Поучение в неделю Ваий. (О том, что мы не должны унывать, но быть мужественными в деле, к которому призвал нас Бог). Преподобного Феодора, игумена Студийского и исповедника

Brothers and fathers! The Divine Apostle Paul, wanting to awaken us from laziness to diligence and zeal, says: brothers! Rejoice always in the Lord: and again, rejoice (Phil. 4:4). Have, says the Apostle, always spiritual joy, which is not forbidden or destroyed by worldly worries: therefore he says: “in the Lord,” that is, living and striving according to God, acquire the grace of God. May your meekness and humbleness of mind be reasonable for all people: the Lord is near. Do you worry about anything (Phil. 4:5, 6); that is, the Lord is close to you, he says, to free you from all need and temptation, and therefore do not be afraid, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made to God. For He is ready to help those who pray to Him. So, let us not be careless in Divine exploits; on the contrary, let us strengthen ourselves and with zeal do the work to which God has called us, who has clothed us in the robe of salvation, in the tunic of incorruptibility and joy. He redeemed us from the legal oath, becoming an oath for us. In freedom, through which Christ has set us free, stand firm (Galatians 3:13; 5:1); and we will not again be slaves of sin. Let us not be captives of carnal passions. For anyone who was a slave of some wicked and evildoer, and received freedom, will he again, of his own free will, want to be a slave to that barbarian? On the contrary, will he not run away from it as much as possible, rejoicing that he has freed himself from the burden of slavery? However, if someone becomes a slave of a person, this is not yet a great evil, since the Apostle says: “If you were a slave,” do not think that slavery serves as an obstacle to piety and to the salvation of your soul. But even if you can be free, it is better to endure in obedience, so that through you the name of God may be glorified. For whoever is a slave of man, and at the same time faithful and reverent before God, is free; and again: whoever is free is a servant of Christ: much more are we, whom Christ freed from sin and slavery of the devil (1 Cor. 7:21, 22). Therefore, as much as possible, we must continue to flee from sin. Or don’t you know how much harm sin has caused us? Was it not he who expelled us from paradise? Didn't he introduce death into the world, while we were immortal? didn’t he cast us out of heaven and plunge us into this sorrowful earthly life? Is it not from sin that all evil has come and comes from? Let us run away from him as if he were truly evil, and, as befits, we will hate him; but let us love, on the contrary, virtue, which prompts the Angels to love men and make them equal to themselves, and not only angels, but also gods, as in the psalm it is said: I am said to be gods, and sons of the Most High (Psalm 82:6). What is the power of virtue? In distance from the world and in clinging to God: for no one can work for two masters. You cannot, says the Lord, work for God and mammon (Matthew 6:24), that is, for the love of money and virtue. We cannot adhere to virtue and sin: for “what fellowship is there between light and darkness,” or between Christ and the devil (2 Cor. 6:14–15)? It is impossible for a person to both love carnal lusts and do deeds of virtue. Moreover, the commandments of Christ are easy and relieving; and sins are heavy and aggravating. What is even more difficult is that we strain to combine opposites and believe that it is possible to favor carnal lusts and engage in spiritual activities with success. So, let's turn to ourselves; and if we have reached the measure of perfect virtue, then glory to the Holy God, from whom comes every good gift and every perfect gift. And let us take care to remain firm, through the fear of God, keeping ourselves unshakable and unchanging in our good order. If we have not reached the measure of perfection, and are insufficient in many ways, then we will hasten and strain ourselves to achieve perfection while there is still time to do it, strengthened by faith, inspired by hope, bound by love, adorned by humility, illuminated by obedience, tested by patience, enlightened by confession, and all other virtues, testifying to ourselves that we are wise, skilled in Christ and wise servants of the Lord, so that we may lead our present life virtuously and peacefully, and may achieve future blessings, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen 172. Curs. Compl. Patrolog. Migne, Tom. ХСІХ, col. 614. “Philokalia”, in Russian translation, volume IV. Moscow. Edition 1889, pages 419–420; “Catechetical teachings of our reverend and God-bearing father Theodore, abbot of the Studite monastery and confessor.” Kaluga. 1896, countries. 236–238. You might be interested in: