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(1) We should not be careless in keeping God’s commandments, but we should strive to keep them all. – (2) Temptations must be endured generously. 1. The Apostle of Christ James, the brother of God, says in his epistle: he who keeps the whole law, yet sins in one thing, will be guilty of all (James 2:10). And again, blessed Paul says: strive to abstain from everything. And to present this even more clearly, St. Peter adds: for if anyone is overcome, he will work for this (2 Pet. 2:19). So, my brothers, whoever is enslaved to even one passion, even the smallest one, clearly possesses it and cannot obey the commandment of the Lord, which prohibits it. For how is it possible for someone who has another master over him to obey Christ? And why don’t we ourselves figure out the truth expressed in the Apostolic words, becoming convinced of it by what we see with our own eyes? For we see that those who sail the seas do not say: well, now we are past all trouble, although we have already sailed so many miles, because often a storm suddenly blows up right at the pier and exposes us to extreme dangers and troubles; but then they already say that they have completed their voyage safely when they enter the pier and set foot on solid ground. Likewise, those who travel overland, intending to reach some city, do not say that they are already freed from all troubles when they manage to cross such and such a river, or such and such a mountain, or pass such and such robbers, for it may happen that they will attack some other murderer, or some animal, and will be killed, or they will meet another deep river and drown in it. Even when, with the help of God, they have already gotten rid of every temptation and every mortal danger and are approaching the city, they still cannot say that they have completed their journey safely, because if, having passed so many dangers, they gape and stop hurrying, they close the gates of the city, and they remain outside, and they still don’t know what can happen to them until tomorrow. Imagine now that this city is the kingdom of heaven, night is the death of everyone, tomorrow is the second coming of Christ, which is the day of judgment. So, whoever does not try to reach the kingdom of heaven and enter into it while he is in this life, and at the time the soul leaves the body finds himself outside this kingdom, night will fall on him, that is, death, and he will not know what will happen to him on tomorrow, that is, on the day of judgment - whether he will be allowed or not allowed to enter the city of the great King. Also, about a chamois, or a deer, or some other animal, it is not said that they escaped trouble when they ran away from this or that hunter, or a dog, or did not fall into this or that net, because perhaps they will still fall into the hands of some other hunter or fall into other nets. – Imagine again here that the hunters are demons, the hunting dogs are false teachers who bite and tear apart the sheep of Christ with lying words and deliver them into the hands of the hunters, that is, demons. And by nets mean evil and shameful thoughts that entangle the souls of those who delight in them, and attract them to have intercourse with them, and when they are brought to this, they knit them tightly, so that there is no strength to expel these shameful thoughts from the mind, but they persistently crowd in it, excite tickling and carnal movements, inflame foul lust and plunge into the mire of sin. So, one must, as much as one has the strength, avoid all sin and practice all virtue, and keep all the commandments of God with all zeal, not despising even one, even the slightest. Anyone who says: I wish I could at least do such and such a great evil and fall into such and such a great sin, but such and such a small sin is okay, he obviously does not love the commandments of God and is ready to break any of them. Imagine that a person is like some valuable vessel, made up of all the holy virtues - faith, fear of God, humility, silence, obedience even to death, cutting off one’s will, constant repentance and contrition, unceasing prayer, strict guarding of one’s self, impartiality, equal love for all, non-covetousness, chastity, trust in God, perfect love and all others virtues that are born from these. Each of them is like a part of some kind of vessel, sometimes gold, sometimes silver, sometimes copper, sometimes corresponding to a precious stone, and all of them are similar to various highly valued things, which, being united, coordinated with each other and combined by the Holy Spirit, constitute that person, as we said, a chosen and useful vessel, into which the grace of Christ is poured, like new wine. Tell me now, if one of those virtues from which this vessel was constructed is lacking, will it please God to invest in it any of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, even if the hole created by the lack of that virtue were very insignificant? Of course it won't be good. Because whatever is poured into such a vessel, little by little everything will flow out into the said small hole. How do we think about ourselves, that we are perfect and whole vessels and that we have the Holy Spirit within us, like some kind of treasure, while we have only a few good deeds, and they are separated from one another by sins, and we lack very many virtues, because we did not take care to acquire them by doing the commandments of Christ? Truly, as St. Paul says, we have become futile in our thoughts and our foolish hearts have been darkened, and while we were saying to be wise, we have become fools (Rom. 1:22). Meanwhile, the same divine Paul cries out for himself and those like him, saying: The river God, the light that comes out of darkness, shines forth in our hearts... The Imams have this treasure in scanty vessels (2 Cor. 4:6,7). He calls our bodies vessels, as can be seen from another word of his: or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit living in you? (1 Cor. 6:19). He called them meager to show the weakness of our nature. But these meager vessels, due to the invincible power of the treasure, that is, the Holy Spirit located in them, are indestructibly strong and solid. Why, after this, the Apostle adds: let the exceeding power be of God, and not from us (2 Cor. 4:7). By this, this is what he wants to say: do not think, brother, that you are keeping the treasure that is within you - on the contrary, the treasure is keeping you. The grace of God that is in you has prepared you to be an honest vessel, pleasing to God. And it is amazing that if they begin to crush this vessel, not we, but our enemies, then the treasure will not spill, and the vessel will become even stronger and safer, according to the effect of the treasure on it, because the treasure is God. The same Apostle speaks about this again: I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). This treasure is preserved in us, as we said, by the most exact observance of all the commandments and, being observed, it protects us in every way, unharmed, untransformed and motionless, according to its love for mankind, power and grace. And if sometimes it happens to us, as we are weak and easy to fall, to make some small omission in what lies upon us as a duty, or to sin a little, this treasure immediately returns us to itself, unites us more closely with itself and makes up for the damage or deficiency that has been committed, while making us ourselves stronger and safer. Why do I ask you, my beloved brethren in Christ, present yourself to God always pure from all sin and continually remain in keeping all His saving commandments. For then the Son of God and God the Word, that all-wise artist, having taken all these commandments like some substance (material) from gold, silver and precious stones, will unite them all together and with them will prepare us for honest and useful vessels. Why is it in no way appropriate to fulfill some commandments, and leave others unfulfilled, or, having fulfilled all the commandments, appear before the Lord Christ as contemptuous negligent people about one, so that He, angry for this one, does not abandon them all along with us and order us to be driven out of His palace. But if we suffer this, then nothing will benefit us afterwards, and no matter how much we knock on the door, crying: Lord, Lord, open to us, He will say to us: get away from Me (oh terrible word!), I do not recognize you as faithful, because you did not believe My words, did not obey My commandments even to the point of death and did not keep My commandments; Therefore, get away from Me! I know, brethren, that I, poor one, will be the first to hear such words as those who have not kept a single commandment of my God; then they will be heard by those who, like me, are rebellious disobedient disobedients of God’s commandments, those who say senselessly: I might as well not commit fornication, but swear - nothing; When would I not fall into adultery, but steal a small coin or a piece of bread - what a sin? Further, those who say: blessed would I be if at least I did not fall into shameful and unclean sodomy, and swearing, games and songs are not a sin. In the same way, those who think of themselves that they are the angels of God, because they are clean from carnal sins, and, having a high opinion of themselves, are proud beyond measure, as if they are perfect, and yet have no concern for spiritual virtues and passions, they neglect all the other commandments of Christ and do not force themselves to fulfill them, but they skip every task, however difficult, and are freed from all deprivations, although Without this, it is impossible to fulfill the commandments, and in general they lead a careless life. What good is it, my brethren, if someone abstains from fornication and from any other fleshly uncleanness, and yet is a lover of glory and money? For fornication corrupts the body, but love of glory and love of money corrupts the soul. And not only this, but, according to the word of the Lord, human glory and love of glory make us even unfaithful. How can you, says our Lord, believe that you accept glory from one another, and do not seek glory that is from one God? (John 5:44). What good is it to a man if he is clean from sodomy, but envies and hates his brother? For hatred of a brother makes the one who has it a murderer. For everyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15), says the holy Apostle. And according to the sacred canons, the same penance is prescribed for both the homosexual and the murderer, and if they do not repent, both will be equally condemned to eternal torment. What is the benefit if someone does not get drunk, but then reviles his brother, when, as St. Paul says, those guilty of this or that vice are equally expelled from the kingdom of heaven? Do not flatter yourself, he says, neither harlots... nor drunkards, nor molesters... they will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9–10). Tell me again, what is the use of fasting when meekness is lacking? And what is the use of meekness when it is combined with breaking a commandment? For just as the one who strikes back the one from whom he received the blow dishonors God, Who said: If anyone strikes you on the right side of your cheek, turn him the other too (Matthew 5:39), so the one who, showing meekness, endures in silence when he hears a blasphemy against God, sins against God, because by acting in this way, he is an accomplice of the one who blasphemes God. Why do you also rely so much on obedience when you are enslaved by gluttony? For it is impossible for a slave of the womb to be a true servant of God. Why do you boast about standing for a long time reading the Psalter and other prayers, when at the same time your mind wanders here and there, and you do not understand what you are reading? And especially if, for the sake of such reading of the Psalter, you do not care about the obedience or service to the brethren that lies upon you, for, of course, you have heard what the Divine Scripture says: cursed is everyone who does the work of God with negligence (Jer. 48:10). Why do you rely so much on bodily virtues, in which you strive with difficulty and suffering, when you neglect spiritual work? Do you not hear what Saint Paul says: bodily training is useful for a little, but godliness is profitable for everything (1 Tim. 4:8)? Or what benefit will he receive who, while correcting both actions - both physical and mental, nevertheless condemns his brothers? For the Lord says: By whom you judge, you will be judged; and if you measure accordingly, it will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:2). And again, the one who corrects everything that has been said, does not do anything forbidden and does not condemn his brothers, but during the temptation, when he happens to suffer trouble, reproach and humiliation, does not endure it without embarrassment or, when his heart is embarrassed by it, does not suppress this embarrassment, and although he will not let out an inappropriate word, he shows, however, by the outward appearance of his face that his soul has moved to anger, or in some other way arranges revenge for himself - How dare one call himself a slave and imitator of Christ, and not, on the contrary, His enemy? 2. Those who are true friends of God, love Him and have Him in themselves, like some inexhaustible treasure of blessings, accept such reproaches and dishonor with all joy and love with a pure heart, as benefactors, those who inflict them on them. But those who say: during a war, we, as humans, are moved towards anger and anger and sometimes take revenge on our brothers in word or deed, but afterward we do not hold enmity against them, but forget and leave everything, especially when we ask each other for forgiveness - these are like an unwritten charter on which our enemy the devil, as soon as he finds time, writes, through them, his bad and evil commands. Then they erase this, which they wrote at the suggestion of the devil; however, instead of these commandments of the devil, they do not write down the commandments of Christ, so that the devil, when he comes, finds the charters of their hearts written down and leaves in shame, as if defeated. But each of them, through his negligence, leaves the charters of his hearts unwritten, and when the Lord sends His commandments to be written on their hearts, they immediately, with all their zeal, write there the commands of the enemy, that is, they accept the bitter and deadly desires of the devil, and drive away the life-giving and sweeter suggestions of God than honey from themselves. For this reason, our Lord Jesus Christ and God, who committed no sin, endured strangulation, so that sinners would imitate Him, and through this they would not only receive remission of sins, but would also become fellow members of His Divinity for such obedience to Him. And whoever does not obey Him and does not endure being strangled with heartfelt humility, in some way as if ashamed to imitate the passions of Christ, Christ the Lord will be ashamed of him before the Angels and His heavenly Father. And what I say is what it is. He, being God, became a man for our sake, endured strangulation, spitting and the cross, and with such sufferings as He, impassive in Divinity, taught us in some way and said to each of us: if you, man, want to gain an eternal life and be with Me, humble yourself for Me, just as I humbled myself for you, and, putting aside your proud and devilish wisdom, accept the blows on your cheeks, spitting and strangling, and do not be ashamed to endure all this until death. If you are ashamed to suffer for Me and My commandments, as I suffered for you, then I will also consider it a shame to have you with Me at My second coming, when I come with much glory, and I will say to My angels: this one was ashamed of My humility and did not want to leave human glory in order to become like Me. Now, when he has destroyed the corruptible glory, and I have become glorified by the immortal glory of My Father, I am ashamed even to look at him; cast him out. Let the wicked take it, and let him not see the glory of the Lord!.. This is what those who apparently fulfill the commandments of Christ will hear, but, for the sake of human shame, do not endure reproach, dishonor, strangulation and wounds, when they should have endured them for the commandments of the Lord. Be horrified and tremble, people, hearing this, and with joy endure the passions that Christ endured for our salvation. God will be strangled by some insignificant slave to give you an example of victory, but you don’t want to be strangled by a person subservient to you? Are you ashamed, O man, to imitate God? How can you reign and glorify with Him in the kingdom of heaven if you do not tolerate the same? If He wanted to follow your rule and was ashamed to become a man for your sake, then you wouldn’t know what would have happened. Do you believe that Christ is God? Yes, you say, I believe it. If you believe that Christ is God, Who created heaven and earth, and came to earth from the bosom of the Father, from the boundless height of the Divinity and from His ineffable glory, and became a man, humble and poor, for your sake; But why don’t you, dust and dust, want to descend from your imaginary high throne and from your non-existent glory, in order to humble yourself before your brother, who apparently stands low, but, perhaps, is incomparably higher than you in virtue? Are you ashamed of poverty and its shabby rags, being dressed in rich attire? But isn’t it time for you to despise them, since they are truly a mockery and a revelation of inner shame, and not bright glory? Don’t you want to become like your Creator and God in everything, humbling yourself together with your brothers? But if you do not want to become like Christ, then it is obvious that you make yourself, although without knowing it, greater and more glorious than Him, you appear to them like another Anna, or Caiaphas, or Pilate, for you do not want the Creator of all things to be with you, but you want Him to stand before you like some kind of condemned man. This is said to the rich and noble, who, placing themselves above others, raise their eyebrows high and despise others in pride. But what should we say to the poor, or to those who have apparently left everything and become poor in the kingdom for the sake of the heavenly? Let's say this! Behold, brother, you have become a beggar, imitating the Lord Christ and God. Keep in mind that Christ is with you, that He who is above all heavens cohabits with you. Imagine now: here you are both walking together, and someone, meeting you on the path of real life, hit your Lord on the cheek, and hit you too. The Lord Christ does not argue, but is it appropriate for you to resist? If you say that Christ also said to the one who hit Him on the cheek: if you speak evil, bear witness to evil, or if it is good that you beat me? (John 18:23), - then know that the Lord Jesus did not say this to resist, as you think, but since He did not commit sin, and flattery was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22), then He said it so that they would not think that that servant rightly struck Him as one who had sinned and was guilty. That's why He said this word - to show that He is innocent. You and I, of course, are not like that, that is, we are not sinless; on the contrary, we sin every day and are guilty of many sins. Christ the Lord said this at the beginning of his suffering, but afterward he endured everything, which was much worse than this, and it is not clear that he said anything against it; on the contrary, it is clear that he prayed and asked God and His Father to forgive those who crucified Him. - Brother! Christ was not indignant when they mocked Him, but you are exhausted? He endures strangulation, spitting and scourging, but you cannot tolerate harsh words? He lifts up the cross, blasphemous death and tearing pain from the nails, and you do not even accept obedience, which seems humiliating to you? How do you think you can be a partaker of His glory when you do not want to be a partaker of His blasphemous death? Truly you are struggling in vain if you do not truly want to take upon yourself the cross of Christ, as He commanded. Christ the Lord said to the young man, and therefore to all of us: go, O great believer, sell, and give to the poor... and come and follow Me, let us take up the cross (Mark 10:21). And you may have distributed your wealth to the poor, but you don’t want to take the cross upon yourself, that is, you don’t want to willingly endure the temptations that come your way; That’s why you remained alone on the path of real life, having moved away, unfortunately, from your Lord and God. But I ask you, my brother, let us keep all the commandments of Christ and endure the temptations that come our way even to the point of death, according to the desire of the kingdom of heaven, so that, having become partakers of the passions of Christ, we may become partakers of His glory, partakers of eternal life and heirs of unspeakable blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: