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(1) That he who wishes to shepherd the verbal flock of Christ must first consider and accurately examine himself and his condition, and then begin to teach others. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ pleases not the one who teaches only good deeds, but the one who first does them and then teaches them to others. For he says in the Holy Gospel: “Whoever does and teaches, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19). Why did the divine fathers of our Church, neither in word nor in writing, teach any good that they themselves did not do before teaching about it. And those who listen to such teachers are more ready to imitate them in good, because they do not benefit from their words so much as they benefit from deeds that encourage them to do the same for themselves. But woe to us, my brethren, that we, monks, have reached such great insolence, that we undertake to shepherd the verbal sheep of Christ, not having the grace of Christ, and strive in every possible way to obtain the apostolic degree (woe for me, the three-repentant) for the contentment and peace of the body, for the benefits and honor of man, and even for money we buy this apostolic dignity, not fearing God, not fearing people. being ashamed. Although not a single person would dare to approach the royal throne without the will of the king, although none of the unlearned would dare to take on the rank of grammarian or rhetorician, although none of the illiterate would agree to be a reader, we are not like that, and despite such examples, we seek and take upon ourselves the dignity of apostle, not having the grace of the Apostles and not seeing in ourselves the fruits of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And how do we allow ourselves to even think about such great audacity? Tell me, beloved: if this great and populous city, Constantinople, I mean, had met some strange man who had never entered the royal chambers and whom neither the king nor the royal people knew, began to ask him, saying: we are making you the king’s sword-bearer, you enter alone into the royal chambers and speak to the king about our good and ask him to do this and that for us, would that strange man want to accept what was proposed? his dignity, and would it even occur to him that he could do such things? We will all probably say with one voice that he would never have done such a thing, he would have condemned even those who suggested it to him, calling them senseless and crazy, and would not have agreed to accept the said dignity, seeing that it would not bring him honor, but rather dishonor and royal punishment. So, if we cannot do this in human affairs, then how come we are not afraid and trembling to take upon ourselves the apostolic dignity with such audacity, to approach the unapproachable light of the King of kings, God, and become a mediator between God and people? Or do we consider such an attempt to be small and consider it insignificant? Woe is me, my brethren! It’s scary to think to what extreme blindness and insensibility we have reached, that we don’t even know how great and terrible things we agree to take upon ourselves. For if they had known, they could never have reached such insolence as to joke with the divine and show greater fear and greater honor to the earthly than to the heavenly King Christ. Let us constantly reason with ourselves and try, as much as we can, to ward others off from the assassination attempt - to seek and take unworthily such power in order to save them from condemnation and to live safely ourselves. Whoever, however, examining himself with accuracy, finds that he is free from all love of glory and has not even a trace of voluptuousness and carnal lust, is also completely clean from the love of money and rancor, has freedom from anger and perfect meekness, has acquired such love for God that as soon as he hears the name of Christ, he immediately begins to burn with flame towards Him and shed tears, crying at the same time for his brothers his own, considering the sins of others to be his own and with all his soul considering himself the most sinful above all, - and finally sees in himself the grace of the Holy Spirit, richly enlightening him and making his heart the sun, - sees that the miracle of the bush is clearly taking place in him, so that he speaks, since his soul is united with the impregnable fire of the Divine, and does not burn, since it is free from all passion - he also humbles himself so that he honors himself unworthy and dissatisfied for such a degree, knowing the weakness of human nature, but has a bold hope in Divine grace and the strength it gives, and if he readily decides to take such a step, then he does it, compelled by the warm spirit and beckoning of grace, and with the rejection of every human thought and with the desire to lay down his life for his brothers, in fulfillment of God’s commandment about love for one’s neighbor, - with all that has been said, his mind is still naked from every vile memory, and dressed in the light clothes of humility, so that he has no special disposition and love for those who cooperate with him on such a subject, nor for those who oppose it, does not hold the slightest evil in his heart and does not hate them, but equally treats everyone with goodwill, simplicity and gentleness of heart - whoever has all this, let him decide to accept what is offered to him dignity. However, and at the same time, let him not dare to begin this without the will and permission of his spiritual father. Let him humble himself before him and decide to do such a thing, as if by his order and with his prayer, accepting such a rank solely for the salvation of his brothers. However, he should do this if he knows that his spiritual father clearly has the grace of the Holy Spirit and has been vouchsafed to receive knowledge and wisdom from above, so that he does not say to him what is contrary to the will of God, but, according to the gift that is in him, says what is pleasing to God and useful for his soul, so that it does not turn out that he is listening to man and not God. If he finds a good helper and adviser in a spiritual husband, then his acceptance of the rank will be safer and his wisdom more humble. If he now looks at the matter, he will find everything I said to be true, but he will know much more than this on his own, or, better said, he will be taught from the Sun of Truth Himself, if he has ever been worthy to see this Sun. If the beginning of this work is such that it is so difficult to know whether it is according to God, then even more difficult should it be to conduct it and carry it out. How much patience is needed in enduring the temptations that accompany it! What subtle reasoning one must have during battles, such as he will certainly encounter! Why, pay attention to what is good, spiritual father, and carefully look after your heart, especially cleanse the eye of your mind and keep it clean and not dusty, because with its help you can look after what is good in your heart, and the right to discuss the affairs entrusted to you by your authority, and especially the needs of fathers and brothers, in order to arrange everything as it should be. For, as you hear, the congregation of brethren is the body, and the superior is their head. Just as in the body, each other part has its own one job, the legs, for example, to walk, the hands to pick up and work, and the head is the union of the whole body, since all the feelings, the mind and the word itself are located in it: so in the monastery the brethren do not all practice all the virtues, but one in one, another in another; why do you have difficulty finding two or three virtues in your brother at the same time; and there is nothing marvelous in this, because the brethren are members of the brethren (1 Cor. 12:27); but the abbot must have all the virtues, not only spiritual, but also physical, and together with these virtues he must especially have the great hidden gifts of grace. For just as a head, beautiful and well decorated on the outside, if it does not have the mind and all the senses intact and healthy, is considered by everyone to be worthless and unworthy of honor, so it is not enough for the abbot to be decorated and to be beautiful only with bodily and spiritual virtues, but in this case, it is necessary, especially, to shine with spiritual gifts. For virtues are corrected by our own diligence and zeal and are acquired by our own deeds and labors, and spiritual gifts are free gifts of mercy given from Christ to those who strive. So, for example, fasting and abstinence are a virtue from which sinful pleasures and lusts fade and the fire of the flesh dies out - and this is a matter of our own will; but for someone to maintain fasting and abstinence without any feeling of regret and painfulness of this feat, and even more so for someone to achieve purity and complete dispassion, this is a very high gift from God. Again: holding back anger and sullenness is our own business and requires a great feat and considerable labor, but in order not to be embarrassed at all and to acquire equanimity of heart and perfect meekness, this is the work of the one God in us and the betrayal of the right hand of the Most High. And one more thing: to distribute all our property to the poor and, having become a beggar, to ask for alms, is our will, but to desire nothing at all and joyfully endure burning in the furnace of poverty, this is the mysterious action of God in us. Likewise, every good deed that happens according to the commandment of God is called virtue. But just as in everyday life a farmer who cultivates the land and sows seeds only works, and so that the seeds germinate and bear fruit, this is the gift of God, so it happens in the spiritual order - to do good deeds and sow the seeds of virtues with labor and feat is our business, but so that God waters this with the rain of his grace and his love for mankind and makes the barren land of our heart fruitful, this is the gift and mercy of the one God. With Divine grace He waters the seed of the word sown in our hearts, sprouts it and makes it grow, so that it may become a great tree, a perfect man, to the measure of the age of the fulfillment of Christ. So, it is necessary for you, the shepherd of Christ’s sheep, to have acquired every virtue, both physical and spiritual, since you are the head of the rest of the body of the brethren, so that the brethren look at you as the prototype of goodness and imprint in themselves your good and god-like traits. At the same time, let your trumpet never know rest, but let it continually sound out a voice: predict to some brothers the sword, that is, the wrath of God coming on the stubborn sons of disobedience, in order to correct them, or, if they do not obey, to deliver your soul from the terrible wrath of God; admonish others, teach them and encourage them to do every good thing; but do not ignore those who require reproof and reproach, but reprove them in timely and untimely ways, forbid them and try in every possible way to divert them from evil deeds, as the divine Paul commands you. Show your mercy equally to all brothers, and have the same love for everyone, but give honor to each according to his virtue as it should be, and do not prefer to a virtuous and spiritual husband even the one whom you have first according to the structure of the monastery. These builders of monastic affairs are in the rank of seven deacons, about whom the book of the Acts of the Apostles speaks; they are also like ministering spirits sent out to serve (Heb. 1:14); - and if they correct their service faithfully, without any guile, like these seven deacons, then they receive a great reward from God both in this life and in the future. But those who strive in prayer and silence, and in teaching by word, and practice with patience in virtues and good deeds, those together with you are in the rank of apostles. You should have these brothers as helpers in preaching your spiritual teaching and in taking upon yourself the burdens of your brothers, so that they lighten your labors, since among the brothers they are like precious stones. Do not seek bodily peace or any consolation. Spend both nights and days caring for the souls entrusted to you by God, so that none of them falls into the teeth of the enemy, being overcome either by evil lust, or unreasonable anger, or thoughts of vanity, but keep your entire flock intact and unharmed, trying to present it to the Chief Shepherd Christ God all fruitful, full of virtues and enlightened by divine knowledge, so that there is not a single sheep that has scabs or wounds, or is deprived of any member, or seems sickly. If you always maintain such care for your brethren, you will save many, making them perfect, not lacking in anything good, and bringing them to your Christ, all blameless, all pure from unclean deeds. For this you will be honored to receive great reward from God, you will be installed in the tabernacle of the Apostles and Shepherds of Christ and reign forever with the Son of God Himself. Therefore, your life should be before the face of your brothers and fathers as a kind of example, so that the brothers take an example from it. Do not love things, nor glory, nor pleasures and pleasures, nor meals with many dishes and wines, nor smart clothes. Do not be vain, angry, abusive, vindictive, and do not repay evil for evil. But be non-covetous, hate ostentation, honor and all fertilizers of the flesh. Be humble, poor in spirit, contrite, quiet, meek, without anger, not a lover of money, moderate, calm, orderly, patient, self-controlled, a little caring, vigilant, diligent, zealous. Take care of the souls you have under your care as if you were your own members, and be ready every day to lay down your life for them, if necessary, and do not prefer any cause of this world to love for your brothers. Since you are preferred to all others and appointed to shepherd the verbal sheep of Christ, then, according to the word of the Lord, you must be lower than everyone else in wisdom and humility, and according to God, as the strong one, bear the infirmities of the weak, as a doctor, heal the illnesses of the brethren who are sick in the soul, as a shepherd, return back into the fold of the sheep those who have strayed and gone astray - that which is good, try to make prosperous in virtues, but which is lousy and does not show hope of healing, then separate it from the flock, so that other sheep do not become lousy. Strive, my child in the Lord, to multiply the flock of Christ with all your zeal. Let not the desire for peace and nourishment of the body tempt you, to treasure monastic things for your own use, and not for the brethren. Do not like to leave the monastery often; It is enough for you to go out once a month for the extremely necessary needs of the monastery, but let your assistants correct the rest, so that you do not have entertainment, but can freely engage in the preparation of teachings and instructions for the brethren, in the care of their souls. Do not prepare for yourself various selected dishes, but for your brothers some worse ones, insignificant and without seasoning; Also, do not act in such a way as to drink good wine yourself and serve sour wine to your brothers; but let you have a common meal, both for you and for your brothers, either vegetable or fish on Sundays and holidays, except when you have friends or illness. Let your obedience be to care for the souls of your brothers; Distribute the rest of the monastic obediences to the pious and God-fearing brethren, testing them in all services, according to the tradition of our venerable father Theodore the Studite. Do not be angry with your brothers without any reason that harms your soul; rather, with a gentle word, teach them how they should behave in the midst of brotherhood. Command the young and beginners especially to be modest, so that they do not harm those who look at their impudence and disorderly childish affairs. Instill in those who have been living in asceticism for a long time to patiently endure temptations, to practice humility, to cry, to be diligent in prayer, and to serve as a good example for others in fulfilling the commandments. Teach the hieromonks reverence, silence, meditation on the divine scriptures, study of the Apostolic canons and traditions, accurate knowledge of the dogmas of the faith, purity of heart, unceasing prayer and contrition, and so that they stand with great fear before the Holy Throne, be for all the brethren in word and deed, divine salt and light, and have in themselves the word of life. If sometimes, for a blessed reason, it becomes necessary to show anger against disorderly brethren and admonish them with the rod of punishment, so that they lag behind some bad habit, this is neither bad nor unusual in the Church of Christ. The witness of this word is the Lord Jesus Himself, who, having created a scourge of ropes, beat the disobedient Jews with it because they turned the house of prayer into a market place, denied the meals of the money changers and scattered the fines (John 2:14-15). For every deed that is done in order to either hinder evil and destroy it, or help goodness and virtue and protect them, is praiseworthy and pleasing to God. Keep monastic things kindly, as dedicated to God, so that you have to give an account to God for the smallest things. Help your parents and relatives in the same way as other poor people, providing them only with the necessities of life. Do not pass without attention and correction anything, even a small thing, that is not according to the commandment of God and serves to pervert the Apostolic and conciliar rules and decrees, to the condemnation and dishonor of the gospel life, and to the humiliation of the monastic order, for the sole purpose of showing yourself meek and so that people will praise you for it, but, imitating Christ and your God, zealously, with ardor, but without the passion of anger, rebel against all such and defend, as much as you can, the commandments of God and the sacred canons. At the same time, try to improve the thoughts of everyone and command that they should be reverent and behave respectfully before the Holy See and the sacred vessels of the church. Only priests, sanctified and most reverent monks who partake of the Most Pure Mysteries are allowed by the fathers of our Church to enter the sanctuary and touch the sacred vessels. But other brethren, especially those who walk disorderly, should be prohibited from entering the altar and touching the holy vessels. Know well that the just God often puts an end to the lives of those who despise these things, but He will certainly exact their blood at your hands, because you neglected them and allowed them to show contempt for the divine. Everything I have said, and much more than this, you must know exactly, as the shepherd of the flock of Christ, and do it with all diligence, for the salvation of your sheep. Why, if you realize that you have achieved such a measure and received such gifts that everyone who approaches you is enlightened by the light of your good deeds and the divine wisdom and intelligence shining in you, feed with boldness the sheep of Christ with the wise word of grace given to you by God, as I commanded you before, and lead the lambs of Christ to eat in the pastures of His saving commandments until they grow up and achieve according to the age of Christ’s fulfillment, and you will receive a great reward from Him, being made a co-throne and cohabitant of the holy Apostles. If you are not like that, then refrain from such a thing and turn all your concern to yourself. Listen to me in this, who sincerely desires salvation for you. For our God is a consuming and destroying fire. To Him is due all glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: