Слово 78

(1) Who is he who repents, and what is his work? – (2) If we do not acquire virtues, then freedom from passions will not bring us any benefit. – (3) Who are they who work for God, what are their works, and by what means can they be recognized? 1. Because we think that we are Christians, because we have received divine Baptism, although we do not do Christian deeds; Because we think that we are faithful, since we believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and in the incarnate economy of our Lord Jesus Christ, and thus, simply out of habit, we say that we are servants of God and, when writing letters to others, we put this in the signature: servant of God so-and-so, not knowing, perhaps, what a servant of God is, and who is, and who is worthy to be called a servant of God, then I decided interpret this word and show: who are the servants of God, and from what are they known, and what are the works they do for God, so that everyone by their deeds can definitely know who he pleases with his deeds and whom he works, and understand whom he has pleased and whom he has served until now, so that it does not happen to another to consider himself a servant of the Lord, while he works for himself. And my word is not to the laity who live in the world and have wives, for the Apostle clearly says: he who is unmarried cares for the Lord, how to please the Lord; and the one who gets married cares about the worldly, how to please his wife (and the world) (1 Cor. 7:32-33), but for those who have withdrawn from the world and from worldly affairs self-willingly and, having entered the field of repentance, strive in monastic life, that is, for new monks and for those who have been in monasticism for a long time, who think that they are working for the Lord and hope to be justified by their deeds. For some of them do not heed the light of the Divine Scriptures, but, always walking outside it and being in the darkness of their evil thoughts, they do not know that there is a lot and a great difference between those who repent, and those who strive in virtue, and those who work for the Lord. Those who repent of their evil deeds seek forgiveness for their sins, such as the publican, the harlot, the Apostle Peter, who, out of fear, denied Christ three times, then wept bitterly, and others, like the prodigal son, who wickedly awaited his father’s inheritance with harlots and tax collectors. Such and like them are not called workers of the Lord; but they, having been enemies of God, guilty before Him, are only now reconciled with Him through repentance and confession. Again, those who practice the practice of virtues strive diligently to overcome passions after repentance, that is, having shown with great care and zeal repentance for their previous sins, they also strive to acquire virtues in themselves instead of the passions that they had before. The one who repents is characterized by the following actions: he laments, cries, fasts, deprives himself of sleep, sleeps on the bare ground, willingly serves everyone and endures all sorts of troubles and sorrows, always thinking about his sins - and since he considers himself worthy of great punishment, without embarrassment he endures everything that happens to him in order to receive forgiveness of sins with such patience. 2. He again, who strives not (only yet) to receive forgiveness of his sins, but already to overcome the passions, also does everything that has been said and much more than that, and joyfully accepts every sorrow that comes, and, if nothing sorrowful comes, offends himself, but at the same time he still tries with all his might to carry out every good deed, about which he hears that the ancient fathers went through it, or sees that the fathers went through it, living with him in order to, through various virtues and good deeds, blot out the many and varied passions through which demons gain power over us, and completely expel them from the soul, and instead of these passions, treasure up virtues within themselves with all the zeal of their soul. For if he does not strive to acquire virtue, then he will not have complete success in eradicating passions, although he may manage to tire them out to a significant extent. He is not worthy of praise who is not covetous, but who also shows mercy; It is not the one who has preserved the given talent intact, that is, the gift of grace given to him, who has been saved, but the one who has multiplied it; It is not the one who abstains from evil who is blessed, but the one who does good; It is not he who shows his love for the king who does not come into agreement with his enemies, but he who arms himself against them and fights against them out of love for the king. Our Lord Christ Himself testifies to this when He says: what is not with Me is on Me; and those who do not gather with Me scatter (Matthew 12:30). With this word He clearly shows that whoever does not keep His commandments in every way and with all zeal, does not acquire virtues through the fulfillment of these commandments and does not thereby succeed more and more in correcting the heart, but only abstains, as it seems to him, from evil deeds, does not remain in virtues for a long time, but, indulging in negligence in fulfilling the commandments of God, in some way prevents the collection of these virtues, he cannot even preserve the good that he thinks he has, but through failure to do the commandments he loses it too. This is exactly what the word of the Lord shows: whoever does not gather with Me scatters. In everyday affairs it does not always happen that someone who does not collect, but sits inactively, already wastes it, but in spiritual affairs this always happens. For the Divine Scripture considers the one who does not do good to be a sinner and declares that he will be condemned when it says: to him who does good, it is sin to him who does not do good. And again: cursed is man, do the work of God with negligence - which alone is enough to condemn me, careless and lazy. If the one who does the Lord’s commandments with negligence is cursed, is it not even more so the one who does not do any at all, or does only a few of those that he can do? Start to consider this, and you will find that the same thing happens in worldly affairs and according to civil laws. For the slave, who, seeing how thieves crawled into his master’s house and robbed him, did not interfere with them and did not shout, but allowed them to take everything and run away, is condemned by his master as a slanderer and a thief, on a par with those who stole his goods, although he did not help them. And wouldn’t you yourself condemn such an evil servant? The same will certainly happen to me—I refrain from saying: and to all of you—if we refrain only from bad deeds, and do not strive with all our might to acquire virtues instead of bad habits, and to acquire them in such completeness that we appear as perfect men, having reached the measure of the age of the fulfillment of Christ, as St. Paul commands us. And quite rightly so. For if we do not become like this, then how can we be called and be servants of the Lord, soldiers of Christ? How can we become equipped with full spiritual armor, worthy of enlistment in the army of the living God and capable of appearing to our terrible enemies? No no; we cannot be worthy of this. 3. Why, when someone fasts, or performs vigils, or torments himself with hunger and thirst, or sleeps on the bare ground, or sheds tears, or endures reproaches and other temptations found, let him not think that he (for that very reason) already serves God, or takes advantage of such deeds of someone else, but only himself, if he patiently goes through them, and especially if he observes humility and acts with spiritual intelligence, for if not Thus, he goes through them, then he himself will not gain any benefit through it. Any work that is not done with humility and spiritual intelligence, whatever it may be, does not bring any benefit to the one who does it. How is this so? - someone will ask. - Anyone can find an explanation for this in the Divine Scriptures. My intention is to show only that neither those who are still undergoing repentance, nor those who have been striving in virtues for a long time, do not still serve the Lord, but only benefit themselves. And, if you find it blessed (having a sufficient reason. - Ed.), let us confirm our word with examples. Who are the real servants of the king of the earth? Are they those who sit in their houses, or those who follow the king everywhere? Are they those who mind their own business, or those who form his army? Are they those who quietly spend time in their homes for their own pleasure, or those who act as heroes in war and either inflict wounds or receive them themselves, kill many of their enemies, free their brothers from captivity and put their enemies to shame? Are they goldsmiths, coppersmiths and masons, who work every day and with difficulty obtain what they need for themselves and their comrades, or military leaders, and commanders of thousands with other ranks and with the numerous army under their command? It is clear that the latter serve the king, not the former. The goldsmith, the coppersmith and the mason, no matter what work they did for the king, take the agreed payment for it from the king’s officers and, like strangers and strangers there, again return to their homes, without even seeing the king, and not only without acknowledging or making friends with him. But military leaders and other ranks are known servants of the king, and some are even his friends, through whom the whole multitude of warriors under them becomes known and loved by the king. Similar things happen between the King of Heaven and those who serve Him. All people - faithful and unfaithful, slaves and free, rich and poor, priests and bishops, kings and rulers - we are all slaves of God, as His creation. But of all of us, those who keep His commandments with a good purpose and with all their might, and in keeping His commandments show firm faith in Him, are His good and faithful servants; those who do not refuse to serve Him and fulfill His commandments, but do this with negligence and laziness, are called wicked and lazy servants; and those who do or say contrary to the commandments of God are His enemies, although they are insignificant and have no power before God. So, we, who, having listened to the Lord, who said: whoever wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and come after Me (Mark 8:34), and the Apostle, who said: Do not love the world, neither those who are in the world (1 John 2:15); for the love of this world is enmity to God; and: “Whoever desires to be a friend of the world, is an enemy of God” (James 4:4), - apparently they left everything and followed our Savior God, or, more directly, they left the world, since it interferes with virtue, and entered into monasticism - in some way they left the place of the enemies of God, in which they had lived hitherto and enslaved them voluntarily, and moved to the region of our Lord and King Christ. But let us know that we have only put on the clothing of Christ’s soldiers, fighting under Him, and have not yet become real warriors; We are His servants only in clothing, and not in reality. Just as those who put on the clothes of warriors do not become warriors of the king, so we, saying now that we have become subjects of the kingdom of Christ because we have put on monastic garb, do not say, however, that through this we have already become His real warriors. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (2 Cor. 10:4), but spiritual, for our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, and against the powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). So, when we put on the weapons of light, in armor, I say, in a helmet and everything else about which St. Paul speaks, and we take into our hands the sophisticated sword of the Spirit, then we can say that we have become real warriors, well equipped for battle. But let us consider what we are doing, having already put on the monastic robe and entered the field of repentance and asceticism. - Are we crying? But for what? - In order to receive remission of our sins and be cleansed from the defilements caused to us by our sins. Are we fasting? - In order to tame the violence and aspirations of our flesh and make our heart softer and more easily crushing. Do we hold vigils and sing psalms? – So that evil thoughts do not flourish, and our mind does not wander here and there. Are we praying? – So that the enemy does not lead us into mental captivity, and we can, over time, think about one good and useful thing and pray always and continuously in our hearts. Are we sad in our hearts? - In order to accept the joy and consolation that this heartfelt cry gives rise to. Do we dress in humble, hair-lined clothes? We sleep on bare ground, and most of us wear chains? For what? In order, of course, to curb and tame this violent body, so that it, not being restrained by a bridle, does not rush, like an unbridled mule, into the rapids and does not overthrow both itself and its rider - the mind, into the ditch of destruction and eternal fire. By doing all that has been said, what good do we deliver to those who see us? Of course none. But if we do not do any good for those who see us, then all the more we do nothing for God, who gave us both wisdom and strength for self-preservation. But, you say, we gratefully endure the reproaches, condemnations, and sorrows that come our way, not allowing even a trace of the passion thus aroused to remain in our hearts? “But by doing this again, we are doing good to ourselves, and not to anyone else.” Listen to what the Lord says: if you do not forgive men their trespasses, your Father will not forgive you your trespasses (Matthew 6:15). Make sure that if, when we are reviled and mocked, or when they hit us on the cheeks and spit on us, or other insulting things are done to us, we endure it with gratitude, with all our hearts regretting those who expose us to such temptations, then through this we only benefit ourselves, and for this we are worthy to receive remission of our sins before God. If at the same time we retain in our hearts the passion of hostility towards them and use different methods to take revenge on them, then we will not gain any good for ourselves, but, on the contrary, we will damage ourselves, becoming the reason for ourselves that our sins will remain unforgiven to us. - Are we silent in the cell? Are we running away to the mountains? Are we living in caves? Are we climbing the pillars? What is all this for? - Of course, in order to more easily run away from the one who walks like a lion, roaring terribly against us and looking for someone to devour. But if God helps us (for no matter where we run, without God’s help we cannot escape his teeth and his varied snares) to get rid of this terrible beast and not be devoured by it, how can we still say that we are working for the Lord with such deeds? To me this seems unblessed; I believe it is for you too. For he who is persecuted by his enemy and runs away from him, how can he say that he served the one who received him into his house, then stood at his gate so as not to let his enemy reach him, and thus delivered him from his pursuer. He cannot say this, he cannot in any way, but even more so he must always thank him for having benefited him so much, having been delivered by him from his enemy. Or the poor, who beg for alms and do not want to work, or because of the weakness of the body, or because of the habit of doing nothing out of laziness, how can they say that they do anything for those who give them alms, or serve them, whereas it is obvious: the poor receive benefits and gifts from the merciful? So we, poor and insufficient in everything because of our previous sins, can never say that we work for God, who has mercy on us and is kind to us in our poor state. For, as I said, we are all poor - some because of our previous sins, some because of bad habits, some because of laziness and negligence about the commandments of God, some because of evil will, some because of greed for pleasures, some because of ignorance of the Divine Scriptures and disbelief in them, others because of pride and because they think that they don’t need anything else to save their souls - and in general, we are all poor, naked, wounded and weak with various infirmities - and, sitting in our cells (solitary) or living in monasteries, as if we were lying in different hospitals and hospices, and crying, crying and weeping, calling upon the very Physician of our souls and bodies (which, that is, came to their senses and felt the pain from their wounds and passions, for others are so senseless that they do not realize and do not feel our infirmities and the passions that dominate them), may he come and heal our broken hearts and give health to our souls lying on the bed of sin and death. So the divine Apostle says that we have all sinned and therefore have a need for the mercy and grace of God. Finding ourselves in such a poor state, can we ever dare to say that we are working in any way for the One who is so merciful to us, so kind to us, so heals our souls, so teaches us salvation and gives healing to our wounds and healing of our illnesses? - No, of course we can’t say that. Just as about the one who, wounded all over his body by robbers, lay half-dead on the way, it is not said that he served the one who lifted him onto his cattle, brought him to the hospice and followed him, pouring oil on his wounds, but moreover it is said that he was shown mercy, that he was cured by that benefactor and brought back to his previous healthy state, so we, paralytics, lepers, covered with wounds and, moreover, neglectful of that which is suitable for our healing, and those who do not strive in the least to fulfill what I have said - like us - can we dare to say, or even think, that we are working for the Lord? No, we do not work for the Lord, but (if we feel into what depths of evil we have fallen) we ask, as I said, and pray that the Physician of souls and bodies will heal us from all our infirmities. Then, when we receive healing and little by little throw off all infirmity, like some old garment, tattered and soiled, and put on health, like some royal robe, bright throughout the whole body, from head to toe, then we, if we serve others and heal them, putting oil on their wounds and using other medicines and plasters, then, I say, and we can be counted among those who work for the Lord, who said: Since you alone made these least of these brothers of mine, you made them for me (Matthew 25:40). If we are not healed first, but, being still weak and passionate, try to heal other weak people, then the Lord will say to us: doctor, heal yourself (Luke 4:23). And you, hearing my words that mental health is a kind of royal robe of light, be careful not to interpret this statement crookedly due to a lack of understanding of the matter and do not think that I am talking about physical health. No, I’m not talking about physical health, but about some other, incorporeal, spiritual, divine health, which is usually not delivered by medicinal herbs and not achieved through our own labors, so that no one would think of boasting about it. Just as one who picks up and attaches dead bones to bones and joint to joint (bones and joints I call good deeds and virtues) does no good if he cannot clothe them with meat (muscles) and nerves; but if he does this too, if he ties the joints with sinews and covers those dead bones with meat and skin and makes a whole body out of everything, then again he works in vain, without any benefit, if this body is left without a soul that would revive it and move it; So imagine the same thing happening to a soul that has been killed by sins. Let all the members in it have already been restored, that is, there are all virtuous deeds, such as fasting, vigil, lounging, non-covetousness, unsparing of the body and the like, which are collected, like dead bones, following one after another, adjusted to each other and, connecting, in some way make up the whole body of the soul. But what is the use of them if this body of the soul lies soulless and lifeless for the reason that the Holy Spirit has not yet entered into it? For only when He enters and dwells in us, He combines and binds with the nerves of spiritual power virtuous deeds, which in themselves remain dead, separated from one another, like soulless members, He binds us with love for God and thus makes us new and alive from the old and dead, which we are in ourselves. It is impossible for the soul to come to life and live in any other way. Just as our body, whether it is healthy or sick, cannot not only move without a soul, but even live completely, so our soul, whether it sins or does not sin, is dead without the Holy Spirit and cannot live eternal life at all. If sin is the sting of death, then when someone sins, he is certainly stung by it and dies. Just as there is no one without sin, because, as the Apostle says, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), then it is clear that we, as sinners, have all died and are dead. Thinking in this way that you are dead in soul, tell me how you can become truly alive if you do not unite with true life, that is, with the Holy Spirit, by which every Christian is reborn and revived in Christ, who said: I am the truth and the resurrection and the life (John 14:6), and also: accept Me, accept Him who sent Me (John 13:20). So, since we are dead and only He is eternal life, before we unite with Him and begin to live by Him, let us not say that we work for the Lord. For how is it possible that the dead ever worked for anyone? Until we consciously put on Christ, as in a royal robe, let us not think that we are completely freed from our spiritual illnesses, or from the passions that weigh us down. For just as darkness does not go away if light does not come, so the illness of the soul is not driven out unless the One who bears our illnesses comes and unites with us. When He comes, He will drive away all infirmity and all mental illness and give health to our soul, which is why it is called health. Also, because He enlightens us, is called light, being above all light, - because He gives us life, is called life, being above all life - because He covers us all, embraces and covers us with His divine glory, is called a robe, and we say therefore that we put on Him, inviolable and elusive - because He unites inseparably with our soul and all He makes it like light, it is said that He dwells in us and, as it were, the indescribable is described. Oh miracle! God, who exists above all things, is everything in us - bread, cover, water, from which if anyone drinks, as the Lord said to the Samaritan woman, he will never thirst again; so if you still thirst, then know that you have not yet drunk from that water, for He who said this is not righteous. And I heard from one who said: since the man-loving Master gave me to drink to my fill from its water, if I happened to forget that I drank from it and seek again, may it be given to me to drink from it, no matter how I drank it at all, immediately this very water, which I had drunk before, boiled inside my heart and began to flow like a stream of light - and I saw it clearly. With this same effervescence inside me, she seemed to be saying to me: Don’t you see that I’m here with you? Where are you looking for me to be given to you, or to come to you? Don’t you know that I am always with those and in those whom I give to drink from me and am an immortal source for them? So, my brother, if what I am talking about now happened to you, then you are happy and blessed. If you have not yet seen Christ and He has not yet given you to drink from that drink, fall down and beg, cry and sob, beat yourself in the chest and face, like Adam when he was expelled from paradise, do not lie down on a bed or bed, but let the earth be a bed for you wherever you have to, do not let your eyes sleep and your eyelids slumber, do not turn your eyes to look at anything earthly or heavenly, because if If you have before your eyes the Creator of all things - God, then what need do you need to look at anything else? Never fill your belly with food, do not delight your throat with sweet food and drink in abundance, do not be curious about what is happening around, and do not look at those who live indifferently and with carelessness, so as not to become proud of them and condemn them, but also do not sit with them, so as not to reach useless speeches; do not go here and there, looking for eminent and glorious monks, and do not be curious about their lives, but if, by the grace of God, you have found a good spiritual father, then reveal your deeds and your thoughts to him alone; if you have not yet found it, then, seeing Christ, look to Him alone, have Him alone as your spectator, so that He may see the sadness and contrition of your soul. Show Him, or, better said, let Him Himself see your poverty and lack of covetousness, and your non-money-loving disposition, so that even if, like a river, the wealth of the whole world flowed to you from somewhere, or if you came across an immeasurable amount of gold thrown away (for this also happens through the machinations of the devil and his minions), you would not want to even look with one eye at that, with all that taking would not seem like a sin, under the specious an excuse to give to the poor. Let him see how they beat you, but you do not resist, they revile you, but you do not revile your critics, they condemn you, but you praise your condemners; let Him see that you do not seek glory, or honor, or peace; and in general I will say, let Him see that, in doing all this, you decided not to retreat and not go back until He has mercy on you and gives you a drink from that terrible, ineffable and indefinable drink. When you are worthy to drink it, then you will understand what I am telling you. For we, as the divine Paul says, do not speak the wisdom of this world, which ceases to pass away, but we speak the wisdom of God hidden in mystery (1 Cor. 2:6-7). If you have not been worthy to see Christ Himself, then what do you think, are you really alive? And how can you think that you are working for the Lord when you have not yet seen Him? If you are not worthy to see Him and hear His voice, then from whom will you know His will, holy, acceptable and perfect? If you say that you learn to know it from the Divine Scriptures, then I will notice to you that what is read in the Scriptures is truly known when it is fulfilled by deeds. How is it possible for you, who are all dead and lying in darkness, to even hear (from Scripture) the will of God, and not just do it and be alive? It's absolutely impossible. So, since you and I are dead and in darkness, what is the opportunity for us to come to life, or to see Christ, the true Light who has come to earth? Listen with attention and, without justifying yourself, humble yourself before God and say: God! You, Who do not want the death of a sinner, but want him to repent and begin to live in spirit again - You, Who for this sake came down to earth to resurrect those killed by sin and make them worthy to see You, True Light, as far as it is possible for a person to see You, send me, I pray to You, a man who knows You, so that with all my strength I will submit to him for Your sake and, serving him, serve You, and, By fulfilling his will, I fulfilled Your will, and thus I, the only God, pleased You, a sinner, and was honored with the kingdom of heaven. If you remain in this prayer for a long time, begging the Lord with all your might and with all your soul and pushing tirelessly into the door of His mercy, then be sure that He will not leave you, but will teach you, either Himself, or through some of His servants, what you should do, and by His grace and prayers for the sake of that His servant, He will give you strength and accomplish all that. For without God's help you will not be able to do anything, but, as I said, God will be everything to you. In this order, even if Christ is not yet everything for you, and you are not still doing everything in Christ, at least you submit to His friends and servants, and through these friends you are His slave - at least you do the will of God's servants, and not your own (the will of God's servants is the will of God), - at least you do something for God's sake and do not remain idle, and are in a state of humility, and not exaltation. Remember what I said before, that of all the military leaders and commanders, some are the king’s slaves, others are friends, through whom they become friends of the king and those who are under the authority of each of them, who, although they do not see the king and do not talk with him, but, serving faithfully to the military leader or their commanders as the king himself, hope that through the mediation of those whom they serve, they will receive gifts from the king and ranks. Some of them, taking advantage of the intercession of their superiors, receive from the king the gifts they expected; some themselves become famous through their courage and success, for which the king takes them to himself, honors them and makes them leaders and intercessors for others. Then they are worthy to serve their king face to face, to talk with him and to hear his voice. If you do not want to seek the best, as I indicated, but rather want to be numbered among the least and be subordinate to ordinary soldiers, not famous, want to be some kind of novice among others like you, and do not want to be a spiritual leader in service, then why do you condemn me when I call you dead, or blind, or sick, or paralyzed, removed from serving the King Christ? “But behold, I hear your speech to me, that you sit in your cell and listen to yourself in solitude, and do not cause any offense to anyone.” I will also ask you: tell me, would you be pleased if what you are doing now was done by your servant or novice - if he, having neglected you, left serving you, went and sat in his cell, thinking that he was not offending either you or anyone else? What person can even hear this indifferently? How can you, sitting in your cell and only accepting service from others, dare to say that you serve God? - Tell me, in what ways do you serve Him? You, who, even if you served yourself in everything and through your handicraft obtained everything needed for your body, even in this case should not say that you serve God? A servant is not praised if he feeds and clothes himself, and yet does not give his master what he deserves from the labor of his hands - which is usually called a quitrent, or a lesson. On the contrary, for this he is not only condemned, but also punished. What about you and I, who live like nobles, indulge in peace, carelessness and inaction, and not only do nothing and do not serve others, but when we do not see service to ourselves from others, we are indignant, scold and murmur - how, I say, we dare to say that we serve God and do not offend anyone! For whoever can serve someone in any way and does not want to serve them, offends them and makes himself guilty of the Last Judgment of the Lord, Who says to them: Depart from Me, the curse, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angel. You are hungry, and you will not give Me food and so on (Matthew 25ff.). I was sick, and you did not serve Me. How and with what face will we look at this terrible Judge when He comes to test the work of each of us? Don't be deceived. God is fire, and when he came to earth and became man, he cast fire on the earth, as He Himself says (Luke 12:49). This fire goes around everywhere, looking for substance, that is, a good heart and will, in order to fall inside it and be kindled. In whom it is kindled, it ascends into a great flame, reaching to heaven, and will no longer allow it to be inactive or to indulge in peace. It does not scorch the soul in which it ignites, although this ignition does not happen without the soul feeling it, as some of the dead (soul) think. The soul is not an insensitive substance, but is a sentient and intelligent being. Why does she at the very beginning feel and recognize the ignition of that fire - and this is all the more so because it is accompanied by excessive and unbearable pain (of the heart). Then, when this fire cleanses us completely from all filthiness of passions, then it becomes forever within us as food, drink, light, and joy - it makes us light by communion - to the extent that we ourselves become partakers of its light. Just as a fired stove at first only smokes from the smoke emanating from the wood, and when it flares up more intensely, then everything becomes bright, like fire, and is no longer darkened by any soot from the smoke, so the soul, which begins to burn with divine desire, first sees, along with the fire of the Spirit within itself, the darkness of passions emanating like smoke, and, realizing that this darkness existing in it is from the darkness passions are her own business, she cries and laments, but feeling how evil thoughts and evil wishes are consumed by that fire, like thorns and thistles, and turn into dust, she rejoices. When all this burns out and the nature of the soul remains alone without passions, then the divine fire is essentially united with it and begins to burn and shine in it, then it becomes a participant in this mental fire, like a furnace a participant in material fire, and likewise the body then participates in this divine and ineffable light and there is fire by communion. Let us know, however, that it is impossible for all this to be accomplished in us if we do not hate the world and everything in the world, with the readiness to even lay down our lives for this cause of God, as the Lord says (Luke 14:26). And this fire does not ignite in us in any other way. Those who were honored to receive this fire, not only themselves were completely freed from all mental illnesses, but also many others who were weak and mentally ill were taken out of the snares of the devil and healed - and brought them as a gift to the Lord Christ. This divine fire taught them all spiritual knowledge and art and all wisdom, and they pleased God all their lives. Such was Peter, the divine Apostle, who received the keys of the kingdom of heaven; such was Paul, caught up to the third heaven, and the rest of the Apostles. Such were our holy, God-bearing fathers and teachers, who, by the power of this divine fire, burned like thorns and destroyed all the heresies that were commanded by the demons, like obscene slaves, and they obeyed them with fear. Such were and always are those who loved God so much that they did not spare their very lives to please Him. These and others like them are rightly called servants, always working for God, and not those who are still in sins and who are like evil servants sinning against their master - not those who are still struggling with passions and who are like those who are struggling and opposing, and thus are always at war with their enemies - and not those who have not yet acquired virtues, but strive to acquire them, and who are like crippled people who are missing arms, or legs, or a nose, or ears, or any other parts of the body. According to the commandment of the Apostle, we, firstly, need to excel in every virtue and make our man according to God perfect and complete, so that not a single member, that is, not a single virtue, is lacking in him. And not otherwise than having already come to this measure, we will receive the grace of the Spirit from the heavenly King, just as soldiers receive a rent from the earthly king. Then, finally, as those who have already become perfect men, who have reached the measure of the age of the fulfillment of Christ and are numbered among the soldiers and servants of the Lord, then, I say, as soldiers of Christ, we will raise a decisive battle against our enemies. Who, as the divine Apostle says, makes war with his dues when? (1 Cor. 9:7). - And what does he call quitrent? Tsar's Kosht. If in this way we do not receive from God this bread, which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world, that is, the grace of the Holy Spirit (for this is the spiritual food with which those who became soldiers of Christ feed, and they are clothed with this spiritually instead of any weapons), then tell me, how can we enter into the ranks of the army of God and be numbered among His servants? But come, I beg you, let us awaken from the heavy sleep of carelessness, all who wish to free themselves from the slavery of passions. Let us come to Christ, the true Master, with the readiness to become His servants. Let us also strive to appear in action as our word depicted the true servants of God. Let us stop being careless about the matter of our salvation and deceiving ourselves, inventing excuses for ourselves for our sins and saying that it is in no way possible for this to happen, that is, to achieve the demonstrated perfection in the present generation, and thus philosophizing to the detriment of our salvation and the destruction of our souls. For, if we want, it is possible, and it is also possible, that our will alone is enough to call us to such a height. Where the will is ready, there is no longer any obstacle. And what are you saying, man? God wants to make us gods from people (voluntarily, however, and not forcefully), but we use time as an excuse and reject the good deed. Isn't this madness and extreme ignorance? “God wants this so much that he came down to earth and incarnated just for this purpose.” Why, if only we also delight in it, then absolutely nothing can hinder this - we will only resort to Him with warm repentance. When He draws near to us and touches our hearts, even if only with the edge of His most pure finger, then He will light the lamps of our souls and will not allow them to go out until the end of the age, and forever, and again. To Him belongs glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: