Беседа на Преображение Господа Бога и Спаса нашего Иисуса Христа. Святого Василия, епископа Селевкийского 145

As soon as the sun throws its rays onto the earth, it darkens the hosts of stars and destroys the brilliance of the moon, with its clearest radiance it takes away the opportunity to contemplate these luminaries, stops the flow of the night, disperses the darkness with light and clothes everything with the charms of light; and although it is one, it illuminates the face of the entire visible world. However, despite the fact that the sun is distinguished by such properties, this does not yet prove that its radiance is the highest degree of light: for mortal eyes dare to look at it, and a cloud, obscuring it for the most part, weakens the sun’s rays, even a shady grove destroys the light; finally, the night shares its time equally with the sun. This is not the light of the Lord (it is wicked even to compare the creature with the Creator!): it is not obscured by any change of nights and is distinguished by such properties that it amazes people and is not accessible even to angels. Surrounded by this light, Christ the Lord, as if returning with the banner of victory, will descend from heaven at His second coming to people: for then, putting aside military armor, He will put on the clothes of a winner and appear not humiliated as before, but majestic and terrible Wanting to reveal the glory of this coming to the disciples, the Lord said: There are none of those who stand here who have not tasted death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28). You, contemplating My present humiliated appearance, through ignorance of the mind, do not comprehend the heights of secret wisdom; the limit of vision for you is the limit of knowledge. Therefore, I will reveal to you a certain part of My inconceivable appearance and with this vision I will inspire you with the hopes of the future. I told you about suffering, and your souls were troubled. I said that I would have to ascend to the cross, and your mind was shaken by fear. I said: if anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Luke 9:23), for participation in the cross is a manifestation of love; but at the first reminder of the cross, all your firmness disappears. I said: what good is it for a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul, but I did not suppress the fear in you with the power of speech. I said: or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (Matthew 16:26); but My speech remained incomprehensible to you. I said that the Son of Man will come in His glory (Matt. 25:31); and you thought that I was telling lies. Therefore, since words are not valid, deeds teach: they are not from those who stand here, who have not tasted death, until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. This, however, is not yet the time of the second coming: for I need to be crucified on the cross, conquer hell and preach the resurrection to the dead - it is necessary, having risen from the dead, to ascend into heaven, spread the preaching of the Gospel everywhere and, thus, make known to everyone the One who is proclaimed in the Gospel. To you, My disciples, I will quickly hasten to give an image of that coming, so that, having enjoyed the temporary vision, you will be confirmed in faith for the future. The essence is clear from those standing here: some, but not all, because I will not make the vision accessible to everyone: let what you see remain a secret after the vision. Having said this, the Evangelist narrates, the Lord gave water to the three disciples - Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:1); making these spectators, He left others as listeners. And you will bring them up to a high mountain, united. The spectators were forewarned: the eyes were tense and open with anticipation, the soul intensified the desire for vision with fear. When they were so expecting the coming outcome of the matter, suddenly Christ is transformed before the disciples, changes his image and, having clothed himself with a robe of light, reveals His face with the radiant brilliance of lightning. The rays emanating from the human image shine with Divine beauties; the sun sees what it did not know before. Once upon a time you, the sun, stood still, waiting for the victors of the Jews; now you see a brilliance that you have never seen before. The writers of the Gospels, narrating about this vision, each present the speech in their own way: since they did not have enough words to convey it clearly: one says: and His face shone like the sun (Matthew 17:2), because he had no clearer image, the other: and His robe shone like snow (Mark 9:3). Of course, the spectacle that presented itself, striking the beholders with the brilliance of the visible, mysteriously foreshadowed the coming Judge of the universe. Together with Him, the firstfruits of the living and the dead also appeared to announce to those present that the Lord is the Judge of the living and the dead: for Moses, although he was the leader and establisher of the laws, ended his life in death; Elijah, inspired by Divine jealousy, became a fiery charioteer and surpassed the laws of nature. Hitherto, some considered the Lord Elijah, and others one of the prophets; now they stop calling Him a prophet, because they see that He is revered by prophets: Moses prays, Elijah prostrates himself; and this testifies that the one coming is the Lord, and not a slave. Peter, although he saw this, however, did not yet understand, being confused in his mind by the greatness of the miracle: due to a strong desire for the spectacle, he forgot about everything and, overwhelmed by the greatest delight, becomes attached to the place, saying: Let us create three canopies here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He himself betrays his ignorance, since he ranked the Lord among the slaves, thinking that the subordinates are equal in honor with the master. However, Peter does not remain in this error for long, for the thunder that thundered from above corrects the ignorance, proclaiming that it is not so. Why do you relegate the Lord to the category of slaves? Want to know the difference? This is My beloved Son. I created those servants, and I begot this Son from My being. He is My Son, although for your sake he took the form of a slave. He lives unapproachable in the light (1 Tim. 6:16), although for your sake He has moderated the Radiance. Blessed are the eyes that beheld Christ in the robe of the Bridegroom! Blessed is the sight that calmly beheld the terrible day of judgment! Indeed, what others see with trepidation, they saw with pleasure: for what strength of eyes will withstand the contemplation of the terrible day of judgment, when the earth will shake and the sea, agitated, will return the human bodies swallowed up since the time of Adam? Then, with the angels, the heavens, unable to bear the horror, will tremble, since the sky is rolled up like a scroll (Is. 34:4), in the sense that immediately, upon the appearance of the King, the servants will remove the curtains stretched in front of the doors. After the destruction of the sky, the ranks of the angelic Powers will appear to the eyes, shining with extraordinary brilliance, thousands of thousands and darkness of angels will appear; and then they will see the descending Lord, eclipsing all the lights with the ineffable light that illuminates Him. Who can resist such a spectacle? who will suppress fear? If we cannot bear the frequent flashing of lightning, and often the brilliance throws the one who looks to the ground, then what will he say when someone sees the One Who Throws Lightning Himself coming? When the sounding trumpets awaken the dead from their graves; when judgment will be carried out on the desires, deeds and thoughts of the soul; when, having caused the beginning of evil thoughts, the bound devil will be demanded for judgment; When the hosts of people are divided, what will each person receive? whose will it be - Christ sitting, or the destroyer on trial? For there will be a common call for everyone, and the speed of the resurrection will be, according to the testimony of Paul, such that the dead will come in steps equal to those who will change: we who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord are not imams before the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:15): and the dead will not appear later than the living simply because they are buried in the grave. Everyone will wait with fear for the decision of the Judge, not knowing whether they will hear: come, blessed of My Father, or: go away from Me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angel (Matthew 25:34, 41), after He has righteously determined the position of everyone by deciding the cases. So, the Lord gave the apostles an image of this terrible sight. Let us change our morals in advance, through good deeds we will seek freedom and, before the time of judgment, we will carefully prepare for defense, so that we will not be condemned along with the condemned enemy, but may we ascend into heaven with the loving Christ, as heirs of God and heir to Christ (Rom. 8:17), to whom be glory, honor and worship with the beginningless Father and the good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. 146 See Biblioth. Patr. Concionator. Parisiis. 1662.vol. VII, p.p. 593–595. You might be interested in: