Слово на день Вознесения Господа нашего Иисуса Христа. Святого Григория, епископа Нисского

What a pleasant companion for people is the Prophet David, who meets them on all paths of life! How well he adapts to their every spiritual age, and shares with them all kinds of activities! He rejoices with the children of God, labors with men, instructs young men, strengthens elders, is everything for everyone: for warriors - a weapon, for ascetics - instruction, for those learning to fight - a school, for victors - a crown, at feasts - fun, at funerals - consolation. There is not a single minute in our life that is devoid of this kind of pleasant benefit. Is there any valid prayer that is not supported by David? Is there any festive joy that this Prophet would not make bright? This, truly, can be seen even now: for although our real holiday is great in itself, the Prophet made it greater, increasing its joy with his joyful psalms. In one of them (22) he calls you a sheep (fed by God, not deprived of any good), for which the Good Shepherd serves as green grass, and calm water, and food, and shelter, and a guide, and everything in general, removing for your every need as much of His grace as is needed. Through all this, He instills in the Church that you, first of all, need to be a sheep of the Good Shepherd, led by the good catechumen to the Divine pastures and sources of Divine teaching, in order to be buried with Him by baptism into death, and not to be afraid of this death: for this is not death, but only the shadow and image of death. Even if I go, they say, into the midst of the shadow of death, I will not fear it as evil, for You are with me (Ps. 23:4). Then, having consoled with a spiritual rod, since the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the Psalmist offers a mysterious meal, which is prepared for resistance - completely different from the meal of demons (they destroyed human life through idolatry, and the spiritual meal is of a completely opposite nature), - finally, he anoints the head with spiritual oil, and, adding to it wine, which gladdens the heart, fills the soul of the sober one. rapture, directing your mind from the temporal to the eternal. For man in such rapture confuses short-term life with immortality, dwelling in the house of the Lord for the length of days (Ps. 22:5-6). Having thus filled us with gracious joy in one psalm, in the next one (23) David excites the soul to even greater and more complete joy. The Lord's earth and its fulfillment. So, what is unusually surprising here, listener, that our God appeared on earth and lived with people, when the earth is His creation and work?.. Therefore, it is not at all strange that the Lord came to His own (John 1:11). He comes not to someone else’s world, but to the one that He Himself created, founding the earth on the seas and making it convenient for the flow of rivers. Why did He appear? - in order to take you out of the abyss of sin and lead you to the mountain, to ascend which you needed a royal chariot - a virtuous life. For it is impossible to climb this mountain if you are not accompanied by virtue, being innocent by hand and not defiled by any vicious action, but pure in heart, not attached in soul to anything vain, and alien to any flattery to one’s sincere self. Such ascent is rewarded with blessing: for it the Lord gives good alms. This is the generation of those who seek Him, ascending on high in virtue and seeking the face of the God of Jacob (Ps. 23:1-6). The rest of the psalm is more sublime, perhaps, than the Gospel teaching itself. For the Gospel tells about the earthly stay and way of life of the Lord; and this great Prophet, having ascended above himself, as if no longer burdened by the burden of the body, and, joining the heavenly Powers, conveys to us those words that they uttered, solemnly preceding the Lord and commanding the earthly angels (who are entrusted with protecting human life) to open the entrance for His return to heaven. Take the gates of your princes, said the heavenly Powers, and take the eternal gates, and the King of glory will come in. Since the One who contains everything within himself, wherever he is, is commensurate with the ability of the one who receives Him (and not only becomes human among people, but, being among angels, adapts himself to their nature): therefore, the guards of the entrance demand an explanation: who is this King of glory (Ps. 24:7-8)? In response to this they are told: Mighty and mighty in battle, having the power to fight against those who have enslaved the human race, and to abolish those who have the power of death (Heb. 2:14), so that after the destruction of the last enemy, he would call the human race to freedom and peace. Then (the Psalmist) again repeats the same words: for the mystery of death has already been completed, victory has been won over the enemies, and a victory sign has been erected over them - the cross; He who gave people life and the kingdom - these good gifts, again ascended to the heights, taking captivity captive (Ps. 67:19; Eph. 4:8). Therefore, the gates of heaven must again be open for Him. For the second time, our guards meet the companions of Christ preceding in triumph, who command them to open the gates for Him (the Lord), so that He may again be crowned with glory in them. But there they will not recognize Him, clothed in the unclean garment (Zechariah 3:4) of our life - in the garment that was made scarlet on Him from the trampling of our sins (Isaiah 63:2); and therefore they greet those who precede in triumph with the same question: who is this King of glory? But these no longer answer: Mighty and strong in battle, but they say: the Lord of hosts, who received power over the universe, who led all things in Himself (Eph. 1:10), the first among all, who restored everything to its former state, He is the King of glory. You see how (King) David increased the sweetness of this holiday for us, adding his gracious consolation to the joy of the Church. So, let us also imitate this Prophet in whatever way we can imitate Him - in love for God, in meekness, in generosity towards our enemies, so that the instruction of the Prophet will guide us to a holy life in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen 74. See Curs. Compl. Patrolog. Migne, Tom. XLVI, col. 690–694; compare Bibliot. Patr. Concionator., vol. IV, p. 390; Created. St. Grigor. Nissk. in Russian transl., ed. 1871, part VIII, pp. 92–97; Christian Read 1830, May, pp. 175–801. You might be interested in: