Поучение в день Рождества Христова. Св. Феодота, игумена Студийского и исповедника

Brothers and fathers! Now the revelation of God to the whole world has come near, and the day of joy has reached our doors. Great is the joy for the world: there has never been such a thing since the beginning of the world, for the Son of God came to us not as in ancient times he appeared to our fathers in signs and types, but, according to the predictions of the prophets, he came through the birth of the Virgin and appeared to us in person. In all generations of generations there is nothing higher and more salutary than this sacrament, nothing more wonderful in all the miracles that God has created since the beginning of the world. Therefore, the angels proclaim the news of the completed sacrament, and the heavenly star points to the earth of the Most Heavenly King; Therefore, the shepherds rush to see the salvation promised to them, and the wise men with royal gifts worship Him, and the angels sing an unusually new song about the unusually new work of God, by which God is glorified in the highest, peace is established on earth, as the Apostle testifies, saying: This is our peace, creating one both - angels and men, and destroying the mediastinum of the fence: enmity in His flesh (Eph. 2:14...). The prophets and righteous people wanted to see this, but they did not see it; they saw it only by faith. But we saw and touched with our hands, as it is written about the Word of the living, and the living was revealed to us (1 John 1:1, 2), and we received adoption as sons. What shall we render to the Lord for all that He has rendered to us? Saint David responded to this for many years like this: I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call on the name of the Lord (Ps. 116:3-4). So, let us rejoice, brethren, that we too have been deemed worthy to repay the reward of the Lord for all that He has rewarded us. What kind of reward is this? The life of the cross that we have accepted, and the confession in which we stand and boast in the hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:2). And we should celebrate this not just for one day, but throughout our lives. Those who are overcome by carnal passions cannot celebrate, although they think that they are celebrating, and do not have freedom, being slaves of the passions and sold under sin, about which it is written: everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin: but a servant does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever (John 8:34-35). Since we too have been worthy to be called sons of God by grace, we will abide in the house of our Father God, always and forever, even if we hold on to the firstfruits of the composition even to the end (Heb. 3:14). Thus, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we will work even more in our ascetic life. Let us encourage one another to perfect love and good works (Heb. 10:24), to obedience, humility, meekness and to every good progress. Let us not neglect our zeal, but let us strengthen ourselves even more, especially as we see the approaching day of the Lord: for this great and bright day is approaching, on which the Judge of the whole world will appear and appear in the great glory in which He appeared to the Apostles during His Divine Transfiguration; He will bring all His creation into judgment, and will reward each according to his deeds. Oh, that we and all the saints may see our Lord Jesus Christ and our God, and that He may look upon us with a bright face and receive us into the heavenly kingdom by His grace and love for mankind!.. for to Him belongs glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen 77. Сurs. Compl. Patrolog. Migne, Tom. ХСІХ, col. 552; compare “Catechetical teachings and testament of our reverend and God-bearing father Theodore, abbot of the Studite monastery and confessor,” in Russian. translation Second edition of the Kozelsk Optina Hermitage. Kaluga. 1896, pp. 153–155; “Philokalia”, in Russian. translation Moscow. 1880, vol. IV, pp. 490–492. You might be interested in: