bad life are broken, the shackles of depravity are dissolved; you are freed from guilt and reports, you escaped the unquenchable fire, you extinguished such a great flame with a few tears, you crushed the head of the crafty enemy, you gloriously defeated the enemy. Take heart, daughter: if God justifies, then who will condemn? I, the judge, become the bearer of absolution: who else will destroy My sentence? I, the judge, give my permission: who else will judge? Be brave, daughter; think how suddenly you are exalted, how you came as if condemned - and were honored to be freed from condemnation and become a daughter of My heavenly kingdom. You came like a wounded person to receive medicine, and like a queen you carried the royal crown. You are reborn beyond the womb, recreated beyond the dirt, smelted beyond the fire, baptized beyond the font. You made a font of tears for yourself; My speech has become your baptism, My word the illumination of your face. Be of good cheer, daughter: “Your faith has saved you” (Luke 7:50). As I believed, I learned; as I wished, I received it; as she wanted, she became a queen. She bent her body and was filled with light. “Your faith has saved you.” Faith is the beginning of salvation, faith is the introduction to immortality, faith is the pure eye of the knowledge of God, faith sees the invisible. “Your faith has saved you.” Oh, that the Jews would imitate your faith! Oh, if only the Greeks were jealous of your decision! Oh, if only all people learned to believe like you! "Go in peace" ("Go in peace"). Because you wished, you will always have Me with you and in you; if you remain so innocent, I will never leave your thoughts; if you keep this purity uncontaminated, I will always be with you; if you remain a virgin bride, I will be a virgin groom for you, a groom - a guardian of incorruption; if you do not reject the marriage pledge made between us today, I will not stop cohabiting with you; If you are not a harlot against Me, I will not cast you away from My kinship; if you do not allow an adulterous thought against Me, I will give you, as a heavenly bridegroom, all that is heavenly; if you keep your conscience invulnerable towards Me, you will constantly enjoy My favor. "Go in Peace". Remember the present day on which you enjoyed freedom; remember these beautiful tears with which you achieved such lordship; remember this repentance by which you gained the dignity of a daughter. "Go in Peace". I was reconciled with you, having grieved for you for a long time before through you. Do not tear apart the beautiful world with base deeds; do not again raise war against Me with your body; do not braid your hair like Satan again; do not make your face white like a wall; do not invent vain and disastrous decoration; do not offer your glance to the merchants shameful pleasures, as in the square; do not fix your eyes like a fisherman against those who are voluntarily caught; do not use your lips as arrows against those who willingly wound yourself; do not make your lips death; do not flog your hands with obscene hugs; do not condemn your legs by shameful running; do not pervert your beautiful running with bad running; do not scatter the pearls of innocence that you collected without difficulty; do not be again an influx of corruption; do not rush again to your old deception; do not restore the original tent; do not build up evil what you have beautifully destroyed; Do not accept a serpent as an advisor, lest you be exposed like Eve; do not leave the source of faith for pleasure, lest the manifold dragon poison you with poison; do not be lulled into the sleep of voluptuousness, lest you arouse My righteous wrath against yourself; do not take on the dirt after such a world; do not be again what you were; once purified, once fused; remain a newly made ornament of chastity, so as not to melt in the fire. "Go in Peace". Proclaim to those you meet how good and philanthropic I am; show those who do not know who has washed away your uncleanness; be henceforth a web of life. Until this day you have hunted young men for (their) destruction; from now on, catch all people for salvation; exclaim instead of Paul, as if it had been caught before Paul: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.” Let us all be jealous of her repentance in order to acquire equal boldness; let us resolve untruths like her hair; let us shed the same tears to obtain the same medicines; Let us love the Lord so much that He will love us so much; Let us also hold on with the hands of faith to the One who willingly surrenders, and we will never leave Him until He himself says to us: “Your sins are forgiven: be of good cheer, children; your faith has saved you!” And let us write its faith in our thoughts, sending glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Creations attributed to St. John Chrysostom and in the Patrology of Min, classified as Spuria. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – AB.