Часть 2: О покаянии и плодах покаяния, или добрых делах

Chapter 1: How God Calls a Sinner to Repentance Avoid evil and do good. Temporary sweetness, but eternal torment; temporary cross and sorrow, but eternal consolation. Choose what you want, man! “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29). § 140. While a person is standing in front of someone, he faces him; and if he wants to get away from him, he turns his face away from him and turns his back to him, and so, turning away, goes on the intended path; and the more he goes, the more he moves away and moves away from him. So, while a person tries to fulfill the holy will of God, and obeys what God commands in His holy Word, and shows himself ready for God’s command, he stands as if with his face before God, and pays his respect to Him, abides with Him and does not separate from Him. But if the good person changes his will and chooses evil instead of good, commits sin instead of virtue, it is as if he turns his face away from God and turns his back to Him, as he says about the lawless Israelites through the prophet: “They turned their backs to Me, and not their faces” (Jer. 32:33). So a person, having turned away from God, the infinite Good, the more sins and iniquities he commits and remains unrepentant, the more he moves away and moves away from Him. He turns away by deed, not with his face, but with his heart, and turns away not his back, but disobedience and an unrepentant heart; and is removed not by feet, but by will, not by a change of place, but by a change in the morals of the evil into the most evil. How can we turn our face away from the One who is everywhere? And where shall we go from Him Who is found in every place? As the Psalmist says: “Where can I go from Your Spirit and where can I flee from Your Face? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I descend to hell, You are there” **** (Ps. 139:7-8). This is what it means to turn away, to retreat and move away from God. This aversion and removal of the sinner from God is depicted for us by the parable of the prodigal son, who, having taken the allotted part of the estate from his merciful father, to his misfortune, fell behind him, and, having gone to a distant country, squandered his estate, living fornication, and then began to suffer hardships, and was glad to be satisfied with the horns that the pigs ate. So a person, having departed from God through disobedience, destroys the spiritual property given to him by God, that is, holiness, truth, integrity, etc.; and so he falls into the grave slavery of passions and sin, and in this disastrous slavery he cannot find pleasure or consolation in anything. For the human soul, as a spirit created by God, cannot find pleasure, peace, peace, consolation and consolation in anything other than in God, by whom it was created in His image and likeness. And when she is separated from Him, she is forced to seek pleasure for herself in creatures and to feed herself with various passions, like horns, but does not find proper peace and joy. So, all that remains is to die of hunger. For the spirit requires spiritual food. § 141. So the Most Merciful God does not turn away from a sinner who has turned away and withdrawn, but, as if following a fatherly voice, cries out: “Child, where are you moving away from Me? Where will you find bliss without Me and besides Me? Trouble will meet you everywhere.” And so she cries out and calls him to Himself. He calls in different ways: 1) Inside, through His grace, which strikes the doors of our hearts. This happens how many times the conscience, irritated by sins, denounces and strikes the sinner, presenting to him the judgment of God and eternal torment for his sins. 2) Calls through the saving vision, suffering, death and Resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, presenting to him that this great deed was accomplished for his sake. For for no other sake did Christ come into the world than for the sake of a sinner. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). “I have come,” He said, “to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). He also, as it were, cries out after the sinner and exhorts him to return to Himself in repentance: “Why have you, sinner, forsaken Me? Why are you moving away from Him who loved you? Remember that for your sake I was born of a virgin, and “took on the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7); for your sake I was a Baby, became poor, humbled myself, lived on earth, cried, worked, suffered persecution, slander, reproach, dishonor, reproach, wounds, spitting, ridicule and all kinds of hard suffering; Finally, he died a shameful death, “the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). I did all this for your salvation. He came down from heaven to lift you up to heaven. He humbled himself - in order to elevate you, the humiliated one. He became poor - so that you, who were poor, could be enriched. Dishonored - in order to glorify you, the dishonored. I was wounded - in order to heal you, the wounded one. He died so that you, the dead, could be revived. You sinned, and I took your sin upon myself. You are to blame, but I suffered execution. You are a debtor, and I paid the debt for you. You are condemned to death, but I died for you. And it was nothing other than My love for you that attracted Me to this suffering of Mine for you. So, why do you arbitrarily neglect this love of mine, my labors, deeds, sufferings raised for your sake, and want to destroy yourself? “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from sin, the devil, death and hell, but with My precious Blood” (1 Peter 1:18-19). Remember this - what a dear price was given for you: with My Blood and My Death you have been redeemed! Remember all these My merits, with which I have earned you remission of sins and eternal life, and repent - and thus you will be saved. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). Oh, divine, oh, dear, oh, the sweetest voice - a voice seeking our salvation! O Most Gracious and Merciful Jesus, Our Merciful Redeemer! Do not depart from us, sinners, whom the saint redeemed with His Blood. But strike, strike at the doors of our stony hearts, strike firmly with Your sweet and saving voice. May we awaken from a deep sinful sleep and hear Your sweet and most loving voice, “for Your voice is sweet and Your image is beautiful” (Song. 2:14), - and so we ourselves will begin to ask, seek and knock, knock on the doors of Your mercy (Matthew 7:7-8). So the Son of God calls after the erring sinner and turns him to repentance! And the Father from heaven testifies to this: “Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). And the Holy Spirit in the psalm tells us: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Ps. 94:8). So our Holy and Merciful God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, calls us with His grace to repentance! 3) He calls us to repentance through the prophets and apostles, as His messengers and servants, whom He sends after us, as it were, and turns us to Himself through them. They exhort us and pray: “Therefore... we ask in the name of Christ, and as it were... God exhorts through us; In the name of Christ we ask: be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). And again: “Turn to Me,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will return to you” (Zech. 1:3; Mal. 3:7). And again: “Turn, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fainted in your iniquities” (Hos. 14:2). And again: “Turn to Me, O house of Israel,” said the Lord, “and I will not set My face against you, for I am merciful, and will never be angry with you” (Jer. 3:12). And again: “And now says the Lord your God: “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and generous, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy, and repents of troubles” (Joel 2:12-13). And again: “Turn and cast away... all wickedness.” your iniquities, and your iniquities will not be tormented; put away from you all your iniquities with which you have sinned against Me, and create for yourself a new heart and a new spirit, and do all My commandments” (Ezek. 18:30-31). So, as you see here, and in other places of Scripture, through the prophetic and apostolic voice, God turns the sinner and calls to repentance 4) Calls through the promise of temporal and eternal blessings, with which. a man-loving father draws his child to Himself, so that they will be aroused by good things and turn to Him; about which we find quite a lot of writings in the prophetic books and apostolic epistles. This is how Christ calls us to Himself and promises sweet rest to our souls: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30). As if he said: “Oh, poor sinners, weary of the vanity of the world, you are full of tormenting yourselves and burdening yourselves with plans, undertakings, efforts, cares and sorrows of life. Nowhere will you find true peace and bliss except Me. Whatever you turn to, you will not find any true benefit from it. Everywhere you - besides Me - are met with true misfortune and evil. The wealth, honor, glory and sweetness of this world, which you seek, will burden you more than they will ease you, they will burden you more than they will calm you. Do you want the best for yourself? Every good thing comes from Me and from Me. Do you want bliss? He is nowhere except Me. Looking for beauty? Who is more beautiful than Me and besides Me? Do you want nobility? Who is more noble than the Son of God? Do you want heights? Who is higher than the King of heaven? Are you looking for glory? Who is more glorious than Me? Do you want wealth? With Me and in My hand is all the incorruptible treasure. Are you looking for wisdom? I am the Wisdom of God. Looking for friendship? Who is more kind and who loves me more, Who laid down His life for everyone? Do you want help or protection? Who will help and protect besides Me? Are you looking for a doctor? Who will heal, besides Me, the souls and bodies of the Physician? Are you looking for consolation, fun and joy? Who will console and cheer besides Me? Do you want peace and quiet for yourself? I am peace and tranquility of the soul, and you will not find it anywhere except Me. Do you want some light? “I am the Light of the world; Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness” (John 8:12). Don't you want to be deceived and get lost? “I am the Truth.” Do you want to come to God? “I am the Way.” You don’t want to die, but live forever? “I am Life. I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Don’t you dare approach Me? To whom is access more convenient? I call and accept everyone: “come to Me.” Are you afraid to ask? Whom has I refused to ask with faith? Sins turn you away from Me? I laid down My life for sinners. The multitude of sins troubles you more than all the sins of the whole world. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We, sinners, must not disobey this favorable and sweet voice, but must turn and come to our merciful Redeemer - so that we may find rest for our souls.” 5) Calls through the threat of temporary and eternal punishments, as we also see in many places in Holy Scripture. “If you do not turn, He will cleanse His weapon; He has drawn His bow and prepared it, and in it He has prepared instruments of death; He has made His arrows for those who are burned” (Ps. 7:13-14). “Oh man! Or do you neglect the riches of God’s goodness, meekness and long-suffering, not realizing that God’s goodness leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of righteous Judgment from God” (Rom. 2:4-5). 6) Further, the Fatherly Providence of God sends punishments to sinners, with which it seems to stop the path of destruction for them, so that they stop and turn to God. This is what diseases, hunger, fires and other misfortunes mean. 7) We are finally called through everyday cases of death, when we see our brethren leaving here, and we ourselves expect this from day to day. God says to each of us: “You are earth..., and to earth you will return,” which is what was said to the forefather Adam (Gen. 3:19). Repent therefore, that you may have a share in the resurrection of the righteous, who will rise in glory. § 142. Reasons that can and should arouse a sinner to repentance: 1) God's great desire and, as it were, a certain thirst for our salvation. Our God “wants that all... should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), as you can see from the previous paragraph and as can be seen from other prophetic and apostolic exhortations, which the Fatherly heart of God and the great desire for our salvation reveal and depict in various words, and most of all, one can see from this that He did not spare His only begotten Son for our sake, but gave Him up for us, so that we might be saved. Therefore, he draws us to Himself in various ways, exhorts us, prays through His messengers, promises good things, threatens us with evil, promises to give help and grace to those who turn, promises to forgive the sins we have committed and not remember them, frightens us with eternal fire, and eternal bliss reveals and promises that in this way we will be moved to repentance and receive salvation. So, it is not appropriate for us to despise the desire of such a Great, Merciful God, but it is appropriate for us to turn and repent. 2) What is required of us is the wonderful Son of God’s vision of us, incarnation, humble life on earth, suffering and death. He did all this for our salvation. But all this is useless for those who remain without repentance and do not want to correct themselves and show the fruits of repentance. But he will condemn them all the more, as having despised such grace. You hear and read in the Holy Gospel, sinner, in what a humble manner our Savior came to us to save us. The manger and the cave where he was born show this. You want to live in pride. In what poverty on earth He lived for your sake, so that the Son of Man “had no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). You insatiably desire estates and wealth. How many years on earth have you worked for your soul? You don’t care and don’t work for your salvation, but you despise everything. How much did He weep for your lost soul, Who in the days of His flesh offered supplications and supplications to Him who was able to save Him from death with a strong cry and with tears. You don’t want to sigh and shed tears for the sake of your soul, to regret your sins. What blasphemy and reproach He endured for your sake. You don’t want to suffer insults from your neighbor, but you are angry with him and breathe the spirit of vengeance. Remember how He grieved, grieved, was horrified, sweated blood - you don’t want to grieve, grieve and ache for your sins, with which you offended the Majesty of God, but you madly spend your days in worldly amusements. How terribly he was scolded, ridiculed, spat on, strangled and wounded for your sake. You seek honor and glory in this world and want to become famous, “earth and ashes” (Sir.10:9, 17:31), poor and outcast. How terribly He was tortured, crucified, hanged among thieves, nailed to the Cross, and dishonorably died for your sake - but you never cease to find comfort in carnal pleasures and luxury. This ineffable love and grace of His cries out to us to turn and leave our lawless life, and repent, “and spend the time of our life with fear, knowing that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from the futile life handed down to us from our fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:17-19). Should we commit sins for which Christ, the Son of God, was so wounded and tormented? His Blood itself cries out to us to stop sinning and repent. If we do not repent, then the same Blood will cry out against us, so that we may fall under God’s judgment and accept it according to our deeds. It’s scary to hear this, but it will certainly happen! “God is not mocked” (Gal.6:7). 3) God’s threats can and should awaken us to repentance. God threatens execution for those who do not repent. “If you do not turn, He will cleanse His weapon; He has drawn His bow and prepared it, and in it He has prepared instruments of death” and so on (Ps. 7:13-14). God's threat, man, is not empty and vain, but will certainly be fulfilled in reality if a person does not neglect it and does not correct himself. And it is impossible to hide from Him anywhere; everywhere the unrepentant encounters His vengeance, as through the prophet he says: “If they hide in hell, then from there My hand will pluck them out; if they ascend to heaven, then I will overthrow them from there; and if they hide on the top of Carmel, then I will find them there and take them; and if before My eyes they are immersed in the depths of the sea, then even there I will command the serpent, and he will bruise them,” and so on ( Am. 9:2–3 ). There is only one refuge from the wrath of God - repentance; it hides the sinner from vengeance and execution. “I will say about any people or kingdom that I will uproot them, and ruin them, and destroy them. And if that people turn from all their wickedness, then I will regret the troubles that I thought to do to them” (Jer. 18:7-8). The Ninevites ran to this safe refuge when they heard about the coming wrath of God, and they took refuge, and thus were saved. Many people still resort to this and are saved. So, it is fitting for us, humans, to flee to the same city of refuge, in order to hide in it from execution and the vengeance of God. For repentance is the mountain on which Lot hid from the destructive wrath of God, who burned Sodom and Gomorrah. Anyone who does not want to perish with a lawless world, like with Sodom and Gomorrah, must certainly run away and hide on this quiet and safe mountain. So, run, run, sinner, to this mountain, while the wrath of God, like fire from the Lord from heaven, has not yet subsided, and do not look back. “Remember Lot’s wife,” as Christ exhorts us (Luke 17:32). 4) We are encouraged to repent by the unknown end of our life, which will certainly happen, but when it will happen is unknown. God determined that this hour was unknown to us, so that we would always expect it. God promises to accept us who repent and grant us remission of sins, but He does not promise us tomorrow. Heed this, poor sinner, and do not set aside tomorrow for your repentance. God always commands to be prepared for the outcome; and as the hour of death finds us, such will we appear before His Judgment. And therefore, the way you want to die, that’s the way you should be throughout your life. Do you want to die the way pious Christians die? You must live as the pious live. For every person is a servant of God. A slave must always be ready whenever his master calls him to him. Likewise, a Christian, as a servant of God, must always be ready when God calls him. And God calls everyone to Himself through the end of his life. “Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, finds watching” (Luke 12:37). He certainly watches who is in constant repentance. The damned and the poor are those whom the Lord will find intoxicated with the love of this world and sleeping in the sleep of sin! Remember, where is the rich man who “dressed himself in purple and fine linen and feasted brilliantly every day” (Luke 16:19)? He cries out from hell, being in torment, and will cry out endlessly. Where are the other sinners, unrepentant and caught up in death? They remain in their specific places, awaiting the world Judgment of God and the final determination, and the retribution perfected according to deeds. They would like to return to this world and do all kinds of repentance, but it is not given to them. We still, thank God, live on earth, death has not yet snatched us away, our time to repent has not yet passed, we can still be saved by God’s grace, God still calls us to repentance and promises mercy. Come, let us repent, man, and show the fruits of repentance, and establish ourselves in that new life, so that when the hour of death comes to us, it would find us as Christians who die blissfully, for they die in the Lord, and so through this death, as through a door, we will enter into a better life and eternal bliss. 5) May the Last Judgment of Christ move us to repentance, to which we all, I say, all righteous and sinners, must appear and give an answer to the Righteous Judge about what we have done. Now God is calling you to repentance. Then he will call you to account. Now he says: “Repent” (Matthew 4:17). Then he will say: “Answer Me.” Now he calls: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Then he will say: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41). So, let us fear the Judgment of God, and even more so God Himself, Who judges not as a man, only external deeds, but also examines the thoughts themselves, and is not ashamed of the face of man, but rewards everyone according to his deeds, and does not require witnesses, but Himself is a faithful Witness to everything - word, deed and thought, for He tests “hearts and bellies” (Jer. 17:10; Ps. 7:10). 6) Eternal death or hellish torment strongly motivates a person to convert. Then all mercy will cease, but the truth of God will take over; then repentance is useless; crying and tears are vain then. There you will hear the answer: “Child! Remember that you have already received your good things in your life” (Luke 16:25). Now you cannot bear the heat that occurs in the movement of the blood, how can you endure that flame from which even demons tremble, which torments and does not consume! 7) May eternal bliss, prepared for God’s chosen ones, attract us to repentance and diligent efforts in the matter of piety. What it will be like, the mind cannot understand and cannot explain in words. It will be in the contemplation of God's Face: then they will see God face to face. “Beloved,” says the holy apostle, “we are now children of God; but it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We only know that when He is revealed, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). But the pure and holy ones enter into it, purified by repentance and faith. Anyone who wants to enter there must “make his robes white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14). For “outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices iniquity” (Rev. 22:15). So, isn’t it crazy to destroy eternal joy for the sake of temporary and imaginary sweetness?! 8) Finally, remorse of conscience exhorts and convinces us to repentance, which comes from sins and from which we get rid of nothing other than true repentance and receive silence, peace and consolation. § 143. Just as a person, walking along the path, when he notices that this is not the path he should follow, or that path is not useful to him, and, thinking like this, stops and turns back, and goes where he needs to go, so a sinner, walking along the path of destruction, which leads to eternal destruction, when by the grace of God he comes to the knowledge of his error and wretchedness, reflecting on his error, says: “Why am I doing this? To what end does my path lead me? So he doubts, as if he stops and does not go further. Oh, what a good reflection that leads to this saving doubt! How blissful is doubt, which hinders the will that conceives evil, and restrains the feet that go towards evil, and stops the path that leads to destruction! For in such bewilderment lies the first step to salvation. To know oneself and one’s wretchedness is the beginning of salvation: since the knowledge of one’s poverty leads to the search for a way to get rid of trouble. This is what the prodigal son did, who ran away from his father and fell into trouble and hunger, who, “coming to himself, said: “How many of my father’s hired servants have an abundance of bread, but I am dying of hunger; I will arise and go to my father” (Luke 15:17–18). So a sinful man, reflecting on his poverty and the goodness of the Heavenly Father, which all those who serve Him enjoy, comes to his senses and says: “How many receive mercy from God through true repentance. I am losing it through my negligence. Having risen, I too will go to God, I will return with repentance to Him, from Whom I withdrew with a lawless disposition; I will cast myself down with humility and tears before Him, from Whom I retreated with pride and voluptuousness; I acknowledge before Him that I am unworthy of either heaven or earth, who considered myself to be something of great worth; I will tell Him with regret my sin with which I offended Him. Rising, I go to my Father, whose beauty the angels and saints enjoy; I am going to my Father, from Whom I have separated myself willfully and insanely; “I will go to my Father and say to Him: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before You” (Luke 15:18). So, or thinking similarly, a poor sinner, if he changes his heart and will for good, will, as it were, turn back; and when he stands in good will and shows the fruits of conversion, seeing vices and shortcomings in his conscience, he tries to destroy them with prayer and contrition of heart, as if he were going to God, from Whom he had withdrawn through an evil life. And the more diligently he corrects himself, the faster he goes, and, as it were, runs to the house of the Heavenly Father. This is what the aforementioned prodigal son did, “and stood up and went to his father.” So the converted and coming sinner, when God, the Heavenly Father, sees him - oh, how favorably he “looks at him! How sweet he is to His holy and merciful eyes! With what eagerness does he greet his approaching one! How kindly does he receive him! How warmly he kisses him with the hot kiss of His divine love (Luke 15:20)! He commands to “bring the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet” (Luke 15:22). “He calls together angels and righteous souls as His friends and neighbors, and commands them to rejoice, be glad and rejoice, saying: Rejoice with Me... For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:9-10, 24). Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, wants to make the sinner a participant in this joy, fun, and rejoicing. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). What does His grace-filled, joyful presence mean in the heart of the repentant? § 144. So, listen, sinner, to God's voice; fulfill the desire of the Heavenly Father, who thirsts for your salvation. Look at the death and Blood of Christ shed for you. A great price has been given for you - the Blood of Christ, which is more valuable than the whole world! Repent while there is time; turn while the Lord receives. The Blood of Christ cries out to you about this. Here the Heavenly Father is waiting for you. The angels are ready to rejoice over your repentance. The righteous are waiting for you until you repent, and they will rejoice over the repentant. Here comes death, opening endless eternity! The Judgment of Christ frightens, Gehenna terrifies, eternal bliss encourages, the Gospel assures of this! A great thing is salvation, for the sake of which the Son of God shed His Blood: that “only one thing is needed” (Luke 10:42). Once found, never lost; and if you lose it, you will never find it. Here one must seek it, and seek it more than food, drink, clothing, and temporary life. But after death you will not find it, although you will search with sighs and tears. The body hungers and thirsts - and you feed and give it water. The soul hungers, thirsts - and you neglect! You clothe the naked body, wash the dirty body, heal the weak. The soul is naked, stained with vices, weak and already dead - and you don’t care! The house is on fire and you try to put it out. The spiritual house is on fire and is already burning down - and you don’t care! You try to look for stolen wealth. Satan has stolen all your spiritual wealth - and you don’t care! Oh, poor and damned sinners, why are we sleeping? Here Satan is stealing our invaluable treasure - eternal salvation, which Christ purchased for us with His Blood! Here the voice of God strikes and awakens us in our conscience: “Awake, you who sleep, and rise from the dead” (Eph. 5:14). The apostles and preachers of God’s Word pray to us: “We ask in the name of Christ: be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). Why don’t we wake up before time has passed, while God calls and accepts those who repent?! There will be a time when sinners will not be called, but judged. § 145. We do something bad and senseless when we put off repentance either until illness, or old age, or death, or from day to day, because how long we live and when we die is not in our power, but in God’s. And even then, do we want to live for God when we end our lives? Should we then stop sinning when we can no longer sin? Is it then possible to turn to God when God Himself, even if we don’t want to, calls us to Himself? Should we then correct our lives when we end our lives? This is the devil's plot! He puts this thought into our heads so that he can destroy us more conveniently. This is his job - to represent God’s mercy to man, bypassing His justice, so that it is more convenient to lead a person to sins and keep them in sins. God is Merciful, as you will see in the next paragraph, but also Righteous. Therefore, one should always look at God’s mercy with one eye and look at His truth with the other. Thus, the one who has sinned will despair of thinking about God’s mercy, but thinking about His righteousness will not allow him to sin again. “So that,” says St. Basil the Great, - not to sin, you need the fear of God's judgment. So that the sinner does not despair, hope in God’s mercy is useful.” From the above, the following reasoning will follow: 1) How great is human blindness to turn away from God to sin, from light to darkness, from life to death, from bliss to disaster! 2) How gravely a person sins and is shameless when, instead of obedience, he disobeys God, and so, instead of his face, he turns his back, as the prophet says (see Jer. 32:33). This human shamelessness and terrible insolence is depicted in other places of Holy Scripture, as it is written about the wicked: “They did not present God before them” (Ps. 53:5); and again: “They did not present You before them,” says the Psalmist to God (Ps. 85:14). They did not present before themselves God, Whom they must have before them, and look at what He commands, and thus show respect, obedience and submission to Him; but they did not do this: “They did not present God before them.” And again God says to the sinner: “I have cast back My words” (Ps. 49:17), words that you must have before you and, looking at them, fulfill them; but you, a sinner, threw them back so that you would not see them and not observe them as unnecessary. And this is the extreme shamelessness and fury of the sinner, although he does not notice it. 3) It is clear from here that there is a godless and ungodly life, that is, a life filled with sins against conscience and unrepentant. 4) Not only does the one who does not confess Him with his mouth deny God and Christ, the Son of God, but also the one who does not listen to Him and does not follow His teaching. Or, in short, a person rejects God and Christ, the Son of God, not only with his lips, but also with his lawless life. Judge this, everyone. God commands: “Thou shalt not kill,” but anger says: “Kill.” God forbids: “Do not commit adultery,” but the flesh says: “Be bold.” God says: “Thou shalt not steal,” and Mammon says: “Steal,” and so on. The sinner, having abandoned God, obeys anger, flesh and mammon, and thus by his very deed shows that he considers anger, lust and mammon not God, but anger, lust and mammon to be his master. He obeys them, although he confesses with his lips that God is his Lord. 5) That conversion does not consist only in leaving external sins, such as fornication, theft, drunkenness, etc., but in changing the heart and starting a new life, opposite to the first. For God demands a new heart and a new spirit from us and says: “Create for yourself a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezek. 18:31). Hypocrites also abstain from external sins, either because of shame, or because of human fear, or because of their temporary gain. They do not kill, but inside they are filled with anger and murder; they do not commit fornication, but have a heart filled with unclean lust; They don’t steal, but they desire other people’s goods. God judges by the heart. And therefore he who not only sins, but also wants to sin, does not have a new heart and a new spirit. He who has a new spirit not only does not steal, but also does not want to steal, even if there is an opportunity to do so. And whoever refrains from the external, for example, from theft, but inside has an unchanged heart, reveals himself on occasion, for example, a thief steals on occasion. 6) It is also evident how cruel and unrepentant the sinner has a heart, who does not listen to the voice of God, which strikes so many times in the heart, neglects so many admonitions, and does not care about such kindness, meekness and long-suffering of God. 7) How great and wonderful is God’s goodness towards us, which seeks our conversion in various ways, and does not turn away from us who turn away, and calls those who do not convert, and does not cease to call. 8) Every unconverted and unrepentant sinner is guilty of his own destruction, for he does not care about such goodness of God, which leads him to repentance. Chapter 2: Of hope or consolation for those who wish to repent “If the wicked man turns from all his iniquities that he has committed, and keeps all my commandments, and does justice and righteousness and mercy, he will live and not die: all the sins that he has committed will not be remembered to him, but in the righteousness that he has done, he will live. Do I want the death of a sinner, says the Lord Adonai, and not that he should turn from the path of evil and live?" (Ezek. 18:21-23) § 146. Just as it is the devil’s trick that, before sin, he presents God to us as Merciful, so that he can more easily lead us into sin, so is his cunning, that after sin he presents God’s justice in order to cast the sinner into despair. Both this and this advice are harmful advice of an evil and hostile spirit. Therefore, so that those who have sinned do not fall into this destructive network, certain reasons are offered that give those who wish to repent hope and consolation to receive God’s mercy. 1) God Himself calls us to repentance in various ways, as stated in the previous chapter. Thus, He wants to accept and have mercy on the repentant. 2) God, waiting for repentance, “is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but that everyone should come to repentance,” as the Apostle Peter teaches (2 Peter 3:9). So, how can He who awaits repentance not accept a repentant person? How can He turn away from the one who turns away, who is long-suffering when he turns away, so that he can come to his senses and be converted? 3) God is very Merciful; and His mercy is as great as His majesty. His majesty is infinite, therefore his mercy is infinite. Our sins cannot be so many and so great that God’s mercy would not exceed them. He is merciful who sympathizes with the misfortune of another and feels sickness and compassion in his heart. This is how a father and mother condole the misfortune of their children. Saint David felt such illness in his heart when he heard about the murder of his son Absalom, and he cried like this: “My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Who will give death to me instead of you” (2 Samuel 18:33)? God has such a fatherly and compassionate heart, or an even warmer one, over our misfortune and wretchedness. This Divine compassion was demonstrated by the Son of God when, by the good pleasure of His Heavenly Father, He suffered for us. And just as David wished to die in place of his son, so Christ himself died in place of us, the lawless sons, and so, by His death, He revived us, the dead, and delivered us from disaster. So, how can the Merciful God not have mercy on us when we turn to Him with tears, and declare and acknowledge our poverty and wretchedness to Him? 4) “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” says Christ (John 3:16). So, how will He not forgive you your sins for the sake of the same Son, whatever they were and no matter how many there were, who for your sake did not spare His Son? How will He not forgive your sins to you, the repentant, who gave His Son to death for your sins? “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom.8:32) He gave us great things, that is, His Son. Is it great for Him to forgive our sins to us who repent? 5) It is favorable and joyful for the Merciful God to forgive the sins of a repentant sinner, since then the fruit of Christ’s death is shown - the repentant sinner is saved. For “Christ... came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). Then there is joy before the Heavenly Father and His Angels: for the Blood of Christ was not shed in vain for the sake of that sinner. Then the will of the Heavenly Father is fulfilled, “Who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). For "in heaven... “There is joy in one sinner who repents,” says Christ (Luke 15:7). 6) God does not want the death of a sinner, but wants him to turn and live, as he says through the prophet: “Do I want the death of a sinner, says the Lord Adonai, and not for him to turn from the path of evil and live?” (Ezek.18:21-23). So, he wants to have mercy on the applicant and give him eternal life. 7) God promises not to remember the sins of the repentant, as through the same prophet he says: “The wicked man, if he turns from all his iniquities that he has committed, and keeps all my commandments, and does justice and righteousness and mercy, he will live and will not die: all the sins that he has committed will not be remembered to him, but in the righteousness that he has committed, he will live. ( Ezek. 18:21–23 )? 8) God confirmed His reluctance, by which He does not want the death of a sinner, and confirmed it with an oath, so that we would not hesitate to come to Him in repentance. “As I live, says the Lord Adonai, I do not desire the death of the sinner, but that the wicked should turn from his way and live” (Ezek. 33:11). Oh, the ineffable mercy of our God, Who swears for the sake of the poor sinner! O the bliss of those for whose sake the Great God and our Creator swears! O the damnation of those who do not even believe this oath! 9) God declared in His Scripture that His Son Jesus Christ will judge the whole world and reward everyone according to his deeds. So, thereby mercifully warns and encourages to repentance, so that, having repented, they would avoid terrible condemnation for their deeds. 10) God threatens execution for those who do not want to repent. “If you do not turn, He will cleanse His weapon,” and so on (Ps. 7:13). So, by this he wants to have mercy on the repentant. 11) God also averts certain executions if He sees repentant sinners. Thus He averted execution from the Ninevites who repented. “And God saw their deeds, that... they turned from their wicked ways; and God regretted the disaster that He said He would bring upon them, and did not bring it" (John 3:10). 12) Christ, the Son of God, came to earth for this purpose, to call sinners to repentance, as He Himself declares: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). He first called through the prophets, as His messengers; He himself appeared on earth and lived with people, and called fornicators, robbers, publicans and others, and to them who repented he opened His kingdom of heaven. We could not come to Him - that is why He Himself came to us “to seek and save us.” From here comes great consolation for sinners - the Son of God came to call them to repentance! Great is their blindness if they do not feel such great God’s grace! 13) When God executes an unrepentant sinner, he does not execute him with favor. Look with what weeping Christ looks at the future destruction of Jerusalem, which he could not lead to repentance, as the holy evangelist writes: “Looking at him, he wept for him” (Luke 19:41). For it is a foreign thing for Him to execute, for Him whose very nature is such as to do good. It is a foreign thing for Him to destroy, for Him, Whose nature is to save. For “Our God is a God of salvation,” says the Psalmist (Ps. 67:21). 14) Although God executes, it is not as our sins deserve, but with great mercy. Trusting in this mercy, King David, when three plagues were offered to him by God, that is: either three years of famine to be in his land, or three months for him to flee before his enemies, or three days of pestilence to be in his land - and from these three he had to choose one, he said to the prophet who announced this: “Let me fall... into the hands of the Lord, for His compassions are very many” (2 Sam. 24:14). Admired by these bounties, He, although He punishes, is at the same time merciful, saddens, but also comforts. “For sin... I saddened him with little,” he says through the prophet, “and I struck him down, and turned My face away from him; and he was sad, and went sad in his ways. I saw his ways, and healed him, and comforted him, and gave him true comfort” (Is. 57:17-18). 15) He punishes not for the sake of destruction, but for the sake of salvation, so that, having corrected himself, the sinner receives salvation. “Being judged, we are punished by the Lord, lest we be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32). This is how God sends famine, fires, diseases, etc., so that we are forced to seek eternal and heavenly blessings, seeing that there is nothing permanent in this world. 16) If you read the Gospel with attention, you will not find a single one who came to Christ with faith and did not receive what he wanted. The publican is justified more than the Pharisee; the harlot hears: “your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48), paradise is opened to the thief (Luke 23:43); the blind receive sight, the deaf receive hearing and the dumb speak, lepers receive cleansing, the sick receive healing, the demoniac receive deliverance, and others in need. Everyone gets some decent consolation. Will you alone be denied remission of sins if you ask in faith? For “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8); and He is no respecter of persons, but He has mercy on all who repent equally. You do not see Him on earth, but you see and hear His Gospel, which promises remission of sins to those who repent; You see His servants who, in His name, declare the same remission to you. 17) The name itself - “Jesus - gives us joy and consolation; it means the Savior, saving His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). 18) In all of Holy Scripture you will not find almost a single chapter, not a single page that does not represent to us the mercy of God. God knows the weakness of our nature, and therefore He so often reminds us of His mercy in His holy Word, so that we do not despair, but rather seek it more by repentance. Note, O poor and damned sinner, how merciful God is to sinners who repent, and how the Holy Spirit, through the prophets and apostles, declares His mercy. “For with the Lord is mercy, and great is his deliverance; and He will deliver Israel from all their iniquities” (Ps. 129:7–8). And again: “The Lord is merciful and righteous, and our God has mercy,” says the Psalmist (Ps. 114:4). And again: “Praise the Lord, all nations, praise Him, all people; for His mercy is established upon us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever” (Ps. 116:1-2). And again: “For You, O Lord, are good, gentle, and abundantly merciful to all who call on You” (Ps. 86:5). And again: “And You, O Lord my God, are generous and merciful, long-suffering and abounding in mercy, and true” (Ps. 85:15). And again: “All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to those who seek His covenant and His revelation” ( Ps.24:10) And again: “Your compassions are great, O Lord” (Ps.119:156). And again: “I, I myself, blot out your iniquities for my sake, and I will not remember your sins. Tell your iniquities first, that you may be justified" (Is. 43:25-26). And again: “Zion said: “The Lord has forsaken me, and God has forgotten me.” Will a woman... forget her child, so as not to have mercy on the son of her womb? Even if a woman forgets, I will not forget you, says the Lord" (Is. 49:14-15). And again: the prophet Jonah to God: “I knew that You are Merciful and Generous, long-suffering, and abounding in mercy, and that You regret human misfortune.” And the Lord says to Jonah: “You were offended because of the pumpkin, which... you did not work on, which you did not feed, which grew in one night and in one... night... disappeared. Will I not spare Nineveh, a great city in which more than one hundred and twenty thousand people live? (John 4:2, 10-11) And again: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick, go and learn what it means: I want mercy, and not sacrifice? For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” says Christ (Matthew 9:12–13). And again: “The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). And again: “Or what woman, having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a candle and sweep the room and search carefully until she finds it, and having found it, she calls her friends and neighbors and says: rejoice with me: I have found the lost drachma. Thus, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:8-10). And again: “And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous” (1 John 2:1). And again: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not with Him also freely give us all things” (Rom. 8:32)? And again: “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him,” says Christ (John 3:16–17). Read also Psalm 102, which all preaches God’s great mercy, the parable of the lost and found sheep (Luke 15:4–7), the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–24), the parable of the debtor, to whom the king forgave ten thousand talents (Matthew 18:27), and other places of Holy Scripture. And, reasoning, apply the oil of God’s mercy, like a life-giving plaster, to your heart wounded by sadness. § 147. When all this is offered as evidence of God’s great mercy, then an opportunity or reason for fearlessness and laziness is not given, but the path to despair is stopped, it is said not for excessive hope in the mercy of God for those who remain without repentance, but for the consolation of those who want to repent. God is merciful, but to those who repent; but God’s judgment comprehends the fearless and unrepentant, and will certainly comprehend it, as you see. Chapter 3: What is repentance? “Godly sorrow produces repentance that results in salvation” (2 Cor. 7:10). “I have acknowledged my iniquity, and have not hidden my sin; said: “I will confess my iniquity to the Lord,” and You have forgiven the wickedness of my heart” (Ps. 31:5). § 148. We see in the Holy Scriptures that there is repentance. The Apostle Peter, having renounced Christ, “went out and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:75), and so was accepted into the first person of the apostle. The harlot washes Christ’s feet with her tears, and wipes them with the hair of her head, and kisses His feet, and thus hears from Christ: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:37–48). The Ninevites put on sackcloth, which is a sign of sorrow and lamentation, and cried out diligently to God, and everyone turned from their evil way and from the unrighteousness that was in their hands: “And God regretted the disaster that he said he would bring on them, but did not bring it” (John 3:10). The prodigal son admits to his father that he is unworthy to be called a son: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you and am no longer worthy to be called your son; accept me as one of your hired servants" (Luke 15:18, 19, 21); It is hopeful that that humble confession was not without tears; “And he puts on the best clothing of his son” (Luke 15:22). David says: “the springs of water,” that is, tears, “have made my eyes dry, for I have not kept Your law, O Lord” (Ps. 119:136). And again: “I recognized my iniquity, and did not hide my sin; said: “I will confess my iniquity before the Lord.” And he adds: “And You have forgiven the wickedness of my heart” (Ps. 31:5). The publican does not dare to lift his eyes to heaven, but beats himself on the chest, saying: “God! Be merciful to me, a sinner! And he went into the house justified more than the Pharisee” (Luke 18:13–14). The Prophet Jeremiah, in the person of all his people who have sinned, cries and laments, saying: “Woe to us that... we have sinned! This is why our hearts were troubled! Because of this our eyes are darkened” (Lamentations 5:16–17). Daniel says: “You, O Lord, ... truly have shame on our faces, and on our kings, and on our princes, and on our fathers, because we have sinned against You” (Dan. 9:8). Ezra is ashamed and afraid to lift his face to God. “Oh my God! I am ashamed and afraid to lift my face to You, because our iniquities have multiplied more than the hairs of our heads, and our sins have increased even to heaven” (1 Ezra 9:6). And the apostle says to sinners: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, correct your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, weep and howl; Let your laughter turn into crying, and your joy into sadness. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:8–10). So, repentance is “sorrow for God’s sake, which produces unchangeable repentance unto salvation,” according to the apostle. Tears, crying and sighing are signs of heartfelt sadness, which stings the heart like an arrow, and thus sheds tears. Just as a sponge filled with water, when squeezed and squeezed, gives out water, so a heart filled with sadness, when it is squeezed with greater sadness, spews out tears, and with tears it becomes easier from sadness. For crying and tears ease sadness, and just as the air is rained, so a mourning and grieving soul is cooled with tears. § 149. This heartfelt sadness is produced by reasoning and thinking about God, angered by sins. When the sinner, having come to his senses, judges that he has angered the Great, Most Good, Merciful, Holy God, Whom he must fear, by his fearlessness and transgression of His holy law; He irritated the One whom he should love; He, whom he should honor, he dishonored with evil deeds, cannot help but grieve. When a son, who was born and raised and equipped with every good thing, shows hatred instead of due love, ingratitude instead of gratitude, and dishonor instead of respect, and thinks about this great rudeness and ingratitude of his, he comes into regret, cries, and scolds himself, and is ashamed that he acted so foolishly towards his parent. Much more should we regret, cry and be ashamed when we are ungrateful to God, who created us, body, soul, and life, feeds, clothes, preserves and supplies us with all kinds of blessings; and the One whom the Angels sing, honor and worship with fear and reverence, we, “earth and ashes” (Sir.10:9), do not honor; and we do not love Him, Who is eternal Love and Goodness; and with our sins we anger Him, Who is the eternal Truth. When a sinner talks about this, his heart is greatly wounded, he becomes angry with himself, and he becomes disgusted with himself. But fear is added to illness and to sadness when he talks about his damnation, and that he should expect nothing more than judgment from an angry God. And so, sometimes overwhelmed with sadness, sometimes overwhelmed with fear, he doesn’t know where to turn. In such tightness, he sighs from the depths of his heart, and, not daring to lift his eyes to heaven, but, striking himself on the chest, cries out with the publican: “God! Be merciful to me, a sinner." He is comforted by God’s ineffable mercy, which is revealed to all who repent, thinking that just as God has shown and continues to show His mercy to other sinners who repent, so He will certainly show it to him. Confirmed in this hope, standing up like the prodigal son, he goes to his Father and says: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before You and am no longer worthy to be called Your son; accept me as one of Your hired servants." Thus, the sinner’s humble and contrite heart and faith to the Heavenly Father is not fruitless, but certainly receives the same mercy that the prodigal son received from his merciful father. § 150. So, anyone who wants to repent must do the following: 1) Listen to the voice of God calling and turn from the lawless path to God with all your heart. 2) To hate and abhor the sins in which he was found, and to struggle against them with the help of God, and to beware of others. 3) The fact that he angered God - the Creator and his Most Good Father - to regret until the end of his life. 4) Be ashamed of yourself for acting so shamelessly, violating God’s law. 5) Recognize yourself as unworthy of any kindness from God, but more worthy of any punishment. 6) Comfort yourself with the ineffable mercy of God, which is promised to all who repent in Christ Jesus our Lord. – The image of repentance is fairly represented in the Psalms, as well as in the Menaions of the Fourth. Chapter 4: About the fruits of repentance “Create fruits worthy of repentance... And the people asked him: “What should we do?” John answered, saying: “Whoever has two coats, give to the poor, and whoever has food, do the same.” The publicans also came to be baptized, and said to him: “Teacher! What should we do? He answered them: “Do not demand anything more specific to you.” The soldiers also asked him: “What should we do?” And he said to them: “Do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary” (Luke 3:8, 10-14). §151. The fruit of true conversion and repentance will be twofold. The first fruit is the remission of sins, which the repentant sinner is granted by the Most Good God, for the sake of the Intercessor of all Jesus Christ, our Lord. “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous,” says the apostle (1 John 2:1). And where there is remission of sins, there all the blessings acquired by the death of Christ will follow; there, instead of a curse, the blessing of God, instead of anger, the grace and mercy of God is given. Oh, a wonderful and truly desirable change! The damned sinner is accepted among the righteous, from the son of darkness to the son of light, from the child of the devil to the child of God, from the heir of eternal death and hell to the heir of eternal life, eternal bliss and the kingdom of God. Truly, it would be worthy of surprise if an earthly monarch not only forgave a slave who had sinned and was sentenced to death according to the laws, and then humbly asked for forgiveness, but also made him the heir of his kingdom. All ages would be amazed at such extraordinary mercy. A truly repentant sinner is rewarded with incomparably greater mercy from God when he not only receives remission of sins from Him, but also becomes a participant in His eternal kingdom; “he is an heir with God and a joint heir with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). The human mind cannot comprehend this such high God's mercy and grace! We do not see it now with these mortal eyes; but holy faith, more than any vision, assures us that it will certainly be so, “when this corruptible, as St. Paul teaches, is clothed with incorruption, and this mortal is clothed with immortality” (1 Cor. 15:54). “Beloved,” says the Theologian, “we are now children of God; but it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We only know that when He is revealed, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). The second fruit of true conversion and repentance is a new heart and a new spirit, which God requires of us: “Create for yourself a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezek. 18:31). God Himself promises to give this heart and spirit to the truly repentant for the sake of His holy name. “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put My spirit within you, and I will cause you to walk in My commandments, and to keep My judgments and do them” (Ezek. 36:26–27). For in someone who is converted with all his heart and who repents, truly everything else appears: other thoughts, undertakings, intentions, other efforts and deeds than before: 1) The Word of God, which before was like dead and insensitive to him and, like a deaf idol, only struck from the outside, already actually happens, receives its fruit, like a seed sown on the ground of his heart. Then he has “ears to hear” (Matthew 11:15); then he hears not only outside, but also inside the voice of God: “I am the Lord your God” (Ex. 15:26) and so on. For such a person feels a certain special desire to listen to God’s Word “for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Just as one who, having risen from illness, seeks reinforcement from everywhere in order to gather and strengthen the weakened strength, so freed from sinful illness, the souls of their strength, which were weakened by sin, like a cruel disease, try in every possible way to strengthen them so that they can do the works of God and can follow the path of God’s commandments. And to those for whom reproof, instruction, and punishment were previously unbearable, like wounds, they later became like oil, relieving ulcers. And just as a bee collects honey from various herbs and flowers, so he collects spiritual benefits for himself from various useful books. 2) He reveres the Passion of Christ very dearly and highly, thinking that for everyone, so for him, the Only Begotten Son of God drank such a cup of sorrowful suffering. And therefore he often remembers them, worships them, thanks the Victim with his heart and lips, and, as far as possible, forces himself to mutual love. 3) He approaches the communion of the most holy Eucharist not as before, fearlessly, but with fear and great reverence, reasoning about the height of the mystery and his unworthiness, and considering it great and the very height of well-being to unite with Christ and be one spirit with Him. 4) Christian dignity. And he also highly respects being a true Christian, so that he considers all the glory of this world as pus and rubbish in comparison with this, and with all his might he takes care not to lose this, for which he earnestly prays to God to have him among His chosen ones. 5) Just as before repentance his mind was occupied with earthly, temporary and vain things, so after conversion in all plans and deeds he strives for one eternal and heavenly bliss. “Where his treasure is, there his heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). 6) Just as before he pleased his flesh in its lusts, so later he tries in every possible way to please the will of God; therefore he shuns all evil and strives against all sin. 7) Just as before repentance it was easy for him to sin, so it is hard for him who has already repented, so that he prefers to be in poverty, endure every attack and die, rather than sin. For he considers one thing a misfortune for himself - the wrath of God that follows sin; He considers one misfortune - to fall from God's mercy. 8) If, when he stumbles or falls due to weakness, he scolds himself, he is sick, he laments, he laments, as if he had lost something great, and with the deepest humility and regret he casts himself before God and asks for forgiveness, looking to the Merciful Intercessor Jesus Christ, and says: “Turn away, O Lord, Thy Face from my sins” (Ps. 50:11), turn to His Face. Thy Christ,” and so he is consoled by the hope of God’s mercy. 9) When former sins come to his mind, he is very ashamed of them and regrets that he committed them, and thanks God that he was not struck down in such wickedness by His righteous judgment, but suffered with His grace, waiting for repentance. 10) He shows deeds of love for his neighbor without any hypocrisy, hence he is merciful, merciful, compassionate, patient, meek, joyfully forgiving sins, etc. 11) He avoids incidents that led to sin, fearing that he might fall into destruction through the action of the devil. 12) Such a person, when he sees his neighbor faulty, does not condemn him, as is the custom of others, but sympathizes with him diligently, takes pity and prays to God to bring him to his senses, remembering that he himself was in the same damnation, and can also sin, for the common human damnation is a fall. 13) He goes to church not for the sake of ceremony, but in order to, together with his faithful, his brothers, offer prayers to God, give thanks and glorify His holy name. 14) He consumes food, drink, etc. not for the sake of sensuality, but for the sake of need, so that he can serve God and carry out the work of his calling. In a word, to say: for such a person everything is different, both internal and external action and effort, compared to what was before; yet he does it voluntarily, without any coercion. For the faith and grace of God, living within, encourages him to do this. Paul, after turning to the faith of Christ, Christ, whom he persecuted and hastened to persecute, preaches in Damascus in such a way that all who heard were amazed and said: “Is this not the same one who persecuted in Jerusalem those who call on this name” (Acts 9:21) and so on; and then His name spreads throughout the entire universe; and for the sake of Him, for whose sake He bound others and betrayed them to death, He himself willingly and repeatedly is bound and desires to die; and then he is tied up, beaten, wounded, wounded and he dies. Zacchaeus, the repentant publican, gives half of his property to the poor and promises to return those whom he has offended fourfold; which is why he hears from Christ, the Knower of the Heart: “Now salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:8–9). So true conversion and repentance changes the whole person! From this it is clear that where there are no fruits of repentance, there is no true repentance, but it is false, nothing more than a deception of conscience; therefore, it does not bring any benefit to the repentant until he leaves his sins and begins a new life. Repentance is nothing other than spiritual resurrection. For while a person remains in sins, although he lives in body, he is dead in spirit: for he does not have God in his soul, Who is Life and the Source of life. Because as our body has soul, so does our soul have God. The body lives as long as the soul is in it. The soul lives as long as God dwells in it by His grace. The body will die when the soul leaves it. The soul dies when God leaves it. God leaves the soul because of nothing other than sin. For God and sin cannot abide together: “your sins have created a division between you and between God,” says the prophet Isaiah (Is. 59:2). So, the soul, having lost the gracious presence of God as its life, is dead no differently than the body, having lost the soul, remains dead. God encourages such a soul: “Awake, you who sleep, and rise from the dead” (Eph. 5:14). “He calls one who is in sins sleeping and dead,” says St. John Chrysostom, - for he emits an evil stench, like a dead man, and is inactive, like a sleeper, and sees nothing like that one, but only dreams and dreams” (Conversation 18 on the Epistle to the Ephesians). Just as a dead body does not move, does not feel and does nothing, so the soul, deprived of the grace of God, does not move, does not feel and does nothing spiritually. But when the body comes to life, it begins to do everything, and so the sinner, when he comes to life by the power and grace of God, begins to have a spiritual movement, to feel spiritually, to do spiritually. The soul, enlivened by God's grace, produces spiritual actions: it sees God by faith, touches by faith, hears God speaking by faith, tastes and smells with love, and tries to do deeds pleasing to Him. Thus, it is fitting for a repentant person to begin a new life through repentance and, as it were, to be born again, to be nourished, to grow and “to become a perfect man... to become” (Eph. 4:13). According to this, Saint John Chrysostom teaches, saying: “The Apostle Paul himself, when he speaks of the future that lies ahead, demands something else from us: resurrection, that is, a new life, which in the present life comes from a change in morals. If the fornicator is chaste, and the covetous is merciful, and the cruel is meek, then here too there will be a resurrection, which is the beginning of that. And why is there a resurrection? Because when sin died, righteousness rose again, and when the ancient life was blotted out, the new and angelic life lives” (Conversation 10 on the Epistle to the Romans). So, whoever is resurrected here will certainly, even if he dies, live, for he will rise in the general resurrection into eternal life, according to the false promise of our Lord: “They who have done good will come forth to the resurrection of life” (John 5:29). “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:6). These signs and fruits of a truly converted and repentant person can be seen both in Holy Scripture and in church history, and they are still noticeable in those who are converted and sincerely repentant. Chapter 5: Rebuke of the Unrepentant “I will give you over to the sword, you will all fall to the slaughter, for I called you, and you did not listen; I spoke, and you did not listen, and you did evil in Me; and you chose what I did not want. Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, My servants will eat, but you will hunger; My servants will rejoice, but you will be ashamed; My servants will rejoice with gladness of heart, but you will You will cry out in the pain of your heart, and you will mourn out of contrition of spirit" (Isaiah 65:12–14) “And I will come to you for judgment, and I will be a swift Accuser of sorcerers, and adulterers, and those who swear falsely in My name, and those who deprive the hireling of wages, and those who commit and oppress the widow and the orphan, and those who deal perverse justice to the stranger, and... those who do not fear Me,” says the Lord Almighty (Mal. 3:5). “At this time some came and told Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus said to them: “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the Galileans, that they suffered so much? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way” (Luke 13:1-3). “If you do not turn, He will cleanse His weapon; He has drawn His bow and prepared it, and in it He has prepared instruments of death; He has made His arrows for those who are burned” (Ps. 7:13-14). “Or do you neglect the riches of God’s goodness, meekness and long-suffering, not realizing that God’s goodness leads you to repentance? But, due to your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment from God, who will reward everyone according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:4-6). § 152. The very threat of God shows us nothing more than His mercy towards us. For just as He declared future blessings in His Word so that we, looking at them by faith, would strive for them and seek them, so also the evil things that are to come: hell, Gehenna, eternal fire, the never-ending worm, pitch darkness, gnashing of teeth, and so on, with which sinners will be tormented, - in the same Word He represents in the same Word so that, having heard about them, we would try to avoid them. For this purpose, about the former plagues of God, such as the global flood, the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, and so on, it is written in the Holy Scriptures so that we, looking at them, would beware of doing what those sinners did, and so would not fall under the terrible punishments that they suffered, or similar ones. § 153. It is very dangerous to despise God’s threats. For whoever despises them recognizes them in himself. God's threats are not idle words, but they have their own power and effect, and will certainly be fulfilled by deeds themselves if we do not correct ourselves. Our forefathers despised God's rebuke: “on the day that... you eat of it, the commanded tree, you will surely die” (Gen. 2:17), and they ate of it and died. The transgressors who were under Noah despised them and perished in the flood. The Sodomites despised them and did not escape the terrible fiery execution. For “God is not mocked” (Gal.6:7). What does not execute sinners, but is patient with them, that is, the work of His goodness, which leads them to repentance, as the apostle says: “Or do you neglect the riches of the goodness, meekness and long-suffering of God, not realizing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” But if they remain unrepentant and bitter, then the truth of God will come into its own; and they will feel the wrath of God on themselves to the extent that they do not care about the riches of His goodness, and meekness, and long-suffering, as the same apostle says: “Because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous Judgment from God, who will reward everyone according to his deeds.” On the contrary, whoever fears God’s threats and repents will escape them. The Ninevites were afraid of the execution announced to them through the prophet, and, turning from the evil way, they were saved. But what happened before, the same thing happens now: just as before those who repented received God’s mercy and the unrepentant recognized God’s judgment on themselves, so now the same God’s mercy appears to those who repent and the unrepentant receive their lot. For it is one and the same God now, who was before and will be forever. Even now He thunders to everyone from His holy heights: “If you do not repent, you will all perish in the same way.” This terrible thunder strikes both the ears of those who came before us, and ours, and the ears of those who will come after us. Blessed are those who feel its blow not only in their ears, but also in their hearts! § 154. Those who attribute both everything and the executions that take place to some blind chance - and their heartfelt advice is described in the Book of Wisdom - and therefore do not believe in the future, those who should be after death, and, darkened by this godless opinion, rush to all sorts of lawlessness and untruths, to which lust and malice attracts them - will certainly learn for themselves that chance is insane and ungodly attributed. Then they recognize that there is a God who rewards both for piety and punishes for wickedness, and that everything happens not by chance, but by His wise Providence, when others, as those who fear and honor God, will see His eternal mercy, and will feel His eternal wrath. Then they will truly repent, but it is too late, and they will sigh in distress of spirit, but it is useless. Then they will learn by themselves that there is Gehenna, eternal fire, when they taste its sorrows. Then they will admit their error. “So we have lost our way from the true path, and the light of truth did not shine for us, and the sun did not shine for us. We were filled with paths of lawlessness and destruction, and walked in an impassable wilderness; but they did not know the way of the Lord. What benefit has pride and wealth brought us with greatness? All this passed away like a shadow and a fleeting rumor, just as after the passage of a ship sailing on choppy water, it is impossible to find a trace or path in the waves” (Wis. 5:6-10) and so on. Article 2: About the last four “It is appointed for men to die once” (Heb. 9:27). “And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: “Write: From now on blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; to her, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labors” (Rev. 14:13). § 155. Our life is like a path that we constantly walk from birth to death. Whether we are watching, or sleeping, working, or resting, this path continually shortens, and everyone approaches his end. When we are born, we enter this path, and when we die, we end this path. And the more we live, the further we move from the border of birth, and the more we approach the border of the end. And so our life on earth is nothing more than a constant and continuous approach to death. § 156. This path is long for one, short for another God has determined. Some in infancy, others in adolescence, others in youth, others in adulthood, and others graduate from it in old age. § 157. As it is known that we began this path, it is also known that we will finish it. But when we finish it, God’s Providence hid it from us, so that we would always expect the end, and would always try to be what we want to be at the end. “For this reason,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “God decreed for us an unknown day of our death, so that we, due to the unknown end of our life, would always maintain ourselves in virtue” (Conversation 4 on the Epistle to the Hebrews). § 158. Both the time and the image of our end are unknown to us. We are all born in one way, but we die in many different ways, and there are almost as many deaths as there are people. Another drowns in water and ends his life. Some are devoured by earth, others are strangled. Another, struck by thunder, leaves this world; another, hanged on a tree, passes to the next world. Others are killed by robber hands. Others lay down to sleep and don’t get up. Some walking, others sitting, others standing, fall lifeless. Many, burdened with wine and sleep, do not awaken and will sleep until the general uprising. Some in the arms of harlots, others in theft, robbery, murder, others in other iniquities are struck by God's righteous judgment. But what happens or has happened to others can happen to you and anyone. Those who suffered such a death did not hope that this would happen to them, but they found out for themselves. It’s the same with you, although you don’t hope that something similar can happen. Therefore, learn to be careful from the misfortune of others, and always prepare yourself for that hour by repentance, so that no matter what death befalls you, it does not take away the unprepared. § 159. At death, everyone knows completely what opinion a healthy person should have about worldly things. Then everyone speaks righteously about wealth, honor, glory and voluptuousness. Righteously, I say, he reasons that he admired them as if in a dream, and that, like the dream of one who has awakened, their image passed away. For just as he entered this world naked, so naked he comes out; does not take anything with him; everything worldly leaves to the world. Then, truly with Solomon, he admits that “all is vanity of vanities... and all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2). § 160. Although we often see this repentance in others later, the charming world blinds us so much that we do not feel it until we find out for ourselves. Some people think of destroying old granaries and creating new ones in order to collect their lives and entertain their souls cheerfully for many years; but he does not listen to God’s terrible voice: “Mad! This night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared” (Luke 12:20)? He expands another land, a patrimony, a chamber, but does not see that one coffin three arshins deep in the ground is being prepared for him. But maybe he won’t be worthy of even that. For either the womb of an animal, or the depths of the sea, or something else can be a grave. Another tries, as it were, to rise to the heights of honor and glory; but does not notice that the equally glorious, dignified and simple are consigned to the earth. Another fattens his body, but does not realize that he is preparing more food for worms. But in such plans everyone comes to an end, and so “all his thoughts perish” (Ps. 146:4). He recognizes himself in the same circumstances in which he previously saw others. Then he himself recognizes everything as vanity or as an obstacle to true bliss; then he repents and regrets that his mind was occupied with such vanity; then he himself, righteously, but too late, talks about all this. § 161. When we are born, we do not feel how we are born, although we know that there is one image of birth for everyone; and, having been born, “we find the first voice of weeping” (Wis.7:3). But this is not how we die. Then we feel how bitter death is; Then we will know how difficult it is to separate the spirit from the flesh, the union of which was insensitive to us. We notice this mortal grief in those who leave us before our eyes. We hear how heavily they sigh and groan; We note how painfully they get sick, how difficult it is to break the union of soul and body, what a great feat rises up in the conscience against despair, how unbearable the fear of condemnation is, the horror of Gehenna envelops us, and so on. Then reason, advice and wisdom become impoverished; human help can do nothing; one person remains, although surrounded by many friends and relatives; alone in that cruel battle he strives, fights against his enemies, if the strong help of the Merciful Jesus does not arrive. Therefore, those present in such a case should shed earnest prayer so that His help will come and deliver them from the sorrow that has befallen their brother. § 162. Just as there are two kinds of those who walk along the path of this world, that is, the race of the pious and the wicked, so the end is twofold and different, that is, the blessed and the unfortunate. Blessed is the end of the pious when they die in piety in the Lord, as a heavenly voice declares: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord!” ( Rev. 14:13 ). The end of the wicked is unhappy, who end their lives in wickedness without true repentance and living faith. For just as death is a rest from labors and a transition from a painful to an eternal and joyful life, so after temporary death follows eternal death. Both will be perceived by eternity, which has a beginning but no end. But not equal eternity. Tekh - blessed, containing all good things. These are unfortunate, deplorable, most painful and contain all the evil. § 163. Since the fear of death confuses everyone, including the pious, and although the spirit in such a case encourages, the weak flesh trembles, here some consolations are offered to the pious and truly repentant against this fear. 1) We are comforted by the innocent death of Christ, the Son of God, who “by His death deprived of the power of him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14), and delivered those who believe in His name from hell. The Immortal One died so that we, mortals, would not be afraid of death, about which St. John Chrysostom says so: “Like a doctor, not having the need to taste food, prepared for the sick, caring for him, he himself first tastes, so that the sick may eat without fear, so Christ, since all people were afraid of death, exhorting them not to be afraid of it, Himself tasted death, not having the need to die” (Conversation 4 on the Epistle to the Hebrews). Thus, being encouraged, the pious, who were before us, fearlessly met their coming death and with this hope, like a shield, they protected themselves from the fear of it, and their sorrow was dissolved by the sweet remembrance and reflection of the most precious death of Christ, and just as the blessed ones rested in sleep. 2) The resurrection of our bodies from the dead gives us consolation. Although the union of the soul with the body is resolved, and the dead body is consigned to the earth and decays, it will again be brought to life by God’s power, by which everything came from nothing, uniting with the soul, “when the dead hear the voice of the Son of God, and having heard, they will live” (John 5:25). Our faith confirms us in this, strengthened by the promises of God, like an anchor. “He who believes in Me...,” says Christ, “even if he dies, will live” (John 11:25). “Now Christ...,” says the apostle, “has risen from the dead, the Firstborn of those who have died. For as death is through man, so through man is the resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor. 15:20–21). “The dead will be raised and those in the graves will rise,” God Himself assures us through the mouth of the prophet (Is. 26:19). “Behold,” says the Lord Adonai to the bones of men, “Behold, I will bring the spirit of life into you, and I will bring flesh upon you, and I will spread skin over you, and I will put My spirit in you, and you will live, and you will know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. 37:5-6). And further in the same place: “Behold, I will open your graves, and I will bring you out of your graves, O My people, and I will put My spirit in you, and you will live and know that I am the Lord: I have spoken and will do,” says Adonai the Lord” (Ezek. 37:12-14). And in the book of the prophet Daniel he says: “Many (all) of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will rise—these to eternal life, and those to condemnation and eternal shame” (Dan. 12:2). “The time is coming...,” said the Savior, “in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who have done good will come out to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation” ( John 5:28–29) Confirms us with the omnipotence of God. For if He created all things from nothing, how much more will He clothe corruptible things with incorruptibility, and clothe mortal things with immortality (1 Cor. 15:54). widows in the city of Nain (Luke 7:14–15), Lazarus (John 11:43–44), Tabitha (Acts 9:40–42). They heard the voice of the Son of God - and came to life. The dead will hear the voice of the same Son of God on the last day - and having heard, they will live. Shows that very nature. A grain that is sown in the ground and dies sprouts and bears much fruit (John 12:24; 1 Cor. 15:36). Shows the growth of all herbs in the spring, which rise from the earth, like dead people from their graves, and dress in a new beautiful form, and produce different fruits. 3) Holy Angels are present in the Lord when they are dying and transfer their souls to Abraham’s bosom, as Christ Himself teaches about this (Luke 16:22). 4) Those who die in the Lord, as it is said, begin a new, better life and blissful eternity. Here, living every day in anticipation of death, we do nothing more than die every day, and day by day we get closer to death. But after death this will not happen: there will be only unceasing abiding in blissful eternity. 5) With these sinful and corruptible eyes we cannot see the glory of God and the King of glory Jesus Christ, the Son of God, but “then we will see face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12) “and we will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). 6) After death, those who have died in the Lord will come into a gracious sojourn with the holy Angels, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs and all the saints who are now waiting for the faithful until the Lord leads them out of the prison of mortal flesh. 7) Real life is filled with many troubles and illnesses. There is no one who lives in constant happiness to the end. We see a constant change: from the rich one becomes poor, from the glorious one becomes inglorious, from the healthy one becomes weak. The prison receives the free, fear from enemies, fear from evil people, fear from fire, fear from the flesh, the charming world, fear from the adversary of the devil, who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We are born with crying. We live in troubles, sorrows, weaknesses, and fear. We end our lives in fear and cramped conditions. Our life in this world is so poor and deplorable! But if we die in the Lord, we are freed from all these troubles. 8) This life is filled with sins. For we always stumble and fall; Now in word, now in deed, now in mind we are faulty and guilty before the judgment of God. Everyone knows this by himself, who notices and examines his conscience. The righteous man falls and gets up seven times a day. Babies themselves are not without defilement in the eyes of God. “Who... will be clean from filth? No one, even if he lives only one day on earth,” says Job (Job 14:4–5). The chosen vessel of God, Saint Paul, complains about this damnation and sighs: “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. Poor man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death” (Rom. 7:23–24)? But whoever reposes in a blessed death is freed from this damnation. 9) How many temptations there are in this charming world, which you are forced to see and hear! How many heresies, superstitions, various and destructive teachings arise, which all try to lead us away from Christ! And the more this age draws to an end, the more they multiply, “to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). Oh, how blessed is he who avoids all these enemy Antichrist arrows with a blessed death! Therefore, the Good Provider Lord “snatches His chosen ones from the midst of the evil one, so that malice does not change their mind, or deceit deceives their souls” (Wisdom 4:11). 10) Life on earth is nothing more than a path, as it is said, a journey, a constant battle. So, who would want to always be on the road, to wander, to always be in battle, to fight with enemies, to be wounded, to be in anxiety and fear? Blessed death ends all this and leads to the desired Fatherland. Why don’t we want to end this journey and battle? 11) What is common to all people is to die. What God said to our forefather: “You are earth... and to earth you will go” (Gen. 3:19), then it is said to everyone: “You are earth and to earth you will go.” we pass: today one, the next morning, and then a third, and so one after the other follows and hides in the depths of the earth. Fear, be afraid - you cannot escape what is common and necessary for everyone 12) How poor and damned Christians would be, more than all people, in constant troubles, sorrows, exploits, if they were always commanded to live in this world! “And if in this life only we hope in Christ...,” says St. Paul, “then we are the most miserable of all men” (1 Cor. 15:19). For a Christian to always live in this world is nothing more than to be in troubles and sorrows, for a true Christian cannot be without adversity. But who will say: “I am not afraid of death, but my sins confuse me?” Answer: 1) If you have committed sins, and have abandoned them by the grace of God, and show the fruits of repentance, there is nothing to be embarrassed about, but you should strengthen yourself with hope in God’s mercy. For to the one who truly repents, God forgives his sins and accepts him in His mercy. 2) If you commit sins, you must leave them behind and repent, and also strengthen yourself with the hope of God’s mercy, and thus unnecessary fear will go away. 3) If you do not want to leave your sins behind, you must truly tremble at death. For this temporary death is followed by a second, bitterest, eternal death, by which sinners will die endlessly. And although this fear confuses the pious, they nevertheless feel against it the comforting grace of God, which strengthens the weak flesh. But unrepentant sinners should truly tremble. To those who do not repent, God’s holy Word closes the door of the heavenly kingdom: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor fools, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the kingdom of God,” says the Apostle (1 Cor. 6:9-10). But instead, he defines a lake of fire: “But the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This is the second death” (Rev. 21:8). 4) If you don’t want to leave your sins behind, and want to live longer in this world, you want nothing else than to sin more, and thus collect more of God’s wrath, for the more someone sins, the more God’s wrath he collects. “Because of your stubbornness...,” says the apostle, “and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of righteous Judgment from God” (Rom. 2:5). § 164. A brief consolation is also offered to those who lament the death of the dead. 1) The Holy Apostle gives consolation to everyone about all the dead Christians: “I do not want to leave you, brothers, in ignorance about the dead, so that you do not grieve like others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then God will also bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14). See the above reasons for consolation in the second paragraph. 2) If you are deprived of children who die small or as infants, thank God for delighting them, “lest wickedness change their minds, or deceit deceive their souls” (Wis. 4:11). And so you send your fruits to Christ into His heavenly kingdom. Also give thanks that you will not take care of them in Christian upbringing and instruction: for parents for children who are not instructed in a Christian way will be severely tortured before the judgment of God. When you are deprived of adults and children and you have wealth that you had to leave as an inheritance to children, then you can invest it in the hands of the poor - the brethren of Christ - with spiritual benefit; and so you will have not one or three, but many heirs, and you will receive that inheritance with many profits in the next century. If you remain poor after the death of your adult children, give yourself to the Providence of Christ, the Son of God, Who feeds everyone and cares for everyone. 3) If you are deprived of your father, you have the Father God, from whom you were spiritually born. Just as he provided for your father, so he provides for you. If you remain an orphan without a mother, you also have instead of a mother the same God, Who is the “Father of orphans” (Ps. 67:6), Who through the prophet consoles all such: “Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have mercy on the son of her womb? But even if a woman... forgets,... I will not forget you,” says the Lord (Is. 49:15). 4) If you are separated from a brother or friend by death, you have as many friends and brothers as there are Christians, who are “all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Carnal friendship is temporary and is terminated by death; but the union of spiritual friendship that exists between Christ and His faithful is indestructible, firm and eternal, and therefore cannot be stopped by death itself. This blessed friendship begins here in this world, and in the next century it will be completed, and forever and ever will be indestructible, where there will be one love for each other, they will rejoice in each other, they will be comforted, they will have fun, God will rejoice over His elect: “And it will be, as the groom rejoices over the bride, so the Lord will rejoice over you” (Is. 62:5), the chosen, saved and blessed assembly. The Lord their God will rejoice and be comforted. So each of them will cry out with a joyful spirit: “Let my soul rejoice in the Lord: for he has clothed me with the robe of salvation and clothed me with the robe of joy” (Is. 61:10 5) If the husband has lost his wife, he has freed himself from the law of marriage, which the wife obliges to the husband and the husband to the wife, and can more conveniently worry about “how to please the Lord.” Likewise, a wife who has lost her husband can more conveniently worry about “how to please the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:32–34). 6) Although no matter how much you grieve, lament, cry, sob and tear, you can no longer bring back the deceased. It is in your will to cry or not to cry, but to return it is not in your will and power. You will certainly follow the deceased, but he will not return to you, and therefore tears and crying are in vain. 7) Out of excessive grief, many reach such a point that they say: “God has offended me by taking someone dear from me,” and so terribly blaspheme God. God does not offend anyone, but does everything according to His wise Providence for us. 8) Whatever God pleases, as the Supreme Lord and Creator, he does. So, when you grieve and lament for the deceased, who died by the will of God, you show your displeasure, and thereby resist the will of God, in which you sin before your Creator. 9) The Lord gave you a son, or a daughter, or a wife, or for you, wife, a husband. He takes your son, or daughter, etc. from you; and therefore he takes what he gave you as his own, and not your own. We are all God's: fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers, friends, masters and slaves. And therefore there is no need to grieve and lament inconsolably, but everyone should say with Saint Job in this case: “The Lord gave, the Lord also took away; as the Lord willed, so it was. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever” (Job 1:21). Chapter 2: About the Second Coming of Christ, or about the Last Judgment “The Lord abides forever; He has prepared His Throne for judgment, and He will judge the world in righteousness” (Ps. 9:8-9). “Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven,” the Angels say to the apostles at the Ascension of Christ (Acts 1:11). “We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). § 165. Just as holy faith and the holy Word of God teach us that Jesus, the Son of God, appeared on earth for our salvation and lived with people, and gave eternal salvation to those who believe in Him, died and rose again, ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of God, so the same faith confirms to us that he will come to earth again. His first coming was humble, the second was glorious. In the first he came to “seek and save the lost” (Matthew 18:11), in the second he will come to judge and reward everyone according to his deeds. In the first he came “to call... sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13), in the second he came to judge unrepentant sinners. In the first He showed us His mercy and love for mankind; in the second He will declare His truth. § 166. The image or production of the Judgment of Christ is depicted by the Evangelist Matthew in chapter 25. All nations will gather for that Judgment, and they will be separated one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And the sheep will be placed at the right hand of the Righteous Judge, and the goats at the left. Those on the right side will hear the longed-for voice of the King of glory: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me." Those on the left will hear a terrible definition: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and they did not visit Me. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life” (Matthew 25:31–43, 46). § 167. At that Judgment we will be judged not only for evil deeds, but also for abandoning good deeds. For he says to those on the left side: “I was hungry, and you did not give me anything to eat,” and so on. God commands both to avoid evil and to do good (see Ps. 33:15) - therefore, both by creating evil and by abandoning good, the commandment of God is transgressed. Transgression of God’s commandment results in disobedience to God, for which a person is guilty before God. § 168. Informants and witnesses, as happens at human courts, will not be required at this Court. For the Judge, as the Knower of the Heart, knows everything - not only the word and deed, but also the thoughts, intentions, and intentions of everyone. Then the books of conscience will open, in which everyone will see their deeds, words, thoughts, undertakings and intentions. “Like a shadow behind a body,” says St. Basil the Great, - thus the sins of the souls will follow to the final Judgment, clearly demonstrated by their deeds” (In a word to the rich). Woe to us then from these rivals of ours, if we do not free ourselves from them here through tears and repentance. And not only will we see them ourselves, but the whole world, Angels and all people will see our obvious and hidden deeds. “Good and evil,” says the same holy father, “obvious and secret, deeds, words and thoughts - all this will be revealed publicly to the Angels and people” (In the letter to the fallen virgin). § 169. At that Judgment there will be no distinction between the prince and his subject, between the master and the slave, between the noble and the noble, as happens at the human court. For the Judge is impartial, and judges by deeds, and not by persons: moreover, “the strong will be greatly tormented; for he does not spare face... The Lord of all and will not be afraid of a noble” (Wis. 6:6-7). “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). The shepherd will require the verbal sheep, purchased by the Blood of Christ and entrusted to him for safekeeping. The judge will be required to keep the truth and oaths given before the Witness God. The rich man will be required to know how and for what he used the wealth given by God. It will be demanded of the intelligent and learned man for what he has used the gift of reason, given by God. Likewise, everyone “will give this answer for his talent” (Matthew 25:14–30). § 170. There both imaginary righteous people and revered sinners will appear. “Then the righteous will stand with great boldness in the face of those who insulted him and despised his labors. And the one who was... in ridicule and reproach of the world, and whose life the world considered... madness and death... dishonorable, he turned out to be among the sons of God and will see him in the holy lot (Wis. 5: 1, 3-5). §171. Usually, those summoned to the court of this world prepare in advance what and how to answer at the trial, so as not to be condemned. But preparation for the Judgment of Christ is the opposite of this. Cunning and eloquence help a lot here - nothing there. Here gold and silver protect and stop the mouth of truth - but there is nothing. Here the representatives help many, somehow: the strong to the strong, the noble to the noble, the rich to the rich - there’s nothing there. And therefore, those who wish to appear at the judgment of this world seek these and similar benefits so as not to be put to shame at the trial. And what are the preparations for that Judgment? Completely different!.. Which one? Nowadays one must expose oneself completely before the Judge, and even then without permission. Before the Court, condemn yourself, declare yourself guilty, sincerely admit yourself worthy of any execution. And at the same time, with humility and hope, pray to Him not to judge by works; “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant” (Ps. 142:2). And so from His righteousness to His mercy, from His righteous anger to His mercy, and often repeat the humble voice of the publican: “God! Be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). And do this now, in this century, while the mercy of God is open to all who seek it. And there all humility and prayer are useless, for then the truth will come into effect. § 172. “The Lord abides forever: He has prepared His Throne for Judgment.” The Archangel is ready to “sound and awaken” from the beginning of the world those who “sleep” (Ps. 9:8–9; 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:32); The Angels are ready to “gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven” (Mark 13:27) - they are ready, but they are waiting for one command from the Judge. Gehenna is ready to torment sinners; The kingdom of heaven is ready to give peace and joy to the righteous. “The Righteous Judge has prepared His Throne for Judgment to render to everyone according to his deeds” (Matthew 16:27). And when that Day of Judgment comes, when the Judge comes to His Judgment, when the thrones are set up for the Judgment, when the Archangel sounds the trumpet and awakens the dead, God’s Providence hid from us so that we would always expect Him. The prophets cry, the apostles preach, the fathers and shepherds teach that “He has prepared His throne for judgment, and He will judge the world in righteousness,” but expects us to prepare. Get ready too, sinner! The Judge “has already prepared His throne for judgment... Behold, the Judge stands at the door” (James 5:9), “he will come and will not tarry” (Heb.10:37). Get ready, too, so that the unprepared does not find you; cleanse your conscience with warm repentance; Humble yourself, pray tenderly to the Judge until He calls you to His judgment. Now pray to Him while time gives you; now correct yourself while “the time is acceptable... and the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2); Now cry while tears are useful; now repent while He receives those who repent. Then there will be no place for repentance, no tears, no crying; but there will be one strict test of deeds. § 173. Especially worthy of note are those words of Christ which, at His Judgment, say to those on the left side: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you did not give Me anything to eat,” and so on. If those who did not give from their estates and did not show other deeds of mercy to their neighbors are sent by Christ to eternal fire, what will happen to those who not only did not give their own, but also robbed others? What will happen to thieves, predators, bribe-takers, covetous people? What will happen to those who, according to their position, not only did not wipe away the tears of those who were crying, but for the sake of their delicacy they multiplied? What will happen to those who sent their mercenaries without proper compensation? What will happen to those who fed on the excess of wickedness? What will happen to those who tore off the last penny from their subordinates and thereby sought honor for themselves, or served luxury, or prepared a rich inheritance for their sons, or decorated their daughters, like a church, and gave them a noble dowry? It is impossible to depict the severity of God’s wrath and the severity of the future eternal execution that follows! I leave it to them to decide. But true repentance, which was mentioned above, makes amends for everything. Chapter 3: About eternal torment and eternal life “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life” (Matthew 25:46). § 174. Eternity, in which we will remain after the rising from the dead and the end of Christ’s righteous Judgment, is nothing more than one beginning without end. It will always begin, but will never end. Imagine in your mind that a hundred thousand years will pass - there is no end to eternity. A hundred thousand centuries will pass (a century contains a hundred years) - there is no end to eternity. A thousand thousand and a million million centuries will pass - there is no end to eternity. But it's just beginning. And although you will continue to enter eternity with your mind, you will see one beginning without an end. No matter how many millions of centuries you collect in your mind, they are all against eternity like one drop of water against the whole ocean, or like a poppy seed against the whole world, or, better said, like nothing. For everything can diminish little by little and end, but eternity cannot, because it is infinite. The further you extend your mind into eternity, the greater its length opens, for it is infinite. Well, some depict eternity with these words: eternity is always and never, that is, it will always be, but will never end. § 175. God's Holy Word tells us about a double eternity: blessed and unhappy. Blessed eternity, or eternal bliss, will be in heaven, according to the word of the apostle: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). Unfavorable eternity - in hell and fiery Gehenna. In a blissful eternity there will be immortal life, and in an unhappy eternity there will be immortal death. In a blissful eternity there will be a sweet vision of God’s Face, and in an unhappy eternity there will be a distance from the Face of God. In a blessed eternity there will be a reign with Christ and a kind friendship with His holy Angels, and in an unhappy eternity there will be a stay with the devil and his evil demons. In a blissful eternity there will be indescribable light, and in an unfavorable eternity there will be pitch darkness. In a blessed eternity there will be joy and unceasing joy, the “voice of joy and... gladness” will be heard (Jer. 16:9), and in an unhappy eternity there will be unceasing sorrow and sadness and the voice of sighing and crying will be heard. In blissful eternity all the “good things that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and have not come... will be united... in the heart of man" (1 Cor. 2:9); in a dysfunctional place all the evils will converge, which the tongue cannot say and the mind cannot understand. § 176. Blessed eternity is explained by comparison with temporary well-being, which, although there is nothing against it, nevertheless shows it to us as a shadow and likeness - the thing itself. Everyone knows how people are caught up in the well-being of this light, which primarily consists of honor, glory, wealth, peace, tranquility, friendship with good and respectable people, etc., and how those who prosper in them are pleased. But, however, any current well-being is nothing in comparison with eternal bliss. 1) Any temporary well-being cannot be so great that it would not be dissolved with some kind of opposition. Many have wealth, but do not have health, peace, peace, a good name, and other things. Others live in peace and tranquility, but are beggars and are in contempt. There is no friendship without suspicion, because there is no perfect love. There is no world without danger, for many are surrounded by enemies. There is no health without weakness in a corruptible and mortal body. There is no glory that envy does not darken with slander and slander. The same should be understood about other things. But blissful eternity excludes all opposition. There is a kingdom without fear, without labor and care. There glory always shines. There is health without any illness. There is joy without sorrow. There is peace and quiet without danger. There is fun without sadness. The friendship there is unhypocritical. There is wisdom without “foolishness” (1 Cor. 3:19). There is life without death. There, all good is not involved in any evil. For “God,” the Source of all good things, “will be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). 2) The human heart cannot be satisfied with any temporary well-being. The greater the wealth, glory, honor, the more the desire for wealth, glory, honor grows. And where there is desire and care, there is restlessness and rebellion. But in a blessed eternity, all desire will end, for the bliss perfect in it. There glory, honor cannot rise higher; there wealth does not grow; there health, peace, peace, wisdom do not increase: for the highest Good, which is God, appears. There everyone is satisfied with his lot. “I will be satisfied,” says the prophet, “when Your glory appears to me” (Ps. 16:15). For desire ends when perfect bliss is realized, which can no longer exist. 3) Even if someone has temporary well-being and no longer desires it, he is embarrassed with fear lest he lose it. For whatever prosperity he sees in others, he expects for himself. He sees that wealth is followed by poverty, when “moth and rust destroy it and... thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19); for glory comes dishonor, for honor comes dishonor. The one who now rides a chariot is shut up in prison in the morning. The one who is praised today is cursed in the morning. The one who is now worshiped will be trampled under foot in the morning. And there are few who would remain in constant happiness. But although this rare fortune serves someone, mortal fear, expected from hour to hour, disturbs, and so all well-being, like darkness, darkens the sun’s radiance. But blissful eternity excludes everything that is contrary. That good, once received, is never lost; then wealth is not afraid of poverty; that glory does not fear disgrace; that honor does not guard against dishonor; then health, peace, tranquility, fun are not afraid of weakness, anxiety, sadness. For everything there is safe, everything is peaceful and calm. 4) Finally, both this life and all well-being ends in death, and so everything happens, like the dream of someone awakening, like steam that appears for a short time and disappears. And therefore all temporary well-being is like nothing. When a person dies, his well-being also dies. If he leaves the rich world, he also leaves his wealth. When the glorious one departs from this light, his glory also departs from him. When the wise man ends, his wisdom also ends. When a strong man dies, his strength also dies. Where is the fear now of the former victors of the world? Where is the glory of the glorified? Where is the wealth of the rich? Where is the strength of the strong? Where is the wisdom of the wise? Where is the consolation and sweetness for those who love luxury? Everything moved away from them, just as they themselves moved away from here. “All this has passed away like a shadow and like a rushing rumor” (Wis. 5:9). But although this well-being is so fickle, the sons of the age are consoled by it. And how will God’s chosen ones be comforted when they receive that true bliss, that true glory, honor, peace, peace, joy and joy from the hands of the Lord, and inherit all the riches of God’s goodness, and are firmly confident that they will abide in that highest bliss forever and ever! Which I earnestly wish both for myself and for everyone. Amen! § 177. Just as eternal bliss comes from temporary well-being, so eternal misfortune from temporary well-being is somewhat known and felt. There is no such great calamity in this world that does not have some consolation and relief. Poverty is sad, but it receives consolation from the name of Christ and the mercy of good people. A cruel disease is painful, but it is relieved by treatment or something else. It is considered a great disaster and misfortune not only to lose one’s honor, property, wife, and children, but also to be thrown into prison. However, the poor are not without consolation: they enjoy light and air, common to all, although not equally with the free; cools himself with food and drink; sadness, falling asleep, forgets; he is consoled by visiting kind people; He feeds on the hope of liberation: perhaps he cannot tolerate wounds and beatings. If he suffers unjustly, he rejoices in the hope of heavenly reward. If he righteously humbles himself before God, admits sin, repents, and thus rejoices in the hope of God’s mercy, saying: “It is good for me that He humbled me, so that I might learn Your statutes” (Ps. 119:71). Besides, death will end all this disaster. But how hard, how unbearable it is to lose that glory, before which all the glory of this world, gathered together like pus; to be deprived of the contemplation of that beautiful Face, whose beauty, kindness and benevolence transforms the entire heart and spirit into desire and love, with whom the blessed spirits from the beginning cannot be satisfied, and will forever be satisfied without satiety. How hard it is to turn away from the King of glory, Christ, whose beauty surpasses the radiance of the sun, whose sweetness, having tasted a little on the mountain, St. Peter cried out: “It is good for us to be here” (Matthew 17:4); move away from the city of that beautiful, heavenly Jerusalem, which “needs neither the sun nor the moon to give its light, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev. 21:23); to be expelled from that glorious and sweet supper, at which from the beginning of the world to the end the called and chosen of God will “drink and be merry” and shout for joy (Is. 65:133, 14, 18); to be alienated from the kind friendship of the blessed spirits and all the saints; in addition, to be numbered among the dark and crafty spirits, to be imprisoned in a prison uninvolved with the light, to suffer without weakening in the fire of Gehenna, which burns but does not burn, torments but does not kill. Temporary distress and suffering, as it has been said, whatever it may be, does not happen without consolation, and no matter how long it lasts, it ends in death. But that disaster and misfortune is endless. There will be no return to the glory of God; there will be no deliverance from the bonds of hell and fiery suffering; in a word - eternal despair in the mercy of God, an eternal feeling of the righteous wrath of God. There the answer will be heard: “Remember that you have already received your good things in your life” (Luke 16:25). Here people are running away from death, but there they will desire it, and run away from them; they will wish to turn into nothing, but will not be able to; and so they will always die, but they will never die. And this is the “second death” (Rev. 9:6, 21:8). Great suffering is multiplied by the fact that the sufferer has no hope of returning the good that he lost through negligence, and of freeing himself from the terrible evil into which he arbitrarily fell. This will result in great melancholy, great fear and horror. The conscience will arise, which will denounce and gnaw at the sinner all eternity for having rejected such a high grace of God, and so willfully deprived himself of God’s highest mercy forever, and has come to such a painful state. God, the Creator of heaven and earth, did not spare His Son for your sake, but handed Him over to death and such cruel suffering as the Gospel declared to you, and the church teachers preached. And God created this in order to save you from this trouble. But you despised this ineffable love of God; He left God for the sake of temporary small pleasure; fulfilled your own whims, and not the will of God, which wanted to save you; served and pleased Satan, not Christ. Other people like you are now consoled, rejoice, and are filled with eternal blessings, because they believed and followed Christ their Savior by faith; but you rejected God’s advice, and so you perished. How much God called you to repentance, how much the preachers exhorted you - you despised it all. You didn’t want to listen to God during your life, and God won’t listen to you now; do not expect anything more than the disaster in which you find yourself. You will always drink this cup of sorrow, but you will never drink it. Repent now, but it is late and useless if you did not want to repent usefully in the world. Moan, sigh, cry, sob, but it’s useless if you didn’t want to cry where tears were useful. Thus, the condemned person will be tormented and, like a worm, his conscience will gnaw endlessly, and the disease will add to the illness, the torment will be added to the torment!.. In such cramped conditions and despair, nothing more will follow than that the condemned person will hate himself, be angry with himself, be disgusting with himself, abhor himself, scold himself, condemn himself, curse the hour of conception and the hour of birth, curse the time in which sinned, curse the cases that led to sin, curse those persons who gave the opportunity to sin, remember those who exhorted against sin. Oh, eternity, eternity, ill-fated eternity! Just as the very memory of you terrifies our spirit! As much as the blissful eternity amuses and delights the spirit of the meditator, so much does the ill-fated eternity lead to sadness and fear. It is impossible to think about it without sighing and horror. It is better to endure any calamity here; It is better to suffer from any serious illness all your life; It’s better to sit chained in a stinking prison all your life, accept beatings and wounds, die all the days, burn in fire when this is possible; Finally, it is better to endure all the troubles in the world, gathered together, with thanksgiving, if the will of God pleases, than to lose a blissful eternity and end up in a troubled one. For here, no matter what suffering happens, there is some consolation and it ends in death. There is fierce suffering, suffering without any consolation, suffering not only in words, but also incomprehensible to the mind, suffering that will always be, but will never end. “Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched,” says the prophet (Is. 66:24). Whoever believes this, reflecting and often remembering that terrible misfortune, can be moved to repentance most earnestly in order to get rid of that misfortune. And whoever does not believe will taste it by the very act of sorrow and will taste it endlessly, as it is said. § 178. The pious enter into blessed eternity, those who are justified by faith in Christ, the Son of God, and those who have completed this living life in faith, whom Christ Himself, pleasing, calls into bliss: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me” (Matthew 25:34–36). Unrepentant sinners will be plunged into an unhappy eternity, whom Christ will send away from Himself as ungrateful, thus: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and they did not visit Me. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life” (Matthew 25:41–43, 46). Both go, but not equally: some with inconsolable weeping and sobbing, others with joy and inexpressible rejoicing. For they go to different places: some to the abode of the Heavenly Father, to the decorated palaces of the King of Glory, to the great supper, endlessly entertaining, and to the sweet marriage of the Lamb; others - to an eternal prison and a place of crying, sobbing and the most cruel torment. Some will be received by heaven with all the blessings that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and have not entered... into the heart of man” (1 Cor. 2:9); others will be imprisoned in hell with all the evil ones, whom it is impossible to depict in words or understand with the mind. Article 3: On Christian virtues “And if you call Him Father, who impartially judges everyone according to their works, then go through the time of your pilgrimage with fear, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from the futile life handed down to you from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot, predestined before the foundation of the world, but who has appeared in the last times for you” (1 Peter 1:17–20). “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; the mind is good in all those who are guided by it. His praise endures forever” (Ps. 110:10). “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he will greatly love His commandments” (Ps. 111:1) § 179. How great is the gift of God, the fear of God, and how blessed are those who have it, God’s word testifies. “The fear of the Lord is glory and praise and gladness and a crown of joy. The fear of the Lord will gladden the heart and give joy and gladness and long life. He who fears the Lord will have good fortune in the end, and will find grace on the day of his death. The fear of the Lord is a gift from the Lord, and leads on the paths of love. Love for the Lord is glorious wisdom; and to whom He appears, He divides it at His own discretion. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and with the faithful it is formed together in the womb. She established among people... an eternal foundation and it will be entrusted to their seed. The fullness of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and she will make them drink from her fruits. Their whole house... will be filled with what they desire, and their vessels with their products. The Crown of Wisdom is the fear of the Lord, which produces peace and unharmed health. Both are gifts of God, and increase joy for those who love Him. He saw it and measured it, poured down knowledge and intelligent knowledge like rain, and increased the glory of those who possessed it. The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and its branches are long life. The fear of the Lord drives away sins” (Sir.1:11-21). And again: “Honorable is the nobleman, and the judge, and the ruler, but none of them fears the Lord greater” (Sir.10:27). And again: “there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord and nothing is sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord” (Sir.23:36). And again: “How great is he who has gained wisdom, but there is no one who fears the Lord greater: the fear of the Lord surpasses everything” (Sir.25:13-14). And again: “He who fears the Lord will neither fear nor fear anything, for He is his hope. Blessed is the soul of the one who fears the Lord” (Sir.34:14-15). And God also says: “The Sun of righteousness will shine on you who fear My name, and healing in its rays, and you will go out and leap like bulls who have been released from their bonds” (Mal. 4:2). And again: “The fear of the Lord is a source of life, turning away from the snare of death” (Proverbs 14:27). And also the Psalmist: “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will give Him a law for the way that pleases Him. His soul will dwell among blessings, and his seed will inherit the earth. The Lord is the strength of those who fear Him, and His covenant will show them this” ***** (Ps. 24:12-14). For the fear of God is like a faithful guard who always watches and protects the spiritual home from all evil, or even like a strong and high wall that hinders the arrows that the enemy throws and makes them ineffective. The fear of God does not allow one to be seduced by the beauties of this world. The fear of God teaches us to have the honor, glory, wealth, sweetness and luxury of the world in suspicion as providing opportunities for all evil. The fear of God does not allow the mind to wander freely, the tongue to talk a lot, the eyes to look at everything, the ears to listen to everything. But he always teaches us to take care of everything and, like a bird, to look around. The fear of God also teaches what is allowed, such as: food, drink, clothing - not for the sake of sweetness and luxury, but for the sake of need. The fear of God teaches us to diligently heed the law of God and all useful instruction, reproof, and punishment. The fear of God teaches the conscience to examine and purify with warm repentance. The fear of God instructs us to always pray and sigh to God, so as not to fall into sin. The fear of God admonishes us to avoid situations that lead to sin. The fear of God exhorts the one who has offended to forgive, and not to be angry with the one who is angry, not to speak evil of the one who slander, and not to rebuke the one who reproaches. The fear of God, finally, teaches us to despise the mortal fear of man, so as not to anger God, and to surrender to bodily death in order to avoid spiritual death. The fear of God is a true school of humility, which attracts God's grace. Truly, there is no one stronger and firmer than the one who has the fear of God. “Honorable is the nobleman, and the judge, and the ruler, but none of them fears the Lord greater,” says Sirach (Sir.10:27). § 180. The signs of the fear of God are the following: 1) He who has the fear of God openly and secretly, that is, before people and without people, is protected from all sins, since he sees God everywhere before him, Whom he fears to anger. Consequently, whoever does not sin before people, but sins secretly, does not have the fear of God, but has shame and human fear; He is ashamed and afraid of people, not God; pleases people, not God. And such a person is a hypocrite. 2) He does not look at the sins of others, but penetrates into his own conscience and, seeing the sins in it, cleanses it with diligent repentance and prayer. 3) He willingly listens to God’s word and any instruction, punishment, reproof, and seeks to either discern the sins that are in his conscience and so repent of them, or so that in the future he can more easily guard himself from them with God’s help. 4) He constantly and earnestly prays and sighs, so that God Himself will instruct him and save him from sins and everything that leads to sin. 5) Avoids cases that lead to sin, such as meetings, amusements, games, angry conversations, conversations about people and others. 6) He protects his sight and hearing, knowing that through them, like through doors, all evil enters the church of the heart and shakes it. 7) He does not allow the tongue to speak much, but rather to remain silent, thinking that even an idle word must be given an answer on the Day of Judgment (see Matt. 12:36) and that with this small member we all sin most of all (see James 3:5). 8) He shies away from the honor, wealth and joy of this world, for they provide an opportunity for sin and open the door to all wickedness. 9) He consumes food and drink not for the sake of sweetness and luxury, but for the sake of need, so that only his bodily strength can be strengthened so that he can do the work of his calling and serve God. 10) Not only is he not afraid of any temporary misfortune or human fear, but he is not afraid of death itself. If somewhere you have to either fall into trouble and die, or sin, it is better to prefer to be in trouble and die than to sin. And in the fear of God, a mortal overcomes every misfortune and the very fear, just as someone possessed by a cruel illness does not feel other mild illnesses, or as someone who hears a great noise does not hear a quiet voice. Saint Joseph, the son of Jacob, prefers to sit in prison rather than mix with an Egyptian wife and sin (see Gen. 39:20). Jewish midwives despise the lawless command of Pharaoh and do not kill male babies: “for they feared God” (Ex. 1:17, 21). The three youths of the kindled furnace (see Dan.3:21), Susanna - death (Dan.13:23) are not afraid for the fear of God, and so on. § 181. The fear of God is born and multiplied with the help of God: 1) From thinking about His terrible destinies that appeared on sinners, such as: on Cain (see Gen. 4), on those who perished in the flood (see Gen. 7), on the Sodomites, burned in fire and brimstone (see Gen. 19), on Pharaoh, with his army drowned in the sea (see. Exodus 14), on Dathan and Abiron, swallowed up by the earth (see Numbers 16), on Absalom, who hung and died between heaven and earth (see 2 Kings 17), and on others. But God, who previously executed people for sins, is the same one who now sends executions on the lawless. We hear terrible earthquakes and cities buried in the same coffin with their inhabitants; we hear and see deplorable battles between states, terrible bloodshed, so many thousands of people falling uselessly from fire and sword; We see and hear terrible fires in which towns, villages and villages perish. All this shows that there is a God who hates iniquity and punishes the wicked. And temporary punishments show that there will be eternal ones for faulty and bitter sinners: there will be Gehenna, a never-ending worm, gnashing of teeth, pitch darkness tormenting the lawless. 2) Born from thinking about God’s properties; especially reasoning and memory of the omnipresence and omniscience of God produces the fear of God. The Omnipresence of God shows you that God is everywhere with you, above you, and in front of you. “In Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Do you walk or rest, talk or remain silent, are you alone or with whom are you talking? God be with you. Are you doing what? God sees your work. Are you saying what? God hears your word. Do you think anything? God discerns your thoughts. Are you proud? God looks at your pride. Does your heart turn away from God and turn to creation? He looks at your retreat. Are you breaking His holy law? He looks at your crime. Are you doing lies, committing theft, theft? He looks at your iniquity, your robbery and theft. Are you committing fornication? He looks at your fornication. Are you angry, or angry, or kill your neighbor? He looks at your anger, your malice and your murder. Do you slander, blaspheme, curse, slander your neighbor? He hears your slander, blasphemy, curse and slander. Do you think of offending, damaging, slandering, deceiving, insulting, defaming, or killing your neighbor? Do you want to commit uncleanness? He sees your evil thoughts and undertakings and hinders you in your conscience. He sees it and is offended. His Majesty is offended by your pride, because you, “earth and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), are arrogant. His truth is insulted by your untruth. His truth is insulted by your lies. His holiness is insulted by your uncleanness. His longsuffering is your impatience. His goodness is your malice. His mercy is through your hardness of heart. His generosity is your stinginess. His love is insulted by your hatred and envy. So, be afraid to be proud before His greatness, to do injustice before His truth, to wallow in uncleanness before His holiness, to lie before His truth, to be angry before His goodness, to be angry and indulge in rage before His long-suffering, to rage before His mercy, to be vindictive before His meekness. He is present with you with His greatness and omnipotence, truth, truth, holiness, mercy, generosity, meekness, kindness and long-suffering, although you do not see Him with these eyes, and it is impossible to see. He is great and very terrible. How can you not be afraid of His greatness and dare to exalt yourself before the Great and Terrible? He is righteous. How are you not afraid to violate the truth before the Righteous? He is true. How are you not afraid to lie before the True One? Holy is He, to whom the Angels stand with fear and sing: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts” (Is. 6:3). How can you not be afraid to commit outrages in front of such holiness? He is merciful and abundantly merciful. How can you not be afraid to act fiercely before the Merciful? He is generous. How can you not be afraid to close your heart to the one who demands before the Generous One? He is good, gentle and long-suffering. How can you not be afraid of the good, the meek and the long-suffering, to be angry, to indulge in rage and to bear a grudge? Finally, He is your Creator, your Most High Lord and your King, your Father. How can you not be afraid and ashamed before your Creator, the terrible King and Lord and the Father to act fearlessly? He is the Almighty, Who holds all the light in His hand (see Ps. 94:3–7). How are you not afraid of Him, Who with light holds you in His hand, to anger you? Before the King of the earth, your Sovereign, or before your master, or before your father, you do not dare to show fearlessness and outrage. Before the eyes of your God, Who is the Supreme King, and the Lord of the whole world, and the Eternal Father, you are always and wherever you are. And how are you not afraid to show fearlessness before Him? No matter how great the monarch of the earth is, he is a man like you; no matter how high your master is, he is a man like you; no matter how dear your father is to you, he is also a man like you. Everyone is born and dies, just like you, but nevertheless, you show them all respect and reverence. God, before Whom you are always present, is so Great that the whole world is before Him as the smallest dust or one “drop” of water (see Is. 40:15); so powerful that he creates everything out of nothing with the Word alone. And He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, before whom even the angels tremble, tremble, revere and worship with fear. So, how are you not afraid of sinning before Him and not showing Him the same respect that you show to the earthly King, lord and father according to the flesh, people similar to yourself? The King of the earth, your lord and father, is worthy of all reverence, and God Himself commands to honor them. But God is venerated incomparably greater, and is worthy of veneration that cannot be greater, as great as He Himself is Great. The prophet exhorts us to this high reverence: “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice before Him with trembling” (Ps. 2:11). And in another place he calls us to the same thing: “Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us shout to God our Savior, let us stand before His Face with praise and shout to Him in psalms, for God is the Great Lord and the Great King throughout all the earth; for in His hand are all the ends of the earth, and the tops of the mountains are His; for His is the sea, and He created it, and His hands made the dry land” (Ps. 94:1-5). 3) The fear of God is born and multiplied from reasoning about the command of God. For God, who made the law and commands it to be kept, is great and terrible, and He is the “God of vengeance” (Ps. 93:1), and commands it to be kept firmly: “Thou hast commanded to keep Thy commandments firmly” (Ps. 119:4). And for the transgression of His holy law He threatens with temporary and eternal execution. We are afraid to violate the decrees of the earthly King, whose anger only our body can kill. How can one violate God’s command and not fear His righteous wrath, which “can destroy both soul and body in fiery hell” (Matthew 10:28)? 4) The fear of God is born from thinking about God who commands, as a Compassionate Father and who loves us. We show obedience to our carnal father and are afraid of angering him. How are we not afraid to disobey God, the Heavenly and Eternal Father, Who created us, and reborn us in His Only Begotten Son, and shows us so many good deeds that we cannot even understand with our minds? What kind of father loves his son as much as God loves us? Soon human love turns into anger and hatred, but God's love is not like that: it never ceases. We cease and change, become impoverished and do not maintain fidelity and love for Him, but He is always “the same” (Heb. 1:12), always “commands His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). 5) Since the true “fear of God is a gift from the Lord,” as Sirach says (Sir. 1:13), then we must ask God through fervent prayer to protect our heart and all our feelings with His fear. § 182. Just as the fear of God turns a person away from all evil, so fearlessness opens the way to all evil and lawlessness. Hence blasphemy, perjury, bribery, extortion, violence, theft, theft, foul language, disorderly shouting, ridicule, condemnation, slander, deceit, flattery, deceit, all uncleanness, disorderly conduct - in a word, all lawlessness and godlessness. Just as a fierce horse, having no ruler, strives and runs wherever it wants and its eyes look, so a person, by nature inclined to all evil, if he is deprived of the fear of God as a good ruler, rushes towards everything evil, and wherever the evil will commands him to go, there he goes, and whatever he wants, he does, from evil to evil, from sin to sin, and from lawlessness to lawlessness. He thinks evil and speaks evil; begins evil and commits evil; and, as if by steps, through various iniquities he descends into the depths of evil, and so, having come to the depths of evil, he does not think. Then neither the admonishing word nor the word of threat has any effect on him: he strives for one thing only in thought and deed, which is what evil will and habit calls for. The poor and lamentable state of such a person, no matter what his rank! For from this nothing else follows but eternal destruction, if the special Providence of God, the Merciful and not desiring death for the sinner, does not extract from there, like Jonah from the belly of the whale. “Whoever exalts himself will humble himself, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:10). “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart,” says Christ (Matthew 11:29). “True humility follows the fear of God, for he who fears God humbles himself under the mighty hand of God” (1 Peter 5:6). § 183. Anyone can better notice how much pride the human heart is infected with in another than in himself. For we recognize vices more easily in our neighbors than in ourselves; and we turn our eyes more to others than to our own sins. But what a person sees in his neighbor, he also has within himself. We see how a person tries to dominate over others, to command, to command, to seem better to others, to become famous and exalted, to be revered and worshiped by everyone, for which he uses so many means that it is impossible to list. Others willfully expose themselves to the crackle and sound of deadly enemy weapons in order to be called a winner and receive a rank. He goes through different schools and different sciences in order to either be considered wise and wise, or to sit in a high place. Some people learn decrees, rights and all kinds of administrative matters from a young age in order to be considered a judge. Some seek wealth, and thus want to distinguish themselves more than others. Another creates rich chambers in order to be known to respectable and high persons, and so to be called such himself. Another thing is to take care of the dress and colorful attire, so that you can sit in the last place in the meeting and receive respect and bow from those you meet. Someone thinks of tall and rich carriages, chosen and decorated horses with many servants, in order to appear noble and official. Another often gathers at a rich table in order to receive honor and praise from those who eat. Others plan something else to glorify their name. The root of all these useless, even harmful plans is worldly pride. But whoever begins to evade this deadly evil by the grace of God, and, leaving the creation, to seek the Creator, will be met with another, more evil, evil - spiritual pride and Pharisaic arrogance. This all-destructive ulcer especially gets used to nesting in those who fast a lot, give a lot of alms, as the Pharisee showed himself (Luke 18:10-11), and also in those who retire to the desert, enclose themselves in monasteries, dress in robes, pray often and a lot, and try to do other apparently good things. So this viper sits everywhere next to the poor man and looks for how to kill him with its poison! Against this evil, the Son of God offers us a remedy - His humility and commands us to learn this from Himself: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.” § 184. Humility is born: 1) From reasoning about one’s own unworthiness and the dignity of another. Such humility was demonstrated by the centurion in Capernaum, who said to Christ, the Savior of the world: “Lord! I am not worthy for You to come under my roof” (Matthew 8:7–8); as well as the holy Forerunner, who, by the Holy Spirit, foreseeing the greatness of Christ, and realizing his lowness before Him, confessed: “He who is mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie” (Luke 3:16). 2) It happens from reasoning about poverty and one’s wretchedness. Thus humbled the publican, who, aggravated by many sins, did not want to raise his eyes to heaven, but, striking himself on the chest, said: “God! Be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). 3) Humility from fear also occurs when we humble ourselves before someone angry and upset, fearing subsequent execution. So the Ninevites humbled themselves when they heard from the preaching of the prophet Jonah about God’s execution coming to their city. “And the men of Nineveh believed God, and commanded fasting, and put on sackcloth, from great to small” (Jon. 3:5). So other sinners humble themselves when God touches their hearts with His fear; and so it is “the beginning of wisdom, the fear of the Lord” (Ps. 111:10). 4) There is humility from love when one humbles oneself before another, not fearing trial and execution, but regretting that he was either insulted by himself, or by someone else for whom the humble one is interceding, and with his humility wanting to satisfy him and reward the insult. Likewise, the highest persons, not subject to human fear, humble themselves before the simple ones, who were needlessly insulted. It is a pleasant and gracious sight when highness descends in such spirit and dignity bows before simplicity! The prince and nobleman are not ashamed to ask for forgiveness from a slave! To carnal people and the sons of this age this indulgence seems madness; but true wisdom is for true Christians who imitate in this matter Christ, their Savior, “God’s Power and God’s Wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:24). He, being the Son of the Most High and the Lord of glory, was not ashamed to “take on the form of a servant,... to humble himself,... to be obedient even to death, even death on the cross” (Phil. 2:7-8). What convinced Him to this deepest humility, incomprehensible to our minds, was nothing other than love for His Heavenly Father, Who was angry and offended by human pride and disobedience, and pity for man, who, because of disobedience, was rejected from the Face of God. With such spontaneous humility he satisfied the irritated truth of God, and brought man, who had fallen away from God’s mercy, again into His highest mercy. We must always look into this clear mirror of humility, and before God, Whom we have offended by our sins, humble ourselves, and confess with our hearts and lips to the prophet: “With You, O Lord, there is righteousness... but we have shame on our faces” (Dan 9:7), even if there was no Gehenna and torment. For for us, there must be one thing more than any torment when we see the One who is angry with us, Who is eternal Love, Who created us in His image and provides for us so wonderfully. § 185. Reasons that lead a person to humility: 1) Our poverty and wretchedness convinces us to humble ourselves. Take everyone into consideration, and you will receive a good reason to humble yourself; delve into the depths of your heart, and you will see what evil and disaster lies there. This evil shows itself with evil thoughts, like an evil tree with its evil fruits. “From within, from the heart of man, come evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, theft, covetousness, malice, deceit, lasciviousness, an envious eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness,” says Christ (Mark 7:21-22). And what is hidden inside, in the heart, is thrown out through external actions, as if from a boiling cauldron. From here come quarrels, enmities, curses, slander, blasphemy, flattery, deceptions, ridicule, reproaches; hence the fruits of anger: revenge, retribution, bloodshed, murder; hence theft, extortion, perjury, insult to the poor, shedding tears of widows and orphans. The heart spews out its stinking odors and its fruits: adultery, fornication, adultery, foul language, obscene language, shameful words and deeds, shameless jokes, bestial sensuality. In a word, every abomination and every evil comes from the heart, just as a sown seed arises from the ground; and it is fulfilled by deed itself, if it is not prevented by the power of the fear of God. But the fact that human damnation multiplies - a person will not recognize this evil until God enlightens him with His grace. Many people dream about themselves; against them the apostle says: “Whoever thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, deceives himself” (Gal. 6:3). But such, when by the grace of God they look around, they see that they are nothing, and everyone admits: “I have gone astray, like a lost sheep” (Ps. 119:176). And this misfortune and damnation are common to all people. We must recognize and recognize this and thus humble ourselves. 2) To this misfortune another, no less, is added - the manifold cunning and enmity of the devil. This enemy “was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44), and he sowed his evil seed (which was mentioned in the first paragraph) in the heart of our forefather, and now does not cease to sow his tares. Everywhere he surrounds us with his cunning: whatever we do, whatever we talk about, he notices, and in everything he wants to stutter and embitter us. Are we sleeping or resting? He does not sleep, but is awake for our destruction. Are we walking or sitting? He observes our walking, sitting and standing. Do we eat or drink? He lays down his own intrigues. Do we turn to prayer? And here he does not leave us, and here he hinders us, tries to relax us, to turn our mind and heart away from God. Do we shy away from evil? He is trying to plunge us into it again. Are we doing good? He strives here too, so that we do this not with good intentions and not with a good purpose. “Behold,” says Blessed Augustine, “he has spread countless nets under our feet, and filled all our paths with various deceptions in order to ensnare our souls. He laid out nets in wealth, laid out nets in poverty, laid out nets in food, in drink, in luxury, in sleep and vigil; I spread the net in word, in deed and throughout our whole life” (Soliloqu, chapter 16). Therefore, the holy Apostle warns us, saying: “Be sober, be on the alert, because your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Only humility sees through the snares and intrigues of this evil enemy and evades them. For “to the humble God... gives grace” (James 4:6), which warns, enlightens and preserves them from his treacherous snares. 3) Without the grace of God, a person cannot create anything pleasing. “God works in us both to will and to do according to His good pleasure,” says the apostle (Phil. 2:13). And Christ says: “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), as the above reasons in the first and second paragraphs show. For a person in spiritual matters without God’s grace is like a withered branch that cannot bear any fruit. “As a branch...,” says Christ, “cannot bear fruit by itself unless it is in the vine, so neither can you unless you are in Me” (John 15:4). So, to God, who works in us both to will and to do good, is due all praise and glory; and it is fitting for a person to have shame on his face and humility, for he cannot not only do, but also want, nothing good without God. “If there is any good, small or great,” says the aforementioned blessed Augustine, “this is Your gift, Lord; ours is only evil. What shall all flesh boast of? Is it evil? This is not praise, but poverty. Yours, O Lord, is your goodness, yours is your glory! Therefore, whoever seeks glory from Your goodness is a thief and a robber and is like the devil, who wanted to steal Your glory. For whoever seeks praise from Your gift and does not seek Your glory from it, but his own, although he is praised by people for the sake of Your gift, he is condemned by You, because from Your gift he sought not Your glory, but his own glory. But whoever boasts of people and is condemned by You, people will not protect him when You judge, and they will not deliver him when You condemn.” And a little lower: “Lord! I confess, as You taught me, that I am nothing more than all vanity, the shadow of death, and a certain dark abyss, and an empty earth, from which without Your blessing nothing grows and bears no fruit except shame, sin and death. If I ever had any good, I received it from You; Whatever good I have, it is Yours and I have it from You. If when I stood, I stood by You; if when I fell, I fell by myself, and would always lie in the swamp if You had not raised me up; I would always be blind if You had not enlightened me. When I fell, I would never have risen if You had not stretched out Your hand to me; but even when You raised me up, I would always have fallen if You had not supported me; I would have died more often if You had not controlled me. So always, Lord, so always Your grace and mercy precedes me, it delivers me from all evils, saves me from the past, restores me from the present, and anticipates me from the future, it also stops the snares of sin before me, it takes away cases and causes. Because if You had not done this good for me, then I would have committed all the sins of the world” (Soliloqu. Ch. 15). This is how Blessed Augustine confesses about himself; This is how the wise teacher teaches us to confess ourselves and humbly acknowledge our weakness and damnation, and whether we turn away from evil or do good, attribute everything to the grace and mercy of God! 4) “To the humble,” as Scripture says, “the Lord gives grace” (James 4:6). Just as waters usually flow from high mountains to low places, so the rivers of God’s gifts descend into the valleys of humble hearts. And just as an empty vessel comfortably holds everything, so the heart, freed from the vanity of the world and freed from pride, is comfortable to receive the gifts of God. God mercifully and lovingly looks at the humble heart, as the Most Holy Theotokos says: “He looked upon the humility of His Servant” (Luke 1:48). God, rich in mercy and bounty, wants to give His grace to everyone. But, since not everyone has a heart that is convenient to receive, therefore it does not give to everyone, but only to those who are “poor in spirit” and recognize their poverty, “hunger and thirst for His righteousness” (Matthew 5:3, 6). Just as in the beginning God created heaven and earth, such wondrous things out of nothing, so the same God now creates everything out of nothing. Whoever believes that he is nothing, makes something out of him, like the Almighty. Hence it happens that a humble ignoramus and farmer is more intelligent and wiser in the Christian rank than the proud sage of this world, although he does not know beautiful speeches and writing. Therefore the apostle says: “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks to be wise in this age, let him be foolish in order to be wise” (1 Cor. 3:18). 5) Just as the gifts of God are poured out on a humble heart, so in a humble heart they are preserved, as in some kind of treasury. For such a heart is surrounded by grace and the fear of God and, like a faithful guard, guards it. Not so arrogant pride, but it destroys what it has. So our forefather in paradise, when he wanted to be God, lost what he had, given by God; wanted to be a god, but “he became equal to the foolish beasts and became like them” (Ps. 48:21), - his sons also partook of this evil, and we cannot mourn enough. Humility is a certain foundation on which we must build a spiritual church of virtues. The humble man, without a doubt, “is likened to a prudent man, who built his house on the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not fall, because it was founded on rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). For humility adheres by faith to Him who holds everything in His hand; and therefore it is a solid foundation. Without this foundation, everything spiritual that is created will fall and turn to dust. The Pharisee thought that he had built his own church; but, since he did not lay this solid foundation, he was deceived, as it is written in the Gospel (Luke 18:11–12, 14). Without humility it is impossible to build anything spiritual, for, as stated above, without the grace of God we cannot create anything spiritual. For “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). 6) Without humility, there cannot be true repentance, but there is feigned and false repentance, which is only on the lips and not in the heart. For just as a sick person who wants to be healed must first admit his weakness and declare it to the doctor, so a sinner who is weak in soul must first of all admit his spiritual weakness, poverty and damnation, recognize himself as a transgressor of God’s holy law, guilty before the court of God, worthy of God’s temporal and eternal punishment, and with such confession resort by faith to Christ, souls and bodies to the Doctor, and cast yourself spiritually before His most pure feet, like the harlot of the Gospel (Luke 7:37–38), which cannot happen without humility. For such a heartfelt recognition of poverty and wretchedness itself is a sign of humility. The prodigal son showed such humility when he admitted his unworthiness: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you and am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21). This is how the publican humbled himself when he stood afar off, when he did not even want to raise his eyes to heaven, “but, striking himself on the chest, he said: “God! Be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). 7) Without humility, prayer is useless, for “God opposes the proud.” On the contrary, God mercifully looks upon the humble: “He respected the prayer of the humble and did not despise their prayer,” says the Psalmist (Ps. 101:18). So He listened to the prayer of the humble publican, although He was burdened with sins, just as He rejected the proud self-praise of the Pharisees. “Whoever exalts himself will humble himself, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). So the centurion in Capernaum, who considered himself unworthy for Christ to enter his house, received what he wanted, and even with praise: “And in Israel I have not found such faith,” said Christ (Matthew 8:10). So the faithful Canaanite woman, who did not refuse to be like dogs who eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table, hears from Christ: “O woman! Great is your faith; let it be done to you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed that very hour” (Matthew 15:28). For where there is true faith, there is humility: humility is inseparable from faith. With such faith and humility, we must approach the majesty of God, if we want to ask for something and receive what we ask for, we must remember who we are and to Whom we are approaching with a petition. 8) Our beginning and end lead us to humility: we were taken from the earth, and we return to the earth, for we are earth, and we will go to earth (Genesis 2:7, 3:19). Even if our faith consoles us that the soul and body will again in due time be united by God’s power, and we will be clothed in another, most beautiful form of God’s grace, however, everyone must “die once” (Heb. 9:27), hide in the bowels of the earth from which they were taken, and rest until the general resurrection. And this deadness and corruption brings us to remember that sin brought us to this deplorable state, although undoubted hope nourishes and strengthens our hearts, for “your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). Thinking about this end, resolution, decay and disintegration of our body will not allow us to become arrogant and to rise above others. For everyone - high and low, masters and slaves, rich and poor - will have one home upon death - the earth, and everyone will have to turn their bodies into stench and earth and crumble. 9) He who does not have humility and does not try to have it must be wary, lest he fall with the devil, the leader of pride, and with him be eternally rejected from the mercy of God. “God opposes the proud.” For just as the path of the humble, although low, leads to the high Fatherland - heaven - so the proud, although they rise and fly high, are ultimately cast down, that is, into hell. Every highly intelligent person should fear this overthrow. 10) Christ, the Son of God, although He is for us the image and mirror of all virtues, nevertheless He commands us to learn humility and meekness from Himself: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). From here we see how great a virtue is humility: for its origin comes from none other than Christ, the King of heaven and earth. Learn from Me..., - he says, - not to raise the dead and perform other miracles, but to what? “For I am meek and lowly in heart.” If the Lord of heaven and earth Himself was “humble in heart,” as he confesses; if “he humbled himself... to the point of death... godmother" (Phil. 2:8); if you were not ashamed to wash the disciples’ feet (John 13:5); if He testifies of Himself that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28); if he says: “I am among you (the disciples) as one who serves” (Luke 22:27), isn’t it much more appropriate for us, slaves, following the example of our Lord, to humble ourselves and not be ashamed to serve our brethren, and to treat them, no matter what they are, in a friendly manner. The holy apostles and all the saints looked at this image, and they learned from him, and so, through the low path of humility, they entered the high Fatherland - heaven. § 186. Humility should not only be shown externally, but especially should be tried to be possessed internally. There are those who appear humble on the outside, but are not so on the inside. Many put aside the ranks and titles of this world, but do not want to put aside a high opinion of themselves; they renounce honor and worldly dignity, but want to be revered for the sake of holiness. Many are not ashamed to call themselves sinners before people, or, what is even more, even the worst sinners of all, but they do not want to hear it from others, and therefore they only call themselves such with their lips. Others wear a bent neck like a sickle, but inside they elevate the mind. Others bow low to their brethren, but are adamant in their hearts. Some walk around in torn rags, but don’t want to tear their hearts. Many speak little and quietly, while others do not speak at all, but with their hearts they constantly defame their neighbors. Others cover their bodies with black cassocks and mantles, but do not want to cover their hearts. This is how other signs of humility are shown! All such people do not have humility in their hearts. These signs may be signs of humility. But if that is not what they mean, then they are nothing more than hypocrisy. And they are like a bellows inflated with air, which seems to be filled with something, but when the air is released, it appears to be empty; or even, according to the word of Christ, like “painted tombs, which on the outside seem beautiful, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). Therefore, humility, like all piety, must be in the heart. For God judges by the “intention of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5), and not by appearance, as we appear before people. § 187. Here are offered some signs of true humility, which exists not only externally, but also internally, in the heart. 1) Know your true wretchedness and poverty and acknowledge it with your heart; this curse is common to all of us, although few people recognize and recognize it; why few have true humility. 2) Do not despise anyone, even the most vile. Do not condemn anyone, not only in word, but even in thought, but look at your own damnation and evil and mourn, and so ask for mercy from Almighty God. 3) Do not seek honor and glory, and, although given, consider yourself unworthy not only with your lips, but also in deeds. And if you need to be in honor, regret it, and treat your subordinates as your brothers, do not consider yourself better than them, seek their benefits, and not respect and bows from them. And although it will be necessary to punish someone and bring them to fear, in your heart you will think that you yourself are no better than them. 4) To endure without grumbling and willingly all contempt and dishonor; for there cannot be humility without patience, and where there is true patience, there is humility. For he who does not tolerate contempt loves honor and praise, which is a sign of pride. 5) To willingly and diligently obey and listen not only to superiors, but also to equals and lessers in their needs and demands: for humility bows before everyone, like love. 6) Treat inferiors as equals, do not consider yourself higher or better than them, but remember that all people are of the same nature - both high-ranking and simple. 7) Consider yourself more wretched and sinful than everyone else. For humility, when it looks only at its own vices, finds itself more worthy of condemnation than others. 8) In true humility, there is a constant hunger and thirst for God’s grace: for humility does not look at what it has, but reasons about it and seeks what it does not have. Just as students from books and from teachers, the more they learn and learn, the more they see their ignorance, because they do not know much more than they know, so students in the school of the wisdom of God learn all the more that they are spiritually poor, the more they partake of the gifts of God: for they see that they do not have much, and therefore they seek with humility and sighing. § 188. Here is briefly added how to seek humility. 1) Try to know yourself, your poverty, weakness and damnation, and more often put that weakness before the eyes of your soul. 2) Talk about the majesty of God and your own meanness. 3) About the humility of Christ, whose love for us, as well as humility for our sake, is so great that it is impossible to understand with your mind, to reflect with diligence on what the Holy Gospel presents to you. 4) Do not look at what good you have, but look at what you do not yet have. 5) Remember previously committed sins. “Remembering past sins,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “is a sufficient bridle to pacify and make us chaste” (Discourse 31 on the Book of Genesis). And besides, you can reason about the fact that you can sin even more and more seriously if the grace of God does not help you, as Blessed Augustine confesses. 6) Whatever good you have done should be attributed to God and thanked, and not considered yours. 7) When you see or hear a brother sinning, do not only reason about his sin, but also pay good attention to what he is doing or has done, and so you will see that he is better than you, as St. Basil the Great (In a word about humility). In addition, beware of his fall and bring your sins to mind. For to fall is a common human evil. Read another chapter on pride, and compare one with the other to understand better. For what takes away from pride leads to humility, which is always contrary to pride. Chapter 3: About contempt and denial of the world “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what ransom will a man give for his soul?” - says Christ (Matthew 16:26). “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2). § 189. By “world” in Holy Scripture is not meant the same thing. 1) The world is understood as the entire heavenly and earthly circle, in which all created things are contained. This is how the word is understood: “he was in the world, and the world was made through him” (John 1:10). The creation of this world is written in chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis. 2) The world also means the best part of this world, that is, man. Christ says about this world: “God so loved the world” (John 3:16–17) and so on. 3) The world is taken as everything that in this world delights and amuses our flesh, inflames its lust, and leads away from Christ, and leads to eternal destruction. The apostle says about this: “Everything that is in the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is of this world” (1 John 2:16). 4) The world also means people who, serving their own whims, do not want to accept and follow the gospel truth. Christ points to this world when he tells the apostles: “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before you” (John 15:18). § 190. To renounce the world means: 1) Not to lag behind all things. For we cannot live without them for a single minute; and for our sake they were created, to be used and to thank God, the Creator. And we cannot move away from them, because everywhere they surround us, meet us and follow us. 2) Again, it’s not that we hate people and disdain them. For we are commanded to love one another, and to love not only the good, but also the evil, not only our friends, but also our enemies, according to the Lord, imitating in this the Heavenly Father, who “commands His sun to rise on the evil and on the good” (Matthew 5:44-45). 3) It’s also not like confining yourself in a monastery or desert. For the peace that we must take care of, we carry within us, and therefore, wherever we go, we will not run away from it. And just as not everyone living in monasteries or deserts renounces him, so those living in cities and villages do not all serve him, as we will see from the following. So, what does it mean to renounce the world? This means nothing more than to turn our hearts and love away from everything that takes us away from God’s love and leads us to eternal trouble. This includes our flesh with passions and lusts, which “must be crucified” if we want to be “Christ’s” and not children of this world (Gal. 5:24). In this world lies self-love, self-will, love of money, love of glory, ambition, the flattery of wealth, glory and vain honor, with which our flesh is puffed up and exalted. This includes everything that amuses and delights our feelings, and strikes our heart, and darkens the spiritual eye, which the eternal Light - God - must see; here there is a blasphemous pleasure to the belly. Our brothers and friends, our wife and children, our father and mother and others belong to this world, when they take us away from our very health, from our members, from our life - dishonor, reproach, bonds, prison, death. to be horrified when the honor of Christ demands it and the love of God cannot be preserved otherwise. “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple,” says Christ (Luke 14:33). Self-love, self-will, love of money and love of glory are the possessions of our flesh: it cares about them, it seeks them; and when he sees an obstacle, he does not tolerate it, becomes angry, angry and hostile. Christ calls us back from these useless, even harmful labors and calls us to His rest: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). § 191. The signs of someone who has renounced the world are as follows: 1) Such a person tries to subordinate his will to the will of God in everything. 2) He curbs and pacifies his pride. 3) He does not desire wealth, fame and honor, but, although they are given to him, he does not attach his heart to them. 4) Having lost wealth, glory and honor and everything that is in this world, he does not regret, but with Job he says: “The Lord gave, the Lord has also taken away” (Job 1:21). 5) He consumes food, drink, clothing, rest and other worldly things not for the sake of luxury, but for the sake of the needs and demands of the weak flesh and avoids all sweets. 6) Just as he is not exalted and comforted by praise, so he is not offended by reproaches and reproaches. 7) He patiently endures all kinds of insults and does not complain to anyone about those who offend him. 8) He suffers hatred from the world, that is, from evil people, but loves those who hate. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you,” says Christ (John 15:19). This is the most well-known sign of someone who has renounced the world - that “the world hates him”: he hates him as if he is not one of his own. They say that the sea contains only living animals, and throws out the dead: this is what happens in the sea of ​​this world. He who lives for the world and the whims of the world is a dear child to the world, but he who has renounced and died for it is cast out and driven out of himself. 9) He is not afraid of poverty, dishonor and reproach that happen in this world, since he does not seek wealth and glory. 10) He always remembers the heavenly Fatherland and strives for it with his heart and thought: “where his treasure is, there his heart will also be,” according to the word of Christ (Matthew 6:21). For the signs that show the love of God prove the rejection of the world: for whoever loves God does not love the world, and whoever does not love the world loves God. § 192. From the above it follows: 1) He who does not try to do God’s will, but fulfills his own, is a self-lover and a lover of peace. 2) If you shy away from evil not for the sake of God, but for the sake of shame, or civil judgment, or some other temporary self-interest, then you are a politician and a lover of peace, and not a Christian. 3) If you are looking for honor, glory, wealth in this world, you want to be praised, honored, glorified, you serve the world with your heart. 4) If you find yourself in some misfortune and resort to silver or gold, to your defenders, in order to get rid of it, you trust in the world, and not in God; You have clung to the world, but have retreated from God. 5) You expand your house and rich buildings, decorate servants, horses, carriages, dress in silk and multi-colored clothes for the sake of acquiring vain glory - carnal lust, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life you serve. 6) If you gather rich tables with expensive wines and think that this is entertainment, you are a slave to the belly, “your god is your belly,” and not the Lord (Phil. 3:19). 7) You do some kind of good, that is, you either give alms, or go to church, or fast, or build and decorate churches of God, or something else, in order to “appear... before men” (Matthew 6:18), - you please the world, not God. 8) When you are deprived of your father, or mother, or wife, or children, or brothers, or friends, or wealth, or glory, or honor, etc., and you grieve more than when you sin before God, and thus through sin you are deprived of God, you love the world, your own flesh and blood, more than Christ. For the more we love someone, the more we grieve when we lose him. 9) If you hear a defamatory word from your neighbor and become angry with him, peace still has its place in your heart. 10) You are looking for how to repay evil for evil, to avenge an insult - you think the same thing with the world, which does nothing but evil. 11) You are afraid of dishonor, exile, prison, exile, death, and therefore you do not testify to the truth - you are afraid of the world, not God; You please the world, not God. 12) You seek honor and rank, and therefore you please, caress and worship princes and nobles - you lie at the foot of the world, and you shamelessly worship the world, as the “image” of that “golden” one set up by Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan. 3:1-7). 13) You build rich houses, pleasure ponds, gardens, galleries and other amusements, you prepare a rich dowry for your daughter or a rich inheritance for your son, but for the sake of the name of Christ you clothe the naked, or build a hut for someone who has no place to lay his head, or free someone sitting in prison for a debt, or ransom a captive, or feed someone who cannot feed himself, or do not want to free someone who is stuck in debt - know that you want to free your own flesh and blood. and you only love worldly vanity, but have no love for Christ. And when you strip people of your wealth, which you use for such obscene fun, you not only do not love Christ, but you also shamelessly persecute Him with the evil world. From these notes, dear Christian, you can also reason about other attachments to the world and by faith, with the help of God, wean yourself from worldly vanity. About oathbreakers, covetous people, kidnappers, thieves, robbers, murderers, drunkards, fornicators, adulterers and other defilers, about those who give hatred for love, evil for good, slander and slander instead of gratitude, about scolders and blasphemers, about those who trample the judgment of God for silver, and cast down the truth from the throne to the ground and trample upon them, and so instead of consolation they bring great tears to those who weep, there is no word here: for they are obvious captives and slaves of the world, or even of the ruler of the world and the prince of darkness, and although they have a Christian name, they are worse than the pagans themselves, who, led only by natural law, are careful of such vices. I don’t even remember those who learn how to creep into the human heart, how to deceive, deceive, entrap, ridicule, slander one before another, bring one into quarrel and enmity with another. For they are also obvious servants and slaves of the prince of this world, who accomplishes his work through them; and his job is to deceive, lie, seduce, eradicate love, hatred, quarrel, enmity, and so on. § 193. The reasons that prompt us to leave the love of this world behind and turn to God are the following: 1) God Himself calls us away from the world to Himself. “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world: whoever loves the world does not have the Father’s love in him. For everything that is in the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but from this world. And the world passes away, and its lusts, but he who does the will of God abides forever,” says the apostle (1 John 2:15-17). And Christ: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. How long will you work in vain and uselessly in this vanity? You will not find, besides Me, true consolation and peace; In Me alone you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29). 2) The Apostle says: “Friendship with the world is enmity against God; whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). How terrible it is to be an enemy of God, and how pitiful it is to fall away from God’s friendship, does not require proof. For it is impossible to have friendship with God and the world, but it is impossible to love God and the world. “No one can serve two masters: for he will either hate the one and love the other,” says Christ (Matthew 6:24). 3) Christ, the Son of God, redeemed our souls for eternal life with His most precious Blood. How senseless and insane we do it when we enslave them to gold, silver, corruptible treasures, honor and lust and despise His grace! What ingratitude we show Him when we abandon the heavenly blessings acquired through His priceless Blood and seek the corruptible earthly ones! 4) Great ingratitude and contempt for Him also comes from us when we, leaving Him, the Creator, Lover and Savior, with our hearts to gold, silver and worldly pride, as to idols, turn and cling. Here the word of the prophet of God Moses is appropriate, with which he denounces the ingratitude of the old Israel: “A crooked and perverse generation, do you render this to the Lord” (Deut. 32:5–6)? The Lord loved you so much that for your sake He took on the form of a servant, suffered bitterly and died a shameful death, and you, leaving Him, love His insensitive creation, and so, turning away from God to the world, as if, instead of grateful veneration and worship, you turn your back to Him, as the Lord says about the Israelites: “They turned their backs to Me, and not their faces” (Jer. 32:33). It is impossible to love God and the world, to cleave to God and the world together, as it has been said. 5) What great madness it is to love a meaningless and insensitive thing from which we cannot be mutually loved! For something insensitive and dead, such as gold and silver, cannot love us, but only seduces, blinds, captivates and destroys us. So, it is not proper for us to love him, but only the living and immortal God who loves us, and a person similar to us. 6) High Christian nobility forbids us to cleave our hearts to corruptible and vain things; and it does not consist in honor, glory, titles, a noble family of this world, but in inner spiritual beauty, created in the image of God and renewed by the grace of Christ, the Son of God. Vain honor and glory are unworthy of this nobility, even if it were gathered together from the whole world. And just as for a royal high title is a low honor and for his purple rags, so for Christian dignity, as heavenly, earthly honor is not appropriate. So, how, being “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people taken for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9), do we dare to dishonor such a highly revered family by the servile ambition of this world, and, like the radiance of the sun, darken its glory with the darkness of vain glory? Why do we look for honor and glory outside of us, when we have such dignity within us? “For behold, the kingdom of God is within you,” says Christ (Luke 17:21). Why do we try to gather up a perishable treasure outside of us, which “moth and rust destroy, and... thieves break through and steal,” when within us it is given to us to have such a treasure, which “neither moth nor rust destroys, nor thieves break through and steal” (Matthew 6:19–20)? Why do we chase after the amusement of the vanity of the world, when the Son of God Himself wants to console us and cheer us up? “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). This sweet supper is not about eating sweet and skillfully prepared food, not about drinking expensive, pleasing wines, but about the favorable tasting of God’s love and goodness. This supper, the more someone partakes of communion, the more vile the sweets of this world will be for him. 7) “We are not our own, for we were bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19–20). “We were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from the futile life handed down to us from our fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18–19). So, we should not live and serve for anyone else, but for Him who redeemed us in such a wonderful way. A slave bought serves the master who bought him, but does not know another master. Likewise, we must live and please Christ, who redeemed us, and not the world and not ourselves. “Christ died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them,” teaches the apostle (2 Cor. 5:15). 8) Those addicted to the world do not know satiety. Therefore, everyone must leave these destructive networks in advance so that, having become entangled in them, he does not end his life: then the world will leave him even when he does not want to. 9) Addiction to the world is the cause of many evils. 10) Worldly things captivate the human heart so much that they do not allow him to think about God and take care of his soul. A rich man who loves money always has his heart where his treasure is: today his arrivals, in the morning he counts expenses, on the third day he thinks about new arrivals; sitting in the house, he takes care that the goods put up for sale do not go to waste; outside the house he is afraid that the treasure in the house will be stolen. He stands in the church, and here his heart is restless, and then his thoughts rush to chests, then to shops, then to other places where goods are sold; he takes care of it during the day, takes care of it at night, and takes care of it in his sleep. A painful and useless concern! It is written in the Apocalypse that “those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest either day or night” (Rev. 14:11); similarly, they have no peace, but are constantly tormented in their hearts, sometimes with fear, sometimes consumed by sadness, those who bow their hearts like knees before the wealth of this world, as before an animal image. What about the love of money, we must also understand about ambition and love of fame. 11) Those who serve the world will certainly regret at death and be tormented by their conscience that they loved this world. Prisoners who fall into barbaric and tormenting hands, working all day, in the evening they receive nothing more than ridicule and beating. So the captives of this world, approaching the end of their lives, feel nothing more from it than the stress and wounds of sins, with which their conscience is wounded, that they served the world and not God; They also accept ridicule from the prince of this world, as an inhuman tormentor who deceived and deceived them with this vanity. Ask a dying peace-lover, whose mind and heart were occupied with the vanity of the world: what does he then feel inside himself? The strong stress of sins, sadness, fear and horror strike his conscience and lead him to ultimate despair. The spiritual enemy stands and laughs: “You have come into our hands and you are betrayed to us!” Then the poor soul is troubled, repents, regrets, laments that it spent its life in such indecent vanity; then he reasons righteously, but lately about everything; then he admits that “vanity of vanities and all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2). So, everyone, learn, and try to leave this world, until the world leaves you and makes you sad and laughs at you. 12) This world is impermanent. Just as there are various changes in the air: now day, now night, now light, now dark, now warm, now cold, so it happens to a person in this world: now wealth, now poverty, now glory, now dishonor, now honor, now dishonor will follow. It happens that someone who is rich today is poor in the morning; whoever now rides a chariot is imprisoned in the morning; those who were praised yesterday are scolded today; whoever was worshiped is trampled upon. And there is hardly anyone who would reach the end of his life in constant happiness alone. Why chase after such vanity, which, like smoke, appears and disappears for a short time? 13) The Apostle says: “We have brought nothing into the world; It’s obvious that we can’t take anything out of it. Having food and clothing, we will be content with this” (1 Tim. 6:7-8). And the righteous Job is the same: “Naked with them I came from my mother’s womb, naked with them I will go again” (Job 1:21). Just as, entering this world, we bring nothing but a naked and weak body, which, except for the necessary food and clothing, does not require anything, so, starting from this world, we wear nothing. Gold, silver, glory, honor, titles, estates, houses, slaves, We leave slaves, horses, carriages, fine linen, and other worldly things in the world; and on the day of our death we depart with only our souls. How poorly does he die who “gathers up treasures for himself, and is not rich in God” (Luke 12:21)! will you get what you have prepared?” (Luke 12:20) 14) Christians in this world are strangers and strangers. “We do not have a permanent city here, but we are looking for the future,” says the apostle (Heb. 13:14). And David prays to the Lord: “I am a stranger with You and a stranger, like all my fathers” (Ps. 39:13). If we are wanderers and strangers on earth, like our fathers, then our Fatherland and our home are in another place. Why do we burden our wandering soul so much? Why do we collect so much wealth for the sake of one mortal body, which can be content with one piece of bread and a cup of water, and which we will leave with this light? Is it not madness, for the sake of such a small and poor body, which is content with little and will return to the earth, having been taken from it, to build so many houses, to collect so many treasures, to prepare so many clothes, ornaments, to prepare so many dishes, to have so many servants? Hey, there is one charm of the vain world and the deception of the prince of darkness, who darkens the spiritual eyes of people so that they cannot see this vanity! 15) The Fatherland of Christians is in heaven, where is their Father, to whom they pray like this: “Our Father who art in heaven!” And so, we must always raise our hearts to this Fatherland, and not cling to earthly things. Merchants traveling through foreign countries collect goods there, but either send them or bring them to their own Fatherland. Likewise, Christians wandering in this world must collect their spiritual goods - which are virtues - and send them to their heavenly Fatherland; “to store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” So, “where their treasure is, there their heart will be also,” according to the word of Christ (Matthew 6:20–21). 16) For Christians, inheritance, wealth, honor, glory, crowns, kingdom and all the blessings in heaven are prepared. So, why do we seek to reign in the world and to reign in peace, to be glorified and to have fun? Do we really want to reign here and there? But this cannot be in any way, for the “narrow” and not the extensive path leads to that kingdom (Matthew 7:14). So, those who want to live extensively in this world and reign with Christ forever are deceived, and hope will deceive them. 17) Christ, the Son of God, both by word and by His life, taught us to despise the vanity of this world and thus enter into the heavenly kingdom, which Through His bitter suffering and death He revealed to the believers in His name. He lived in poverty and “had no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). He “humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death” (Phil. 2:8). Should we, worms, be proud and exalted? He despised the glory and praise of men. Should we seek glorification? He forgave His enemies. Should we seek revenge? He drank the bitter cup of suffering. Should we wallow in sweets? We are very tempted when, living like this, we want to be Christians! This is not what He offers to His Christians in the Gospel. It does not promise wealth, not honor, not glory, not luxury, not space in this world - but what? Sorrow, the narrow path and narrow gates, love for enemies, rejection of oneself and each one has his own cross, as He gave Himself to us as an image. If we are Christians, then we must not only bear the name, but also have His Spirit. “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His,” says the apostle (Rom. 8:9). If He is our Teacher, then we must not only listen to His word, but also what His word teaches us. If He gave us His life as an image and said: “Learn from Me” (Matthew 11:29), then we should not only look at His poverty, humility, patience, meekness and suffering, but also learn this from Him. If He is our Leader to heaven, then we must follow Him the way He Himself walked. “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). If He is our Shepherd, then we, His sheep, must listen to His voice. “My sheep...,” he says, “obey my voice” (John 10:27). If He is our Head, then we, as His members, must obey Him. If He is our Bridegroom, then we must preserve faith and love for Him whole and not turn to the impure love of this world. Our Christ demands this from us, O Christians, if we want not only to be called, but also to be Christians. Therefore, consider yourself, everyone, whether you are a Christian, although you are called a Christian, and, having considered it, try in every possible way to be a Christian in deed, so as not to hear that terrible voice from Christ: “I don’t know you where you are from” (Luke 13:25, 27). Christ says: “What is it good for a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul” (Matthew 16:26)? What good will it do you if you have all the glory and all the wealth of this world, and will be deprived of eternal blessings, against which all temporary blessings are like nothing, and you will fall into a sad and painful state in which you will suffer forever, endlessly? What good is there, where is the destruction of souls? This glory will disappear like smoke; wealth will remain in the world; sweets and joys will cease, but instead eternal reproach, sorrow, sighing and torment will take over you. Oh, what an embrace of repentance then! The world brings its lovers to this calamity and sorrow and rewards them with eternal destruction for their love. For “friendship with the world is enmity against God,” says the apostle (James 4:4). 19) Those who have left the world by faith for the love of Christ find Christ with all heavenly and eternal treasure; and just as in this world they were conformed to Him in humility, love, patience, meekness, etc., so in the age to come they will be conformed to His glory (see Rom. 8:13, 18, 29). 20) Those who have left the world by faith and their temporary treasures have better than those who love peace. They do not seek wealth, but live like the rich. They do not have wealth, but they also do not have excessive care, sadness, embarrassment, or fear. They are content with what God has given them, and therefore enjoy constant inner peace. This is not the case with the sons of this age, who seek their possessions with great difficulty, keep them with great fear, and lose them with great sorrow. They avoid honor and glory, but glory follows them. For just as those who approach the sun, no matter how much they run away from their shadow, cannot escape, so those who approach the Eternal Sun - God - the more they avoid vain glory, like a shadow, the more glory follows them. And like light in darkness, they cannot hide. And although the evil world tries to darken this light, it cannot darken it: it produces even greater radiance. They shy away from external sweetness and gaiety; but inside they have a much better and true sweetness and joy, with which they are consoled more than all the amusements of this world - this joy consists of a clear conscience and “joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). So, do you want to be rich? Don't look for wealth. For he is not rich who has a lot, but he who is content with what he has and desires no more. As we call well-fed not the one who eats and drinks a lot, but the one who does not want to eat anymore. Do you want to have fame? Avoid fame and you will have fame, although you do not desire it. Do you want to have something sweet? Avoid sweetness and you will have true sweetness. What treasures the world cannot have, although it tries hard. § 194. Can someone here, on the contrary, think and say: “All creatures were created for the sake of man - why renounce them?” I answer: 1) One should not renounce the creature, but one should renounce the love for the creature. It is known that everything was created for the sake of man, thus everything should serve man, and not man. The creature must serve man according to the command of God, and not man the creature. A person serves a creature when his heart cleaves to it and the love that he owes to God is dedicated to the creature. 2) Creatures should be consumed in moderation, and not excessively, for the sake of need, and not for the sake of voluptuousness. 3) Creatures as traces and testimonies that show the Creator, and from them we learn and are admonished to love and honor the Creator. 4) Creatures serve us so that we serve the Creator; and if we do not serve, then their service to us is in vain, and great ingratitude follows from this to God. For man, as a rational creature, is the closest servant of God and, as a mediator between God and the creatures, using whose service, he must thank God for them and serve Him. Just as slaves serve their master so that he serves the Monarch and society, and if the master leaves this position, then their service through his negligence is useless, so the creatures serve man so that he serves God, and in his own person, for all of them, God, the Creator of all, thanks and praises. And if he does not do this, then he uses the creature in vain, and therefore he appears ungrateful to his Creator and causes offense: offense occurs when what is due is not given. § 195. In order for the heart to turn away from love for the vain world, it is necessary: ​​1) Faith without hypocrisy (which takes place in the heart, and not just on the tongue); Without her, this disgust cannot exist. For the characteristic of faith is that it seeks God alone, cleaves to Him alone, hopes and trusts in Him alone; He expects protection, help, deliverance, salvation from Him alone and follows His will. Consequently, he moves away from creation, from everything visible and earthly; The human heart in which it is located turns away from wealth, honor, glory, and all passions and is attracted to the invisible and eternal. For just as our flesh and feelings incline and attract our heart to the earthly and visible, so, on the contrary, faith turns us away from this and turns us to God and His eternal promised blessings, placing as its foundation the truth of God, revealed and confirmed in His holy word. 2) We need diligent teaching in the Word of God, which, with God’s help, roots and multiplies faith and shows the vanity of this world. 3) Reflection on the present and future life, on the present and future century, on temporary and eternal blessings. For in this way a person with his inner eyes can see the vanity of this world and come to the knowledge of true bliss. This is needed most of all - to know vanity and what true bliss consists of. 4) Since “the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit” (Gal. 5:17), and through the feelings, as its instruments, draws us to the earthly and visible, we need reinforcement from God’s help. Why should we always pray earnestly with the prophet: “turn away my eyes from seeing vanity; live me in Thy way,” O Lord (Ps. 119:37)! “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” says Christ (John 14:15). “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he loves Me; and whoever loves Me will be loved by My Father; and I will love him and show myself to him,” says Christ (John 14:21). § 196. What the love of God is, and what sweetness it is, words cannot depict. Those alone will know her who taste her sweets. Since this love is spiritual and the work of the Holy Spirit, since “the fruit...spiritual is love" (Gal. 5:22). However, with its fruits, like the sun, it shows itself with its rays, and gives knowledge of itself to others. 1) He who truly loves God tries to fulfill the will of God not for the fear of punishment, but in order not to offend the Beloved. From here follows careful observance of God’s commandments, in which the will of God is depicted; about which Christ Himself is says: “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he loves Me.” So the son of his father’s good will, the wife tries to fulfill the good will of her husband, so as not to grieve his beloved: for sorrow is contrary to love and love destroys. 2) He who truly loves God for God’s sake loves every person, knowing that every person is God’s and God loves him. you love your friend, you love for his sake and the one whom your friend loves. From here the apostle concludes that there is no love for God in anyone who hates his brother, that is, every person: “Whoever says: “I love God,” but hates his brother, is a liar: for he who does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see? And he adds: And we have this commandment from Him, that whoever loves God should also love his brother” (1 John 4:20–21). 3) A true lover avoids everything by which his loved one is insulted, for insult is contrary to love. And since God is offended by all sin, he who truly loves God is guarded against all sin, as the prophet exhorts: “You who love the Lord, hate evil” (Ps. 96:10). 4) He who truly loves God always embraces and carries Him in his heart, for true love has its place in the heart, which is why He always remembers His holy name with love and reverence, rejoices in Him, thanks Him, praises, sings and glorifies Him with joy, without hypocrisy. Likewise, a good son, because he loves his mother or father from the heart, often remembers when he does not see them or is at a distance from them. 5) He who truly loves God desires with all his might to be united with the Beloved, which is why he often prays, sighs, cries, with the prophet’s heart crying out: “As a deer strives for springs of water, so my soul strives for You, O God” (Ps. 41:2). For such a person, death is not terrible, but desirable, because through it he will pass to the face of his beloved God. Such was Paul, who “desired to be separated and to be with Christ” (Phil. 1:23). 6) He who truly loves God tries to imitate Him in His morals: he tries to be meek, patient, kind, merciful, merciful, generous, not for the sake of anything else, but for the sake of this alone, that such is his Beloved. To this end, the apostle exhorts us: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Eph. 5:1). For a true child of God cannot help but love God as his Father. 7) He who truly loves God turns away from love for this world, since the love of God cannot be combined with the love of the world, as the apostle says: “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). 8) He who truly loves God in everything seeks the glory of God, and not his own, and prays that God’s name may be glorified: “Hallowed be thy name,” Heavenly Father, as Christ taught (Matthew 6:9), for which he tries to avoid all evil and do all good, not for the sake of his vain glory, but for the glory and honor of the name of God. Hence it happens that for the honor of God he plunges himself into every misfortune and death itself and wishes to die rather than see or hear the dishonor of the name of God, such as the holy martyrs were. 9) He who truly loves God meekly endures every misfortune and adversity, knowing that everything happens not without the will of God; and although in this case the weak flesh begins to be embarrassed, it pacifies it with the spirit of patience. 10) A person who truly loves God, when through weakness he sins and feels stress in his conscience, greatly regrets it, grieves, scolds himself, is angry with himself, humbles himself and casts himself in loving humility before his Creator and Heavenly Father. This is what the sincere and warmest lover of Christ God did, Saint Peter, who, having renounced his Beloved, “went out and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:75). 11) The greater and hotter this love is in someone, the greater are its actions. These actions are somewhat explained by human love, which occurs between parents and children, between husband and wife, between kind and faithful friends. Which I leave to everyone to speculate on; and here I offer my reasoning about encouraging this sweet love. § 197. The reasons that, with the help of God’s grace, arouse the love of God are these: 1) God is the highest Goodness, natural, eternal and infinite. And whoever is good among people is not good in himself, but insofar as he is a participant in God’s goodness. God Himself, by His nature, is Good. Therefore, Christ says: “No one is good,... only God alone” (Matthew 19:17). So, the very goodness of God attracts everyone to the love of God. And although people love evil, they love under the guise of good, as they love good, and not as evil; no one loves evil, since it is evil, but avoids it. So, if we love created and imperfect good, much more should we love natural and perfect Good, which is God alone. To this end, the prophet exhorts: “taste and see how good the Lord is” (Ps. 33:9). 2) “God is Love,” as the Apostle says (1 John 4:16), and love is eternal and unchanging. If in creatures, for example, in mothers for their children, he implanted ardent love, then He Himself has an incomparably greater and excellent one. His Divine love itself attracts the human heart to love. For a person attracts others to love himself with nothing more than through his love, for without love nothing is pleasant to us. Love, like an iron magnet, attracts and attracts even the most hard-hearted. Although we don’t know who, but we hear that there is a loving person, our heart is excited to love him. We are enclosed in God's love, “for in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). And wherever we turn, God’s love meets us everywhere. And there are so many of her witnesses and preachers, so many of God’s blessings to us, that we cannot be without her for even the slightest time. So, how can such love not move our hearts to mutual love? 3) God is the Beauty of all beauties, which the holy Angels and all God’s saints cannot get enough of. If He created the beautiful sun, moon, and stars, He Himself has incomparably excellent beauty. “You have clothed yourself with glory and splendor, You are clothed with light as a garment,” says the Psalmist to Him, enlightened and delighted by the Spirit of God (Ps. 104:1-2). By this beauty we mean not physical, but a kind of spiritual kindness and grace, incomparably superior to all physical beauty, and inexpressibly joyful to the spirits of the saints. “God is Spirit” (John 4:24), and whatever is in God, that which is spiritual, is God Himself. Even now those who love God in their hearts feel a certain drop of this sweet and joyful grace when they sometimes exclaim with the Psalmist like this: “O God, my God, I turn to You in the morning: my soul has thirsted for You!” ( Ps. 62:2 ) Sometimes like this: “As a deer longs for springs of water, so does my soul long for You, O God. My soul thirsted for the Mighty, Living God: when will I come and appear to the Face of God” (Ps. 42:2-3)? Sometimes it’s like this: “What do I have in heaven and without You what do I want on earth? My heart and my flesh faint, O God of my heart, and my portion, O God, endures forever” (Ps. 73:25-26). But then they will be completely satisfied when they appear to the Face of God and see Him “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12), “as He is” (1 John 3:2). 4) God, out of His goodness alone, without any need or benefit for Himself, created man and brought him from non-existence into existence (see Gen. 2:7). This is one thing that our love and gratitude to the Creator requires, everyone can easily know. 5) God created man not like other things, but with special advice. Creating the whole world, our Most Good Creator and God says: “Let it be! - and it was so” (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14–15, 20, 24); “he said - and they were; He commanded, and they were created” (Ps. 149:5), and when he wanted to create man, as if creating some great and glorious work, he said this: “Let us make man in Our image and likeness” (Gen. 1:26). Oh, what a great honor man has received in creation from his Creator! 6) There is great respect for man that he was created by God’s counsel, but more than that, that he was created in the image of God. All other created things, heaven and earth and all their decoration are evidence of the omnipotence, wisdom and goodness of God; but man is the image of God. The mind cannot comprehend this God's favor towards man. Oh, how highly respected is man by God! How much man owes for this to the goodness and love of God! 7) God determined the whole world to serve man. The sky, sun, moon, stars, air and earth with their decoration serve one person. God for His own sake does not need them. For whatever he created, he created for man. 8) God restored and renewed fallen man in such a wonderful and incomprehensible way, and brought him to his first state, even to a better one, through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, so that “to those who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave power to become children of God” (John 1:12). Heaven, instead of paradise with all the blessings that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and has not entered into the heart of man” (1 Cor. 2:9), he kindly opened to them, and made it its inhabitants and His eternal kingdom’s participants. 9) The Holy Spirit, Comforter, Enlightener, Mentor and Guardian, when they ask, gives them; He cries out in their hearts: “Abba, Father!” ( Gal.4:6 ) 10) He calls and awaits those who are lost and turned away with every desire and to repentance. He gladly accepts those who repent. 11) All these and other unknown benefits come from love alone. For true goodness comes from nothing other than true and ardent love. Therefore, it is worthwhile and righteous to love Him who “first loved us” (1 John 4:10, 19). It cannot be otherwise without resentment and insult to the lover, for the debt of love is repaid by nothing other than love. 12) God is “our Father” (1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 4:6). This one name - Father, can and should arouse in everyone the fire of love for Him. How can sons not love their father? The son who did not love the father who gave birth was revered by everyone as a shameful and vile monster. And since God is our father, he is also our Lover and Provider, Guardian, Helper, Our Protector, and so on. “And if you call Father the One who judges impartially” (1 Peter 1:17), and as a father we call: “Our Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9:4) - then how should we love the Father, and with love remember and call on His name. 13) God wants to be loved by man. He loves a person and wants him to love Him, and so enter into friendship with him. For friendship is nothing other than mutual love, that is, to love and be loved. We consider it great when a subject slave has friendship with the King of the earth, as incomparably more when a person has friendship with God, a wretched creature with the Creator, an earthly and earthly one with the Heavenly King! It is impossible not only to describe this honor in words, but also to understand it mentally. God calls us to this high dignity with His love; and through good deeds, as messengers and witnesses of His love, attracts and convinces. Here it is worthy to be surprised with the prophet and exclaim: “Lord, what is man that You remember him?” (Ps. 8:5) Oh, how blind and insensitive we are when we turn away from such high and sweet friendship, and turn from the Living and Immortal God to an insensitive creature! At the same time, we are ungrateful if we do not want to love the One who loves us! Therefore, “You, Lord, have truth:... we have shame on our faces” (Dan.9:7), - this is how we must acknowledge and confess with the prophet. § 198. How and in what way we should love God, God’s holy Word shows. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37; Deut. 6:5). Since man has received everything from God: his being, body and soul, life and breath, and cannot live without God, “we live and move and exist in Him” (Acts 17:28), and the whole world serves him by God’s command. And through the only begotten Son of God, the fallen one was so miraculously restored and renewed, and raised to such high nobility, and therefore honored with such love from God as greater cannot be; and he received that very loving power with which he can love God, along with other spiritual powers, from God. Therefore, he must show God such love, no matter how great it can be. Consequently: 1) He must love Him not only more than all creatures, more than all people - more than his brother and friend, more than his wife and children, more than his father and mother - but also more than himself. For man owes everything to God: body and soul, temporary and eternal life, and he received all this from God alone out of love (1 Cor. 4:7). And therefore, a person must surrender his entire self to the love of God. Dedicate your soul and body, your entire heart, mind, memory and will, intention, undertaking, word, deed and thought to God in love, for you have received all this from God. 2) Since God loved man so much freely, without any benefit, then man should simply, without any benefit of his own, love God. For when we love someone for our benefit, we do not love him as much as we love his good deed and our benefit, and therefore we love ourselves more, and thereby show that we would not love him if we did not hope for some good from him. 3) You must presuppose God's will to your will. Instead of your own honor, glory, praise, seek God’s honor, glory and praise in every case, in every deed, word and thought. 4) Not only one’s honor and glory and all well-being, wife and children, father and mother, friend and brother, but also one’s life itself must be despised and abandoned when the honor and glory of God demands it. In this sense, it seems, Christ says: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and indeed his own life, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). § 199. Although God wants us to love him, he does not want it for his own benefit, but for our benefit. God, since He is completely blessed in Himself, does not demand anything from us, but gives us everything, and does everything for our sake, and therefore, if we love Him truly and unfeignedly, He does not benefit from this, but this love only benefits us ourselves. And from here everyone can see how great love He has for man, so that when he wants to be loved by him, he does not want it for His own sake, but only for the sake of man. A twofold benefit will follow from the love of God: 1) In this century, spiritual joy, heartfelt joy, consolation and heartfelt exclamation, as it is said. Those who love this world rejoice in honor, glory, wealth, gold, silver, food and drink, sensuality and luxury, for “where their treasure is, there will their heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). But lovers of God are different. Since all their treasure is one God, honor, glory and wealth are one God, then in Him alone they take comfort and rejoice. This joy does not come from anywhere other than from God’s gracious dwelling in a loving heart. “Whoever loves Me will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him,” says Christ (John 14:23). There cannot be joy where there is love, for love gives joy, “God is Love” (1 John 4:8,16); and therefore where God is with His grace, there is joy. And since this is a treasure - joy, I say, spiritual - they have inside and always and everywhere carry it within themselves, then nothing can take it away: neither happiness, nor misfortune of this world, nor honor, nor dishonor, nor wealth, nor poverty, nor illness, nor wounds, not sorrow, not prison, not even death itself. It is joyful for a true lover of God to suffer for the sake of his beloved. So the apostles “went out from the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 5:41). So the Apostle Paul “not only wanted to be a prisoner, but was ready to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). They joyfully gave themselves up to torment and death for the name of the Sweetest Jesus the Lord, as to a sweet spiritual feast. And the greater the love one has, the greater the joy he feels in himself, the more fearlessly he strives for the name of Christ. And since there cannot be perfect love here because of our weakness, joy cannot be perfect, but only a certain drop, like a small ray of sun passing through the clouds, sweetly hitting the loving hearts. “Now we see through a glass, darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12). 2) This joy will be accomplished in the next century, where that beautiful and eternal Sun will all be revealed and will indescribably delight His lovers and spectators, when He will not be seen as in a fortune-telling mirror, but “face to face,” and will be filled with that sweet sight endlessly and without satiety (1 Cor. 13:12), and those who “have not seen... eye, have not heard, will inherit all the blessings, and it did not enter into the heart of man what God had prepared for those who loved Him” (1 Cor 2:9). § 200. When a person turns the love that should be given to God alone to himself, this is called self-love, which is nothing more than immoderate love for himself. And where there is self-love, there is no love of God. The signs of self-love can be seen as follows: 1) A sign of self-love - when someone, having abandoned the will of God, fulfills his own, and does not do what the will of God wants, and does what the will of God does not want, which results in the destruction of the entire law of God. This is called self-love because a person loves himself, and not God, and pleases himself, and not God. And love should please the beloved, and not oneself, as stated above. 2) A sign of self-love - when someone avoids evil not for the sake of the will of God, which does not desire evil, but either for the sake of human fear, or for the sake of praise, or for the sake of some other self-interest; or when someone does not sin before people, but sins secretly, which is characteristic of hypocrisy. 3) A sign of self-love - when someone does good for the sake of his own praise and glory or some other self-interest, for he seeks his own glory, and not God’s. 4) Although someone does good not for the sake of vanity, he attributes it to his own powers, and not to God, as if he did it on his own, such a self-lover, for he takes away from God the glory that should be given to Him alone for all good, and attracts it to himself, who, except for evil, can do nothing on his own (John 15:5; Phil. 2:3). For every good thing comes from God (see James 1:17; Rom. 11:36), therefore it must be attributed to Him alone and turned to His glory. 5) Anyone who has any talent, for example, wealth, wisdom, intelligence, health, etc., and attributes that to his own efforts and labors, and not to God, is also a self-lover. For “we have all things,” except sin, “from God,” and we have “soul and body, life and breath from Him” (Gen. 2:7; Acts 17:25). We must attribute and thank Him for this, and glorify Him, and not ourselves. Therefore, any ingratitude is a sign of pride. 6) A sign of pride - when someone either hides a gift given by God, or uses it not for the glory of God and the benefit of his neighbor. Such are those who either keep wealth without any use, or spend it on their own whims, such as: on magnificent buildings, on luxury, vanity, decoration, etc.; also those who have reason and hide it, or use it for evil, for example, in useless writings, in insidious slander, and so on; who has health and does not want to work, and others. 7) A sign of pride - when someone, being in some kind of trouble or misfortune, does not endure, but grumbles. For such a person prefers his will to God’s will, without which nothing can happen to us. 8) A sign of pride - when someone strives to get rid of some misfortune or even death itself in violation of God’s holy law; for example, when someone in illness resorts to sorcerers and whisperers; also when someone seeks deliverance through money or protectors. Such a one honors himself more than God’s commandment and the Commandment Himself. 9) Although someone does not seek deliverance from trouble and suffers in order to receive praise from people, he also suffers from self-love, for he does not endure for the sake of God. 10) Finally, whoever does anything for the sake of glorifying his name, for example, creates rich buildings, or dresses in rich clothes, or collects wealth, or provides rich tables, or decorates his speech, or shows his intelligence, or does anything similar to this for the sake of praise and gaining glory for himself, and also who is a beggar, walks around like a hypocrite, dresses in rags or a black cassock, or shuts himself up in a monastery, or some other image He shows humility and denial of the world so that people would honor him as a saint - he is a self-lover and a lover of peace, and not a lover of God. For “God looks at the heart” and not at the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). § 201. From the above it is clear: 1) That just as love of God is the root and source of all goods, mental and physical, peace, tranquility, harmony and others, so self-love is the beginning of all evils and troubles in the world. For just as from love of God comes the thorough fulfillment of the will of God, which desires all good things for us, so from self-love comes contempt for God’s law and denial of His holy will, from which all evil comes. 2) Just as love of God gives birth to true heartfelt and inalienable joy, so self-love creates false, charming and imaginary joy, which is like a dream that briefly appeared and disappeared, and instead introduces true heartfelt sadness, remorse, and in the next century hellish torment, the more cruel and terrible, the more the sinner here loved and pleased himself. For then he will see that he loved nothing else here than true evil, and therefore he will then hate himself all the more, he will be disgusted with himself, he will become vile to himself, the more he pleased himself here. 3) It can be seen from here how seriously a person sins when the love that he should give to God turns to himself; when he fulfills his own will instead of God; when the obedience that one must render to God, as his Supreme Lord, is rendered to his flesh. When one must seek glory, praise, honor, glorification in the name of God and attribute it to Him in everything, but instead he himself wants to be glorified, and thus, in the place in which he should have the Great God, Lord and Creator, he sets himself up as an idol and honors him, and this is nothing more than a great untruth and shameless enmity against God. For “whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). For the world that we should hate is within us, and not outside us. 4) It is also clear how much we all sin, so that “who understands the Fall?” Therefore, we must pray and sigh with the Psalmist: “Cleanse me from my secrets, O Lord!” ( Ps.19:13 ) Our “secret” falls are those that we do not see in our conscience. 5) From here we learn to place all the hope of our salvation on the single foundation of God’s great mercy and the inexhaustible grace of His Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and not to trust in our piety, and to always cry out to the goodness of God: “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no one living will be justified in Your sight” (Ps. 142:2). § 202. If someone were to say: what joy can there be for the lovers of God if many sorrows surround them, as the prophet says: “Many are the sorrows of the righteous” (Ps. 33:20), then this is true: pious souls endure many troubles and sorrows, but those sorrows from the outside only hit them, and do not touch the souls of their God-loving souls. On the contrary, self-lovers, both outside and inside, are confused and immersed in grief. Therefore, there are much more sorrows for those who love themselves than for those who love God. God-lovers, although surrounded by sorrows and troubles, are not immersed; they prick a rose like thorns, but do not pierce it; cover the sun like darkness, but do not darken it; they beat a stone like the waves of the sea, but do not break it: because the spiritual treasure and the kingdom of God are “within” them (Luke 17:21), which, like the anchor of a wavering ship, holds their souls and makes them trustworthy in everything. They are not so selfish, but they, like a reed, are swayed and crushed by the small wind of trouble: because, although on the outside they appear as if they are something like a bubble on the water, they do not have any strength inside; and therefore, like a bubble, they disappear when an opposing wind blows on them. Those who love God are deprived of honor, glory, worldly wealth, but are not deprived of their inner treasure, since they are not consoled by honor, glory and wealth, but have much better consolation; and just as they do not seek honor and wealth, they do not grieve when they lose them. Does wealth flow to them? They “do not set their hearts” on it (Ps. 61:11), but are content with the inner treasure alone. Are they given honor? They accept it not so much with desire as with obedience; and they accept it not as an honor, but as a yoke imposed by God, which must be worn for His glory and for the benefit of one’s neighbor. Are they glorified? They do not accept this, for all glory belongs to God alone. And so there is no reason for them to grieve when something they did not seek is taken away from them. Self-lovers are also deprived, but not like this; but with sorrow and weeping they are deprived. With great diligence they seek these treasures; they hold and store them with fear and apprehension; with illness and lamentation they part with them. What consolation and joy can there be where there is constant worry, fear and sadness? What a joy it is to shine outside with gold, but inside, in the soul, to be covered with the darkness of fear; to sit outside in a high place, but inside, with one’s soul, to lie at the foot of the world; to be glorified externally, but internally to accept dishonor from conscience? Truly this is deception and deception, and only a form of consolation, and not the consolation itself! For joy cannot be anywhere but in the heart, just as sadness cannot be anywhere except in the heart. And although now they are not deprived of their treasures, like lovers of God, they are forced to leave them with greater sadness, leaving this world. God-lovers endure slander, slander, and reproach from people, but “with their conscience” they defend themselves “and boast” (2 Cor. 1:12); the slandering world condemns them, but “God justifies them” (Rom. 8:33–34), so when they are blasphemed, they are comforted (1 Cor. 4:13). Self-lovers also endure reproaches, but not in the same way as lovers of God: for they suffer not only from people, but also from their own conscience, and this reproach is grave. Although they avoid external reproach and slander, which happens very rarely, they cannot avoid internal ones. This accuser and slanderer is with them everywhere; nowhere does he cease to reprove them, reproach them, condemn them, reproach them for transgressing the law of God and frighten them with the righteous Judgment of God. No matter how they hide their atrocities, they cannot hide them from this overseer, because they have him within themselves - the one who sees their secret, heartfelt advice and denounces them. Those who love God have their enemies, but do not have enmity, malice, or vengeance towards them, and therefore “they have peace within” and peace, although from the outside they suffer anxiety (John 14:27; Rom. 14:17). Self-lovers also have enemies, even among themselves, they are at enmity; but both outside and inside they suffer anxiety, and they worry more about themselves than from those who are at war. It is impossible to express in words how much effort and labor they put in, how much money they lose, how much they wipe away the thresholds of their defenders and judges, how much they please them in order to repay evil for evil and repay insult for insult; How many slander they weave against each other is evidenced by the courts, which are aggravated by their evil slander, and thus bring not only themselves, but also others into considerable concern. So they seek glory, but are more dishonored; they seek honor, but are more dishonored. For who ever praised an evil and slanderer? They themselves abhor such things, but do not see it in themselves. What state could be poorer than this? If anyone could look into their souls, he would see that they are more confused by various thoughts than the sea by waves. Thus, one who has been cut off from the will and love of God, as from a quiet refuge, must certainly be overwhelmed by various and dangerous waves on the sea of ​​the world! Not so lovers of God, not so, but quiet, calm, peaceful. And although their enemies hate, quarrel and offend them, their souls, as children of peace and tranquility, rest serenely and sweetly in the sweet bosom of God’s love and do not want to leave their all-pleasant peace. God-lovers, since they fear God alone, do not fear anyone but Him, although they love and honor everyone in the same God, and thus remain safe under the omnipotent roof of His wings. Self-lovers are not like this, but since they have rejected the fear of God, they are forced to fear everything. For one who does not fear the Creator must fear the creation. “The wicked flees when no one pursues him” (Prov. 28:1). Conscience alone persecutes him more than any persecutor: wherever he is, whatever he does, it thunders over him everywhere and frightens him. An unrighteous judge who dares to violate the monarch's decrees, who is he not afraid of? His servants and slaves themselves instill fear in him, and his friends are not without suspicion. So every lawbreaker there is afraid, “where there is no fear” (Ps. 13:5, 53:6). Fear from family, fear from outside, fear from enemies, suspicion and fear from friends; fear of losing honor; fear of losing wealth; fear of falling under the wrath of the Tsarev; fear of suffering evil from the wicked; fear of being ashamed before the good; fear from conscience, fear from God's judgment, fear from Gehenna, fear from the devil. Thus, the one who does not fear God is met with fear everywhere! What kind of life is this when a poor soul is in such cramped conditions?! What joy and consolation is there to be where there is such confusion and agitation of conscience?! Not so a lover of God; he always and everywhere says with the prophet: “The Lord is my Enlightenment and my Savior, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life; whom shall I fear?” ( Ps. 26:1 ) “I have trusted in God; I will not fear what man will do to me” ( Ps. 56:12, 117:6 ). “Even if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me,” O God” (Ps. 23:4). What could be more desirable than not to be afraid in the midst of the very shadow of death! They imprison the lovers of God, impose bonds, but they are not deprived of their spiritual freedom, which is always with them, for no one can bind the spirit. They are deprived of this general light, but are not deprived of inner enlightenment. They are wounded by wounds on the body, but by the sweet testimony of a clear conscience they are relieved from the disease, for they endure all this for no other reason than for the sake of righteousness, and therefore they rejoice and are glad in spirit (1 Peter 3:14). Self-lovers are also imprisoned and wounded, but not in the same way as lovers of God, since they are imprisoned for their atrocities, theft, embezzlement, extortion, etc., and therefore they suffer not only in body, but also in soul, and are pierced by their conscience like a sword. And although many by their cunning avoid this imprisonment and beating, they will not escape the beating of conscience, as their domestic and internal tormentor, and eternal prison, unless they are cleansed by true repentance. For not all evildoers are punished here by the unknown destinies of God. God-lovers move away from father and mother, brothers and friends, but do not move away from God, Who is with them everywhere: both in prison and in exile; and more than father and mother, brothers and friends, He comforts them with His merciful presence (see Is. 41:10, 43:1–3, 2 Cor. 1:4). Selfish people also withdraw from their friends and brothers, but at the same time they are deprived of their consolation. God-lovers are expelled to a foreign country; but since they “do not have a permanent city here, but are looking for the future” (Heb. 13:14), then their wandering is the same everywhere, for for them life in this world is nothing more than an exile, from which they always look at their Fatherland - the heavenly Zion and “sigh, desiring to be clothed with their heavenly dwelling” (2 Cor. 5:2). Self-lovers are also expelled; but since they are not looking for a future, but a real rest, then, having lost it, they lament inconsolably and uselessly, and the more they remember it, the more the lovers of God mourn in this world; but their mourning is also dissolved in joy, for they cry either because their “abode” in this world is “long” (Ps. 119:5), or because, due to the weakness of the flesh, they cannot render worthy love to the Lover of God; trampled upon by the wicked, as the prophet says: “Sadness has overcome me at the sight of sinners forsaking Your law” (Ps. 119:53) - and so they see the Lawgiver despised and see the destruction of those who despise. But since this sadness is “sorrow for God’s sake” (2 Cor. 7:10), then it is the cause of joy, and like the air after rain, so their hearts cool after tears and are granted divine consolation. Self-lovers also cry, but since they cry about the loss of wealth, or honor, or glory, or their other consolations, the more they cry, the more they multiply their sadness and acquire sadness in addition to sadness. For this sorrow of theirs is “the sorrow of this world, which, according to the apostolic teaching, produces death” (2 Cor. 7:10). So we see that not only lovers of God, but also self-lovers suffer in this world. Those who love God are deprived of their honor and property, and so are those who love themselves. Those who love God endure reproach and slander, and so do those who love themselves. They lock up those who love God in prison, and they also lock up those who love themselves. They hurt the lovers of God, and they also hurt the self-lovers. Those who love God are sent to prison, torn away from their homes, parents, friends and brothers - those who love God suffer the same thing. If they kill those who love God, they also kill those who love themselves. Common suffering, but not the common cause of suffering: those suffer for the sake of truth, and these suffer for the sake of atrocities. And since they suffer innocently, they not only do not grieve, but “rejoice in their suffering” (Col. 1:24), and therefore, although they suffer in body, they rejoice in spirit. These, since they suffer in their deeds, both in body and soul, are wounded by their conscience more than any tormentor, and therefore suffer in two ways - bodily and conscience. From this, anyone can conclude that even in this age, more numerous sorrows await the self-lovers than the lovers of God. And from here we must admit that just as love of God is the cause of heartfelt joy, so self-love is the cause of sadness. The lovers of God, finally ending this much-poor life, end their sorrows and move on to complete joys, and, “having now been grieved a little... from various temptations, they receive great joy” (1 Peter 1:6-8), and “their short-term, light suffering produces eternal glory in immeasurable abundance” (2 Cor. 4:17). Self-lovers move from their imaginary consolations to true sorrows and from temporary to eternal disasters at the end of their lives. And just as all bliss comes from love of God, so all damnation will follow from self-love. “Enter at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go in through it; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few find it,” says Christ (Matthew 7:13–14). “In the world you will have tribulation,” says Christ (John 16:33). “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God,” says the apostle (Acts 14:22). “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and deceivers will abound in evil, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:12-13). § 203 Human life is a path from the very hour of birth to the hour of ending. This path is twofold - “close... and spacious”. The narrow path is fenced off by the limit of God's law and does not allow us to deviate either to the right or to the left, or to wander of our own free will. The spacious path is the one that has destroyed the fence of God’s law and gives freedom to those who walk along it to wander according to their will. The narrow path is surrounded by sorrows, troubles, exile, dishonor and reproach. The spacious one rejects all this and spreads himself with the gaiety of this world. On the narrow path at the very entrance there is a cross, and with it humility, self-denial, patience, meekness and every virtue, outwardly despised and belittled, but inside magnificent, like a queen dressed in a gilded robe (Ps. 44:10). In the expansive there is pride, and with it love of fame, ambition, love of money, malice and every sin, outwardly sweet and arrogant, but inside bitter and stinking. “On a narrow path,” says St. Basil the Great, - mortification of the flesh, and in the extended - pleasing the flesh. On a narrow one - fasting, and on a large one - drunkenness. In the close there are tears, and in the spacious there is immoderate laughter. On the narrow side there is prayer, and on the wide side there is dancing. In the narrow there is sighing, and in the spacious there is joy and rejoicing. In what is narrow there is purity, but in what is large there is fornication” (On Psalm 1). § 204. On the narrow path, the Leader is Christ Himself, the Son of God, Who endured the Cross and was crucified on the Cross, Who says to everyone who wants to be a Christian: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Along this path, His faithful go and follow Him, having renounced this world and its lusts, and having taken up their cross, and following Him, as their Leader and Leader, with humility, love, patience, meekness and obedience. On the expansive - the ruler of the world, the prince of this world and darkness, those who serve this world walk along this path, and they follow him with pride and greatness. § 205. The reasons why the pious, following the path of Christ, endure sorrows are noted here: 1) Satan, from whose yoke they have been freed by the grace of God, raises a battle against them, tempts them in various ways, and so wants to tear them away from Christ and again subdue them under his dark power. And when he cannot do this, he does evil to them through his servants - evil people. The “great, ancient serpent” struggles against them. He struggles against “those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17). 2) Satan again, unable to do anything to Christ, Who destroyed his dark kingdom, rushes at His servants, and wants to create evil in the servants of the Lord. “The devil,” says St. Basil the Great, - cannot inflict offense on God Himself and turned his hatred towards His image, that is, towards man” (Word in Lakiza). 3) The same evil spirit envies the eternal bliss and great glory of the pious and tries to tear them away from this with all sorts of misfortunes, just as he envied the well-being of our first parents and cast them into a disastrous state (see Gen. 3). 4) Again, the same evil spirit, which cannot harm the souls of the pious through temptation, tries at least to cause harm to their body, for it, as an evil spirit, takes joy if it offends some person, especially a faithful one. 5) The pious are not of this world, but their Fatherland is heaven, therefore the world hates them and persecutes them as if they are not their own. “If you were of the world...,” says Christ, “then the world would love its own; But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). Just as the sea throws out dead animals, so this world, which, like the sea, is troubled and troubled, casts out everyone who died for everything in the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (see 1 John 2:16). 6) The good do not communicate with the evil, but their evil is exposed by their holy life, therefore the evil persecute the good. Hence it happens that in the same house an evil husband hates a good wife, an evil father a good son, an evil brother a good brother, an evil sister hates and persecutes a good sister. This is what Christ says: “Do you think that I came to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division; for from now on five in one house will be divided, three against two, and two against three: the father will be against the son, and the son against the father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Luke 12:51-53). 7) God allows them to be attacked so that they remember that they are strangers and strangers here (their Fatherland is not in this world, but in heaven), and so they would move away from the vanity. “The Lord disciplines whomever he loves” (Heb. 12:6). 8) With these troubles they humble themselves and recognize their weakness. For just as happiness exalts, so misfortune humbles a person and brings him to self-knowledge. 9) This is how we learn a fair amount of the virtue of patience, which is the crown of piety and which we cannot learn without temptation and sorrow. “From tribulation comes patience, from patience comes experience, from experience hope, and hope does not disappoint,” says the apostle (Rom. 5:3-5). “Look,” says St. Basil the Great, - what does grief lead to? To a hope that will not be put to shame. Are you sick? Rejoice, because “those whom the Lord loves... he punishes.” Beggar? Rejoice, for with Lazarus you will inherit good things. For the sake of Christ's name do you endure reproach? Blessed are you, for this reproach for you will be turned into angelic glory” (On Psalm 59). 10) The more pious people endure troubles and temptations here, the more they will be glorified in eternal life. “Punished a little, they will be greatly favored, for God has tested them and found them worthy of Himself. He tested them like gold in a furnace and accepted them as an all-perfect sacrifice. And at the time of their reward they will shine like sparks running along a stem” (Wis.3:5-7). Then they will understand “that the sufferings of this present time are not worth anything in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). 11) Thus they become conformed to Christ, the Son of God, as spiritual members of the Head, i.e. To the One who endured all kinds of troubles, sorrows and suffering for the sake of our salvation. 12) So they know “the power of sin, the sting ... of death” (1 Cor. 15:56), they know how great an evil is sin, which has brought so many troubles and misfortunes to the world, and they try to protect themselves from it. 13) Thus they recognize the wrath of God against sin and confess the righteousness of God, as David says: “You are righteous, O Lord, and your judgments are just” (Ps. 119:137). 14) In this way they learn to recognize through action the suffering of Christ and to venerate Him dearly and highly. Just as we know the sweetness of honey well when we taste it, and we feel the sorrow of disasters more when we ourselves are tempted by them, so we know the sorrow of Christ’s suffering better when we ourselves taste the sorrows of troubles and misfortunes. And from this we learn to taste and see “how good the Lord is” (Ps. 33:9), Who drank such a cup of sorrow for His indecent servants! 15) Troubles and sorrows move and encourage us to true repentance, to turn away from the charms of the world and seek true well-being from God, which cannot be taken away by any troubles; encourages true prayer, and so on. § 206. Since the narrow path is narrow and sorrowful, there are few, according to Christ’s words, who find it. For the sweets and amusements of this world are accessible to our senses and pleasing to our flesh. Eternal bliss, to which the narrow path leads, since one can see not with carnal, but with spiritual eyes, enlightened by faith, not everyone sees it, but only those enlightened by faith. And whoever does not see him does not look for him. And it is painful for our flesh to endure sorrow. Therefore, many, following the passionate and lustful flesh, leave the narrow path, and enter the wide one, and walk along it as the flesh pleases. § 207. The narrow path, although narrow and few follow it, leads to the space of eternal joy and consolation. The spacious, although it is wide and many walk along it, it leads into the narrowness of eternal sorrows, sorrows and sighs. Lazarus, mentioned in the Gospel, walked a narrow path of illness and poverty; but after death he was carried by the Angels to Abraham’s bosom. On the contrary, the rich man, about whom it is also said, “dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted brilliantly every day,” and did not want to show mercy to the poor and much-sick Lazarus, but buried in hell he lifts up his eyes, being in torment, and after great joy he endures great sorrow, and after expensive wines he asks for a drop of water, but does not receive (see Luke 16:19–26). Therefore Christ says: “Enter at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go in through it; for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few find it” (see above). § 208. This path is terrible for our flesh. For she wants to live in space and in all kinds of amusements accessible to the senses. She loves to be respected, praised and worshiped by everyone. She strives to live according to her will in everything. He who wishes to enter the narrow path must renounce all this: he must cut off his own will; must abandon his whims; should not be horrified by dishonor, reproach, poverty, exile and other troubles; should not think about revenge, etc. The flesh looks at all this, but does not see what the senses cannot understand and the mind cannot comprehend. Like a weak and inexperienced person who is afraid to take medicine, not knowing the benefit hidden in it; or just as babies run away from the bathhouse and cry when their mothers wash them, because they see only the present and do not see the future, so our weak flesh only looks at what is accessible to the senses, but does not see what is removed from the senses. He sees the cross and its sorrow, but does not see the benefit and consolation that delights that sorrow, therefore he is embarrassed and horrified. But in order for this confusion and fear to be destroyed or reduced, those who wish to enter through the narrow gates and walk along the narrow path must look not only at the visible, but also at the invisible circumstances of their circumstances; to pay reasoning and attention not only to sorrows and troubles, which show feelings and thus confuse us, but also to what the Christian faith represents. She introduces us to God as a Father who imposes a cross on His children out of love alone, and not out of anger. “The Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives. If you suffer chastisement, God treats you as sons” (Heb. 12:6-7). She consoles that the same Merciful Father is present and helps His children who are under the cross and sighing. “I am with him in trouble and will deliver him” (Ps. 90:15). “If you pass through water, I am with you, and the rivers will not cover you, and if you pass through fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not scorch you” (Isaiah 43:2). She points to the Head and Leader of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who first walked the path of the cross, and with His beautiful feet softened its cruelty, and made it comfortable for those who followed Him. It shows the desired end to which the way of the cross leads; she claims that after this sorrow there will be eternal sweetness, after temporary sorrow there will be eternal joy and gladness, after temporary dishonor and reproach we will receive eternal glory, after temporary death there will be eternal blissful life - and so the sorrow of the cross sweetens or dissolves. For hope makes even the most inconvenient labors easier and bitterness sweetens. We note this in the hope of temporary benefits. The hope of victory and glory calls a warrior to heroic deeds against the enemy. The hope of wealth encourages the merchant to wander through foreign countries and accept all sorts of troubles. The hope of fruits makes the farmer industrious, and he raises his efforts. The hope of health encourages the patient to accept bitter and cruel treatment. All the more, the firm hope of eternal blessings will move the heart to rise up to every calamity and misfortune, and, moreover, it promises God’s all-powerful help. (See more about this in the next paragraph). “Through your patience save your souls” (Luke 21:19). “For this pleases God if anyone, thinking about God, endures sorrows, suffering unjustly. For what is praise if you endure being beaten for your wrongdoings? But if, while doing good and suffering, you endure, this pleases God. For to this you were called” (1 Peter 2:19–21). “Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and for it he endures for a long time until he receives the early and late rain. Be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is drawing near. Do not complain, brothers, against each other, so as not to be condemned: behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and long-suffering, take, my brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we bring joy to those who have endured. You have heard about Job’s patience and seen the end of it from the Lord, for the Lord is very merciful and compassionate” (James 5:7-11). “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the Throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2). § 209. Human life from birth to end is filled with all sorts of troubles: we are born with tears; we live in troubles and tears; We end our lives with sighs and fear. And although many, in our opinion, live in prosperity, there is no such prosperity that would not be dissolved by the grief of ill-being. Against any disaster there is a fair remedy - patience. § 210. Just as the courage of a warrior is not known except during battle, so we do not know true patience except during troubles and troubles that have happened. Many people think of themselves as having patience, but the calamity that has happened shows whether they are patient. A skillful shipowner is not the one who steers the ship well during calm and favorable winds, but the one who manages his work well during bad weather and storms. So, the patient is not the one who behaves quietly and meekly during times of prosperity, but the one who, in times of disaster, tames and pacifies his heart, like a ship, outraged by disaster. For patience is the patience of adversity, not of prosperity. § 211. Patience does not consist in knowing and enduring many troubles, but in meeting them generously, and enduring them resignedly and patiently, and taming the rising anger, pacifying and conquering, restraining your heart from grumbling, indignation and anger, and surrendering in everything to the will of God. For troubles befall both the pious and the wicked. But only the pious endure them patiently and generously. The good and the evil are deprived of their estates. Those who are good with Job say: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the will of the Lord be done" (Job 1:21); the evil ones grumble and are indignant, and often blaspheme. The good and the evil accept insults from others. The good forgive those who have offended, and although they can take revenge, they do not take revenge and do not want to take revenge; the evil do not tolerate this, but try to avert the offense with an insult, and if they cannot do so, with a sarcastic word and slander take revenge. For true patience is not only not to take revenge, but also not to want to take revenge on the offender, even if the heart encourages it. Greater and highest patience is not to feel resentment and illness in your heart. One truly died for the world, the flesh and sin, but lives for Christ. Such is neither exalted by praise nor insulted by reproach; both in prosperity and in misfortune, he is the same, constant, quiet and meek. Such a state of heart is fortunate! It is the best of all the entertainments of this world! Sweet is this silence! Favorable peace in which the heart so calms! Christ calls us to this peace: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). § 212. True Christian patience comes from faith and cannot exist without faith. Since our flesh always wants to follow its will, to be in the pleasures and amusements of this world, it is horrified by any trouble and, if it happens, it is embarrassed and indignant. But faith, living in the heart, tames and pacifies this confusion, imagining that everything happens according to God’s Providence; that God sends punishment not out of anger, but out of love: “The Lord punishes whomever he loves” (Heb. 12:6); that soon this disaster will end; that temporary sorrow will be followed by eternal joy; that the goodness of God is insulted by impatience and indignation - and so the troubled and agitated heart tames and consoles. So Saint David, in sorrow and sorrow, consoled his soul with faith. “Why are you sad, my soul? And why are you embarrassing me? Trust in God, for I confess to Him, saying: “You are the salvation of my face and my God” (Ps. 41:6). § 213. So, patience is a virtue that, in every trouble, sadness and sorrow that occurs, surrenders to the will of God, and wishes to suffer rather than sin before God. Or, in other words, patience is a virtue that strengthens the heart in the struggle of the cross, and preserves it from indignation and grumbling, and teaches one to surrender to the will of God in everything; and there is nothing other than faith itself, struggling against the selfishness of the flesh and “subduing it into obedience” to the will of God (2 Cor. 10:5). And although the faithful, convinced by the weakness of the flesh, prays and asks for deliverance from sorrow, for “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41), however, following the Author of faith and Perfecter Jesus, the Son of God, he adds the words: “not my will, but yours be done,... Father” (Matthew 26:42; Luke 22:42; Mark 14:36). So Saint David, the father of Christ according to the flesh, in his persecution and sorrow said: “If... I find grace in the eyes of the Lord, then He will bring me back and show me it” (the ark of God) “and its beauty. And if He says this: “I have no favor with you,” then behold:... let him do to me what is pleasing in His sight" (2 Samuel 15:25-26). § 214. Reasons that encourage patience: 1) Everything that happens happens according to God’s holy Providence. “Good and evil, life and death, poverty and wealth are from the Lord,” says Sirach (Sir. 11:14). So, we must be content with this and strengthen ourselves in patience, that “all things come from the Lord,” and so surrender to His holy will, and in troubles speak to Job: “If we have received good from the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil” (Job 2:10). For from God, as the Good and Source good, nothing can happen except good. And although disaster seems evil to our carnal understanding, but since it is sent from the Good God for our benefit, it is good, and it wants to make us spiritually prosperous. 2) Punishment, through troubles and misfortunes, is a sign of God’s mercy towards us, says the apostle (Heb. 12:6). we have offended the goodness of God, much more than God’s punishment, whatever it may be. For God, in His great mercy, always punishes us less than we deserve. 4) God, out of the wealth of goodness, and meekness, and long-suffering, leading us to repentance, “bears with us,” waiting for us to repent (Rom. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). So, we must endure when He punishes us for our sins, and thank Him for the Father’s punishment, for through this punishment we seek our salvation, and patiently await His mercy, and thank Him that He did not destroy us in our sins. 5) If someone promised you great wealth and glory in this world and commanded you to endure everything, no matter what sorrowful thing happens, I am sure that you will endure everything patiently and generously if you want to receive what was promised. This is how patients accept cruel treatment and endure it, looking at the health promised by the doctors. This is how warriors fight and expose themselves to great danger, encouraged by the hope of the promised rank. Likewise, other sons of the age endure cruel adventures for the sake of the hope of temporary blessings, although they are often deceived. God promises us not temporary wealth, but eternal wealth, not earthly glory, but heavenly glory; and promises truthfully, and commands us to endure the evil that happens. So, how can we not endure if we want to get what we were promised? He promises to turn our sorrow into joy: “Those who sow with tears will reap with joy. Those leaving went away and wept, throwing away their seeds; and those who come will come with joy, gathering their sheaves” (Ps. 125:5-6). Through sorrowful paths and patience they reach eternal joy: “Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God,” says the apostle (Acts 14:22). “These are those who came out of great tribulation,” says the voice of heaven about the holy chosen ones of God (Rev. 7:14). 6) God’s honor requires that for its sake we endure every adversity that befalls us. Three youths in Babylon were not afraid of the kindled furnace when the wicked king commanded them to bow to the golden image, and so they deigned better to be a victim of fire than to offer a sacrifice to an idol and give the honor of the Creator to the creature (see Dan. 3:16-18). The holy martyrs did the same in the new grace. Even now the ruler of the world, the prince of darkness, kindles the furnace of temptation, and with it he frightens those who do not obey his evil will; but, for the sake of God’s honor, it is better for us to be cast into that furnace and endure, rather than, leaving the will of God, to obey his evil desire. This is to deny yourself, to hate your soul (see John 12:25). Thus, God’s help will come to the patient and suffering, cooling him and teaching him to rejoice (see Dan. 3:49–50). 7) The love of Christ, the Son of God, for us requires that we endure the disaster that happens for the sake of His love without complaint, even with joy. For whom did Christ endure such terrible torment? For you and for me. What compelled Him to do this? Only love for you and me. For what? So that we can receive salvation. Oh, how ungrateful slaves we will be, if our Lord suffered so much for us, and we do not want to suffer even a little for His sake, even for our own sake! For our patience benefits us, and not Him, and our impatience harms us, but not Him. 8) The truth of God requires this, so that the sinner is punished for his sins. So, if a sinner needs to be punished, it is better to be punished here, and to endure with thanksgiving, and with the prophet to confess and glorify the truth of God: “Thou art righteous, O Lord, and thy judgments are just” (Ps. 119:137) - than not to endure, and in that century to be endlessly tormented, for impatience leads to this. Here God punishes and consoles, but there there is no consolation. Here the punishment is light, Fatherly, and there it is cruel; here it is short-term, and there it is eternal. For to endure every kind of suffering here for a hundred years is nothing compared to this. Look where the long journey brought the rich man of the Gospel, who “dressed himself in purple and fine linen and feasted brilliantly every day”? To hell!.. From hell he lifts up his eyes, being in torment, from the flames of Gehenna he cries out: “Father Abraham! Have mercy on me... for I am tormented in this flame" (Luke 16:23, 24). She cries, but it is useless, and she will cry forever. Oh, how great is God’s mercy towards those whom he punishes here and may have mercy there! How blessed are those who endure this Fatherly punishment! “Being judged, we are punished by the Lord, lest we be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32). How damned are those who escape this punishment! They are like foolish children who are afraid of painted faces, but are not afraid to grab hot coals with their hands. Run away or don’t run away, as you wish, man: you have to endure it either here or there. There is no other way to heaven except the path of the cross, the narrow path, and the long path “leads to destruction,” according to the word of Christ (Matthew 7:13). So, it is better for us to pray to God to punish us here and have mercy there: “Punish us, Lord, but in righteousness, and not in Thy anger,” says the prophet (Jer. 10:24); and here His punishment is to be endured with thanksgiving and for our benefit, rather than there with eternal sighing and suffering uselessly. If, dear Christian, you think well what eternity is, and imagine in your mind how hard it is to lose eternal glory and fall into the fire of Gehenna, from which even the demons tremble, you will choose to endure every calamity and suffering here and will thank God for His merciful Fatherly punishment. 9) To endure or not to endure suffering, however, you cannot avoid it, and impatience cannot avert the suffering that God’s Providence has determined for us. And from impatience there is nothing other than harm and destruction. follows. 10) All suffering is alleviated by patience. Look at those who are suffering from long-term illness or who have been in prison for a long time: they are so patiently accustomed to this disaster that they do not seem to feel it. For “from tribulation comes patience” (Rom. 5:3). On the contrary, the disease multiplies with impatience, as the case itself shows, and leads to the fact that many give themselves over to death, and thus are deprived of temporary and eternal life. 11) All suffering - severe or mild. If cruel, it will soon end with death; if it is light, then it is tolerable and can be comfortably tolerated. So, both the cruel and the easy must endure: the first, because it will soon end; different, because it is light and comfortable. 12) If someone suffers from something, you can think to yourself: “Until this time I have endured, so I can continue to endure in the same way. Yesterday I endured, so today and tomorrow I can endure.” Such reflection will confirm patience with the help of God. Those who have endured in the past days can endure in the next. Yesterday and the third day I carried illness, sadness and other misfortunes - and I can continue to bear them. If you brought trouble and did not disappear, it means that the trouble is tolerable, tolerable, you can endure it. Nothing is impossible for him who desires and strengthens his heart, especially when God helps those who try (see Ps. 53:6, 36:40). 13) Impatience and grumbling in adversity are nothing more than blasphemy. For the one who grumbles certainly thinks that he is unjustly suffering the misfortunes that are sent to him by God, even if he does not utter it with his lips. A son, punished by his father, when he grumbles and is indignant at his father, shows by his indignation that his father either unjustly, or not according to the sin, and so incites his father to anger. Thus, when we are indignant in the troubles God sends to us, we thereby show that we are suffering unrighteously, that it is very contrary to the goodness and truth of God; and therefore we irritate Him more, and thus expose ourselves to greater troubles. “Those who are God’s punishments,” says St. John Chrysostom, - they receive it not with thanksgiving, but with anger and indignation, exposing themselves to great troubles” (1 to Stagiri). For who is without sin and who will be justified before Him? It often happens that we have not sinned before the man who persecutes us, but we have sinned before God; and often we are not guilty of what we are blamed for, but we are guilty of something else, and so everything is our fault. If there were no sins, there would be no troubles, for all troubles came from sins. Therefore, in disasters we must recognize the truth of God, admit our guilt, and gratefully endure the disaster inflicted. 14) This world is like a sea. The sea is always agitated by the wind - our life is always troubled by troubles. At sea, wave after wave follows - in our life, misfortune follows misfortune; one has passed, the other is advancing, and so our boat is constantly thrown up and down. Patience is like an anchor, which, cast into the depths of God’s mercy with hope, will not allow our boat to be destroyed; or as a quiet refuge to which we escape from drowning. “Patience,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “is a haven of joy” (On Psalm 14). 15) The closer the last day approaches, the more evils multiply, “and because iniquity abounds, love disappears from many” (Matthew 24:12). In such circumstances there is nothing to expect except violence and bitterness. Consequently, everyone who “desires to live godly in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:12) must arm himself with patience, as with a spiritual sword, and defend himself against the attack of evil. For anger is overcome by nothing other than patience. 16) The essence and strength of Christian achievement consists in nothing other than constant patience with temptations and troubles. The feat of the sons of this age consists of brave resistance against the enemy, and victory is in expelling and conquering him. But Christians strive well when those who find troubles patiently, gratefully and generously endure; and then they triumph gloriously when they yield to those who persecute them, and with good they conquer evil, for hatred they give love and for curse they give blessings. Oh, what a noble victory this is! Truly greater than conquering nations! For conquering your anger and indignation is no greater victory. “A slow-suffering man is better than a brave man, but one who holds back his anger is better than one who takes a city,” says Solomon (Proverbs 16:32). 17) How long-suffering is God Himself to the wicked of this world, Who can destroy everyone in an instant! How many terrible blasphemers are there who belch terrible blasphemies against His holy name? How many idolaters are there who attribute His honor to a soulless creature! How many atheists are there who deny His eternal existence! How many persecutors and heretics are trying to destroy His Church! How many other sinners are there who are not afraid to violate His holy law clearly and fearlessly! But the goodness of God endures everyone. By this great long-suffering of Him we also learn to endure our enemies. For everything will end; all those who offend and are offended will receive their own: “Behold, the Judge stands at the door” (James 5:9); “He has prepared His Throne for judgment” (Ps. 9:8). Those who rape and those who are violated, those who persecute and those who are persecuted, those who deprive and those who are deprived, those who are reproached and those who are reproached, those who beat and suffer beatings, those who expel and are cast out, are evident before Him; The tears of those who weep and the sighs of the wretched are numbered with Him - then everything will be revealed. “We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). 18) True patience is such a virtue that the Merciful God looks favorably on and sends His grace to the heart of the patient. “Who will I look at? Only against him who is meek and silent, and who trembles at My words,” says the Lord (Isaiah 66:2). 19) Patience makes a person courageous and invincible. The patient may be deprived of everything, he may be expelled, he may be beaten, he may be imprisoned, he may be killed, but he cannot be defeated. For his strength is not physical, but spiritual. He is conquered with the body, but he is invincible in spirit; accepts wounds on the body, but does not accept wounds in spirit; enclosed in body, but free in spirit; He is killed in body, but cannot die in spirit, and thus triumphs over all his enemies in spirit. Thus the holy martyrs conquered, whom neither bonds, nor prisons, nor wounds, nor fire, nor water, nor the teeth of beasts, nor death, nor life, could defeat, but they triumphed over all free spirits. What did their torturers do to them? What kind of torment did they invent? But they left the spectacle disgraced and defeated, although they tore at their flesh like beasts. The tormentor Diocletian, when he could not do anything to the holy martyr Vitus with his torment, ran from the disgrace, beating himself in the face and crying: “Woe is me, for I was defeated by such a small youth!” (Life of St. Martyr Vitus. June 15th day). 20) Suffering one, look at those who have great sorrow and endure illness. If you are in a long-term illness and have some consolation from those who serve you, look at those who are suffering from an illness greater than yours, who are burning inside with the fire of grief and sadness, who are covered with wounds on the outside, and besides, they do not have anyone to serve them, who would feed them, give them something to drink, lift them up, wash them from their wounds - but they endure. If you suffer exile, bring to mind the convicts who are in shackles, in rags, half naked, removed from home and the Fatherland, suffering beatings and wounds every day, doing hard work during the day, at night in dungeons filled with sewage and stench, prisoners, without any consolation, for whom death is more pleasant than life - but they endure. If you suffer poverty, think about those who were once rich and famous, but have reached the point where they have nothing to feed themselves, no wife, no children, no place to lay their heads, and wander around other people’s yards; Moreover, they are burdened with debts, they endure cramped conditions everywhere, sadness, unbearable sorrow, as if they were burning in a furnace. Although you do not have what you need, you can ask for it in the name of Christ; and they are ashamed to ask because before they were famous and rich. Look also at the poor peasants, the beggars, the half-naked, the sick, who cannot move, from whom they demand taxes and dues; and they not only cannot give, but they themselves need someone who would give to them, and who would also serve in extreme poverty and illness. If you endure reproach and slander, bring to mind those sitting in a high place, how much murmuring, reproach, slander, abuse, slander, deceit, deceit, curses, ridicule, stinging reproaches they endure from their subordinates, like a tree standing in a high place, which is shaken by every, even the slightest, wind. Likewise, receive reinforcement of patience from others. They tolerate more and the most cruel things - shouldn’t you tolerate less? 21) Descend with your mind into hell, consider how the condemned are tormented, and those who, if it were possible, would like to burn here in fire at least until the end of the world, just to be freed from eternal torment, will suffer forever, but it is not given to them. 22) Raise your intelligent eyes to the heavenly villages and examine all the inhabitants there: you will not find a single one who did not come from here through patience. 23) “The sufferings of this present time are not worth anything in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us,” says the Apostle Paul (Rom. 8:18). So, no matter what trouble you endure here, your patience is not worthy of the future glory that is prepared for those who endure, for “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and nothing has entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). 24) In your suffering, remember the terrible suffering of the martyrs of the saints. Some of them were beaten with sticks, some had their teeth and eyes torn out, some had their tongues, arms, legs and breasts cut off, others, almost all crushed, were nailed to crosses, some were thrown to be devoured by wild animals, others were drowned in water, others were burned in fire, others were buried alive in the ground, others were imprisoned in red-hot copper oxen, others had skin and flesh to the bones. they tore off, others poured tar into their mouths, poured melted tin into their mouths, and endured other unspeakable torments. But everyone endured so generously that they laughed and mocked the tormentors. It is true that they endured all this with the help of Christ, but the same help of Christ is now ready for all who endure: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Christ, the Son of God, the Sinless One, innocently endured terrible and incomprehensible suffering for our sake, and presents Himself as an example to all of us: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23). The prophets looked at this example with faith from afar and “would rather suffer... than have temporary sinful pleasure” (Heb. 11:25). This was followed by the holy apostles, martyrs and other saints who “passed through the fire and water of all temptations and entered into eternal rest” (Ps. 65:12). 25) “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every burden and the sin that besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despised the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the Throne of God. Think about Him who endured such reproach from sinners, so that you do not grow weary and weakened in your souls.” This is how the holy Apostle exhorts all those who suffer (Heb. 12:1-3). Christ says: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). If we want to come to God, we must follow this path by faith. If we do not want to be deceived, we must believe this Truth, which says: “Whoever serves Me, let him follow Me” (John 12:26), that is, My humility, patience and meekness. If we want to receive eternal life, we must cling to this Life, apart from Whom there is no life, by faith and love. This is the Path that leads to God! This is the Truth, which knows no deception! This is the Life that gives life to those who cling to It by faith! So, if anyone does not follow this Path, he is mistaken. If anyone does not believe this Truth, he is deceived. If anyone does not hold on to this Life, he is dead and will be dead forever. The flesh, no matter how it caresses, will deceive; the world will deceive us, and will lead us to the point that it will be useless to repent and regret, but this Truth cannot deceive. 26) Through true patience we become conformed to Christ, the Son of God, Who endured so much sorrow and suffering for our sake, as members of the Head. And whoever is conformed to Him in patience will partake of His glory in the resurrection, “if only we suffer with Him,” says the apostle, “so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17). What is it like for the Son of God to be conformed in patience and glory and to this most blessed Head to be a true spiritual member - not only the tongue cannot say, but even our mind cannot comprehend this. 27) God’s love requires that we uncomplainingly, even gratefully, bear the cross that He imposes on us. He punishes us out of love, and not out of anger, as stated above, so we must endure His Father’s punishment not with anger and grumbling, even if our hearts are troubled, but with love and gratitude. For nothing shows love for God more than grateful patience with troubles and sorrows. Many people think of themselves that they love God; but the trouble they find shows whether their opinion is true. In prosperity, even the evil ones think that they thank God, but in unfavorable circumstances they grumble. In prosperity and misfortune, being grateful to God is only a matter of a God-loving heart. 28) How great a benefit patience brings in society and in every rank! Patience preserves love and harmony between rulers and ruled, between parents and children, between masters and slaves, between brothers, between friends, between neighbors, between buyers and sellers, so that without patience no good can happen. Out of impatience, husband and wife, brother and brother, with each other, where there should be peace and harmony, quarrel and quarrel. Out of impatience, the master of the slave, the father of the son, the husband of the wife, the ruler of the subject painfully beats. Out of impatience in those suffering beatings, an evil thought rises up against the beating; hence it happens that a master's slave, a husband's wife, a subject of a ruler, a son of an evil father, strives to kill, and kills, for this evil often happens. Patience stops all this evil. Impatience ruins houses, villages, cities and states, because from impatience - disagreement, from disagreement - quarrel and abuse, from abuse - bloodshed and murder among the people who make up society. Patience averts all this evil. For where there is patience, there is no quarreling and fighting. What kind of quarrel would there be when one offended, and the other gave in and forgave the offender? Even the most innocent nature suffers from human impatience. So the evil ones burn houses, granaries, shops, kill or damage livestock. Out of impatience, a man beats himself, tears out his hair, and becomes like a demon possessed and more terrible than a beast; He often kills himself, and thus dies in body and soul. Patience does not allow this disaster to happen. Oh, blessed are those houses, cities, towns, villages and communities in which patience dwells: for it preserves society more than weapons, protects a city more than walls! Oh, kind vision and hearing of patience - a refuge for the overwhelmed, a source of peace, a fortress, friendship, a visor and repository of virtues, a crown of piety, a well-known sign of faith, the cause of true joy, the fruit of humility, peace of conscience, the Christian coat of arms, the banner of Christ's soldiers, the seal of God's chosen ones, the path to eternal life, the ladder to heaven, the forerunner of eternal glory, victory over enemies, the plague the devil and his angels, reproach to the world, triumph over oneself, and so on. § 215. Patience is strengthened: 1) by prayer, which asks for God’s help in bearing the cross. For just as suffering children express their sorrow to their parents and so receive consolation from them; or just as a friend communicates the sorrow of his heart to his faithful friend and thus feels a certain consolation in his heart, so we especially feel the relief of our sorrow when we communicate our sorrow to God, “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). 2) Strengthened by confession of sins. For in the confession of sins a person recognizes that through his own sins he has come to such a disaster, and therefore he does not complain about anyone, but only about himself and his sins. Thus, God’s consolation is sent to the one who confesses and repents. 3) Sorrow and sadness are alleviated by spiritual songs. So travelers drive away boredom and sadness with various songs; This is how skilled people dissolve sadness and boredom by singing. For singing to the sad is like a plaster applied to a wound, or like cold water to the thirsty. 4) Patience is strengthened by the expectation of deliverance, which, although not before death, will follow with death. For by death every calamity is abolished. 5) By looking at the image of the suffering of Christ, the holy martyrs and other saints, as well as those who are now suffering every calamity, as has been said. 6) Consolation is acquired by the expectation of future glory. Thus, farmers are consoled by the hope of fruits, travelers by the hope of peace, warriors by the hope of victory and glory, merchants by the hope of acquiring wealth. If the hope of these temporary blessings encourages, how much more will the hope of certain and ineffable blessings encourage and encourage one to endure adversity and sorrow. 7) Holy Scripture provides various consolations to sorrowing and mourning souls. Just as in a rich and plentiful pharmacy there are various medicines with which various bodily diseases are healed, so in the Holy Scriptures we are offered various means with which we can be consoled and strengthened in patience. For this is why it was given by God, “so that through patience and comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). Chapter 7: About giving thanks to God “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you,” says the apostle (1 Thess. 5:18). “Be grateful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:15–16). § 216. Thanking God is an inner, heartfelt and joyful feeling of His goodness and mercy, which He has shown and continues to show to us, unworthy, - and witnessing with our hearts and lips. The image of this heartfelt thanksgiving was shown to us by Christ Himself, the Son of God, when “he rejoiced in spirit... and said: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth!” – and so on (Luke 10:21); showed His Most Holy Mother, the Most Pure Virgin Mary, when she sang this song with a joyful spirit: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, because He has respected the humility of His Servant,” and so on (Luke 1:46–55). Saint David in many psalms with a joyful spirit and a grateful heart and lips sings of the goodness of God and calls others to this sweet jubilation: “Magnify the Lord with me, and together we will exalt His name.” And again: “Taste and see how good the Lord is” (Ps. 33:4, 9). For the property of a grateful heart is not only to glorify its own benefactor, but to try to get others to glorify him. § 217. This feeling is born from thinking about the blessings of God that He has shown and continues to show us. God's blessings to us are not only innumerable, but also incomprehensible to the mind. 1) He brought us from non-existence into being, for which no one can properly thank. 2) He honored us with His rational soul and His Divine image. 3) He gave us the fruit of the earth for food. 4) He assigned every animal to serve us. 5) He placed the sun, moon and stars in the sky to illuminate us. 6) Air was shed to preserve our lives. 7) He commanded the clouds to irrigate the air so that we would have coolness, and the earth - for vegetation and fruitfulness, so that we and our livestock would have food. 8) I planted various trees and herbs for our various needs and needs. 9) He produced various birds, like sweet music that amuses us. 10) He gave us fire for warmth and illumination at night. 11) He shed waters, seas, lakes, springs and rivers with various fish and other animals for our benefit and need. 12) He showed the way of sailing across the seas, so that one country with another, east with west, north with south, would have the most convenient communication, and exchange His benefits among themselves. 13) He created day and night, winter and summer, spring and autumn for our sake. 14) He commanded His angels to encamp around us and, like guards, to guard us (see Ps. 34:8). 15) He does not immediately execute those who sin, but expects, calls and exhorts us to conversion and repentance. 16) Warns and preserves us from the slander and intrigues of our enemy the devil. 17) But the top of all good deeds is that through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, He has prepared for us the path to eternal bliss. “He, being the image of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, becoming in the likeness of men, and becoming in appearance like a man; He humbled himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death, even death on the cross,” as the apostle teaches (Phil. 2:6-8). And He who contains the universe with his hand, “was wrapped in swaddling clothes... in a manger” (Luke 2:7). And He who measured the sky with a span, “had no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). And the Rich One “made Himself poor... so that through His poverty we might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). And He who wanted to come on the clouds to judge the living and the dead, “was judged unjustly by the wicked” (Luke 23:1-24). And He, whom the ranks of angels do not dare to look upon, “was buffeted and spat on” (Matthew 27:30). And He who clothed the sky with clouds, “was clothed in a robe of reproach” (Luke 23:11; Mark 15:17). And He who clothed himself with light, like a robe, “was naked” (Matthew 27:28). And He Whom the Cherubim and Seraphim serve, “Deigned to serve men” (John 13:5). And He allowed the hands with which He had performed miracles to be nailed to the cross. (see Luke 23:33) And He who did no harm to anyone “was beaten” (Mark 15:19). And He who raised the dead with a wave, “by His will endured the death of the cross” (John 19:30, 10:18). Yet our Good Lord endured these sufferings for the sake of our eternal salvation. But when he showed us so many and great benefits, he does not require anything else from us other than one grateful heart. For as a gift, from love alone for us, unworthy, our Benefactor created these good deeds. For He is Good by nature and cannot help but do good. The property of goodness is to communicate and give oneself to others. So, all these blessings of God: our existence, which we received from Him; the rational soul, by which we are honored by Him; the earth that holds and nourishes us; the water that drinks and washes us; livestock, animals, fish, trees and herbs that serve our needs; birds that amuse us; the sun, moon and stars that illuminate us; the air that preserves our life; the fire that warms us; the clouds that rain on us and on our fields; the day that shines for us for our work; the night, which was arranged for us for the sake of the repose of our weak flesh; the undoubted hope of a future life, so miraculously arranged, the hope that all good things have been taken away and the end that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord - all this, I say, and His other unknown benefits encourage and, as it were, force us with the zeal of God, the Benefactor, to give thanks and be grateful to Him. § 218. God’s ineffable blessings make us obligated to God the Benefactor and require a very grateful heart from us: “but what shall we render to the Lord for all that He has given us” (Ps. 116:3)? For the one thing that we were created by Him, brought from non-existence into being and honored by our rational soul, created in the image and likeness, we must give all of ourselves, that is, soul and body, to Him. And what can we give for the fact that those who have sinned have been pardoned, those who have perished have been recovered, and those who have fallen have been restored in such a miraculous way? What - for the fact that for our sake he took on the form of a slave, lived on earth, hungered, thirsted, worked, cried, was sick, was sad, received dishonor, reproach, slander, condemnation, spitting, strangulation, beating, wounds, crucifixion and shameful death? What, I say, will we repay for this such wonderful love? We can't find anything! What is it for the fact that “he gave power to those who believe in His name to become children of God” (John 1:12), to be citizens of the Jerusalem above, to be counted among the holy Angels, to be participants in the eternal and heavenly kingdom? Nothing! Remember, Christian, how much you owe the Lord God on top of that! Consider how many times since your youth you have sinned before the Lord God; how many times after Baptism did you break His holy law; how many times have you broken your vows that you made upon entering Christianity; How many times have you turned away from your Lord in your heart! You committed every crime in the face of God; His all-seeing eye looked at your crimes. God is everywhere, and whatever we do, we do it before God. You sinned, and God looked at you; He looked and saw, but endured you “according to the riches of His goodness” (Rom. 2:4). What King could be so good, so meek, so merciful; who would see his servant transgressing his law before his eyes and meekly endure it? Soon human meekness turns into anger, and patience turns into indignation. But the Tsar is the same person as his subjects, often breaking the law itself, like a person, but does not tolerate it when he sees his law being violated by his subjects. But not so God, the one Sinless, God, the King of heaven and earth, the one Just and eternal Truth. Although he sees a person’s sin, he, out of the richness of His goodness, endures it, does not execute him, and does not then reward him according to his deeds; and not only endures, but also protects the sinner, so that he does not perish while waiting for his repentance. Remember the apostolic word that “our adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). This enemy of ours, how many times have you sinned since your youth, so many times was he ready to destroy you; so many times, like a giant, he rushed at you, “like a lion rushing at his prey” (Ps. 16:12), he wanted to steal your soul and take you to hell. But the goodness of God forbade him to do this. You destroyed God’s commandment, but God did not destroy His mercy from you. You angered God, but the goodness of God protected you from your enemy, who stood with you as you sinned and wanted to destroy you. You have retreated from God in your heart and approached your enemy; but the goodness of God forbade him and forbade him, lest he snatch away your soul. For how long, having sinned, you remained in unrepentance, all this time he laid snares under your feet, looking for a way to kill you and betray your soul to eternal destruction; but the goodness of God stopped his evil intentions. Remember how many are those who are immersed in fornication, robbery, embezzlement, larceny, drunkenness and sleep, kidnapped without repentance; but the goodness of God saved you from this. Oh, how much in this part of God's goodness you owe! That you live, that you have not yet perished, that you will not be cast into hell, that you can repent and be saved—all this you must gratefully attribute to the goodness of God. Have you come to your senses and are you in true repentance? This is a work of God's grace. Are you unrepentant and unrepentant? It is the goodness of God that you have not yet perished. Satan watches all your paths, your entrances and exits, wants to put an obstacle in front of you and steal your faulty soul from you and bring you to hell, but the goodness of God does not yet allow him to destroy you, still tolerates you, still awaits your conversion, leads you to repentance. But listen to what the apostle says to the careless and faulty: “Or do you neglect the riches of the goodness, meekness and long-suffering of God, not realizing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of righteous Judgment from God” (Rom 2:4-5). You see, beloved Christian, how amazing is the goodness of God towards us, which not only created us, and created us not like other things, senseless and insensitive, but honored us with feelings and reason, nourishes, clothes, warms, preserves and illuminates the created ones; not only did she have mercy on us who sinned, but she also tolerated us who sinned; and not only endures, but also preserves us from the machinations of our enemy, who seeks our destruction, as you saw above. But how great is God’s goodness towards us, how great is His love for us, how much we owe to Him. Our mind is not able to comprehend this love of God for us, O people, or to invent how to repay it. We can know this one thing and admit from our hearts that we cannot repay anything, no matter what we do for His sake. “What shall we repay the Lord for all that he has repaid us” (Ps. 116:3)? This is how one should always confess with a prophet with humility. Everything that our Lord did or does not do to us, he does for free, out of love alone. But although we lack the strength for worthy thanksgiving, we must, however much we have, try to always be grateful to Him with our hearts and lips. § 219. The debt of love is repaid by nothing other than love. For love is satisfied with nothing other than mutual love. For nothing pleases a lover, no matter what he does, no matter what his beloved brings him, if he does not see mutual love from him. Moreover, to God, who loves us and our Benefactor, our Lord, who “has no need of our goods” (Ps. 15:2), because the blessings we have are His; nothing is pleasant, no matter what we bring, if we do not bring a loving and grateful heart. So, for the debt of God’s love, which we owe Him unspeakably, we cannot bring anything except mutual love and a grateful heart. We must always pay this debt in every possible way, but we cannot pay it in any way. This duty requires from us that we show all obedience to Him and fulfill not our own, but His will. This duty requires us that, if we cannot give Him anything, we give to His servants who demand for His name’s sake, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bring the bloodless into our homes, comfort the sad, comfort the wandering, visit the sick and those sitting in prison, and serve them in other demands and needs (Matthew 25:35-36). This duty requires us to “forgive... their sins” from our hearts to our brethren who have sinned (Matthew 6:14–15). This duty requires us to “love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us” (Matthew 5:44). This duty requires us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1); “We have put to death our members on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil lust, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). This duty requires that we write this goodness of God on our hearts, testify with our lips, talk with our friends, and not remain silent about it before our enemies. This duty requires that we not spare our souls, where the honor of His name requires it - in a word, we do not refuse to do everything that His holy will desires with zeal and joy (see Eph. 5:10). § 220. And in the opposite that is sent to us, we must thank God even more, to which the following reasons prompt: 1) From the Good God nothing but good can come to us, although it seems to us the other way around. For often, due to our foolishness and blindness, we consider something good that is evil for us; and we consider what is truly good for us to be evil. But the Most Good and All-Wise Heavenly Father sees differently, and “instead of bread... a stone, and instead of a fish... a snake... He does not want to give to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:11-13; Matthew 7:11). 2) By taking away goods, we learn to know goods and the Giver of goods - God. For while we have good and are filled with good, we do not know good, and so we forget God, the Giver of all good, but then we truly know good when we are deprived of it. How great a good thing is health, we know in illness; What a great gift of God is bread, we notice in times of famine; We will learn the benefits of light in darkness or blindness, the benefits of peace and tranquility during the invasion of enemies, the benefits of rain during drought, the benefits of sunlight during bad weather, the benefits of freedom in captivity, the benefits of water during thirst, the benefits of fire during cold and winter. And having learned good, we partly taste and see “how good the Lord is” (Ps. 33:9), Who gives us good things. 3) When God takes away physical good from us, He wants to give spiritual good. When he takes away bodily wealth, he wants to give spiritual wealth; when it takes away physical health, it wants to give mental health; when he takes away temporary glory, he wants to give eternal glory. And he does this because, you know, he saw that the good of the body and the soul cannot fit in us. And therefore he acts like a skilled doctor who cuts off one part of the body in order to preserve the whole body. Likewise, the all-wise Physician of our souls, the Lord, cuts off bodily goods so that both – the soul and the body – are preserved in eternal life. We are not angry with the doctor when he shows such concern for us, but we even thank him, love him and give him payment. Much more than God, who provides for us so mercifully and lovingly, we must give thanks. For “the Lord disciplines whomever he loves” (Heb. 12:6). For when the Most Good God gives us well-being and thus attracts us to Himself, then our corrupted nature is exalted by this more than it is prompted to the love of God. Therefore, the Fatherly Providence of God, by allowing troubles, humbles us and thereby corrects us. So, what seems to us to be troubled is for us true, direct and what well-being should desire. Our flesh is in trouble, but our spirit is happy; the flesh is exhausted, but the spirit is strengthened; the flesh fades, but the spirit flourishes. Troubles and punishments are like messengers of God, who announce to us, who gratefully endure them, the subsequent grace of God. For troubles bring us to God. “In their sorrow, from early morning they will cry out to Me, saying: “Let us go and return to the Lord our God, for He has struck us and will heal us, will wound us and heal us,” says the prophet (Hos. 6:1-2). 4) When God takes away bodily goods, he does not take away everything, but leaves some, depending on the strength of our spirit. For our All-Wise and Most Good Creator knows our weakness, and therefore when He deprives us of one, He leaves us with another, so that we can bear the temptation without exhaustion; and at the same time gives a helping hand to those who are tempted. Thus, when wealth is taken away, health is left behind; taking away health, it leaves behind some other consolation. So, if you suffer poverty, but are healthy, give thanks that you have health and can earn bread through your labors. If you are poor and unhealthy, thank that the name of Christ feeds you. If you suffer illness and have wealth, give thanks that you have the consolation of contentment. If your belongings are stolen, be grateful that the house is intact and there is somewhere to have peace. If the estate and house burned down, give thanks that you yourself remained intact, for many themselves, with their houses and estate, are burned down. If you tolerate slander and slander, thank them for not beating you, sending you into exile, or putting you in prison. If you are simply sitting in prison, thank you for not being shackled. If you are chained, give thanks that you see the light, have food, and so on. If you have lost honor, thank you that you have freed yourself from many troubles, vanities, envy, curses, slander, indignation, malice, slander and other evils surrounding honor and that you have not yet lost your property. If you are deprived of honor and property, thank you for not being sent to prison. If you are sent to prison, give thanks that you are not put to death. “If condemned to death,” says St. Basil the Great, - and unrighteously, give thanks that for this a glorious crown is prepared for you in heaven. If it is righteous, says the same saint. father, thank you that by temporary death you will be delivered from eternal death” (In the Sermon on Julitta the Martyr). So follow this example in other things. And besides, know that we have not deserved any good from God, but, on the contrary, we are worthy of any punishment; and whatever the punishment, our sins deserve even more. § 221. Here it is presented how we should thank the Most Good God, our Benefactor and Provider, for all His benefits to us. Wherever we look, wherever we turn our eyes and mind, everywhere we have enough opportunities to glorify the goodness of God. At night you look at the clear sky, decorated with stars like beads, and between the stars you see the shining moon - they serve you. Give thanks to “He who made... the moon and the stars to rule the night” ( Ps. 135:7–9 ). The day has dawned; The sun has spread its rays throughout the universe; its light shines on you. Give thanks to “He who made... the sun to rule the day” ( Ps. 135:7–8 ). The clouds sprinkle rain - they sprinkle it on you. Give thanks to “He who covers the sky with clouds and prepares rain for the earth” (Ps. 147:8). The wind rose and began to drive away the clouds and clear the sky - it serves you. Give thanks to “He who brings up the winds from His treasures” (Ps. 134:7). You see fields filled with various fruits, green meadows and forests, garden trees abounding in fruits - this is a work of God’s goodness, this is sent to you by God. Give thanks to the Giver, saying: “Bless the Lord, my soul” (Ps. 103:1). Winter came, the earth was covered with snow, frost bound the lakes, rivers and swamps, and so everywhere the path turned out to be free, there was no need for bridges and other necessities for crossing - this is God’s blessing; your needs are served by this. Bless “He who spreads out His snow like a wave” (Ps. 147:5). Winter passes and spring comes - thus, as it were, the approaching resurrection of all creation, which died from the frost, is announced to you - bless the Favored One in this way. Spring has come; here a new treasure of God’s gifts is revealed: the sun shines favorably and warms, one can feel the well-dissolved air, the earth produces its treasures from its depths, fruits appear from seeds and roots, and are served for everyone to use; meadows, fields, fields, forests become clothed and green, decorated with flowers and emit all sorts of fragrances, springs and river streams flow from them and not only the sight, but also the ear amuses; various voices of various birds are heard everywhere, like some kind of sweet music; cattle disperse across the fields and steppes, do not require food from us, feed and are satisfied with what the hand of God has opened for them, they are content, eat and play, and so, as it were, they give thanks to the goodness of God. In a word, the whole of heaven again takes on a beautiful and cheerful appearance. The insensitive and feeling-gifted creature is, as it were, reborn. To you, an intelligent creature, all this wealth of God’s goodness has been revealed - say gratefully: “Bless the Lord, my soul” (Ps. 104:1). The earth has brought forth various fruits for your satisfaction and comfort—give thanks to the One who arranged it this way, speaking with a joyful spirit to the prophet: “Thou hast made me glad, O Lord, in Thy creation” (Ps. 91:5). When you eat food, give thanks to “He who gives food to all flesh” (Ps. 136:25). If you put on clothes: the goodness of God clothes you - thank the Benefactor. Whether your peace is warming or your food is being cooked on the fire, fire is God’s gift, which works and serves for you - bless the One who created it. The day has passed - sing with gratitude, for the Lord has vouchsafed you to spend it without harm or destruction; sing with your heart and lips: “I will sing songs to You, O Lord!” I fell asleep at night and, having slept, got up - say: “I will bless You, Lord!” Speak to the prophet: “I fell asleep, slept and arose, for the Lord will protect me” (Ps. 3:6). If you feel the stress of your conscience for your sins, give thanks to God, who suffered your sins and did not deliver you into the hands of your enemy; Confess gratefully to the prophet: “I will confess to You, O Lord, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forever: for Your mercy is great toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the lowest hell” (Ps. 86:12-13). If you feel the fear of God’s Judgment or the desire for God’s eternal life - then grace calls you to repentance - say: “Blessed is the Lord, who wants all people to be saved and to achieve the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4); obey the call of God’s grace, while “the time is favorable... and the day of salvation,” while the Lord listens and helps. For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). When sorrow, sadness, illness or some other vicissitude comes, so your Lord seeks your salvation; give thanks to Him who desires and seeks your salvation; speak to the Psalmist: “It is good for me that You have humbled me, so that I may learn Your statutes” (Ps. 119:71). If you think about the saving look of the Son of God towards the human race (and you should always think about such a great and important matter), sing with joy and deep humility: “Bless the Lord, my soul, and His holy name! Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His rewards” (Ps. 102:1-2), and so on. Or so with the prophet Zechariah, bless the Lord: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that he hath visited his people, and wrought deliverance for them, and raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David” (Luke 1:68–69). You hear the prophetic and apostolic voices, you hear those preaching God’s Word, understand that these messengers of God serve you, “bringing good news of peace, bringing good news” (Rom. 10:15), preaching the remission of sins, the approaching kingdom of heaven, teaching the truth, guiding you on the right path, leading to eternal bliss - say with a grateful spirit: Glory to God, To our benefactor, forever, amen! – From the above it follows that we must thank God both in prosperity and in evil. In prosperity - for we, unworthy, receive His blessings freely from Him and are comforted by them. In evil - for we are corrected by Him, we come to our senses, we recognize ourselves, our meanness, unworthiness and damnation, we learn to consider the blessings of God great and to honor the Giver of blessings. § 222. Gratitude, since it is favorable, is rewarded with great and numerous benefits from God. And this seems to be revealed by Christ when he says: “Whoever has, to him will be given and he will have abundance” (Matthew 13:12); and again: “To everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance” (Matthew 25:29). For our Most Good Master accepts gratitude as a gift to Himself, and for this gift He will reward new joys. “Gratitude,” says St. Basil the Great, - God counts it as a good deed; and He who gives you wealth asks for alms from you through the hands of the poor; and although He receives His own from you, yet, as for your own good, He rewards you with His true grace” (The Sermon on Julitta the Martyr). Christ also says the same to those on His right hand at His righteous Judgment: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). For what do we have of our own except sins? And what can we give to Him from Whom we have everything, as said above? But with thanksgiving to God, he who gives God’s good to his neighbor gives, as it were, his own; and God imputes that gift to Himself, and therefore with a new benefit, like one rich in mercy and generosity, He rewards the giver and repays grace for grace. § 223. God’s Word denounces human ingratitude in many places, some of which I offer here in order to show what a grave sin ingratitude is. The holy prophet Moses, wanting to expose the ingratitude of the people of Israel, calls upon heaven and earth as a witness to his words, saying: “Listen to heaven, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. My message will fall like rain, and... my words will fall like dew, like a cloud on the greenery and like rain on the grass. For I have called on the name of the Lord; give greatness to our God. God, His works are true, and all His ways are righteous; God is faithful, and there is no unrighteousness in Him; the Lord is righteous and holy. But they sinned against Him; they are not His children due to their vices. An obstinate and depraved race! Is this what you repay to the Lord? These people are stupid and unreasonable! Is not He your Father, who adopted you, and created you, and created you? Remember the days of old, think about the years of former generations; ask your father, and he will tell you, and your elders, and... they will tell you. When the Almighty divided the nations and dispersed the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the Angels of God. And they were the Lord's portion, His people Jacob, His inheritance Israel. He provided for him in the desert, during times of thirst and heat in the waterless, protected him, and taught him, and preserved him like the apple of his eye. As an eagle covered its nest and hovered over its chicks, it spread out its wings and received them, and lifted them onto His shoulders. The Lord alone led them, and there was no strange god with them. He raised them to heights, filled them with the produce of the fields; they drank honey from the stone and oil from the solid rock; He fed them with the butter of cows and the milk of sheep, and the fat of lambs and rams, calves and goats, and fat wheat, and they drank wine, the blood of grapes. And Jacob ate and was filled, and his beloved rejected him; became fat, grew fat, grew fat, and left God who created him, and retreated from God his Savior. They angered Me with alien gods and upset Me with their abominations; sacrificed to demons, and not to God, to gods whom... they did not know, new and recent, who came from neighbors, those whom their fathers did not know. You have forsaken the God who gave birth to you and forgotten the God who feeds you” (Deut. 32:1–18), and so on. The prophet Isaiah also calls heaven and earth as evidence of God’s complaint about the ingratitude of the people of Israel: “Hear, O heaven, and listen, O earth, for the Lord says: I have begotten sons and raised them up, but they have rejected Me. An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel has not known Me, and My people do not understand Me.” And then the prophet, with great zeal for God, reproaching them, says: “Alas, a sinful people, a people full of sins, an evil seed, sons of iniquity, you have forsaken the Lord, and angered the Holy One of Israel, you have turned back,” and so on (Is. 1:1-4). Through the prophet Malachi, the Lord speaks about those who do not honor and fear Him, the root of which is ingratitude: “A son honors his father, and a servant fears his master; and if I am the Father, then where is the respect for Me? And if I am the Lord, where is the fear of Me? says the Lord Almighty” (Mal 1:6). The psalmist complains about the ingratitude of the people of Israel, saying: “They have forgotten His good deeds and His miracles that He showed them”; and again: “They loved Him with their mouth, and lied to Him with their tongue; but their heart was not right with Him, and they were not faithful to His covenant” (Ps. 77:11, 36-37). Christ, when he cleansed ten lepers, and only one of those cleansed, a Samaritan, returned to Him with gratitude, says: “Were not ten cleansed? Where is nine? How did they not return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17–18). And to Judas, His betrayer, denouncing his ingratitude, he says: “Judas! Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48). – From these cited and other passages of Holy Scripture we can see: 1) How serious ingratitude is before God. It is hard for people to endure the ingratitude of those to whom they have done some kind of benefit; especially to God. For people, whatever good they do to their neighbors, is God’s good, and not their own; They have every good thing from God, and not from themselves. For whatever we have, except sins, is God’s, not ours, and therefore, when we do good to someone, we give it from God’s good, given to us. However, although they do not benefit anyone with their good and do not see gratitude from it, they do not endure without illness, as this is undoubtedly for everyone. How incomparably heavier is our ingratitude before God, Who shows us not strangers, but His own blessings, countless blessings, incomprehensible to the mind, known and unknown to us, as said above. And He manifests himself not only every day, but also every hour and minute, so that we cannot live even a minute without His blessings! 2) The more great blessings someone is awarded by God, the more and more seriously he sins if he does not show gratitude to Him. The ungrateful Jews were more ungrateful to God than the pagans who did not know Him. For the Jews, in addition to the general blessings of God, which are poured out to the good and the evil, the righteous and the unrighteous, that is, temporary and earthly blessings, were rewarded by God with special mercy more than the pagans. “And the portion of the Lord was His people Jacob, His inheritance Israel. He pleased him in the wilderness,” and so on (see in the above Scriptures). “To them belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law, and the worship, and the promises; theirs are the fathers, and from them is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all, blessed forever, Amen,” Paul sighs for them (Rom. 9:4–5). “He has not done this to any other people and has not shown His judgments to them,” says the prophet, that is, what he did to the Jews (Ps. 147:9). That is why their ingratitude before God is worse than that of the pagans, as they are exposed in many places of Holy Scripture. “But they have sinned before Him; they are not His children because of their vices. An obstinate and depraved generation! Do you repay the Lord for this?” - Saint Moses tells them in his Song (see above). “I gave birth to sons and raised them up, but they rejected Me.” , says God through the prophet. “They forgot His good deeds and His miracles that He showed them” (see above). Great and grievous was the ingratitude of the ungrateful Jews; but an even greater and graver ingratitude is that of ungrateful Christians. For the Jews did not see God in the flesh, but Christians do. They did not see walking on the earth in the form of a slave; they did not see him preaching, they did not see him working miracles; They have not seen one suffering in the flesh, one dying in the flesh for sinners, one rising from the dead in the flesh, ascending into heaven, and sitting with the glorified Flesh at the right hand of the Father, but Christians do. The Jews did not see the Holy Spirit descending in tongues of fire, but Christians do. The Jews did not hear about the approaching kingdom of heaven, but Christians do. The Jews were delivered from the slavery of Egypt, the Christians from the slavery and torment of hell. Moses delivered the Jews, the Son of God delivered the Christians. The Jews were brought into the promised land, the door of the kingdom of heaven was opened to Christians. The Jews did not partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, but Christians do. The Jews did not hear God speaking from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17), but Christians do. “Many prophets and righteous people wanted to see what Christians see, but did not see, and to hear what... they hear, and did not hear” (Matthew 13:17) - Christians see and hear. So, Christians received greater mercy, honor and advantage from God than Jews. Therefore, they grieve the goodness of God more when they are ungrateful than the Jews. For the greater the benefit, the more obliges one to give thanks, the more shameless the beneficiary is when he does not pay grateful respect to his benefactor. The prophets denounced the ungrateful Jews; the ungrateful Christians will be denounced by Christ Himself, the Righteous Judge, during His terrible coming: “I was hungry, and you did not give me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and they did not visit Me” (Matthew 25:42–43). Although this thunder will be terrible for all sinners, it will be more terrible for ungrateful Christians who have known the truth and have not walked in the truth. It will be very shameful and terrible for ungrateful sinners to hear this reprimand; to hear before the whole world, before the holy Angels and God’s chosen ones; to hear from Christ, who for the sake of all came down from heaven and became incarnate, for the sake of all who lived on earth, for the sake of all who suffered, crucified, died, was buried and rose from the dead, who so loved everyone, is terrifying: for they will be deprived of all God’s mercy forever and ever. § 224. The following signs of ingratitude are noted: 1) Forgetting God’s blessing. “And they forgot His good deeds and miracles, which He showed them” (Ps. 77:11), it is written about the ungrateful Jews. For a grateful person always remembers a good deed, and, looking at the good deed with his mind, thanks the benefactor. So Saint David always remembered and blessed the Benefactor of his Lord: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always on my lips” (Ps. 33:2), and he urged his soul to do this: “Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His good deeds” (Ps. 103:2); - but he also encouraged others to do the same: “Magnify the Lord with me, and together we will exalt His name” (Ps. 33:4). So the three youths, who were saved in the Chaldean oven, not only themselves sang praises to the Lord who had saved, but also called all creation to sing: “Bless all the works of the Lord, sing to the Lord, and exalt Him forever” (Dan.3:57, Dan.3:26-90). The ungrateful is not so: but then only remembers when he receives a benefit; then he only praises the benefactor when he is consoled by his good deed; and when the consolation goes away, he forgets the good deed and the benefactor. So the Jews, who came out of Egypt, as soon as they crossed the Red Sea and sang the praise of God, soon forgot such a great work of God, as the Psalmist says about them: “And they sang His praise, but soon forgot His works” (Ps. 106:12-14). So today, many Christians, either from illness, or from death, or from prison, or from some other misfortune, forget this good deed of God. They are also fed, clothed and provided with other good things of God; but at the same time they do not remember the Benefactor. They hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century, but they do not thank Him who died for them and was Risen from the heart, and they do not try to keep in mind the deeds of this great thing, and so they appear ungrateful to God, their Benefactor. 2) A sign of great ingratitude - to attribute God's good deed to oneself and thereby boast, or attribute it to a weak creature. Such ingratitude was shown by the Israelis, who attributed God’s great work of their deliverance from Egypt to the golden calf: “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (1 Kings 12:28). So today many, although they do not attribute the works of God to a soulless idol, put themselves in place of the idol; and what befits God alone, they attribute to themselves: “I did this and that; I taught this and that; I healed this one and that one, delivered that one and that one from death; I enriched this and that,” and other crazy speeches. What are you saying, O vain man? What good can you do without God? Where did you get your intelligence from? Where does wealth come from, where does art come from? What do you have of your own except sins? “What do you have that you wouldn’t get? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you didn’t receive it?” (1 Cor. 4:7) How can you teach others good when you yourself are evil and ignorant? How can you enlighten others when you are blind yourself? How can you enrich others while you yourself are poor? How can you save others when you yourself require help every minute? God alone enlightens everyone, alone teaches, alone enriches, alone delivers. From Him alone comes reason, help, deliverance, wealth, healing. To him alone is due honor and praise for everything. Your intelligence, art, wealth, strength are God’s gifts. Why do you appropriate what is God’s to yourself, a weak, meager, poor and insignificant person? When God takes away His own, you will only be left with your sins, which should humble you, and not lift up God’s gift? 3) A sign of ingratitude is to hide or use God’s gift not for the glory of God, but for the sake of one’s own self-interest and whim. Such are those who have reason, but do not use it for the benefit of their neighbors, or, what is worse, use reason to the detriment of their brethren: they compose sarcastic writings, false slander, with which they try to overthrow the truth and establish lies. How great this evil is, everyone can see. Also those who have the wealth of this world and hide it, or spend it on indecent expenses, and despise those who ask for the sake of Christ’s name. Also those who, being in honor, do not seek the honor and glory of God and the benefit of their neighbors, for which everyone is called to honor, but seek their own nasty profit. The abuse of God’s gift is therefore recognized as ingratitude, since the gift is given to us for this reason, so that we ourselves may use it, and thank God, and benefit others in honor of Him who gave us His goodness. For people, using the good of God given to us, are convinced to glorify God, the Giver of all good things. Anyone who abuses the gift stops this glorification and opens the way to indignation and blasphemy. This is what Christ’s reprimand at the Last Judgment means to those on His left: “I was hungry, and you did not give Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and you have not visited Me. I have given you My blessings for the benefit of you and your neighbors; but you did not want to share them for the sake of My name with those in need, but with them you served your whims and passions. I did not demand from you food, clothing, protection, visitation, consolation, but My “lesser” brothers did, and since they did not do it for My sake, they did not do it for Me” (Matthew 25:42-45). 4) A sign of ingratitude is impatience and grumbling in troubles, because through troubles God wants to correct us and draw us to Himself, for which it would be fitting to thank God from the heart, who provides so mercifully for us. How many are there who were moved by troubles to true repentance and thus returned to God, as not only Holy Scripture, but also church history testifies to. Faced with the impending disaster, the Ninevites turned from their evil deeds and began to repent (see Jon.3). Manasseh, the king of Judah, was overcome by troubles and sought the Lord with humility and repentance (see 2 Chronicles 33:12-13). The Israelites, overcome by troubles, turned to God, as the book of Judges testifies most of all. Forced by misfortune, the Canaanite woman cries out to Christ: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David” (Matthew 15:22), and so on. The Apostle Paul “hands over the sinner in Corinth to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 5:5). Oh, how many even now in troubles seek God - those who left Him in prosperity! How many are humbled by poverty - those whom wealth exalted! How many do sorrow and sadness move to true prayer and heartfelt sighing - those who did not remember God in worldly joy! How many people are convinced by illness to despise the glory, honor, wealth, and sweetness of this world - those who, being healthy, were comforted by them - and to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness (see Matthew 6:33), - those who in health did not think about it! The tempted one knows this. Oh, vicissitude is a bitter-tasting medicine, but a saving one, the rod of the Fatherly God's punishment, awakening from the sleep of sin, the eradication of carnal addiction, awakening to spiritual life, the overthrow of pride, the school of patience, the cultivation of humility, the beginning of spiritual wisdom, the leader to prayer, the bringing to God, the intercessor of “hope that will not be put to shame! From sorrow comes patience, from patience experience, from experience is hope, but hope... does not put us to shame” (Rom. 5:3-5). So, beloved Christian, it is a clear sign of ingratitude to God if someone does not have patience in troubles, for through troubles God, as it were, convinces us to enter into His eternal bliss. Remember how many people who lived in the prosperity and pleasure of this world perished. So, it is better for us to pray to God that He would punish with His Fatherly rod and not take His mercy from us: “Punish us, Lord, but in truth, and not in rage,” to speak with the prophet (Jer. 10:24), rather than accept His punishment with grumbling and indignation, which is both disgusting to His goodness and harmful to us. All His faithful from the beginning of the world accepted His punishment with thanksgiving and expected mercy from Him, and received it. We must do the same if we want to receive His mercy. 5) A sign of ingratitude is unmercifulness and severity towards one’s neighbor, when a person is awarded great mercy by God every day and hour, but he himself does not want, for the sake of God, to have mercy on a person like himself. For for the sake of God’s mercy, which is shown to a person every day, no matter how much offense he receives from his neighbor, he must forgive everything from the heart, so that even if he was killed several times and came to life (if that could happen), he must forgive the murderer. Because no matter what offense is inflicted on a person by man and no matter how many offenses there are, this is nothing compared to the offense that the majesty of God, the vile man, “earth and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), offends, breaking His law, and is not deprived of His mercy. Then a person does not remember this, such a great mercy of God, when he does not want to forgive his neighbor who has sinned. And this is great human pride and deceit, that he himself receives mercy from God, but does not want to show mercy to his neighbor. This is what that hard-hearted debtor, mentioned in the parable of the Gospel, did to his comrade, to whom the king, by his mercy, forgave ten thousand talents, but he himself did not want to forgive his comrade even a hundred fines, such a small number. Therefore, he lost the mercy that he had received from his merciful master; and I felt anger from him with a reprimand: “Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me; Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your companion, just as I had mercy on you?” And his sovereign became angry and handed him over to the torturers until he paid him back the entire debt” (Matthew 18:32–34). The same anger from God, the King of heaven and earth, will be felt by all those who always receive such mercy from Him, thus insulting Him and not being executed; but they themselves do not want to show the slightest mercy to their neighbor, but for a small defamatory word they are dragged to trial and handed over to prison. “So will My Heavenly Father do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart his sins,” Christ concludes this parable (Matthew 18:35). This disfavor is shown by masters to their slaves and commanders to their subordinates, if either for their offense, or not according to the extent of the crime, they cruelly torture them with anger; as well as others who, for offense and sin, either through judgment or in another way, take revenge on their neighbors, despite how mercifully God deals with them, who, if he sees iniquity, “who will stand?” (Ps. 129:3). 6) A sign of ingratitude is to thank God with your lips, but have a heart that disagrees with your lips: to honor God with your lips, but to dishonor Him with your heart and life. The Psalmist says about such people: “They loved Him with their lips, and lied to Him with their lips, but their heart was not right with Him, and they were not faithful to His covenant” (Ps. 77:11, 36-37). And in another place God says: “This people draws near to Me with their lips, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8; Isaiah 29:13). Such are those who go to church for praise, but blaspheme God with their deeds; they sing with their tongues, but by transgressing the holy law they dishonor Him. Such are those who create stone or wooden churches of God, but destroy animated churches of God; they adorn the image of Christ and His saints, but they strip people naked in the image of God and in the likeness of God; They overlay the Holy Gospel with silver, gold and precious, in human opinion, stones, but they do not even want to touch what is written in the Gospel. These are also those who build almshouses, give out abundant alms, but fleece others like themselves from brethren, and this is not mercy, but inhumanity, not a sacrifice, but an abomination before God. “As he who slaughters a son before his father, so he who sacrifices from the property of the poor,” says Scripture (Sir.34:20). How pleasant it is for a father to watch when his son stabs himself in front of him, so pleasing to God is your sacrifice, which you make from the tears of the poor! Do you really want to hide before God that you bring someone else’s, and, shedding so many tears, you bring it! But “He who has lent an ear, does not He hear the cry of His servants? And He who made the eye, will He not see the tears that you have shed (Ps. 93:9)? You bring their property, and they shed tears and weeping before God: and the deeds of both - your unrighteousness and their groaning - reach God. And so He sees your untruth, and He hears their crying and groaning, and He will reward you and them with His. And what you bring is not yours, but that of the poor, offended by you. That you have offended them is your own, and has already entered the ears of the Lord of hosts, and has already been written in His book, and will declare it to you on the day of His Judgment. So, if you look around, you will see that your sacrifice is nothing more than a grave sin before God, crying out to Him and asking for vengeance on you, and therefore “an abomination” (Luke 16:15). And if someone, although without offending his neighbor, builds and decorates churches, gives alms, and does other similar things, but wants to become famous from people, he belongs to the number of people described above. For he does not do it with gratitude to God, but with vanity; does not seek God’s glory, but his own self-interest; He does not honor God, but himself; He loves not God, but himself. For without love for God and reverence, from the love of what happens, there can be no gratitude. For even to a benefactor, without love and true respect, nothing is unpleasant. Love cannot be content with anything other than mutual love. 7) A great sign of ingratitude is blasphemy, when a person either does not recognize the existence of God, or others spew blasphemies against His holy and terrible name. These kind of people, or even degenerates of the human race, and, if truth be told, monsters of the whole world, extinguished the last spark of reason, even if they counted the stars or measured the earth. They act like someone who does not recognize the father from whom he was born: “I have no father.” They are worse than the cattle themselves, who know and respect their masters and those who feed them. They look at buildings, houses, art, but do not recognize the architect and the owner; They eat cooked food, but do not recognize the cook; they read the letters, but do not recognize the writer, and think that this happens by itself. If someone imprisoned such people and did not give them a piece of bread, then let them be content with their own bread and light, the Giver of which they do not want to recognize and honor. 8) Finally, every lawless life that is contrary to the Christian faith is a sign of ingratitude. For there can be no gratitude to God without the love of God, which is known by keeping God’s commandments, as Christ says: “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he loves Me” (John 14:21). “Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his support, and whose heart has departed from the Lord. And blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord will be his hope; and he will be like a tree planted by the waters, and will take root in the moisture; it will not be afraid when the heat comes, and there will be a green stalk on it, and in the dry season it will not be afraid, and it will not cease to bear fruit” (Jer. 17:5, 7-8). “Do not trust in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation” (Ps. 146:3). “It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in princes” (Ps. 118:8-9). “He who trusts in the Lord is like Mount Zion” (Ps. 124:1). § 225. Not everyone has the same hope: some hope in princes and sons of men, others in wealth, others in honor, others in their reason, others in their strength, others in something else. Some true Christians, having abandoned everything else, place their hope in God alone. And just as some have true hope, others have false hope, and therefore they are mistaken. For just as someone who strays from the true path wanders along various roads, so someone who lags behind God is forced to seek help from various things; but he wanders no less than one who has lost the true path, or who, having lost the light of his eyes, does not see where he is going. § 226. Both patience and hope are learned in adversity. Many people think that they have hope in God, but the misfortune that comes reveals their hope and shows in whom they hope. From whom anyone seeks help and deliverance in adversity, he places his hope in him. Whoever resorts to man or other creatures in distress trusts in man. Whoever lifts his eyes to nothing other than God alone and unswervingly expects help from Him alone, although he delays His help, shows that in both happiness and misfortune he has trust in God alone. § 227. The reasons that prevent man and other creatures from placing hope in them are as follows: 1) He who trusts in a creature sins against the first commandment: “I am the Lord your God” (Ex. 20:2), which commands that we know God alone, honor, love, fear, trust in Him, resort to Him in our needs and ask for help. For such a one has departed in his heart from God, as the prophet says: “And his heart will depart from the Lord” (Jer. 17:5), and does not believe God, although he confesses Him with his lips. For it is impossible to believe in God and hope in His creation. For hope and faith are combined, and one cannot exist without the other. Therefore, whoever departed from God in hope and clung to the creature, he also departed from God by faith. Faith here, of course, is living, and not dead, which is not only in the tongue, but also in the heart. Such faith in God alone, like a little child clings to its mother, hopes in Him alone, expects help and deliverance from Him alone. 2) Such are under a curse, as the holy prophet says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his support” (see above). On the contrary, “blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord will be his hope” (Jer. 17:7), as the same prophet says in the above Scripture. How scary it is to be under a curse! What benefit does the Christian name bring in this case? None at all! How blessed it is to be blessed by God! Hope in man and every creature leads to this state, and trust in God leads to this. 3) It is impossible for someone who hopes for creation to pray correctly. Faith and hope are very necessary for prayer; and without faith and hope it is impossible to pray. How and with what hope do you lift your eyes to God, but with hope you turn away from Him and attach yourself to a person or another creature? For true prayer is accomplished “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23), and not only in tongue and word. And God does not accept the half of the heart, which wants to cleave to both creation and God, and is therefore divided in two; but it demands our whole heart. So, how can he who stretches them out to man stretch out his hands to God? How he will say without a twinge of conscience: “Lord, have mercy”; and he himself seeks mercy from a weak person? As he confesses: “In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, save me”; and he himself trusts in princes and in the sons of men? Such a person’s prayer is hypocritical and not true, since he has one thing on the tongue and another in the heart. 4) Such a person cannot be at peace. For he will always be afraid, have grief and sadness, be fickle, waver here and there and be afraid of everything, like a house that was not built on a solid foundation, but on sand, and is afraid of every wind. For every creature is subject to change, and therefore impermanent, and therefore he who trusts in it cannot but fear the opposite case. Thus, one who puts his trust in a prince fears that he may be deprived of his mercy (for soon human mercy turns into cruelty), or that death or some other misfortune may befall him. The rich are afraid of losing their wealth. One hope in God fears nothing. For God is unchangeable and abides forever. “He who trusts in the Lord, like Mount Zion, does not move... forever,” says the Psalmist (see above). 5) He who places his hope in creation has no hope. Since every creature itself requires the help, reinforcement, and preservation of God: “In Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The hope of every creature is vain and deceptive. 6) In whom we want to hope on the day of our death, now, throughout our life, we must place all our hope in him, resort to him and cleave to him. Then everything will leave us: honor, wealth will remain in the world; then strength, intelligence, cunning and wisdom will disappear; then neither our friends, nor our brothers, nor our friends will help us; everyone will leave us then. Christ alone, our Redeemer, if we now truly believe in Him and hope in Him, will not leave us then. He will preserve us then; He will command His angels to accompany us, to carry our souls to Abraham’s bosom, and there He will rest us. So, we must now cleave to this one Helper by faith and place all our trust in Him alone, and so this trust, both during death and after death, will not be put to shame. That is why Holy Scripture so strongly forbids us to rely on princes and on the sons of men and other creatures, since this hope turns away and deceives a person from God, and leads to destruction, although he does not notice it. § 228. Since weakness and blindness are natural for every person, that which he does not see with these eyes, he does not hope for, and what the feelings show, he strives for, and the enemy does not sleep, but puts various dreams in our thoughts, and so tries to take us away from God, therefore it is not wrong to call hope such a virtue that fights against the devil’s machinations, dreams, against trust in oneself, in one’s strength, reason, piety, honor, wealth, representatives, princes, sons of men - in a word, against trust in everything that is apart from God - and tries to establish itself only in love for mankind, omnipotence, the truth of God; or is it faith that diverts our hearts from hope in ourselves and in other creatures, and leads us to God alone, and instructs and convinces us to patiently expect mercy from Him. § 229. So, whoever wants to have true and unshakable hope must turn his heart away from all creation and not hope for anything, but place all his hope in God alone in happiness and misfortune and from Him alone seek and expect mercy without a doubt - to which the following reasons, taken from God’s properties, encourage: 1) God is eternal and unchanging, living and immortal, and so, and hope in Him firm and unshakable. 2) God is omnipotent, just as He created everything out of nothing, He can do everything, although our minds do not understand something. 3) God is Wise, He knows how to help, deliver and save. Where there is no way of salvation, God finds a way, and where there is no way, there God finds a way. 4) God is most kind and merciful, He cannot help but do good to us and wants to have mercy and deliver us. 5) God is true, He cannot lie in His promise. He promised to save those who called upon His help, as this can be found in many places in Holy Scripture. So, undoubtedly, hope in Him is firm and known, and cannot fall, even if the winds and rivers arise against it, for it is “founded... on rock” (Matthew 7:25). § 230. This hope is nourished and strengthened with God's help: 1) Diligent reading or listening to Holy Scripture. “But whatever was written before was written for our instruction, so that through patience and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope,” says the apostle (Rom. 15:4). 2) Reflection on God’s past blessings revealed to our fathers. Bring to mind all the former fathers from the beginning of the world who trusted in God and received mercy. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob trusted and delivered them. Joseph trusted and was delivered. Israel had hope in Egypt - and was miraculously freed from Egyptian slavery, and so on. “Our fathers trusted in You: they trusted, and You delivered them. They called to You and were saved; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed” (Ps. 21:5-6), - the Psalmist remembers His good deeds before God and thereby strengthens his hope. And again, remembering God’s former mercy, he prays: “You have shown favor, O Lord, to Your land, you have returned Jacob from captivity. You have forgiven the iniquities of Your people and covered all their sins. I have ceased all Your wrath, I have restrained myself from Your wrathful wrath. Restore us, O God of our salvation” (Ps. 84:2–5). And with this memory he strengthens himself in hope: “I will hear what the Lord God says in me: how He will speak peace on His people, and on His saints, and on those who turn their hearts to Him” (Ps. 84:9). Thus, remembering God’s past blessings, we must strengthen our hope and not put off boldness. God had mercy on them, those who prayed, and He will have mercy on us. They trusted in God, and He delivered them - and He will deliver us who trust. Their hope did not put them to shame - and it will not put us to shame. “For there is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11); He has mercy on everyone who seeks mercy from Him; He accepts everyone equally who comes to Him. § 231. This hope cannot exist without patience. And where there is true hope, there is patience, and where there is patience, there is hope, since hope is subject to many temptations, just like faith. We are tempted by the taking away of temporary blessings when we are deprived of health, honor, wealth, human favor, peace, silence, rest, and we fall into all sorts of troubles. In this disastrous state, patience is needed so as not to seek deliverance from troubles in an inappropriate manner, but it is better to surrender to the will of God and expect mercy from Him, either helping in patience, or delivering from troubles, as He Himself knows. There is no greater temptation to hope than when thoughts rise up in the conscience and say: “There is no salvation for him in his God” (Ps. 3:3), when the fear of God’s Judgment, the horror of Gehenna and despair confuse and shake the soul and oppress the conscience. It is more convenient for a person to endure every external temptation than this oppression of conscience. Because of this, it happens that a person can never have fun, he is always covered in the darkness of sadness; and what makes others happy gives him great cause for sadness. In such a grave temptation, more than anything else, patience, silence, and sighing from the depths of the heart are needed, until this strong bad weather passes or becomes easier. Here you need to hope beyond hope and hope beyond hope, as it is written about Abraham: “He believed with hope” (Rom. 4:18). Do not listen to what the thought says, but what God promises: “I do not want the death of the sinner” (Ezek. 18:23, 32), and also: “but when sin increased, grace began to abound” (Rom. 5:20), and listen to other comforting promises of God. The prophet exhorts this feat and patient hope: “Trust in the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and trust in the Lord” (Ps. 26:14), and by the mercy of God he encourages: “The patience of the needy will not perish until the end” (Ps. 9:19), and presents himself as an example: “I patiently trusted in the Lord, and He listened to me and heard my prayer.” (Ps.39:2), and again: “I believe that I will see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps.26:13). § 232. In this case, the following word of the Psalmist should be noted: “Trust in the Lord and do good” (Ps. 37:3); this word shows us that he who trusts in God must do good, follow the will of God, and not his own. It is in vain that he hopes in God who resists God; in vain does he seek mercy from God who never ceases to irritate Him with his unrepentant disposition; in vain does he stretch out his hands and lift up his eyes to God if his heart turns away from Him and turns to mammon, silver and gold, uncleanness and other soulless gods. For God is the Savior of “His own,” and not of strangers, that is, of His opponents. “The Lord will give strength to His people,” says the Psalmist, “and not to strangers” (Ps. 28:11), “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him, not to those who fear Him, and He will hear their prayer and save them,” and not to those who fear Him (Ps. 145:19). Those who fearlessly dare to break His law do not fear God. Such “desires will not be fulfilled, since they themselves do not fulfill His will; and they will not hear prayers, “since they themselves do not want to listen to Him and repent: “but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to destroy the memory of them from the earth” (Ps. 33:17). He heard three youths in Babylon, and delivered them from the fire, but those who worshiped Him and did not give honor to His golden image. He listens even now, but to those who honor Him with their lips and hearts, and do not worship the pride of this world, like a high and gilded idol, which the prince of darkness and this world places to dishonor the name of God and the destruction of man. Such, I say, who are not their passions, nor gold and silver, the creation of God, but the Creator is revered and worshiped, listens and cools in the kindled furnace of temptation, consoles and cheers with His grace; puts into their mouths a sweet song of thanksgiving: “Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers, praised and exalted forever” (Dan 3:52). § 233. He listens to sinners, but also to those who cease to sin and to those who repent. I heard Manasseh, king of Judah, but humbly confessing his sins and forsaking his abominations (2 Chronicles 33). He heard the Ninevites, but through the preaching of Jonah they repented (Jon 3). I heard Zacchaeus, but humbled and repentant (Luke 19:2-10). He heard the harlot, but she wept and washed His feet with her tears (Luke 7:37-38). He accepted the prodigal son, but he left a foreign, lawless country and returned to Him with humility and repentance: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before You and am no longer worthy to be called Your son; make me one of your hired servants" (Luke 15:17-24). For a sinner is a sinner until he stops sinning and lives in fearlessness. And when he renounces his sins and repents of his sins, by God’s grace he joins the number of the righteous. Therefore, such sinners should not put aside their hope, but without a doubt should expect the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, who “came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15; Luke 19:10). “And I will say to you: ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you, for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Which father among you, when his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or, when he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake instead of a fish? Or, if he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion? So, if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him,” says Christ (Luke 11:9-13). “I urge, therefore, first of all, that prayers, petitions, supplications, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and for all those in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and purity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). § 234. True prayer comes from hope. For just as we do not ask anything from a person when we do not hope to receive from him what we want: for example, from the poor and the stingy - alms, from the feeble-minded - advice, from the weak we do not ask for help, knowing that they cannot give us what we want, so whoever does not hope to receive from God what he wants does not resort to Him with a request, but turns away to the weak creature. On the contrary, just as many resort to a kind and generous husband because they hope to receive help from him in their need, so whoever has firm and unshakable hope in God, rich in mercy and bounty, asks Him for mercy and help. From this it is clear: 1) That if someone hopes for a creature and seeks help and deliverance from him, this shows that his heart has departed from God, despaired of His mercy and help, and clung to the creature, which is a grave sin, similar to idolatry, even if such a person confessed God with his lips. 2) Although not with his lips, but with his heart he blasphemes God, for he considers Him unmerciful, or not omnipotent, or untrue in His promises, or has something else in his heart that is contrary to the goodness of God. § 235. Prayer is a request for good that pious people bring to God. This is how Saint Basil the Great describes the prayer in his Sermon about Julitta the Martyr. § 236. Since prayer is asking for good from God, the Source of goods and Giver of those asking Him; and “every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights,” as the Apostle teaches (James 1:17): prayer is the cause of every good, both mental, physical and temporary, and shows a true Christian. 1) Through prayer we confess what God Himself says: “I am the Lord your God,” that is, we show through prayer about ourselves that we know no other God but Him, and on Him alone we place all our hope, we worship Him alone, we honor Him alone, we seek mercy from Him alone. And by this we confess that He is the living God, eternal, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, who provides for everyone and who alone gives all good, and “is our God,... our Lord,” our Provider, “and we... are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Ps. 99:3). 2) By prayer we show that we greatly value God’s promise and give the news that we believe what God has promised, and that God is true, not false in His promises, for He Himself told us to pray and promised to hear us. 3) Through prayer, faith is confirmed and multiplied, like a tree, which the more it is watered, the more it grows. For God's grace, like quiet rain, descends on the one who prays, and waters his heart, and makes him fruitful for doing good deeds. 4) We avoid fearlessness through prayer. For through prayer we confess God as omnipresent, all-seeing, Who, as omnipresent, must be feared and revered. 5) We arm ourselves with prayer against the temptation of the devil, sin and all troubles. For prayer is a Christian weapon with which we resist the devil and his servants and preserve for ourselves and our spiritual city. 6) We drive away sadness and sorrow through prayer. For just as we receive some consolation when we communicate our sorrow to our faithful friend, so, or much more, we receive consolation when we declare our sorrow to the Most Good and Merciful God and ask for consolation from Him. Thus, through prayer, Saint David communicated his grief and sadness to God and received consolation, as is shown in many psalms. 7) Prayer is a conversation with God. What a great thing it is for a perishable man to converse with the great and immortal God! We consider it great to talk with the Earthly King, much less to talk with the Heavenly and Eternal King - a great and desirable thing! 8) From leaving prayer, everything negative will follow. In those who abandon prayer, faith becomes scarce and disappears: for a person himself cannot resist temptation, and so falls into fearlessness and every sin. From this follows a depraved and godless life, and then despair, and finally, obvious death. § 237. Reasons that give hope for prayer: 1) God encourages and calls everyone to prayer, as can be found in many places in the Holy Scriptures. 2) He graciously promised to hear the one praying: “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). 3) God Himself taught us how to pray, like the prayer “Our Father” (Luke 11:1-4), and the psalms and other prophetic prayers show. For we ourselves do not know how and what to pray for, therefore the Merciful God taught us this too. § 238. Since God is in every place, “Our God is in heaven and on earth,” says the Psalmist (Ps. 113:11), “he listens to prayer in every place. Therefore, it is possible to pray anywhere. You have to go far to see Kings and princes, to work for the sake of need, but not so to God. Wherever you are, God is with you; there and pray to Him; there he hears you. So the holy apostle “wants men to say prayers in every place” (1 Tim. 2:8). And Christ says: “The time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem,” but in every place (John 4:21). § 239. Any time for prayer is convenient: day and night, morning and evening, noon and midnight. It is not always possible to approach a person with a request, because he either has needs, or weakness, or sleep, or is busy with something else, but not so with God. But always, and every time is free; The doors are always open to us when we want to approach Him while we live in this century; always ready to listen to our petition (Matthew 7:7–8; Isaiah 65:24); always ready, for it is good to “give grace to those who ask” (Matthew 7:11, Luke 11:13). § 240. Since God is the “Knower of the Heart,” then our heartfelt desire and sighing hears and knows, even if our lips are silent. “You have heard the desire of the poor, O Lord; Your ear has heard the devotion of their hearts” (Ps. 9:38). For God does not require words from us. Man cannot express his request to man except through his lips and through words, but God knows our very thoughts without a word; and both our word and our thought are equally before Him. But he also knows what we will think. “You knew my thoughts from afar,” says the Psalmist (Psalm 139:2). So, prayer can be performed with the mind itself and without words. This is how Saint Anna, the mother of Samuel, prayed, as Scripture says about her: “And she spoke in her heart... only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard” (1 Samuel 1:13). § 241. Just as there can be prayer from the heart without voice and words, so lips without heart, and words without reason, and an external voice without inner heartfelt zeal do not bring any benefit. For the outer voice and the word must be in accordance with the inner thought; and the word is nothing more than a notification of the internal state. God “searches our heart and looks at the heart,” and not at the words (1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Samuel 16:7). Therefore, words, if there is no agreement with the heart, are nothing. This happens when the tongue says one thing and the mind thinks another. Therefore, we must try so that the heart prays when the tongue prays, and the mind thinks what the lips say; so that the heart agrees with the word, and the word with the heart, and the mind is trained in what is spoken by the voice. § 242. Just as a righteous person, despite his truth, should pray, so a sinner, because of the sins he has committed, should not give up prayer, but everyone should look with humility at God’s mercy alone. For just as a righteous person has righteousness from God, and not from himself, so a sinner must seek the same righteousness from God through prayer, petition, contrition of heart and true repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. The Pharisee, because he looked at his truth in prayer, was rejected, but the tax collector, burdened with sins, because he held God’s mercy before him in prayer, was heard. “This one went to his house justified rather than the other,” says Christ (Luke 18:14). § 243. How diligently we should pray, Christ teaches us with the parable of a friend who came to his friend at midnight to ask for bread (see Luke 11:5-8), the parable of the widow who persistently came to the wicked judge and asked for protection from her rival (see Luke 18:1-8). And again: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). For one must not only ask, but also seek; not only to seek, but also to knock, that is, to relentlessly ask and lift up the eyes of your soul to God’s mercy, following the example of the Psalmist: “I have lifted up my eyes to You, who dwells in heaven. Just as the eyes of a slave are turned to the hands of his masters, as the eyes of a slave girl are turned to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are turned to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us” (Ps. 122:1-2). § 244. Diligent prayer with faith receives everything, for which an example is set by the Canaanite woman mentioned in the Gospel: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David,” she cries to Christ, “my daughter is cruelly raging.” Christ does not give her an answer. The apostles, approaching, asked Him: “Let her go, because she is screaming after us. But Christ answers: I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The woman does not retreat, but intensifies her prayer, bows, showing humility, and cries out again: Lord! Help me! Christ answered: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs. Even after this, such a cruel, answer, the woman does not leave; but, having heard about dogs, accepting this as a good thing and recognizing oneself as a dog, again the heart’s desire and ardor shows: Yes, Lord! But dogs also eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. Then, seeing the woman’s constant and firm faith and persistent petition, Jesus answered her: “O woman! Great is your faith; Let it be done to you according to your desire” (Matthew 15:22–28). This is what diligent prayer, supported by faith, received: “Let it be done to you as you wish!” And not only did she receive what she wanted, but she also heard praise for her faith from the Lord, the heart and womb of the one who tested. “Why did Christ do it so slowly at the request of that wife? I wanted to show her great faith.” This is what Saint Chrysostom teaches (in Discourse 38 on the Book of Genesis). Like that woman, we too must knock with faith on the door of God’s mercy, and consider ourselves as dogs who eat the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters, so that Jesus Christ our Lord, who looked upon the humble and faithful prayer of the Canaanite woman, will look upon our humility. For “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). For even though He is now invisible to us, “He remains ever present in the Spirit with His faithful” (Matthew 28:20), He has mercy on those who cry out to Him with faith, and fulfills the requests of those who ask. § 245. Since there is no benefit from that prayer in which the tongue prays and the mind is idle; the tongue speaks, but the mind is silent; the tongue calls on God, but the mind is scattered throughout the creatures, as it has been said, therefore we must, with God’s help, try to ensure that the mind thinks and does what the tongue says, and the words in prayer are nothing more than an interpretation and evidence of the advice and desires of the heart; so that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34), and not only from the memory; and whatever the heart conceives and gives birth to will appear on the lips like water in a boiling cauldron, which makes bubbles at the top when it becomes hot and boils at the bottom of the cauldron. This is facilitated by: 1) Trying to remember what the Psalmist says: “I have always seen the Lord before me” (Ps. 15:8), so that, although always, but especially in prayer, I see God before me, by faith I stand before Him with servile humility, I present my needs to Him, and bow my head and knees with heartfelt admiration, and so expect mercy from Him, as we do when we stand before an earthly monarch. and we ask for mercy from him. Such a dispensation will not allow our mind to become distracted in prayer. Therefore, when we want to pray, before starting the prayer we must think and put in our minds what we want to stand before God and ask Him about our needs. 2) True prayer comes from reflection, therefore prayer with reflection must both begin and be done. 3) Since we must pray “in truth and in spirit” (John 4:23), and we cannot do this on our own due to our weakness, therefore we must also pray to God for this, so that He will teach us to pray and call on His name in spirit and truth. “We do not know what to pray for as we should,” says the apostle (Rom. 8:26). We must also ask Christ: “Lord! Teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). § 246. One should pray not only for oneself, but: 1) For each other. For all the faithful, scattered throughout the whole world, are one spiritual body, having one blessed Head - Christ, and are enlightened and instructed by one Spirit of God (see Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:12-13, 20, 27). So, as spiritual members, constituting one spiritual body, we must help each other through prayer. Just as in a material body the members take care of each other, so we, praying for each other, must emit, as if a single voice to the Heavenly Father, with faith and love: “Our Father who art in heaven!” – and so on. 2) Subjects to pray “for kings and for all those in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and serene life in all godliness and purity,” as the apostle teaches (1 Tim 2:2). 3) For the shepherds, the people entrusted to their flock, and the shepherds for their people. 4) We must, according to the word of Christ, “pray for those who use us and persecute us” (Matthew 5:44). § 247. The following obstacles to prayer are: 1) Sin committed when someone does not want to give up sin; for example, adultery and all uncleanness, theft, bribery, drunkenness, etc. “When you stretch out your hands to Me, I will turn My eyes away from you; and if you increase your prayer, I will not hear you, for your hands are full of blood,” says God through the prophet Isaiah (Is. 1:15). And again: “Your sins created a division between you and between God, and because of your sins He turned His Face away from you, so as not to have mercy,” and so on. (Isa.59:2). The Apostle says: “Let everyone who confesses the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness” (2 Timothy 2:19). Therefore, anyone who wants to pray must leave sin and reconcile with God, and so approach God with hope. 2) Anger and malice, nourished in the heart against one’s neighbor. “And when you stand in prayer, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your sins. If you do not forgive, then your Heavenly Father will not forgive you your sins,” says Christ (Mark 11:25–26). 3) Unmercifulness towards one's neighbor. “He who stops his ears so that the weak cannot hear... he himself will call and will not be heard,” says Scripture (Proverbs 21:13). “Without alms, prayer is fruitless,” says St. John Chrysostom (Discourse 6 on the second Epistle to Timothy). So, we ourselves must show mercy to our neighbors if we want to receive mercy from God. 4) Offense, created in relation to our neighbor and unrequited, is an obstacle. “So, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift,” says Christ (Matthew 5:23–24). Will the Lord hear?” - says Scripture (Sir 34:24). You pray, and your brother, offended by you, cries; Christ says to you: “Go first and be reconciled with your brother.” Therefore, I must reconcile with my brother, and then pray. § 248. Here it is proper and necessary to remember the lawless and ungodly invocations of the name of God, which are nothing more than devilish intrigues and inventions, cunningly invented for the sake of dishonoring the name of God and the destruction of man. 1) Many people have a custom in all conversations about low things and to almost every word to say: “By God!” Or: “That’s why God!” Or: “That’s why Christ!” Or: “God is my witness!” Or: “God knows!” – and so on. The fearful and deeply humbly revered name by the Angels themselves is God; one should tremble at the memory of Him and bow one’s head with one’s heart! But a fearless heart does not understand this, and with an evil tongue it touches it as if it were a low (which is scary to say) thing. The monarch of the earth, a man, the name is revered by his subjects, as it should, and is commemorated with respect on appropriate occasions; but the name of God, great and exalted, does not receive such respect from Christians! A strange and pitiable thing! This is how Satan blinds the poor man! But what is more terrible and bitter is that many in jokes, many to seduce and deceive their neighbors, remember the great and terrible name of God. Oh, Your long-suffering, Our Most Gracious Lord! “Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers... and blessed is the name of thy glory, holy and praised and exalted forever” (Dan 3:52)! Oh, if these people’s inner eyes would be opened, and they would see that God is such a Being, in Whose hand is the whole world, and they themselves, and death, and their life: they would see what a disastrous and dangerous state they are in, and henceforth they would be afraid to remember God’s name without reverence and fear! 2) Many have the custom of sending the offender to God’s court: “God judge him!” And for what? “He offended me.” What are you saying, foolish person: “God judge him”? You say: “God judges him,” but Christ says: “Pray for those who oppress you” (Matthew 5:44). So consider, with what spirit are you calling on the name of God here and asking God for judgment against your brother? He offended you yesterday, and you offended him today, and maybe even before, as often happens with those living in society; You are asking for justice against him, and he is asking for justice against you. And what would happen if God did according to our desire? Hardly anyone in the world would remain alive: for we sin a lot against each other and before God. This is what we do senselessly when we call each other to God’s judgment! 3) This includes those who read holy psalms and other written prayers as quickly as the tongue can handle, which also happens in church meetings among clergy. Anyone can judge that this prayer is not a prayer, but the reading of written words, or better, noise and sound striking the air, and therefore both the readers and those who hear such reading remain fruitless; and as they come, they are the same, and if not worse, they leave prayer. 4) Even worse are those who perform their reading in two voices, when at the same time some sing and others read, in one meeting one reads one thing and another reads something else out loud together. From such reading and singing, nothing more will follow than the noise with which the churches and the ears of those who hear are filled - pleasing the lazy, heart-sorrow and sighing for the good, temptation and harm for all who come. What can a person who comes to church understand in such noise? What will he listen to: singing or reading? This or that reader? Although we have two ears, we have one hearing, one soul that listens; one mind that reasons; one heart that should use reading. But a hearing divided into two voices cannot listen well to one or the other, cannot understand it, and cannot allow it in the heart, and so everyone stands empty, receiving no benefit from reading this, as anyone can see. It's a pity-worthy thing! Simple people, who themselves do not know how to read, come to church in order to listen to soul-helping reading and singing, but they are deceived, the poor, deprived of what they want and so return to their homes. The reason for all this is the laziness of faulty priests and clergy, who themselves, closing their eyes, hastily go to hell and drag those entrusted to them there with them. 5) Some people have a custom of singing from the holy psalms between glasses and congratulations. But how indecent, or even ungodly, it is to add a sacred song to carnal knowledge, they can see for themselves. The Holy Psalms are the work of the Holy Spirit, and contain the high and great mysteries of God, and were handed over to us for the sake of our spiritual benefit; they must be sung with a sober and chaste spirit, heart and lips. Drunkenness is a devilish work and the cause of many temptations; it comes from repetitions of glasses and congratulations. “What does light have in common with darkness? What agreement is there between Christ and Belial? (2 Cor. 6:14-15) “And God said to the sinner, “Why do you preach My statutes and keep My covenant in your mouth? After all, you hated instruction and threw My words back” (Ps. 49:16-17). Such people should be careful not to be imitators of Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, who ordered sacred church vessels to be brought to a drunken feast and with his nobles and concubines drank from them (see Dan 5). There were vessels dedicated to God, here there were psalms, spiritual organs, with which the prophet of God, moved by the Holy Spirit, sang God’s praise. Christians can sing psalms and other songs of God both at the table and outside the table, and everywhere, and in every place; and Christian duty requires that everywhere and in every place the goodness of God be praised and given thanks, but with sobriety and chastity. For the holy psalms, like other books of Holy Scripture, like God’s Word, require high reverence. Chapter 10: About love for one's neighbor “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). “And whatever you want people to do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:31). “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, let you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” says Christ (John 13:34–35). “Love is long-suffering, it is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, is not proud, does not act rudely, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; covers everything, believes everything, hopes for everything, endures everything. Love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:4-8). § 249. Each person is a neighbor to each other: I am yours, and you are my neighbor. When I demand help from you, then you must be my neighbor; and when you demand help from me, then I must be your neighbor. So the rich for the poor, the wise for the ignorant, the young and healthy for the old, the healthy for the weak, the strong for the defenseless, the free for the prisoner, the one who has a home for the stranger should be a neighbor. Thus, to the one who fell among the robbers and was wounded by them, there was a merciful Samaritan, mentioned in the Gospel, who “had compassion and came and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine,” and so on (Luke 10:30–37). Consequently: 1) It is not kinship, but need and poverty, not the proximity of blood and flesh, but the union of love and mercy that makes us neighbors. And so, with the help of our loved ones, we must be where there is some kind of poverty - whether the one who requires help is our relative in the flesh or a non-relative, acquaintance or stranger, loving us or not loving us, a fellow tribesman or a foreigner. So, when Satan, like a thief, exposed us and wounded us with the deadly wounds of iniquity, Christ, the Son of God, seeing our poverty, became our neighbor; having descended from heaven, he came to us; The Most High, the Great One, greater than all honor, bowed down to us, low, vile, dishonest, outcasts, despite the fact that we were foreigners, who voluntarily separated from Him, and were His enemies. Our poverty and damnation were the reason that He, the High One, humbled himself, God became Man, the Lord took the form of a servant, the Spirit was Flesh, the Invisible was visible, the Intangible was tangible, the Strong was the weak, the Lord of glory accepted dishonor and reproach, the Judge of the living and the dead was condemned, the Just was numbered among the wicked, the Immortal died. Thus, having become our neighbors, he bound our scabs, pouring oil and wine, and thus healed us and, departing to heaven, handed us over to the hosts - the apostles and their successors, the shepherds, so that they would be with us. This is how our Most Good Lord taught us, His servants, to be neighbors like us. 2) This name - neighbor - is renounced by those who, seeing a person’s poverty, coldly or even shamelessly say: “What need do I have for him?” And so they pass by, without providing him with any help, as did the mentioned priest and Levite, who, without offering a helping hand to the one who had fallen among the robbers and was wounded, passed by. 3) Not only do they renounce this name - neighbor, but also become like thieves who not only do not help the poor, but also inhumanly deprive them of the latter, and so add tears to tears, and misfortune to poverty. Such are all robbers, rapists, bribe-takers, judges, kidnappers, masters who unnecessarily burden their peasants, withholding wages from a mercenary, stealing from fires, and others like them. § 250. The fruits of Christian love: 1) Patience. He who loves his neighbor does not take revenge on him for an insult, but generously endures it; and not only does he not take revenge and suffer, but also prays for the offender, attributing that offense to the main reason - the common enemy, the devil, who incites us to offend each other, and sympathizes with the person, seeing his fault. In this he imitates Christ praying: “Father! Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). To this end, the apostle exhorts: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). 2) Mercy. Love, seeing the misfortune of a neighbor, sympathizes with him and considers it as his own, sympathizes with the sufferer, suffers with the needy and tries to help his misfortune, does not spare himself in order to help his neighbor’s misfortune, and so shares his misfortune and his well-being with him in half. This is what those do who deplete their wealth to the poor, reward the poor by taking away from themselves, and thus take away from their temporary well-being, and thereby reduce the misfortunes of the poor. Christ pleases such people: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy”; and to this he exhorts us all: “Be merciful, as your Heavenly Father is merciful” (Matt. 5:7, 48). 3) “Love does not envy” (1 Cor. 13:4). To grieve over the well-being of one’s neighbor and to be depressed about the joy is a matter of envy. In love, this spiritual ulcer has no place: it considers the happiness of one’s neighbor and misfortune to be one’s own, and therefore as for the misfortune of one’s neighbor He is sick, so he rejoices in happiness; with those who weep, he rejoices with those who rejoice. “So to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15) “Love does not exalt itself, it is not proud” (1 Cor. 13:4). respects, humbles herself before everyone, is submissive and obedient to her equals, is polite to her peers, is condescending and sociable with her inferiors; she judges herself before others, reproaches herself rather than others; the apostle encourages us to do this: “Esteem others as superior to yourselves” (Phil. 2:3 5) “Love... does not act outrageously” (1 Cor. 13:4–5), but he is not afraid of shame for the sake of his beloved. “Love does not know,” says St. John Chrysostom, “when there is shame” (Conversation 33 on the first Epistle to the Corinthians). Where there is shame for others, there is no shame for her; where others disdain, there she does not disdain; where others turn away and run away, there she approaches and joins. In this matter, she is likened to a blind man who thinks that if he himself does not see, then others cannot see him either. So she thinks that both for her and for others there is no shame and disgrace there, where the need and poverty of a neighbor requires help. So she is not ashamed of someone dressed in rags, although she herself is decorated with purple and fine linen; so he is not ashamed to bow before one lying on the rot, although he himself is honored with high honor; so she is not ashamed to enter a stinking prison, although she herself dwells in the palaces; he is not ashamed to bring a stranger into his house and give him peace, even if the beggar stinks of wounds; she is not ashamed to console the sad, even if he is very low: she puts aside the advantage of her title there, where the need of the poor demands it. So Christ, the Son of God, hid the majesty of His Divinity under human flesh, so that he could more conveniently help our misfortune; He was not ashamed of our poverty in order to enrich us; He was not ashamed to dwell in a virgin’s womb, having “a throne in heaven... and a footstool in the earth” (Acts 7:49; Isaiah 66:1); He was not ashamed to be wrapped in swaddling clothes and to be placed in a wretched den, “Clad in light as with a robe” (Ps. 103:2). The Lord and King of heaven was not ashamed to live in the form of a slave with slaves on earth. He was not ashamed to eat with tax collectors, to talk with harlots and to treat other sinners, endless Sacredness and Truth. The Judge of all was not ashamed to stand in court and be judged. He, to whom the Seraphim stand with fear and trembling, was not ashamed to be dishonored, to be humiliated, to accept spitting, to be naked, to be hanged among thieves. And it was nothing else that convinced Him to humble Himself so deeply but His love for us, beyond our comprehension, in order to thus save us from trouble. Thus, he taught us not to be ashamed when our neighbor’s need requires our help. Bosses should look at this image of love, and treat their lowly subordinates lovingly, not disdain them, listen to their suggestions, fulfill and help their needs; shepherds - do not be ashamed to walk after the lost and perishing verbal sheep, and look for them; rich and glorious - do not be ashamed to bring the poor into their homes, treat and calm them; gentlemen - do not be ashamed to call your slaves brothers; All Christians should not be ashamed to visit those sitting in prison, shackled, to visit those lying on their sick beds, to help the weak and elderly and other poor. 6) “Love... does not seek its own” (1 Cor. 13:4–5). True love tries with joy and cheerfulness to do good to its beloved, and to do good without any benefit for itself. In this she is likened to a fruitful tree, which feeds not itself but others with its fruits; is likened to the earth, which produces fruit not for its own sake, but for our sake; is likened to the sun, which shines not on itself, but on us and warms us; or better - follows that eternal and uncreated Love and Goodness, Which gives us all the benefits without any self-interest. So Saint Moses “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and rather wanted to suffer with the people of God than to have temporary sinful pleasure” (Heb. 11:24-25). So Saint Paul wrote about himself: “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also may receive salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10). So pious Kings reign not for themselves, but for their Fatherland; So good judges carry out judgment not for themselves, but for people; Thus, Christ-loving shepherds, not for their own sake, but for the sake of Christ’s sheep, cover themselves with a miter and carry a staff in their hands; Thus, God-loving warriors fight against the enemy not for themselves, but for the sake of the holy faith and the Fatherland; so “love does not seek its own,” but seeks the benefit of its neighbor. St. exhorts us to this duty. Paul: “No one seeks his own, but each one seeks the benefit of another” (1 Cor. 10:24). 7) True love “is not irritated” (1 Cor. 13:5), is not angry with its neighbor, although it receives insults from him. Others try to repay insult for insult and slander for slander. Not only does she not do this, but she also does not have anger in her heart against the offender (St. John Chrysostom in his interpretation of this passage of Scripture). And not only does he not do this, but “he does not even think evil” (1 Cor. 13:5). And although sometimes he shows his anger, that anger is directed at sins, and not at a person; persecutes sins and tries to eradicate those who have sinned, such anger occurs especially on the part of pious leaders and shepherds. Such righteous anger shows great love in the heart of the angry one, which seeks in every possible way the salvation of his brother. Such people imitate a good and skillful physician, who sometimes gives cruel medicine to the weak, in order to more conveniently drive out the weakness from him. Such anger was shown by Saint Paul, a burning soul with love for God and neighbor, when he wrote to the Galatians who had sinned: “Oh, foolish Galatians! Who deceived you not to obey the truth?” (Gal.3:1 etc.). Such anger is needed by shepherds and bosses, who must drive out and eradicate the anger and ill-will of their subordinates, like a pestilence with fire. Their job is to meekly endure their own offense, and when God’s law is violated and an offense is inflicted on their neighbor, to stand strong, not to remain silent, and to pacify the rapists. 8) “Love... does not rejoice in unrighteousness” (1 Cor. 13:4–6), but it sympathizes when a neighbor is offended. Since she considers the well-being and misfortune of her neighbor to be her own, then the insult inflicted on her neighbor, no less than the actual ill-being, touches her. This is how a friend suffers when his friend suffers a lie; a mother and a child-loving father fall ill when their son suffers from violence. “Love,” says Saint John Chrysostom in a conversation on this word, “does not delight in suffering.” 9) “Love... rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor. 13:4-6), when it sees everything in order and in good condition. This is how the holy Angels and all the saints of God rejoice when sinners repent of their sins and do good deeds (see Luke 15:10). 10) “Love... loves everyone” (1 Cor. 13:4-7), does not exclude good and evil from his favor and goodness. In this she imitates the Heavenly Father, who “commands His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45); he is likened to the sun, which illuminates and warms both those who blaspheme him and those who praise him; is likened to a fruitful tree, which feeds both its owner and strangers with its fruits; it is likened to a source that gives water to those who clog it and those who clean it out; he is likened to cattle, which carries both those who feed it and those who beat it; It is likened to the earth, which yields its fruits to those who cultivate it and those who spit on it. This is the nature of love. She does not look at faces, does not discern rank and kinship, proximity and distance, likes and dislikes; does not ask who he is, in need of the fruit of love: brother or non-brother, relative or non-relative, fellow tribesman or foreigner, friend or foe, good or evil; It shows the effect of its warmth to those who want it and need it. The one who is poor is her relative. There she comes close to where the need is. Human misfortune and need are like kinship for her, and she is drawn to it. This is what the aforementioned Good Samaritan did. 11) “Love...believes all things” (1 Cor. 13:4–7). As she herself is simple-hearted, she considers others to be such; and just as she doesn’t deceive anyone, she also thinks about others, and therefore believes everyone. For love is sincere, not deceitful, not flattering, and therefore, as it is itself, it hopes for others and has no suspicions. This is why it happens that the good are often deceived by the evil ones and they endure many troubles because they treat everyone with sincerity. The modern world madly calls these people fools, because they don’t know how to be disingenuous with it. 12) “Love hopes for everything, endures everything” (1 Cor. 13:4-7). St. John Chrysostom says about this: “What does it mean, “hopes for everything”?” Do not despair of all the best for your loved one; but even if he is angry, she continues to correct and earn a living diligently. Even if hopes for these blessings do not come true, it will be even more difficult for him, and he endures this” (Conversation 33 on the first Epistle to the Corinthians.). 13) “Love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8). “Faith and hope,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “when those blessings in which they believe and hope come, they will cease; love will then especially kindle and become even stronger” (Conversation 34 on the first Epistle to the Corinthians). Today the faithful believe, hope and love, but in the next century they will only love. For they will see what they believe; they will receive what they hope for, and therefore faith and hope will cease, but love will never cease. For they will see God forever, whom they will love; and they will be together with each other forever, and so they will love each other. It is better to say - then there will be perfection of love, for “they will see God face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12), whom they now see by faith; and they will see in each other perfect mutual love, in each other the perfect shining image of God and perfect bliss about which they will rejoice. A loving soul abounds with these fruits of God and neighbor! With these utensils, like a royal daughter, she adorns herself! She is humble in herself, but God has exalted her; She is poor on the outside, but rich on the inside; simple on the outside, but noble on the inside; despicable on the outside, but honorable on the inside; diminished by the world, but exalted by God! § 251. The image of love for your neighbor is shown by the Holy Scripture: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). As you love yourself, love your neighbor. Just as you don’t want someone to offend you, take away anything from you, slander you, slander you, deceive you, deceive you, defame you, steal something, condemn you, reproach you, and do other evil things, so don’t wish and don’t do this to your neighbor. Just as you do not want anyone to abandon you in need, do not abandon your neighbor. Just as you want someone to help you in poverty, so wish and help the needy yourself. As you want someone to feed you, the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, bring the wandering into the house and give rest, visit the one sitting in prison and the sick, comfort the sad, enlighten the doubting, teach the ignorant, free the prisoner, redeem the captive, serve the weak and do other deeds of love, so wish and do for your neighbor. “And whatever you want people to do to you, do so to them,” says Christ (Matthew 7:12). And Saint John the Theologian, beloved by Christ and loving Christ and his neighbor, also adds to this love: “He (Christ) laid down His life for us: and we must lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). And although this is the duty of all who want to imitate Christ, who loved us so much, but especially those whom He entrusted to shepherd the flock of His verbal sheep. They then, first of all, must with the rod to go out and stand in front of your sheep when they see the approaching wolves who want to plunder and scare away the flock of Christ, and so they must drive away and defeat them, or lay down their souls, and not run away, as mercenaries do (see John 10:1-16). § 252. Reasons that encourage us to mutual love: 1) We are all brothers among ourselves. The faithful and the unfaithful, the good and the evil were created by one God. We have one Lord God in heaven, Who is the King of heaven and earth, Who possesses everyone: good and evil, dead and living. We have one Provider, God, who feeds, clothes and preserves everyone; “He makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). We have one Father, God, who “so loved us that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We have one Lawmaker God, who commands us to love one another: for me you, and for you me: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Finally, we have one Judge, the same God, who will judge everyone and reward everyone according to their deeds. So, let this union of unity exhort us to mutual love. 2) We recognize one parent according to the flesh, Adam, from whom we trace all our origins and trace our lineage; we are all born in the same way; we all have one nature; with one soul we are all revived; covered with one flesh; We are all subject to the same weaknesses and require mutual help from each other. So, this brotherhood convinces us to love each other. 3) Everyone living in one state has an even greater brotherhood, and therefore is the most important reason for mutual love. In one Fatherland, as in a mother’s womb, one rests, is at peace and is preserved; there is one Monarch on earth, as members recognize the head, manager, commander, and provider; They are subordinated to the same laws, and are bound by them, like some kind of union; one society, like parts of the whole body, constitutes; they have one name because they live in a single Fatherland: for example, those living in our Fatherland are Russians, in Italy - Italians, in Greece - Greeks; and so with respect to others. Therefore, the integrity of society and the union of its composition with the union of love must be preserved, and without this union it is subject to fall. 4) Christians, in addition to the reasons described above, have even more important ones for mutual love. They have one Father, God, from whom they are spiritually born, in whom they believe, in whom they call, thank, glorify and sing; one Christ, the Son of God, your Savior and Savior, your hope and hope; have one Holy Spirit, Enlightener, Mentor, Life-Giving and Sanctifying; The One Trihypostatic God, Helper, Protector, Preserver and Provider is revered. One receives communion of the One Mysteries; they begin one mystical meal of the Body and Blood of Christ; they listen to God’s Word alone; they are called to one eternal life for the great supper. They live in the one holy Church, as in the house of God, faithful Zion and the city of the Heavenly King. One Head, as spiritual members, recognize Christ and are governed by It. You see, dear Christian, how tightly we are connected to each other. And from this we must recognize how strong the union of love should be between us - as strong as in a natural and material body between members. 5) The Apostle says: “He who abides in love abides in God” (1 John 4:16). Oh, what a great thing this is - to abide in God - true Christian love receives. 6) He who loves his neighbor unfeignedly is a true disciple of Christ, as Christ Himself testifies: “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). A true Christian is one who bears the name of Christ truly and not falsely, who loves his neighbor. What a great dignity it is to be a true Christian! 7) He who loves his neighbor abides in the light, as the apostle says: “Whoever loves his brother abides in the light” (1 John 2:10). Light here is meant to be spiritual, not physical. For everyone exists in the light of the body, that is, the sensual, - all, I say, that is, the righteous and the sinful, the loving and the unloving; but only those who love abid in spiritual light, only those who love it enjoy it. And “those who hate... the darkness of sin blinds... the eyes of the soul, and do not know where they are going,” they do not know that they can fall into the pit of destruction (see 1 John 2:11). Thus, those who have Christian love are enlightened by the light of God’s grace, and thus they foresee and beware of everything. In this light they see the eternal and never-fading Light, which they still enjoy in part, but then “they will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2), “then that which is in part will cease” (1 Cor. 13:10). 8) True Christian love is a foretaste of eternal life, in which there will be only love for each other, only joy and joy for each other. 9) Other gifts, such as speaking in tongues, performing miracles, etc., without love do not benefit us, as the apostle teaches: “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, then I am a ringing brass or a sounding cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries, and have all knowledge and all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:1-2, etc.). And Christ says: “Many will say to Me on that day: “Lord! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name? And was it not in Your name that they cast out demons? And didn’t they do many miracles in Your name?” And then I will declare to them: “I never knew you; Depart from me, you workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:22–23). And Saint John Chrysostom says: “Without love, all gifts do not benefit those who have them” (Conversation 32 on the first Epistle to the Corinthians). 10) “Love is greater than all sacrifices and offerings, and God does not accept any sacrifice without love,” says the same holy teacher (Conversation 16 on the Evangelist Matthew). “Go,” says Christ, “learn what it means: I want mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13). God values love for one’s neighbor so highly that he does not want sacrifice without love: “I want mercy, and not sacrifice.” For mercy is the fruit of love. What is the use of prayer without love? What is the use of praise and singing? What is the creation and decoration of churches? What is the mortification of the flesh, when to there is no love for your neighbor? Absolutely nothing! Christ answers from above: “Come, learn what it means: I want mercy, not sacrifice.” 11) He who does not love his neighbor does not love God. “If we love our neighbor, he is a liar,” says the Apostle John (1 John 4:20). then we love God. If we hate our neighbor, then we don’t love God either. 12) “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,” says the holy Apostle John (1 John 3:15). For from hatred comes murder. For just as those who love their neighbors preserve their lives and not only do not harm them, but also prevent them from harm and help them in their needs, so haters, on the contrary, either cause obvious harm to them, or take away what is necessary, what preserves life, or do not help in the disaster that life takes away, or sadden them, which is harmful for life, and so their lives are shortened. For not only the murderer who kills with his hands, sword, or some other weapon, but also the one who lays the path to death, or does not deliver from death when he can. If you don't help someone drowning in the water when you can, you are a murderer. If you do not deliver your brother from the hands of murderers when you can, you are a murderer. If you don’t let someone shaking from the cold into your house, you are a murderer. If you despise someone who is wounded and lying on the road, you are a murderer. You take away from your neighbor the clothes with which he dresses; If you take away the food that satisfies you, you are a murderer. If you don’t feed the dying from hunger, you are a murderer. If you don’t dress someone who is shaking from the cold, you are a murderer. If you sadden your brother with your malice, you are a murderer. When you slander and slander your neighbor, you cut him with your tongue like a sword. Hear what the Psalmist sings: “Sons of men! Their teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword” (Ps. 56:5). In a word, if you take away from your neighbor what is necessary for life, you kill him. If you do not help the needy when you can, you kill your brother, for you do not turn away the way through which death comes. You don’t help him, the other one refuses, and so the remaining brother dies without help. You, and the other, and the third, who did not help him in his misfortune, are guilty of his destruction, for you could have averted his destruction with your help, but did not want to; they didn’t want to because they didn’t have love. 13) “He who does not love his brother remains in death,” says the apostle (1 John 3:14). Although such a person lives in body, he is dead in soul. For just as the body is made alive by the soul, so the soul is quickened by the Spirit of Christ. And where there is no Christian brotherly love, there is no Spirit of Christ. For “whoever does not practice righteousness is not from God, neither does he who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10). But there, instead, there is a spirit of hostility: for the soul either is in the grace of God and is quickened by grace; or lacks grace and is deprived of spiritual life. For one thing or two will certainly follow: where there is no spiritual life, there is spiritual death, just as where there is no bodily life, there is bodily death. Spiritual death will be followed by eternal death, unless the soul is resurrected through true repentance. 14) General well-being flourishes from mutual love. Oh, what a prosperous life everyone would have if they loved each other mutually! Then there would be no fighting and such terrible and truly crying worthy bloodshed. There would not be so many widows at one time crying for their husbands, orphans crying for their fathers, fathers and mothers crying for their children, of whom so many in a short time are struck by weapons of war, for quarrel and fighting are a sign of torn love. There would be no robbery, theft, embezzlement, murder, violence, robbery, deceit, flattery, reproach, slander, slander, cursing and other deadly plagues of Christianity, from which how many suffer, cry and lose their lives untimely! For all these are the most famous signs of love that has been driven far away. Houses, shops, granaries would not be fortified; there would be no need for guards, constipations, locks; there would be no people crying and shedding bloody tears who have suffered violence; the pitiful voices of widows, orphans and other defenseless people crying to heaven would not be heard; Hungry brothers would not wander through the streets and squares; the half-naked members of Christ would not shake from cold and frost; the prisons would not be filled with imprisoned prisoners for debts, arrears and bills, for love would not allow these and similar disasters to occur. There would be no beggar and no wretched person, for love requires that everything be common to everyone: for the beggar - the wealth of the rich, and for the rich - the shortcomings of the beggar, and so with the abundance of the rich, the shortcomings of the beggar would be filled. Therefore, it is written in the Acts of the Apostles that at that time among Christians “there was... not a single one in need,” since, as it is written there, “the multitude... of those who believed had one heart and one soul; and no one called anything of his possessions his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:34, 32). It is impossible to say how great prosperity love brings in every rank: between a boss and subordinates, between parents and children; between husband and wife, between brothers and sisters, between slaves and masters; between neighbors - both townspeople and villagers, between craftsmen, between priests and clergy, and others. Without love there is no joy and consolation anywhere: where there is love, there is an everlasting spiritual feast and rejoicing. It is pleasant for souls bound by love to shed tears for each other sweetly without love; prisons. With love, bread and water are tasted sweetly, without love, sweet food is bitter. With love, bondage is more pleasant than freedom, without love, freedom is more bitter than bondage. Houses, cities, states stand with love, but without love they fall. Public places are decorated with love, advice is for good. Love strengthens the army, makes it terrible and invincible for the enemy. Oh, blessed is that society, that city, that house in which mutual love flourishes! An earthly paradise, filled with joy and sweetness, is like a place in which love, like a tree abounding in sweet fruits, abides. O love-love, priceless treasure, love! All the best, mother - love! The well-known sign of the living Christian faith is love! How many troubles, misfortunes and evils we endure because we do not have love! Saint John Chrysostom confirms this, saying in his golden language: “If everyone in the world loved each other mutually, there would be no need for laws, courts, executions, or anything like that: since all evil would be so remote that even the name of sin would be unknown” (Conversation 32 on the First Epistle to the Corinthians). § 253. When a person turns the love that he should show to his neighbor to himself, then this act of his is called self-love. Signs of self-love, which is the opposite of love for one's neighbor, are as follows: 1) He himself wants others to love him, but he does not do this to others and does not want to do it. 2) He himself wants to have every good thing and avoid every evil and misfortune, but does not care about others. 3) Although someone does good to someone, it is not for nothing, but for the sake of his own self-interest. Such are those who invite their neighbors to dinner, either to be invited by them, or to be loved and honored by them; and also those who give help to the poor in order to receive some kind of service from them. This also includes those who give alms so that those who receive them will pray to God for them. True love freely and out of love for good does good, freely it propitiates every poor person. 4) A selfish person does not tolerate an insult, but takes revenge or wants to take revenge. Such a person is a self-lover because he himself wants to receive forgiveness of sins from God and wants his neighbor to forgive him for the offense (for no one wants the person offended by him to be angry with him and take revenge on him); but he himself does not want to do this to his neighbor, and so loves himself more than God and his neighbor. 5) This includes the rich, who either build rich houses and take care of other entertainments, or assemble rich tables, or decorate themselves with rich clothes and otherwise love luxury, but despise their poor neighbors, or give them little, so that their needs are not satisfied. Such was the rich man of the Gospel who “dressed himself in purple and fine linen and feasted brilliantly every day,” and despised Lazarus the poor and the weak (Luke 16:19-21), as well as those who prepare a rich inheritance for sons or a rich dowry for daughters; but they either give nothing to their poor neighbors, or reward them with a penny, because they love their own flesh and blood, and not their neighbors. One must not abandon one’s relatives according to the flesh; but true love is appeased even over relatives as well as over relatives. 6) The gravest self-love is when someone seeks his own self-interest by offending his neighbor. These are those who steal, kidnap, and take away other people's property. This includes bribe-takers and unrighteous judges who sell truth for silver for the sake of their own nasty profit; the rich who give their silver for interest; those who withhold the wages of mercenaries, and others who unjustly enrich themselves with the goods of others. 7) Again, heavy pride - when, for the sake of some self-interest, we do not want to teach our neighbor what we ourselves know. Many craftsmen do this, such as painters, tailors, shoemakers and others, who therefore do not want to teach their students the skill as soon as possible, so that they can work and serve for them longer. 8) Another serious pride is when someone does not want and tries to prevent his neighbor from having the same prosperity, benefit, praise, glory and honor that he has. And this is evil envy. Craftsmen also do this, who therefore do not show their skill to their students, so that they do not receive such honor and praise, having become skilled in the craft that they have. So are the wise men of this age, who therefore do not reveal the secrets of nature to their students, lest they achieve such glory and honor as they are in; as well as others who do not want to admonish their neighbor so that he is not equal to them in prosperity. 9) Also, grave pride - when he defames his neighbor in front of people so that people think that he does not have such vices in himself. And this is a great and unbearable slyness and cunning of the human heart - to want to gain prosperity from the misfortune of your neighbor, to become famous from his reproach. This is what all those do who secretly or openly condemn their neighbor, but either remain silent about themselves, or shamelessly rant and cover up the anger of their tongue in this way: “I am not speaking to condemn him.” If you bring evil about your neighbor not to condemnation, then why don’t you say anything “not to condemnation” about yourself? Don't you have any sin? Such evil, deceit and blindness lie hidden in the human heart! He himself is angry, but he judges others. 10) A sign of very serious self-love is to repay the benefactor for love and evil for a good deed. Such are those who, having forgotten the good deeds of their benefactors, revile them, slander them and seek how to commit their own malice against them. These people are worse than the animals themselves, who know their feeders and do no harm to them. § 254. From the above it is clear that just as love for one’s neighbor is the source of all spiritual benefits and temporary well-being, so self-love is the cause of all evils, sins and disasters that exist in the world. 1) From self-love - not patience, but anger and vengeance - for “love is patient” (1 Cor. 13:4). 2) From self-love - hard-heartedness, unmercifulness, torment, cruelty, for “love... is merciful” (1 Cor. 13:4). 3) From self-love - painful envy and laughter-worthy sadness about the bliss of one’s neighbor, for “love does not envy” (1 Cor. 13:4). 4) Self-love is arrogant, proud, it exalts itself, it despises, for “love does not exalt itself, it is not proud” (1 Cor. 13:4). 5) With self-love - anger and rage, shouting and blasphemy, for “love... is not provoked” (1 Cor. 13:4-5). 6) Self-love is associated with rancor, for “love... thinks no evil” (1 Cor. 13:4–5). 7) Self-love contains every untruth, every lie, for love not only does not commit unrighteousness, but also “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6). 8) In a word, no matter how many sins or offenses we inflict on our neighbors, they all come from self-love, just as branches sprout from an evil root. 9) Self-love causes every disaster in the world. From pride - war, from pride, so much human blood is shed, so many widows are left crying for their husbands, so many mothers crying for their sons, so many children mourning for their fathers, so many states and cities are being deserted, so much treasury is spent, so much anxiety, confusion, fear is created in both fighting states. Self-love produces robberies, and subsequent murders, violence and robberies. Self-love makes judicial places a marketplace, teaches one to trample on the truth and stain the judicial swords with innocent blood. Self-love fills prisons with righteous and unrighteous prisoners. It should be attributed to pride that many poor people wander without charity, protection, clothing, food; for instead of providing each other with abundance, the pride of some teaches them to take away even the last from their neighbors, others to keep the wealth given by God to themselves and not look at the demands of their brothers, and still others to live in immoderate luxury. And so, when one unlawfully stretches out his hand to someone else’s goods, another calls the goods given by God for the common good his own and keeps them to himself, not sharing with those in need, or uses them for indecent expenses, hence many beggars and wretched people appear. So, from pride - poverty and squalor. He builds and decorates rich houses, pleasure galleries, gardens, ponds, manors, statues; another gathers tables with wines and other rich treats; the third perfectly cleans the carriages, horses and servants; another decorates himself, his wife, daughters and sons with precious jewelry; others start other amusements; and so, what should have been served to the needs and demands of one’s neighbor is consumed by luxury; and what the neighbor had to be content with, the self-loving soul attracts to itself. So pride is to blame for the fact that one is begging, another is excessively abundant; one is hungry, the other is full. Other disasters in the world occur from pride, which are impossible to count. So, the fruits of self-love, I will briefly say, are as follows: 1) all sin and lawlessness; 2) every disaster and misfortune that happens in this world; 3) to the self-lover himself - an evil conscience, sadness and despair of God's eternal mercy; 4) after death in that century, eternal torment in hell and fire in Gehenna. Then the one who now loved himself immensely will hate himself immeasurably, the one who revered himself immeasurably here will become disgusted with himself; The one who considered himself something great here will want to turn into nothingness. So pride is the cause of all evil. § 255. Since love for one's neighbor is coupled with the love of God, love for one's neighbor cannot be ruined without violating the love of God. Consequently: 1) Whoever sins against his neighbor sins against God, and therefore he sins twice: against God, who commanded: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39), and against the neighbor whom he hates. 2) Whoever wants to repent and be reconciled with God, whose law he has ruined, must first be reconciled with his neighbor whom he has offended. This is what Christ teaches: “If you are bringing your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). Chapter 11: About mercy to one's neighbor “Divide your bread with the hungry and bring the bloodless poor into your house; if you see a naked person, clothe him, and... do not despise your half-blood. Then your light will open like the dawn, and your healing will quickly increase, and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of God will embrace you. Then you will call, and God will hear you, and while you are still speaking, he will say: “Behold, I have come” (Is. 58:7-9). § 256. True mercy is the fruit of Christian love. How highly mercy is extolled in the Holy Scripture, and how merciful and those who do deeds of mercy are blessed, and thus how strongly we are encouraged to this virtue, the reader of the Holy Scripture can see, so that Christ, the Righteous Judge, will exalt the fruits of this virtue at the world Judgment, and as dear treasures hidden in His chosen ones, and so that they will be revealed to the whole world, he will pronounce, saying to them: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me” (Matthew 25:34–36). For whatever mercy we show to the poor in the name of Christ, Christ attributes to Himself (see Matt. 25:40). § 257. Just as a person consists of two parts - body and soul - so the acts of mercy that appear to one’s neighbor are twofold: mental and physical. The acts of mercy that we show to the body are feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, and so on. Works of spiritual mercy - to comfort the grieving, to guide the lost on the path of truth, to bring to reason the doubtful, and so on. The Holy Word of God obliges and encourages us to both mercy. § 258. Reasons that encourage us to spiritual mercy: 1) The saving will of Christ our God and, as it were, a thirst for our salvation demands this from us, so that we seek both our own and our neighbor’s salvation, and encourage each other to repentance and pleasing God. So, if anyone wants to think one way with Christ, he must take care of both his own and his neighbor’s salvation. 2) The honor of Christ requires that we correct each other. A brother according to the flesh admonishes his brother when he sees him acting outrageously, so that there is no dishonor to their father and their house. In the same way, spiritual brothers, that is, Christians, should admonish each other and lead each other away from disorderly lives, so that the name of God and Christian teaching do not suffer reproach from the pagans. For just as “Christians are glorified by their good conduct” (Matthew 5:16), so by their “evil conduct His name is dishonored” (Rom 2:23–24). Listen to what the apostle writes to Timothy: “Slaves who are under yokes ought to consider their masters worthy of all honor, so that there is no blasphemy against the name of God and the doctrine” (1 Timothy 6:1). 3) Brotherly love requires this, so that the erring brother does not perish, but turns to the path of truth, comes to repentance, and thus receives salvation. 4) Then love for Christ is recognized when we care not only about our own, but also about our neighbor’s salvation. When Christ, after the Resurrection, asked Saint Peter: “Simon the Jonah! Do you love Me more than they?” - Peter answered Him: “Yes, Lord! You know that I love you." And Christ said: “Feed My lambs” (cf. John 21:15–17). From this anyone can see how Christ wants us to take care of each other and seek each other’s salvation; If we want to love Christ, we must desire salvation for both ourselves and our neighbors. And although the above word concerns the shepherds, the Blood of Christ, shed for sinners, cries out to everyone, so that it would not be shed in vain, both for us and for the sake of our brothers, but that our salvation would bear fruit. He hungers and thirsts for our salvation, without a doubt; but whoever corrects both himself and his neighbor and leads to repentance, as if he feeds the hungry and gives water to the thirsty. He who, in His name, shows bodily mercy to his neighbor shows considerable love for Christ; but great love is when it creates a spiritual neighbor. For the greater the soul is than the body, the greater the mercy towards one’s neighbor and the love towards Christ when the soul is being created. For Christ loves human souls very much, so that He deigned to die for them. And therefore nothing can be more favorable to Him than human salvation; and no one can love Him more than the one who seeks the salvation of his neighbor. 5) When one member of a material body is weak, then another helps the weak one: for example, a hand heals another hand or a sick leg. So in the spiritual body, that is, Christianity, one healthy person must heal another, weak one, and take care of his health. 6) Christian society, or the Church, wandering on earth, is like an army fighting against the enemy. In the battle of this world, one warrior encourages and strengthens another when he is exhausted. So in the Christian warfare, which “is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12), one must strengthen and restore one another, when he is weak and falls. The devil and his angels unanimously take up arms against Christians and seek their destruction. So Christians, with God’s help, must stand against them and encourage each other. It’s a pastoral job, you say, to correct and lead people to repentance? Answer. Pastoral work - publicly and everywhere “Preach the Word of God, insist in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort” (2 Tim 4:2); and yours - not publicly, but secretly, amicably between you and your brother, where the grace of God will give you an opportunity. Another replies: “I am ignorant, how can I exhort and teach my neighbor?” Answer. Love will find words with which you can build up your neighbor; She will show you a way and guide your mind and tongue. And this matter does not require beautiful speeches; requires one reminder. Often a simple word, dissolved by the grace of God and love, does what many eloquent rhetoricians cannot do. When you want to persuade your son or friend, you don’t look for eloquence. Do the same to your neighbor who demands it. And if you are so weak-minded that you truly cannot give your neighbor useful advice, you can use another method. When your father, or mother, or wife, or son, or brother according to the flesh is sick, you look for a person who would help them in their illness. Do the same with your spiritual brother, who is weak in soul. Look for someone who could help him; tell him your brother's illness; declare the illness, and not slander him, with regret and love for him, and not with hatred and malice, as many are accustomed to doing, so that, having learned about his weakness, he would give a medicine suitable for the weakness. Thus will you win your brother; and if you do not gain it, you yourself will be better off by the grace of God. For God graciously accepts and crowns both the deed and the intention and effort. Another responds: “I am a sinner myself, how can I admonish others?” True, no one is without sin; but in this case, imitate a good doctor, who sometimes himself is unwell, but treats another patient. And if you show such love and mercy to your neighbor, then you yourself will receive from God, according to what was said: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Another thinks: “Am I ashamed to denounce my neighbor?” Answer. Love knows no shame. And it is bad and useless to be ashamed where destruction is obvious. It is a shame to sin, but it is not a sin to reprove and turn away from sin. Another thinks: “I would like to reprove my neighbor, but I am afraid of his anger and enmity, for not everyone is pleased with reproof.” It is true that not everyone loves reproof, as Solomon points out when he says: “Do not rebuke the wicked, lest they hate you: reprove the wise, and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8). To this I answer: 1) You don’t know whether the one you want to expose is evil or has a kind and supportive heart, therefore you don’t know about his enmity from reproof. 2) It often happens that God’s grace changes the evil into the good through useful and loving advice and insight, of which there are many examples in church history. 3) “Love hopes for everything,” as it is said (1 Cor. 13:4-7). She hopes even where there is no hope. “Love,” says St. John Chrysostom, “does not despair of its beloved; but even if it is evil, it continues to correct, to provide diligently” (Conversation 33 on the first Epistle to the Corinthians). How much do you work around your faulty son, whom you love and want to correct; how many ways for You use this, how much grumbling and indignation you endure from him, and although you see him as faulty, you do not stop admonishing him, and you are still looking for new ways to correct him, for love does not despair, although there is no hope. So you, if you love your neighbor, will not leave any way to correct him, although he turns out to be adamant; for “love hopes for everything,” and although you will be angry, you will consider it good, for “love... endures all things” (Discourse 33 on 1 Corinthians). 4) It is proper to fear God’s wrath more than man’s. For the same God who commands us to “love our neighbor as ourselves” (Matthew 22:39) commands us to take care of his salvation as if it were our own. For love consists not only in providing for the bodily benefit of a brother, but more in caring for his soul. For the body and bodily benefits cease, but spiritual salvation endures forever, and therefore we must take more care of both our soul and our neighbor’s if we want to love our neighbor as ourselves. 5) Will he accept your advice or not, will he love you for your reproof, or will he hate you - what do you want? Do your duty. If your advice does not benefit him, it will benefit you, for you will fulfill your duty of love to your brother. But love, even in this case, “does not cease” (1 Cor. 13:8): it finds another way to correct one’s neighbor. She then pours out warm prayers to God, the Lover of Mankind, so that, by whatever destinies He Himself knows, He will convert the erring brother. There are still people who, seeing the death of their neighbor, say: “What do I care about him?” These are the speeches of an unloving and unChristian spirit. Let those hear that St. John Chrysostom says about this matter: “I cannot believe that he will receive salvation who does not care about the salvation of his neighbor” (Book 6 on the priesthood, chapter 10). If you deny your brother, for whom Christ died, beware that Christ does not deny you. For when you say: “What do I care about him?” - you show that you do not have the slightest spark of love and regret, without which it is impossible to be a Christian. § 259. Reasons for bodily mercy: 1) The creation of God, by the command of God, serves everyone equally. The sun, the month, the stars shine equally for the rich and the poor; clouds rain on the rich and the poor alike; air preserves the life of the rich and the poor alike; the fire warms the rich and the poor equally; water gives drink to the rich and the poor alike; The earth yields fruit to the rich and the poor alike. So, by this we learn that the rich and the poor alike must be content with the blessings of this world. Consequently, those who are content with the wealth of this world and do not share it with the poor are doing badly; Worse than that are those who not only do not share what they have, but also take from others and take it for themselves. 2) Whatever good we have, we do not have our own, but it is given to us by God; it was given to us not for our sake alone, but also for the sake of our neighbors. Therefore, we must not keep the good entrusted to us to ourselves, but share it with our faithful brethren, who demand it for the glory of God. Consequently, those who do not share the good given by God in honor of the Giver, but either keep it to themselves or squander it on luxury and other indecent expenses, will give back to God. 3) Christian love requires this in order to have mercy on the poor and to give help to a brother in need, to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, etc. (see Matt. 25:35–36). 4) “The merciful... will receive mercy,” according to Christ’s promise (Matthew 5:7). “A beggar,” says St. Basil the Great, who asks you, asks for a loan, presenting to you the Rich One in heaven, who will repay your debt. For it is said: “He who has mercy on the poor lends to God” (Psalm 14). 5) “Judgement without mercy to him who has shown no mercy” (James 2:13). And the unmerciful are sent into eternal fire, as Christ says: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry, and you did not give me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and they did not visit Me” (Matthew 25:41–43). 6) Natural law requires that we do to our neighbor what we want for ourselves. We ourselves want to eat, drink, dress, calm down - we must do the same for our brethren. For they have the same nature, flesh and infirmity, which we have; they want to eat, drink, and dress just like us, and they cannot live without it. So, if someone refuses a need to someone who needs it, while he has it, he has lost the last spark of the natural law, for he has no regret for a nature similar to himself, and he is not a man, but only bears the external image of a human, but in reality he is like a beast, or like a stone that does not bear any fruit to anyone, and neither pity nor the voice of crying can move him. Since the pagans themselves, driven by natural law, show mercy on the poor, then not only natural kinship, that is, the fact that we are all human, but also spiritual kinship should move Christians to regret and mercy; and most of all, the name of Christ, which for those who know Him should be great, honorable and sweet; This is not unknown to Christians - the name, I say, of Christ, mentioned to the poor and offered for the sake of propitiation, should receive all mercy and help from Christians to those who ask. For if, when the name of a beloved friend or benefactor is mentioned, then for his sake we do not spare anything, but we fulfill requests, especially for the sake of Christ, greater than Whom we cannot have a benefactor; we must fulfill every request, as long as it is not contrary to His will. Judge whether it is great for someone who has no covering to build a hut, or to clothe the naked, or to redeem someone from captivity, or to free someone burdened with debts from that burden, or to redeem someone who is tormented with taxes and dues, or to someone sitting in prison, or to serve someone who is sick, or to give you a helping hand to someone else in need for the sake of Him Who, being so Great that no one is equal to Him, wanted to humble Himself even in the bitterest cup. drink suffering and death for your sake and for your salvation? We must not spare not only our possessions in Christ, but also ourselves for the sake of His name. To those who know what the name of Christ is, I speak here. 7) With what hope will you pray to God when you yourself do not listen to the prayers of people like you? How can you say, “Lord, have mercy,” when you yourself do not have mercy? How will you ask with others: “Give, Lord,” when you yourself don’t give, but you can give? With what lips will you say: “Hear me, Lord,” when you yourself do not hear the poor or, better yet, in the poor Christ Himself crying out to you? With what trust will you stretch out your hands to your Creator, when you yourself turn away from someone like you who stretches out his hands? God is merciful and bows with natural mercy to prayer, but to the prayer of the merciful. “For such sacrifices, that is, love of love and fellowship, are acceptable to God,” says the apostle (Heb. 13:16). 8) Now is “an acceptable time” (2 Cor. 6:2) to do good for the honor and glory of the Good God, to lavish it, to give to the poor, “to make friends for ourselves with unrighteous wealth, so that when we become poor, they may receive us into eternal abodes” (Luke 16:9). Now it is favorable to sow these good seeds, so that during the general resurrection we will reap with joy incomparably more numerous and better fruits that last forever. “When this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:54), then everyone will see the fruit of their good labors; and what he has now sowed in hope, he will then reap with inexpressible joy; then he will see his “treasure... gathered up in heaven, an imperishable treasure, which neither moth nor rust destroys, nor... thieves do not break in and do not steal” (Matthew 6:20), which here on earth, in the name of Christ, “he squandered and gave to the poor” (Ps. 112:9; 2 Cor. 9:9). 9) How kindly, desirable and joyful it will be for the merciful to appear before the face of the merciful and meek Son of God with His many brethren, whom in His name here He fed, gave drink, clothed, calmed, the sick and visited those sitting in prison! How glorious it will be to be called there the father of many poor people who have been pardoned and provided for here! 10) How much more desirable is it to hear this favorable voice from the Righteous Judge: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me” (Matthew 25:34–37). 11) On the contrary, how terribly unmerciful it will be to hear that terrible voice of the Righteous Judge: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and they did not visit Me” (Matthew 25:41–43). 12) No one will take wealth with him when leaving here, but just as he came into the world naked, so he will depart naked, with one soul. “For we have brought nothing into the world; It is clear that we cannot take anything out of it,” says the apostle (1 Timothy 6:7). The wealth that we leave here perishes after death and will not bring us any benefit; and what is squandered here in the name of Christ will be found in heaven with great growth. For instead of the corruptible, the incorruptible, instead of the earthly, the heavenly, instead of the temporary, the eternal, instead of the small, an incomparably greater treasure from the generous hand of the Lord will be received by the one who spends it and gives to the poor in His name. For “he who has mercy on the poor lends to God; and he will be rewarded according to his good deed,” says Solomon (Proverbs 19:17). For our Lord is so Gracious and Generous that “whoever gives one of these little ones to drink only a cup of cold water in His name will not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:41). § 260. The rich man volunteered and gives a reason why he refuses the poor: “I have children, I need to leave an inheritance to the children.” True, one should not leave children. This is required by natural fatherly love for children. Your children are closer to you than others. And the one who, leaving his household without bread, feeds others, does something bad and inhumane. So, do not abandon your children, but do not abandon the poor who ask you for mercy for the sake of Christ, who died for everyone and for you. Love children, but love Christ, who asks you through the poor, not only more than children, but also love yourself more. But at the same time, pay attention to the following sentence: 1) If you want to leave an inheritance to your children, it is not known whether it will go to your children or to your enemies. For it often happens that property goes to strangers after death, and not to those we wish for during our lifetime. 2) “It is unknown,” says St. Basil the Great, - will the wealth you left behind be useful to them” (In the Word to the Rich), since many children are corrupted by the fatherly estate left to them and perish temporarily and eternally. 3) Your soul should be closer to you and dearer than your children: you should take more care of it than of your children. For you will be with her forever - either in eternal life, or in eternal torment, and your children are yours as long as you live with them in this world, although even during your life they are more God's than yours, just like you yourself. 4) Children, even if left without an inheritance, can acquire an estate, just as you acquired it. For God, who gave to you, can also give to them. And the soul that you have abandoned, from whom will it find mercy, when you despise God’s commandment and do not show mercy to your neighbor? 5) Your children have a common Provider - God, who provides for everyone. Entrust both yourself and your children to His Providence, and not rely on perishing wealth, which is why the apostle turns away, and teach your children the same, so that “they do not trust in unfaithful riches, but in the living God, who richly gives us all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). 6) There is no better inheritance than for your children to inherit your virtue and good morals, so that from you, the father, they learn to show mercy to their neighbors; seeing you, your merciful parent, you yourself would be merciful. Try to leave this legacy to them. Try to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord,” as the apostle teaches (Eph. 6:4). And if you leave them without this instruction, then your wealth, left to them as an inheritance, will also be a sword with which they will destroy themselves, and you yourself will appear guilty before the court of God. 7) If you want to leave property to your children, but you despise the poor, then you have no Christian love, but only carnal love, for Christian love embraces everyone with its embrace. So, with what hope will you die without Christian love? For where there is no Christian love, there is no faith, “without which it is impossible to be saved” (Heb. 11:6): “faith working through love saves” (Gal. 5:6); and “faith without works is dead,” says the Holy Scripture (James 2:20, 26). Another responds: “When I die, I will distribute my possessions.” Answer: 1) It is not known how you will end your life; it is unknown whether you will be able to say a word on the day of your death; and although you write a will about your estate, it is also unknown whether it will be done according to the will. 2) “So is your death,” says St. Basil the Great, - mercy is attributed, not to you" (In the Word to the Rich). For if death had not prompted you to do this, you would not have done mercy. 3) Do you then want to give away wealth when you can no longer have it and it is not in your power? 4) Do you then want to be merciful and generous when you stop living and separate from people? Is it then possible to do good when life, breathing, movement ceases, and all action ends, and the time of trial and judgment comes? 5) “If you do not dare to treat noble people with the remains of your meal,” says St. Basil the Great, how dare you bow down to God’s mercy with your remains?” (In A Word to the Rich). So, put aside all these thoughts that distract you from virtue and bind your heart with stinginess and love of money; cut off these bonds with the sword of faith and trust in God, and give your possessions through the hands of the poor into the hands of Christ, who, “being rich, became poor for our sakes, that we through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Another declares: “I am free to dispose of my property.” Answer. You have nothing of your own except sins, which “naked... came from your mother’s womb, naked you shall go away” (Job 1:21). Stinginess and delicacy are yours; and your possessions are God’s good, which you must spend according to the will of God, and not yours. And if, according to your will and your own whims, you squander God’s goods or keep them to yourself, not using them for legal and godly expenses, Certainly, as an unfaithful and crafty servant, you will not escape God’s judgment (see Luke 12:45-46). Another thinks and says: “I want to live in the world, and for this I am storing up my wealth.” The answer is that the rich man of the Gospel thought about living in the world, eating, drinking and having fun. This night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared? (Luke 12:20). So you promise yourself something that is not in your power; you want to live in the world, but death stands invisibly before you, God’s judgment is at the door, and God says from heaven: “You fool! This night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared? Another thinks: “If I give from my property to the poor, then what should I live on?” Answer. If you don’t have anything to live on, you won’t have anything to live on luxuriously; there will be nothing to expand and decorate buildings, chambers, walls; there is nothing to gather rich tables, nothing to stock up on expensive wines, nothing to receive frequent guests; there is nothing to sew various expensive clothes on; there is nothing to buy beads, diamonds, yachts and other charms and vanity; there is nothing to buy, decorate and maintain selected horses, decent sets and carriages, richly dressed servants; there is nothing to play cards with, nothing to support a dog hunt, nothing to build amusement galleries and other whims to fulfill, since all these vain and obscene expenses require a lot of money. There is no time for alms, no time for beggars, when you want to support yourself so much. And when excess is taken away, luxury ceases, then both you and those who demand from you will have enough, for nature is satisfied with little; but whim and luxury are destructive and dissatisfied with the whole world. Finally, pride, stinginess, love of money and unmercifulness invent many reasons and excuses that are impossible to list. For these reasons, “it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23). Because: 1) they trust in their wealth, and not in the Living God, which is idolatry; 2) stinginess and love of money nest in the rich; 3) pride and that daughter is contempt for the poor and wretched; 4) unmercifulness towards suffering brethren similar to oneself; 5) harmful luxury and so on. And the root of everything is pride. It is not wealth that is to blame for the death of the rich, for wealth is God’s gift, and many were rich, but also pious, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and our other forefathers, as many are today, but what? A heart that is proud and clings to wealth and turns away from the Living God. Therefore, the Psalmist says: “if wealth flows in, do not apply your heart” (Ps. 61:11). Note here, dear reader, that here we are talking about righteous wealth, and not about that which was collected by untruth, theft, lawless interest, flattery and deceit. This wealth is destructive, and it will destroy its owner forever, if it does not squander what it has collected well with evil and does not bring true repentance and its fruits (as is said above in the article of the first part). § 261. Here it is proper and necessary to remember the words of many Christians, which are not only cold and removed from love, but also empty and, if the truth is to be told, inhuman. 1) Many, seeing the poverty of their neighbor and not wanting to give him help, renounce inhumanly and declare unmercifulness hidden in their hearts: “What do I care about him?” The pagans, by natural law, bow down to poverty, show compassion and mercy to the poor, as quite a lot of history tells about this; and Christians who profess Christ, Christ the Lover of Mankind and the One who pleases mercy, the law written by God and the Gospel, who hear, and expect the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century, renounce their native nature and utter the words: “What do I care about him!” Christ, Whom you confess, cared about you and all of us when he saw us in great disaster, and so had mercy on us all, and so miraculously delivered us from disaster. And you, about a neighbor like yourself, whom He commanded you to love and show mercy, a neighbor in need, utter inhuman words: “What do I care about him?!” God provides for you every day, feeds and clothes you, gives you health and strength, strength and other benefits, so that you yourself are content with them, and serve the demanding brethren; and you refuse the needy: “What do I care about him?!” You yourself are worthy of mercy, but you don’t want to show mercy to others and shamelessly deny: “What do I care about him!” This is the word not only of the blind, but also of the ungrateful and crafty: “What do I care about him?” A brother dies in disaster, but you don’t give him help, you don’t save him from death: there is no regret for his fellow suffering nature! I myself, I think, have many times experienced help from a neighbor in need, and now you demand it, for no one in the world lives without the help of another. Everyone demands help from each other: the poor from the rich, the ignorant from the wise, the weak from the healthy, the prisoner from the free, the wandering from the one who has a home. For this reason, God, having mercy on us, commanded us: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). “In everything that you want people to do to you, do so to them, for this is the law and the prophets,” says Christ (Matthew 7:12). If you want your neighbor to help you in your need, that is undeniable. And if you want, and know, and experience help for yourself from another, as has been said, and henceforth you cannot live without it, then judge for yourself how insanely you refuse someone who requires help from you, while you yourself receive help from another! You see how deceitful your heart is, which utters the word: “What do I care about him!” Moreover, pay attention, what follows from this when you deny your neighbor’s need? You have no need for him; another like you will say the same; the third will also renounce; and he will perish in that disaster: what then? Beware that both you and others who renounced him are not condemned to destruction by the righteous judgment of God. Oh, how many murderers are there in the world who kill people not with their hands, but with their unmercifulness, hardness of heart and such inhumane refusal, but think of themselves that they are pure in this! For not only the murderer is judged who somehow kills his neighbor, but also the one who does not save the needy from death, but can deliver, because if he had given a helping hand to the needy, death would not have befallen him. For when we are forbidden to kill our brother, we are thereby commanded to preserve his life, which is preserved by our help. So, you yourself are poor in soul if you don’t give help to your brother in need, but you can. But at the same time, look around, do you belong to that spiritual and blessed Body of Christ, which is the Holy Church, when you have such an opinion about yourself and your neighbor, even though you confess Christ with your lips? In one body, a member helps a member: a hand washes a hand, an eye washes an eye, an ear washes an ear, a foot washes a foot, and others help and protect each other. Likewise, Christians, who make up the spiritual Body of Christ, must not only not renounce each other, but also help each other. 2) Many people have the custom of sending those who ask to God: God will give. This does not seem to be wrong, since God gives everything, and gives it freely. But when you take this word into consideration, Christian, you will see that it means the same as the above-mentioned word: “What do I care about him?” For you send the one who asks to God not so that God will give to him, but because you yourself do not want to give, and therefore you send away from yourself, and not to God. And although you truly send him to God, even then you are doing the wrong thing, for God sends him to you and tells you to give him: “Give to him who asks you” (Matthew 5:42); and you send him back to God: “God willing,” and thus you transgress God’s commandment. God has given His blessings to you, so that you can satisfy your own needs and give them to those who need them for His glory. But you, being content with yourself, send away those who demand: “God willing.” And so to God, the Giver of blessings, you show yourself to be ungrateful. If someone said: “I would give to the one who asks, but I myself do not have,” - I answer him: 1) Whether you have anything to give or you do not have, God the Knower of the Heart knows about this, to Whom what you have and what you do not have is known. 2) Here we are talking about those who have something to give, but send away those in need with nothing, and not about those who are themselves beggars. 3) Almsgiving, as the fruit of love, consists not only in actual giving, but also in a holy desire to give, heartfelt regret and compassion for the poor (as you will see in the next paragraph), and in any service, such as: in introducing a stranger into a house, in visiting the sick and sitting in prison, and in serving them, and so on. Finally, I conclude this argument of mine with the teaching of Saint Basil the Great, who says this about the unmerciful: “I know some who fasted, prayed, sighed and showed other virtues, but did not give a single penalty to the poor: what good is that?” (A word to the rich). § 262. What is mercy and how should it be shown? 1) Mercy is when good is done to the unworthy, that is, to those who have done nothing to deserve it from us: otherwise there will be no mercy, but reward. Thus, we do not call mercy what is given to mercenaries for their work, but call it payment, except that in addition to what is deserved, it is given, for example, the labor of a mercenary is not worthy of more than fifty kopecks, but a hundred kopecks will be given: then such a gift is mercy. 2) When good is done without any expected self-interest from the one who accepts it. For “love, the fruit of which is mercy, does not seek its own” (1 Cor. 13:4-5): otherwise there will be bargaining or lending. For the return of a debt does not consist only in the debtor returning to the lender what he took from him, but also in returning what he took, no matter what it was. Thus, when someone does good to someone, and expects something from him, he thereby, as it were, gives him a loan. 3) True mercy is that which is given not under compulsion, but out of loving will, zeal and heartfelt compassion to the one who requires mercy, “God loves a cheerful giver,” says the apostle (2 Cor. 9:7). It is not considered mercy when the owner, who has a soldier in his apartment, by virtue of the decree of the Monarch, is put to rest; for the decree gives him an apartment, and not he himself voluntarily; because if he had not been afraid of the decree, then perhaps he would not have allowed him into his house. He who welcomes strangers out of good will, would welcome strangers willingly, even if there was no decree, and this is called love of strangers and true mercy. 4) Mercy is judged not by the quantity given, but by the quality of the giver, that is, by the zeal and willfulness with which someone gives. “The amount of alms is judged not according to the measure of what is given, but according to the strength and will of those who give,” says St. John Chrysostom, “(Discourse 1 on the Epistle to the Hebrews). And also the same father: “Ten thousand talents given without diligence are not worth two mites given with diligence” (Conversation 15 on the Epistle to the Philippians). 5) Not only the work of mercy done or done, but also the very zeal and desire to create mercy is considered to be mercy. For mercy, like any virtue, has its place in the heart, and therefore, although it is not actually performed, it is honored as if it were fulfilled by deed itself. For just as he is not only a thief who steals by deed, but also one who wants to steal, but cannot, so not only is he merciful who shows mercy, but also one who wants to do mercy, but cannot, wants to give to the one who asks, but does not have what to give, wants to help the needy, but cannot. Every matter is judged according to the heart and intention. “Even if you have nothing,” says St. John Chrysostom, “but you have a compassionate soul, and for this you will be rewarded. Therefore, Paul, commanding that we should weep with those who weep, and commanded to be bound, as it were, with prisoners (Rom. 12:15).” And below: “And Christ, when he pleases the merciful, not only with the possessions of those who have mercy, but also with the will of those who do this, he pleases and praises. For he who has a philanthropic and merciful disposition, if he has property, will share; if he sees someone in adversity, he will cry and weep; if he sees someone offended, he will intercede, and so on” (Conversation 19 on the Epistle to the Romans). For mercy, as it has been said, is the inseparable fruit of love and is always associated with it, like warmth with fire; and like fire gives warmth, so love emits mercy. This warmth of love manifests itself on occasion. The merciful will not refuse to help the needy if he can; if he cannot, he sympathizes with his misfortune. The merciful will not refuse to clothe the naked if he has something; will not refuse to welcome and please a stranger in the house, to console the sad, to visit the sick, to give a helping hand to the needy; and if he is unable to do this, he has a heartfelt desire and zeal for it. Because not everyone can do everything. He who can help, but does not want, truly does not have mercy, when he can give to the one asking, but does not want, and so on; Here mercy has no place, but unmercifulness does. 6) Mercy must be shown not in order to receive praise from people, but in the name of Christ, for the glory of God and for the benefit of the neighbor, so that the name of God, and not the giver, is glorified and the neighbor who requires mercy is built up. This should be the intention of the alms giver. 7) Alms should be given not from theft and untruth, but from our estates, given to us by God. For to take from one and give to another is not mercy, but inhumanity and deception or softening of conscience, which, irritated by untruth, does not cease to denounce the thief. Such alms are an abomination before God: for “as he who slaughters a son before his father, so he sacrifices from the property of the poor,” says Sirach (Sir.34:20). Such a one must do what the repentant publican Zacchaeus promised to do before Christ (see Luke 19:8), that is, that he collected evil, squander goodness, reward the offended, no longer do unrighteousness, and that he did untruth and ruined the law of God, repent and henceforth feed on blessed labors. 8) Mercy should be given to everyone, that is, to relatives and non-relatives, friends and enemies, to everyone who needs mercy. True love also propitiates enemies in need: it does not look at the face, but at poverty. 9) Mercy must be done depending on the need of the one who requires it. Those who have great needs must also show great mercy: a penny or two can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, build a hut for those who have no place to lay their heads - for this, not two kopecks are required. However, anyone can do as much as they can, depending on their income. Those who have more income and wealth should give more to those in need. 10) One should not be exalted in created grace. Because whatever we have, we do not have our own, but God’s, and because we give, we give God’s, and not our own. For we are builders who, according to His will, must spend the goods entrusted to us by Him; we are slaves who must do what our Lord wants and commands. Woe to us when we do not listen to our Lord and do not do what is commanded! Thus the horn of arrogance can be broken. 11) As far as possible, the good done should be forgotten, so that the left hand does not steal what the right hand has done (see Matt. 6:3). For the mere memory of sins is useful to us, because it humbles us. But memory of virtues is not useful, for it leads to arrogance of the Pharisees, as shown by the parable of the publican and the Pharisee (see Luke 18:10–14). Christ calls His blessed ones into His eternal kingdom and pleases them, saying: “I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat,” and so on; but they don’t remember their virtues and confess as if they never did them: “Lord! When did we see You hungry and feed You? Or to the thirsty and gave them something to drink? When did we see You as a stranger and accept You? Or naked and clothed? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You? (Matthew 25:34–39) This shows that we too must do good deeds, but forget what we have done. In addition, we must firmly remember that we ourselves cannot do any good without the Spirit of Christ. “Without Me...,” says Christ, “you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Therefore, every true good comes from God, and a good deed is God’s deed, and should be attributed to God: to Him alone, as the Source and Giver of goods, thanksgiving, honor and glory are due. § 263. Since poverty brings considerable sorrow, especially to those who live in poverty with their wives and children, and pay capitation taxes and dues, then in this disaster they must do nothing more than strengthen themselves with patience, surrender to the will of God and thus await His mercy. However, let them heed the following sentence: 1) Comfort for the poor can come from comparing the rich with the poor. Although the sons of this age believe that wealth is bliss, if we look at the state of the rich and the poor, we will see that this one is more blessed than that. For bliss does not consist in much acquisition, but in peace of mind; It is not about having a lot, but about being content with what we have. Look at the rich and the poor: the rich will live out his days, and the beggar will live. The rich man lives in rich chambers, is satisfied with a rich table, dresses in rich clothes, the beggar lives in a hut, eats bread and water, walks in rags, but also spends his days like the rich man. Yesterday has passed for the rich and the beggar, and the same will continue to happen. A rich man has a treasure, but with the treasure he also has care, fear and fear, lest he lose it; The beggar has no treasure, but he has no fear either. The rich are afraid of thieves and robbers; a beggar is free from this. A rich man, along with his wealth, often loses his life from villains; the beggar is not afraid of this, for the beggar is not attacked by the robber. Many people envy the rich, as the case itself shows; and to whom many envy, there are many intrigues, for envy does not exist without it; the beggar has no fear of this, for who would envy poverty? The rich are subject to condemnation and slander because of stinginess and unmercifulness; the beggar does not know this, for whoever does not have something does not give it. A rich man must spend his wealth according to the will of God, otherwise he will be guilty before the judgment of God; the beggar is free from that. Pride, the beginning of all sin, is almost always inseparable from wealth; Poverty teaches humility. Wealth either binds with stinginess, or relaxes the hearts of the rich with luxury and voluptuousness; in poverty there is no such thing, for what can one give to a beggar when one has nothing? Or what is it like to live luxuriously when there is scarcity? The rich man must answer before God for the expenditure of his wealth; the beggar doesn't think about it. The rich man, before his death, discusses who and how to leave his wealth; the beggar does not care about that. A rich man, when he dies, leaves his wealth; a beggar, as he did not have it, does not leave it. Even at death, wealth does not allow a rich man to take care of his soul, but a beggar struggles for his soul alone. Christ says about the rich: “Truly I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23). About beggars - not so; but what? “Listen...,” says the apostle, “my beloved brethren: has not God chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He promised to those who love Him” (James 2:5) Let no one think that wealth of itself destroys and poverty of itself saves! But just as unbelief leads to destruction with its fruits, so “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6) opens the door to eternal life. God wants everyone to be saved - rich and poor; but for the most part the poor obey this saving will of God; and the rich, clinging to the vanity of this world, renounce it. From here we hear that those invited to the Great Supper “all began... to apologize..., all confused by the cares of life. One said: I have bought some land and I must go and see it; please forgive me. Another said: I bought five pairs of oxen and am going to test them; please forgive me. And the third said: I am married and therefore I cannot come” (cf. Luke 14:16-20). This means nothing more than passion for earthly and corruptible things, contempt for the Word of God and disobedience to the will of God, which wants “all... to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4). On the contrary, the poor, although they are led away from the path of salvation by common enemies - the devil, the flesh and the world, but poverty helps them a lot against them, as said above. Do you see how much more blissful poverty is compared to wealth, although people chase after it and avoid it! 2) The poor in their poverty receive consolation from the name of Christ, which, although many rich people, captive to avarice, despise, many receive it with joy and zeal in their ears and hearts, and thus open the doors of mercy to those who ask for His sake. This name is greater for them than any treasure of this world, this name nourishes them, clothes them, gives them drink and calms them down; with this name everywhere they have a home, food, clothing, consolation, wherever there are Christ-loving hearts. The rich often come to poverty; but the beggar with the name of Christ is always equal, contented and rich. The poor should rely on this most precious treasure; the poor should be consoled by it. 3) Although God, as Generous and Merciful, provides for everyone, but especially for the poor, as helpless. For he is called “Father of the orphans and Judge of widows” (Ps. 67:6; John 14:18). And it is also said: “He will accept the orphan and the widow” (Ps. 146:9). Why do we read in many places in Scripture that we should take care of them, help them, command them, who ask, to give, and impute to Himself what is freely given to the poor. “He who has mercy on the poor lends to God” (Proverbs 19:17). And Christ says: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). 4) Christ, the Son of God, “being rich, became poor... so that through His poverty we might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). From this great consolation for the poor comes that Christ, with whom the whole world is in His hand, the King of heaven and earth, “was made poor by will,” so that “the Son of Man, as He said of Himself, had no place to lay His head” (cf. Matt. 8:20). For they are conformed to Him by their poverty when they endure it with thanksgiving. 5) It is not by chance that both rich and poor exist, but both “wealth and poverty are from the Lord” (Sir.11:14). So, what is from God cannot be evil, but good. 6) Just like any calamity, God can either stop or alleviate poverty through His love for mankind, which actually happens when “he lifts up the beggar from the earth and lifts up the needy from the rotting place to set him with the princes, with the princes of his people” (Ps. 112:7-8). So he raised Joseph out of prison and made him higher than the princes of Egypt. So “he chose David his servant, and took him from the flock of sheep” (Ps. 77:70). 7) Finally, like every disaster, poverty ends in death. The end of everything is death: wealth and poverty; and the consolation of the rich, and the patience of the poor consists in death. § 264. When consolation is offered here to the poor, then only those beggars are meant who truly beg according to God, all for the benefit of the constructive Providence; or who squander their property and give to the poor, and so spontaneously deign to endure poverty for the sake of the name of Christ and follow in the footsteps of Christ, who became poor for our sake. Therefore, the following are excluded from this consolation: 1) Those beggars who can work and feed themselves and their households with their labors, but do not want to, and so, living in idleness and laziness, do not have anything to satisfy themselves with, and want to feed on the labors of others. These are themselves to blame for their poverty; they should expect not consolation, but the judgment of God, like parasites, if they do not repent, for they act against the commandment of God, which commands us to “seek our own bread by the sweat of our brow” (Gen. 3:19). 2) Those who, having something to be content with, pretend to be beggars and dress in rags in order to attract philanthropy to themselves. They are deceivers, thieves and kidnappers, and not beggars, since they deceive both the givers and the real beggars; for the alms that should have been given to the truly beggars are stolen by their cunning invention. They sin against the commandment of God: “Thou shalt not steal” (Ex. 20:15), and just like thieves, they are subject to God’s judgment if they do not correct themselves. 3) Those who spend alms given for the name of Christ on drunkenness and other harmful expenses. These, just like deceivers, thieves, and drunkards, will not escape God’s judgment if they do not feel it. 4) This also includes those beggars who, not tolerating poverty, rush to theft, embezzlement, robbery and other things prohibited by God’s law. 5) This number also includes those beggars who, impatient, murmur against God and blaspheme Him. And others similar to them are excluded from the above-described consolation. Chapter 12: On forgiveness of sins to one's neighbor “Forgive, and you will be forgiven,” says Christ (Luke 6:37). “For if you forgive people their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses,” says Christ (Matthew 6:14–15). § 265. It is difficult for those living in society not to sin in relation to each other in some way: either in word, or in deed, or in some other way. For Satan always and everywhere sows his destructive weeds, and incites us against each other, and tries to disrupt the peace and brotherly love between us, and sow hatred and enmity. Therefore, we need to forgive each other’s sins. § 266. Reasons that motivate one to forgive one’s neighbor’s sins: 1) God commands to forgive one’s neighbor’s offenses, therefore, we are obliged to do this according to God’s command. Otherwise, we sin against the commanding God, for we do not listen to Him and resist Him, which is hard and scary. 2) Christian love requires this, so that our brother, who, being convinced by natural weakness and encouraged by the devil’s action, has sinned against us, does not take revenge, but, having compassion, forgives him, so that he does not suffer from the evil vengeance and we would not later regret that we caused trouble to our brother. For it often happens that both the one who offended and the one who took revenge regrets what he did, but what he has done cannot be returned. Therefore, one must foresee this in advance and not allow anger to develop into hatred and malice, but the evil that immediately begins to smoke must be quenched with a spirit of meekness and philanthropy. 3) May the mercy of God move us to mutual forgiveness and mercy for each other, which appears to us who sin every hour, which we recognize in ourselves, which is so great that, no matter how our neighbor sins against us, even every day and hour, we must forgive him for the sake of this love of God shown to us. For whatever sin our neighbor may have committed against us, it is like a drop compared to the sea or nothing compared to our sin before God, for which we are guilty before Him every day and hour. For we are all, no matter who we are, people, sinners, “earth and ashes” (Sir 10:9); in comparison with God, before whom the whole world is like a drop, we are like nothing. So, is it great when man sins against man, and the sinner forgives the sinner? It is truly a great and terrible thing for a man, a slave, a sinner, to sin before the Great, Infinite, Holy and Righteous God, and from Him, by repenting, to receive forgiveness, and not only to receive forgiveness, but also to receive unspeakable mercy! This mercy of God cannot only be expressed in words, but even the mind cannot understand. So, let human pride and malice be ashamed and silent, seeking how to destroy a brother for a defamatory word, when the Great and Holy God is so meek, long-suffering and merciful to us who sin! 4) May our great benefit, which is gained by forgiving offenses to our neighbors, motivate us to do this. For whoever forgives the sins of his neighbor, a convenient approach to the goodness of God opens up to ask in the name of Christ for forgiveness of his sins: “If you forgive...,” says Christ, “people for their sins, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14). On the contrary, the door to receiving God’s mercy and forgiveness of one’s sins is closed for those who do not forsake their neighbor’s sins, as Christ our Lord clearly says about this: “If you do not forgive people their sins, then your Father will not forgive you your sins” (Matthew 6:15). And what will follow from here for those whose sins are not forgiven? Nothing other than God’s strict and righteous judgment, eternal condemnation, eternal torment in hell, with which the condemned will endlessly pay for the crime of God’s law, but will never pay to God’s justice. Read the parable in Matthew, chapter 18. What is happening there with that ungrateful and crafty slave, to whom the king forgave him ten thousand talents, but he did not want to forgive his comrade even a hundred denarii? “Then his sovereign calls him and says: “Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me; Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your companion, just as I had mercy on you?” And his sovereign became angry and handed him over to the torturers until he paid him back the entire debt” (Matthew 18:32–34). This determination will follow from the truth of God to those wicked people who are guilty of countless sins before God, but do not want to leave even a small thing for their neighbor. “So also My Heavenly Father...,” the Lord concludes the parable, “will do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart for his sins” (Matthew 18:35). How so? This is how: if you do not leave your brother, that is, every person, a small debt of sins, like a hundred fines, God will not leave you ten thousand talents, and against this debt a debt of a hundred fines is like nothing. That is, the sins with which your neighbor offended you, in comparison with the sins with which you angered the Majesty of God, should be considered as nothing. For you are like nothing in comparison with the majesty of God; and not only you alone, but the whole world is before Him, like a drop of water against the ocean, therefore your offense is like nothing in comparison with God’s offense. So, if you do not forgive such a small debt to your debtor, God will not forgive you your great debt. You, a man, do not forgive a person like this - and what kind of forgiveness do you expect from the Great and Righteous God? Your neighbor has insulted you, someone like himself, and you do not forgive, but you have insulted the infinite majesty of God with your sins, and you want to receive forgiveness? If you bring your neighbor to judgment, God will judge you too. If you take revenge on your neighbor, God will take revenge on you too. Are you delivering your comrade to prison for his small debt? For your great debt, God will also deliver you into prison, where all eternity you will pay the debt of your sins, but you will never pay. Therefore, Saint John Chrysostom says: “There is nothing safer than to forgive the enemy; and there is nothing more dangerous than to take revenge on him” (Conversation 2 about David and Saul). So, it’s scary to be angry with your neighbor, it’s scary to take revenge, it’s scary to bring someone to justice! The doors of God's mercy are opened to robbers, murderers, fornicators, publicans and all sinners who repent, but they are closed to the evil ones, for there is no true repentance in them, without which there is no approach to the throne of grace. For malice is a great sin that possesses them and makes their repentance invalid. Since repentance is not true, but feigned, false and is nothing more than seduction, or - better - a softening of remorse, if the repentant sincerely does not want to give up sin. 5) It is impossible for one to pray to God who does not forgive his neighbor’s sins. For as he says: “Father! Forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors,” which is contained in the Lord’s Prayer, but he himself does not forgive? For God knows the human heart and looks at the heart, and not at words. And so is his heart, so is his prayer. When the heart is filled with malice and the prayer is empty. Moreover, he is such, because although he asks God with his lips to forgive him his sins, he does not want this forgiveness in his heart, because he himself does not forgive. For God listens to the heart, not words. And therefore the evil one departs from prayer with the same sins with which he comes to prayer, if not with even more numerous ones. For it is written: “And let his prayer become sin” (Ps. 109:7). This should frighten those who go to church to pray, who come to the altar and bring a gift, and think that they are sending prayers not only for themselves, but also for others, but do not want to leave anger towards their neighbor. They should be wary lest their offerings and prayers be a sin to them. 6) We all sin against each other. Your brother sinned against you today or yesterday; and you have sinned against him tomorrow or already before, which conveniently happens to those living in society. Therefore, we must forgive each other, as we sin against each other, and then there will be no hostility, and the peace will be indestructible. 7) If everyone took revenge on each other, society could not stand, because everyone would destroy each other. For from mutual enmity comes mutual malice and vengeance, and from vengeance comes mutual destruction, as happens in battle. “If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another,” says the apostle (Gal. 5:15). And so the evil ones harm and destroy society, while the meek bring it benefit and preserve it with their patience. 8) The insult caused cannot be returned, and revenge requires a lot of work, and even then, perhaps, it will not be possible. For it often happens that those who want to take revenge not only do not get what they want, but also fall into great troubles and accidentally fall into the pit into which they want to throw their neighbor. So Haman himself died on the tree that he prepared for the innocent Mordecai (see Esther 6:10). (See also the chapter on anger and patience.) Chapter 13: About loving enemies “If your enemy is hungry, feed him with bread; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for by doing this you are heaping burning coals on his head; The Lord will reward you with good” (Proverbs 25:21–22). The apostle says the same: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who use you and persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what will be your reward? Don't publicans do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what special thing are you doing? Don't the pagans do the same? Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect,” says Christ (Matthew 5:44–48; Luke 6:27–36). § 267. Enemies here mean those people who, by word or deed, cause us any offense, who curse us, hate us, cause us harm and drive us out. Christ commands us to love these. Since in the chapter about love for one’s neighbor, that is, for every person, it is said what Christian love is and what its fruits are, therefore this is not suggested here; look there, reader. For among our neighbors, not only our friends and friends, but also our enemies are meant, whom Christ commands us to love: “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44). But only reasons are offered here that prompt us to love our enemies: 1) Even if we do not know any other reason why we should love our enemies, the mere fact that Christ commands us to love them should prompt us to do so, as we must understand about every His holy commandment. Christ wants and commands us to love our enemies. Christ is the eternal Truth, revealed to us by the will of the Heavenly Father, Whom the Heavenly Father commands us to listen to: “Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). So, what Christ, the Son of God, commands, what the will of the Heavenly Father wants from us, God’s eternal truth demands, is useful to us. 2) If we take into account that there is Christ, Who tells us: “Love your enemies,” then not only to this His command, but also to death itself for His name, we must always show ourselves ready. Christians should know that Christ is the highest Love for us, which cannot be more, the Deliverer, Redeemer, Intercessor and Reconciler of ours to God, our eternal hope and hope. This lofty Benefactor of ours commands: “love your enemies.” If you were in such a misfortune that, according to the laws and the royal decree, the death penalty followed you, and there was such a good person who would not only save you from that execution by his intercession and by undergoing various disasters for you, but also bring you into high royal favor, you would carry out everything that you were commanded from him, according to his will without a doubt; unless only the extremely ungrateful would want to appear to such a great benefactor. But this love, this benefit, although great, is, however, in comparison with Christ’s love, which He showed us, like nothing, for it is temporary, and according to natural law, it is impossible for anyone to escape this death. For Christ delivered us not from temporary, but from eternal death: “not with corruptible things, silver or gold, ... but with His precious Blood” redeemed us from that eternal sorrow (1 Peter 1:18–19). “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor. 15:3). And not only did He deliver us from that disaster, but “to those who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the power to become children of God.” (John 1:12), and He opened the inheritance of the eternal kingdom. This highest His love for us requires that we try to love not only our friends, but also our enemies, according to His commandment, if we want to be grateful to Him. Open His holy Gospel, and it will present this love to you. It will show you that for our sake He “took on the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7), “became poor” (2 Cor. 8:9), “had no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20), labored, went from city to city, went from village to village, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, cried, was sick, persecution, reproach, blasphemy, strangulation, spitting, ridicule, thorns. the crown endured, suffered, died and was buried. He endured all this innocently and for the sake of love for us alone, and thus redeemed us from death, hell and the devil, and brought us into mercy with His Heavenly Father. This love of His can and should soften and convince our hearts to love our enemies. If he saved us from temporary death, we would listen to a benefactor in everything, if we wanted to be grateful to him. Isn’t the Son of God all the more worthy of this, Who by His death redeemed us from eternal death and opened the door to eternal bliss for us? Whoever wants to love Christ, his Redeemer, will keep His word. “Whoever loves Me...,” He says, “will keep My word” (John 14:23). Otherwise, he has no love for Christ, no matter what he does or confesses about himself. So, if the one who does not love his enemies does not have love for Christ, what can we say about those who do not love anyone who does no harm to them? Oh, how far they are from Christianity and Christ! 3) He Himself loved us, His enemies, so much that He died for us in order to reconcile us with the Heavenly Father and bring us into eternal bliss. Look at the book of the Holy Gospel and you will see that Christ died for sinners and the wicked. “But God demonstrates His love for us by the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.” And again: “Although we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (Rom. 5:8, 10). So, we must, following His example, love our enemies if we want to be His disciples, that is, Christians. For a Christian is nothing other than a disciple of Christ. 4) Whoever loves not only friends, but also enemies, shows that he is a son of God by grace. For this is how he portrays the disposition of the Heavenly Father, Who “commands His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), that is, He benefits everyone according to His love alone, the good and the evil, “wants all... to be saved” (1 Tim. 2:4), righteous and sinners. What a great thing it is to be a son of God, words cannot explain it and the human mind cannot understand it. So, if someone loves friends and enemies, he follows God in his character, like a son to his father; “Imitates God as a beloved child” (Eph. 5:1). 5) One characteristic of a Christian soul is to love enemies. For those who love them are loved by sinners, publicans and pagans. Christians must ascend to the highest degree of love, that is, not only those who love to love, but also those who hate; To thank not only those who do good, but also those who do evil; bless not only those who bless, but also those who curse; not only pray for those who do good, but also for those who do evil and cast out (see Matthew 5:44). So, if someone loves only those who love him, he is not showing a Christian deed, but is doing what is equally for pagans who do not know Christ and for great sinners, and in that he is no different from them. For true Christian love “does not seek its own,” but loves everyone without its own benefit (1 Cor. 13:5). But whoever loves himself, he repays in equal measure, and repays good for good, and loves himself more than his neighbor. For he loves him because he loves him, receives good and benefit from him, and therefore loves his benefit and self-interest more than his neighbor; otherwise, if I had not seen the benefit and self-interest from him, I would not have loved him, as pagans and other sinners do. That is why Christ says: “If you love those who love you, what is your reward? Don't publicans do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what special thing are you doing? Don’t the pagans do the same?” (Matthew 5:46–47). So, Christian virtue does not consist in loving only those who love, but loving everyone without one’s own benefit. Not to love those who love themselves is a sin that even pagans abhor. For natural reason commands us to love such people; and he who does not love those who love him commits a greater sin than he who does not love his enemies. For such a one has lost his natural understanding, and is a bitter infidel, who, according to the natural law, loves those who love himself: “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those at home, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel,” says the apostle (1 Timothy 5:8). It is said about this: “Whoever repays good with evil, evil will not depart from his house” (Proverbs 17:13). 6) High virtue is to love enemies and do good to those who hate. For this is how a person conquers himself, and this victory is glorious and more glorious than conquering cities and states. Thus, through the spirit of humility, the spirit of pride is overthrown; so kindness and meekness drives away malice; Thus the old Adam gives way to the new; Thus the world and the ruler of the world are trampled upon; Thus a Christian “fights the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7). The hero Jesus looks favorably from heaven on this feat, and prepares an unfading crown for the ascetic. A noble victory is to defeat evil with good! It is a glorious triumph to triumph over oneself! It is a favorable sight to embrace those who hate with love, and do good to those who do evil! 7) Just as fire is not extinguished by fire, so anger is not overcome by anger, but is inflamed even more. From here arise quarrels, insults, fights, bloodshed, murders and other evils. And with meekness and love, even the most ferocious enemies often bow down and are reconciled. It is known from the first book of Samuel how Saul persecuted the meek David. But when David in the wilderness took the spear from his head, while he was sleeping, and did not stretch out his hand against it, listen to what the awakened Saul says to him, as he admits his guilt before him: “And Saul said: “I have sinned, return, my son David, for I will no longer do you harm; because my soul was now precious in your eyes; I acted foolishly and sinned greatly” (1 Samuel 26:21). Thus love and meekness lead even fierce enemies to destruction. 8) Love for enemies gives boldness in prayer. For when we leave their offenses with love, without a twinge of conscience we say to the Heavenly Father: “Forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors,” which, on the contrary, enmity prevents. 9) Our enemies humble us, they overthrow our pride, vanity and conceit, bring us to the knowledge of ourselves and our weaknesses, encourage us to earnest prayer, and so, although they do not persecute us with this good intention, they enrich us with spiritual blessings if we overcome their malice with love. Thus, driven by his enemies and offended by them, David, like a deer tired of hunters, ran thirstily to a spring of water, sighing and praying. So, we should love them, and not be angry with them, because they, although not with good intentions, do this good to us. Thus, “all things work together for good to those who love God and, according to His commandment, their enemies” (Rom. 8:28). Enmity, malice, and the persecution of enemies bring them great benefit, although they themselves do not know and do not desire that benefit for them. 10) Christ says: “And whatever you want people to do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:31). No one wants to be hated by their enemies - and no one should hate them themselves. But everyone even wants to receive help from enemies when necessary. For example, if someone fell into the hands of robbers, or among his own enemies, or was mired in water, in such oppression he would certainly seek mercy from his enemies - this is what happens during a military battle, when one warrior of the opposing side, defeated by another, asks the winner for mercy and life. And when he himself desires mercy from his enemies in need, he himself must desire it and show it to them by his very deed, according to the natural law. So Saint David spared Saul, his enemy, who was looking for his soul, and did not take his life; why Saul was forced to attribute praise to David and acknowledge his love for himself: “my soul,” he said, “has now become dear in your eyes,” as said above. 11) Our true enemy is the devil, who tries to harm and destroy both our soul and body. This crafty and hostile spirit teaches people to persecute and embitter us. And so for the most part he is the cause of our resentment. He drives us through people, and thereby tries to lead us away from the patience and love of God, to lead us into enmity and quarrel, about which he, as the spirit of malice, rejoices. So, we must turn all our enmity towards him, as a true and everlasting enemy, resist him with firm faith, not allow his will to be done to us - which comes from patience and meekness, not from repaying evil for evil and annoyance for annoyance, but from love for hatred and goodness for evil deed. And the people who, being deceived by his cunning and driven away, sympathize with the spirit of love that they listen to him, carry out his evil and destructive advice and obey his evil will. For from this bitterness of theirs we know that they are under his dark power and serve him as captives. “Everyone who hates his brother (every person) is a murderer; and whoever commits sin is of the devil, because the devil sinned first,” says the Apostle of Christ (1 John 3:15, 8). In addition, it often happens that our enemies regret and repent for persecuting and embittering us. So the aforementioned Saul repented and admitted his sin that he persecuted David: “he acted foolishly... and sinned very much” (1 Sam. 26:21). For God, as a Lover of Mankind and Merciful, with His grace bows and softens human hearts, as evidenced by many stories. So, one should feel sorry for enemies, and not be angry with them. For they persecute themselves more than us, they destroy themselves more than us. Because they offend our body and their soul, which is much higher and more expensive than the body. For a person cannot offend his neighbor without his own spiritual destruction, as a violator of God’s commandments, and therefore guilty before God’s judgment. 12) The examples of God’s saints encourage us to do this. And how Christ, the Son of God, in the days of His flesh and cohabitation with people, loved His enemies, the Holy Gospel testifies. How much the Pharisees blasphemed and persecuted Him, but He earnestly wished for them conversion and salvation. He shed hot tears over Jerusalem, which was hostile to Him and unrepentant (see Luke 19:41), foreseeing its future destruction. For everyone recognizes that crying over the enemy’s destruction is the most well-known sign of love for enemies, just as rejoicing over their destruction is proof of hatred. He prayed for His crucifiers: “Father! Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Saint Stephen the First Martyr, being stoned, prayed for those who were stoning him: “kneeling down, he exclaimed in a loud voice: “Lord! Do not impute this sin to them” (Acts 7:60). Saint David wept and sobbed not only for his son Absalom, who perished, who sought the life of his father (2 Sam. 18:33), but also for Saul, his enemy, when he was killed (2 Sam. 1:11-12). For crying for a fallen enemy shows the love of the one crying for the enemy. For the saints of God are merciful, compassionate and loving, as if led by the loving Spirit of God, they reason and suffer not about their own offense, but about the destruction of their persecutors. The apostles did the same, who, testifying about themselves, set an example for us: “They curse us, we bless” (1 Cor. 4:12), and so they subjugated the entire universe not with weapons, but with loving patience and the Word of God to Christ, “with the Lord’s assistance and strengthening the word with subsequent signs” (Mark 16:20). The same was shown by the holy martyrs, who conquered the malice of their persecutors with love and prayed for their tormentors, and so, with the help of God, brought many to the faith. 13) Let us also listen to how Saint John Chrysostom speaks to us in golden language about love for enemies: “Perhaps,” he says, “you want to take revenge and try to repay the one who offended you equal or more. And what need do you have of it if there is no benefit afterwards? And besides, even at the Last Judgment you will endure torment, as a transgressor of the laws He gave. Tell me, if the king laid down some earthly law for you, so that you either had care for your enemies or were executed by death, wouldn’t everyone, fearing this bodily death, would run to fulfill that law? What condemnation is worthy of the one who, fearing bodily death (and the duty of nature itself demands death from us), is ready to endure everything, and not fearing such a death in which no consolation can be found, does not care about the law given from the Lord of all! (Talk 4 on Genesis). § 268. Consequently: 1) Those who take away love from their enemies sin against this commandment of Christ; who do not bless, but curse those who curse them; They do not good, but do evil to those who hate them, they pray not for those who harm them, but against those who do them: “God judge them,” and: “God judges them (or him),” but they love those from whom they learn love for themselves, in which they are no different from the pagans, tax collectors and only sinners, as Christ teaches, for they also love those who love themselves. 2) By this they show that they do not belong to the number of the sons of God who follow their Heavenly Father, and, just as “He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), with the embrace of their love they try to embrace not only their friends, but also their enemies, and to do good not only to those who do good, but also to those who do evil. 3) If those who love only those who love them do not differ from pagans, publicans and sinners, in what class are those who do not love those who love them, who shed the tears of the innocent, when they should be wiped away; they do evil to those who have not done them any harm, when they should stand up for them; expose widows, orphans and other poor people from whom they know no harm and whom, because of their poverty, they are obliged to cover? It seems that anyone can notice from the above that they are worse than the pagans themselves, who abhor these inhuman vices and execute them with their laws, and therefore have extinguished the last spark of reason, and have a brutal, not human disposition, no matter how they appear before people. 4) Those who repay benefactors with their evil deeds for their good deeds, and instead of the gratitude that should be given to them, torment their name with a poisonous tongue and intend to trample and destroy them, it seems, worse than the foolish beasts themselves. For the cattle knows their master who feeds them, serves him and works for him, the dog caresses himself before the one who feeds him, guards and, when necessary, protects him, preserves the sheep flock from the beasts that find him; the ungrateful do not fulfill this duty towards their benefactors, and therefore in this they are more insane than beasts. This number includes all those who do not give due honor to their Monarch, who cares about the integrity of the society in which they live; those who slander and revile their shepherds, who care for their flock, in which they also think to be; those who darken or otherwise insult the name of their teachers and mentors, from whom they heard the word of truth; sons who do not honor their parents leave them, and, what is even worse, scold, offend and beat them; and others who have received a benefit, but hate the benefactors and repay evil for the benefit. Let all such heed what Solomon says: “Whoever repays good with evil, no evil will depart from his house” (Proverbs 17:13). § 269. “How can I love my enemies?” Answer: 1) I know that it is sad to love the enemies of our flesh; But Christian duty requires us to do not what our heart wants, but what God’s law commands. For this is the Christian struggle, so that we strive against ourselves, that is, against the passions of our flesh, “crucifying it with the passions and lusts and bringing it under subjection to the spirit” (Gal. 5:24-25). So what? Do we want to obey the flesh, which wants to destroy us, disobeying the law of God, or the commandment of Christ, which wants to revive us? “If you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if you put to death the deeds of the flesh in the Spirit, you will live,” says the apostle (Rom. 8:13). 2) Since our heart does not want to do what the commandment of Christ commands, our weakness is thereby exposed, and we are, as it were, convinced to pray to Him Himself, who would give us “a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezek. 18:31, 36:26), so that we could diligently and with love fulfill His commandment, and will, and do good. 3) Discuss the teaching of St. John Chrysostom about this and other reasons that are written about when anger at your enemy incites you. 4) The enmity and malice in your enemy is worthy of hatred, as a work of the devil, but he himself, since he is a man and a creation of God, like you, is of the same kind, nature, worthy of love. So, focus on hating the enemy, and not on him; and drive away his anger, which, like cold with fire, is driven out by love and favor, and this way either you will make him the best, or, if not so, then you yourself will be the best. Conclusion 1: About the end of good deeds “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven,” says Christ (Matthew 5:16). “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can this faith save him? and so on. For just as the body without the soul is dead, so faith without works is dead” (James 2:14-26). “I, a prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and meekness and long-suffering, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:1-2), and so on. § 270. Not everything is a good deed that seems good to human eyes. A good deed is judged by a good end. Therefore, although good is done, it cannot be good not for the sake of good. Hypocrites often do their good deeds: they often pray, sigh, also cry, give abundant alms, show signs of humility, put on rags, bow their heads, speak quietly, call themselves sinners and, in a visible manner, show piety - but “the powers... deny it” (2 Tim 3:5) For they do their deeds so that “people can see them” ( Matthew 23:5), therefore their deeds are rejected by God, who knows the heart and intention of everyone and judges every deed by it. Therefore, it is only a good deed, a truly good one, that is done correctly. It is done correctly when it is done out of faith and for the sake of goodness (as we will see in the next paragraph). For “a bad tree cannot bear good fruit,” says Christ (Matthew 7:18). Therefore, one must not only do good, but also do right. Therefore St. Basil the Great says: “Not only what is commanded, but also what is commanded must be done” (In Book 2 on Baptism). §271. The end of good deeds: 1) We must do good deeds to show obedience and obedience to our God, who tells us: “turn away from evil and do good” (Ps. 33:15). For if we call Him Father: “Our Father who art in heaven,” as we pray every day in the Lord’s Prayer, then, like sons, out of love we must show filial obedience to Him. If He is our Lord, then, as slaves, we must serve Him with fear, and not be slaves to sin, not allow it to possess us. What son of his father, what servant of his master does not listen? If a son obeys his carnal father, and a slave obeys his master, people like themselves obey, how much more must they show this obedience to God, to God, Who is the Supreme Lord of fathers and sons, masters and slaves. And although we, due to our weakness, cannot show such obedience to Him as His holy and righteous law requires of us, because “the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit” (Gal. 5:17), we must take care of this with all our hearts, so as not to allow the flesh to dominate us, but rather to subdue the flesh to the spirit, and “mortify the deeds of the flesh with the Spirit,” as the Apostle teaches (Rom. 8:13). We promised to show this submission or obedience to God, our Lord and Father, upon entering Christianity, when we renounced Satan and all his works and promised to “serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (Luke 1:75). And so that our obedience comes from zeal and a free spirit, He Himself promised to help us in this; That’s why he commanded us to pray: “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). How many times do we repeat our promise of obedience, how many times do we repent before Him of our sins. Consequently, whoever does not try to show this obedience to God, in vain says to Him: “Lord, Lord!” - as Christ answers to such: “Why do you call Me: “Lord! God!" “And you do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46); for he has another master whom he serves, that is, he serves mammon, or evil and unclean lust, or something similar. It is also in vain that he unites his voice to God with the sons of God: “Our Father who art in heaven,” since he has another father, whom he imitates with his morals and does his will. The Jews, who were angry with Christ, once boasted: “We have one Father, God”; but they heard a terrible answer from Him: “Your father is the devil; and you want to do the lusts of your father” (John 8:41, 44). Christians who “claim to know God, but deny Him in deeds” (Titus 1:16) must also be wary, lest they be true sons of this “murderer... and father of lies” (John 8:44). This word is scary for anyone, but if we take into consideration the properties of a son and a father, it must be accepted as truth. For the son is certainly likened to the father, for as is the seed, so is its fruit. And the apostle says: “Whoever commits sin is of the devil, because the devil sinned first” (1 John 3:8). This terrible title befits those who sin not out of weakness, but out of willfulness, and consider the violation of God’s law to be something small, or, worse, nothing. And until then they will not get rid of it until they sincerely turn to God and cleanse themselves with true repentance. 2) We must avoid evil and do good to glorify the holy name of God. Christians should not do good deeds as the pagans once and now hypocrites do - for the sake of praise and glory - but for the sake of the praise and glory of Him from Whom they come, that is, God. For without God we cannot do anything good (see John 15:5). So, since good comes from God, we must turn to God’s glory, according to Christ’s word: “So let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The Name of God is both holy and glorious in itself and does not require glorification, but from us it is glorified when we confess Him as His holy Word revealed, and we live as His servants, who call His name and acknowledge Him as their Lord, should; or is dishonored and blasphemed when we do not confess Him as openly, and do not treat and treat Him in the way that is fitting for the servants of God, as the apostle quotes from the prophets about the Jews: “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles” (Rom. 2:24; Is. 52:5). For there is glory to the father when his sons live in constancy, and praise to the master when his servants are faithful in their rank. This truth is indisputable. Thus, glory to the Heavenly Father happens when Christians, who recognize Him as their Father and Lord, live according to the rule of God’s holy Word and as befits the sons of such a Great and Good Father and the servants of such a terrible Lord. To glorify the name of God, knowledge of the Divine properties and diligent reflection on them gives us a reason. The Name of God contains His Divine properties, revealed in Holy Scripture: Holy, righteous, ever-present, omnipresent, great, omnipotent, good, generous, merciful, true, etc. Thus, we glorify His eternal existence when we recognize and confess from our hearts that He exists, is One, and has no end or beginning. We glorify His truth when we heartily believe His false promises. Thus Abraham, our forefather, “gave glory to God,” as the apostle teaches, when “he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but remained steadfast in the faith” (Rom. 4:20). We glorify His righteousness, which rewards everyone according to their deeds, when we admit in the teaching with the prophet: “You are righteous, O Lord, and your judgments are just” (Ps. 119:137), - and we confess and repent of our sins, and say this: “With You, O Lord, there is righteousness... but we have shame on our faces” (Dan 9:7-8). We glorify His majesty and omnipotence when, recognizing and recognizing our meanness and insignificance, we humble ourselves before Him. We glorify His highest dominion and power when we diligently obey His will and command. We glorify His omnipresence and omniscience when everywhere and in every place we turn away from evil and do good (see Ps. 33:15); we give Him, as the omnipresent One, Who hears our word, sees our deed and thought, penetrates our plan and intention - we give Him, I say, in word, deed and thought, high respect, as the highest Lord and King, not only without doing, but also without thinking or saying anything indecent for His most holy eyes and ears. We glorify His holiness when we ourselves try to preserve what is holy, we are kept “from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit” (2 Cor. 7:1), according to His word: “Be holy, for I am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16, Lev. 11:44, 19:2). We glorify His wisdom when we believe in His wonderful Providence, with which He directs everything to the proper goal in due order, although it is incomprehensible to our blind mind, and “we do not experience what is above us,” but with humility and silence we leave to His wisdom and omnipotence that which is not given to us to know and understand. We glorify His goodness when we love Him alone as the highest good and thank Him. We glorify His mercy and generosity, which He always abundantly pours out on us, when we diligently thank Him from our hearts and, as a sign of gratitude, we ourselves try to be merciful and generous to our neighbors. We glorify His immaterial and spiritual being when we worship “Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24); We do not place this veneration in external rituals only, but in heartfelt zeal, fear and love; and what “we believe in our hearts, we also confess with our lips, fearlessly, where we ought” (Rom. 10:10). And we not only do this ourselves, but we also encourage others to do this in word and deed. Thus the holy and terrible name of God is sanctified and glorified in us. And since, due to our weakness, we cannot fulfill this duty ourselves, then if we do, we must attribute it to His grace acting in us, so that praise and glory may be to Him from Whom good comes. And so we glorify God when we do not glorify ourselves in deeds, when we seek not our name for honor and praise, but God’s, according to what is said: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory according to Your mercy and Thy truth” (Ps. 113:9). We glorify His righteousness when we confess our unrighteousness before Him with the prophet: “With You, Lord, is righteousness... but we have shame on our faces” (Dan. 9:7–8), and we ask Him, we believe and hope to be justified “by the righteousness of His only begotten Son,” for the sinners who died (Rom. 3:21–28). We glorify His holiness when we confess our uncleanness before Him and strive to “have part in His holiness” (Heb. 12:10). We glorify His truth when we admit our lies before Him, for “every man is a liar” (Ps. 116:2). We glorify His goodness, mercy, long-suffering, wisdom and strength when we sincerely admit our anger, unmercifulness, impatience, blindness and weakness before Him, and we ask Him for these blessings. Thus, the name of God is glorified in us when our name, glory and praise fade away “so that no flesh should boast before God” (1 Cor. 1:29), when “we are more willing to boast with the apostle about our weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest in us” (2 Cor. 12:9), virtuous, strengthening the weak, and replenishing those who are poor (see. 2 Cor.9:12), - so that to Him whose power and strength works in us, praise and glory may come from us. Consequently, those who in their good deeds seek not the glory of God, but their own, and those who lead their lives seductively and contrary to the word of God, do not give glory to God; therefore, they themselves will not be worthy of the glory with which He promises to “graciously glorify those who glorify Him” (1 Samuel 2:30); but they will hear what is said by the prophet: “Let the wicked be taken away, so that he will not see the glory of the Lord” (Is. 26:10). 3) We must do good deeds in order to testify to God, our Benefactor, our heartfelt gratitude (for this, see the chapter on thanksgiving to God). True gratitude requires not only verbal confession and glorification of the benefactor, but also heartfelt love for him. Love is known. according to the fulfillment of the commandments of His saints. “Whoever loves Me,” says Christ, “will keep My word” (John 14:23). And verbal thanksgiving without heartfelt love is nothing but hypocrisy; about such God says through the prophet: “These people draw near to Me with their lips, and with their lips... they honor Me, but their heart is far from Me” (Is. 29:13). Therefore, one should show gratitude to God not only with the lips, but also with the heart and good deeds that come from the heart. Consequently, Christians who do not fulfill this duty are ungrateful to God, their Benefactor, although they approach Him with their lips, for “by their deeds they deny Him” (Titus 1:16). And since they abandon God, they themselves are abandoned by His righteous judgment. As a result, it happens that such people fall into every kind of error and sin. Such a person, who is without God's grace, is like a ferocious horse without a bridle, which awaits unauthorized death. Hence, for those who call themselves Christians, there is no sin to offend their neighbor, to break an oath, to pervert the judgment of God, to make the judicial place a market place and an innkeeper, to inflict violence on the orphan and the widow, to justify the wicked and the innocent, to condemn, to lie, to deceive, to deceive, and to do other lawless deeds that the pagans abhor. These are true signs of a godless heart, although they confess His name with their lips. Every Christian should be wary of this and show his gratitude to God through love and obedience, so as not to fall into the above-mentioned error. 4) This is what the faith we have in God and His Son Jesus Christ requires of us, so that we may show our faith by our works, as the apostle says: “Show me your faith by your works” (James 2:18). And although faith alone in Christ, the Son of God, who died for us and rose again, will justify us without looking at our deeds, this faith cannot be empty, but has love associated with it. Love is the source of good deeds. Therefore, the holy apostles, preaching Christ to all creation, place faith in Christ as their foundation; but they teach us this faith and exhort us to testify with love and other good deeds, as can be seen from their letters. “Show in your faith virtue, in virtue knowledge, in knowledge self-control, in self-control patience, in patience godliness, in godliness brotherly kindness, in brotherly kindness love,” says Saint Peter (2 Peter 1:5-7). For true faith is like a spark, kindled by the Holy Spirit in the human heart, which emits the warmth of love. This Divine spark is kindled and inflated with God's help by reading or listening to God's Word, reflection on the previously past deeds of God, prayer, communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and externally manifests itself, like a good tree, with the sweet fruits of love: patience, meekness, mercy, fidelity, abstinence, brotherly love, peacefulness and other Christian virtues. These are the fruits of the good tree; these are signs of a good heart, purified by the faith of Christ; they are witnesses to “one who does not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). These witnesses will appear at the world Judgment of Christ and will testify to the true and unfeigned faith in God’s chosen ones, by which they were justified and with the help of which these wonderful fruits grew. The Righteous Judge Himself will pronounce this, like some treasure, and declare them before the whole world: “I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. As for the unbelievers, their evil deeds will be witnesses of their unbelief: I was hungry, and you did not give me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and they did not visit Me” (Matthew 25:35–36,42–43). And again: “I will reprove you and bring your sins before your face” (Ps. 49:21). Therefore, test yourself, beloved Christian, whether you remain in faith, although you confess God Christ, the Son of God, with your lips. The apostle exhorts this test: “Test yourselves, whether you are in the faith; examine yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:5). Know for sure that there is no saving faith in those who have no good works, but there is a kind of oral, hypocritical, or, as the apostle teaches, dead: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Therefore, Christ says: “Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord!” God!" “He who does the will of My Father in heaven will enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21). The will of the Heavenly Father is that we should repent of our sins, believe in Christ and listen to His holy teaching, as He Himself says: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). And what this Heavenly and preached Teacher to the whole world teaches us, His holy Gospel presents to us. 5) We must avoid evil and do good (see Ps. 33:15), so as not to discredit and dishonor the high Christian title and name. Christians should reason and remember that the apostle writes: “God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7); remember and heed what St. Peter ascribes to them: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people, to proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; once not a people, but now the people of God,” and so on. (1 Peter 2:9–10ff.); remember that they call upon, honor and pray to the Heavenly God: “Our Father who art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9); diligently heed what the Theologian writes: “See what kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1); and again: “And our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3); remember and reflect that they, according to the apostle, “are the church of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in them;... for the church of God is holy” (1 Cor. 3:16–17). The great, high and completely heavenly title of Christian, why should it be removed from earthly and worldly filth and impurities. The royal family of this world does not tolerate walking around in rags and is careful from vices that darken its glory, but is covered with purple and fine linen and other decorations befitting the kingdom of earth. Christianity is the family of the Heavenly King, for which the rags of worldly stench and sinful filth are extremely indecent; but just as she is dressed in purple and pure linen of the truth of Christ, so she must walk in this royal adornment, and with the grace of God adorn herself with the adornments of Christian virtues. Therefore, the holy apostles, discussing this high Christian dignity, everywhere in their epistles they place this before the eyes of our souls and teach us to live worthy of this and exhort: “I, a prisoner in the Lord, beg you to act worthy of the calling to which you have been called,” and so on. (Eph 4ff.) And again: “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12). This also includes the fact that they teach us to “crucify our flesh,” which “desires what is contrary to the spirit” (Gal.5:17), to crucify “with the passions and lusts... to put off the old man... and to put on the new” (Gal.5:24; Col.3:9-10; Eph.4:22-24). So, oh, how much this heavenly title is dishonored by those who not only do not do deeds worthy of it, but also defile themselves with sinful vices, like stinking rubbish! So they clearly show that they moved away from him and turned into that darkness from which by the grace of God they were called “into wonderful... light” (1 Peter 2:9). Therefore, they must, while “the time is favorable, until the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2), having recognized their error, return again with a pure heart to God who called them and is now calling everyone, and pray to Him to accept His first mercy. 6) Christians must note and remember what Christ says: “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 7:19), and what the Apostle says: “If you live according to the flesh, you will die” (Rom. 8:13). It is as if some kind of spiritual tree is a person who, although he confesses the name of Christ and by that confession, like a leafy tree, is decorated and magnified, but does not create the fruits worthy of his confession, that is, good deeds, why will he be handed over to nothing other than the eternal fire of Gehenna, like a barren tree to be burned, by the righteous judgment of God. That is why the apostle says: “If you live according to the flesh, that is, follow the lusts of the flesh, you will die” - here he means not temporary, but eternal death, for both the righteous and sinners die a temporary death, but they will be resurrected “in the resurrection of eternal life, and these in the resurrection of judgment” (eternal condemnation) (John 5:29). May this terrible end frighten us away from the evil and bitter fruits of sin, which are consigned to eternal fire, and may it move us to repentance and its sweet fruits. But if we look at the temporary disaster, we will see that it does not come from anywhere but from the lawless and unrepentant life of man. Hence the fires, famine, shortage of bread and other worldly goods; hence the pestilences and earthquakes; hence the wars, terrible battles, bloodshed, the fall of many thousands of people, and from this subsequent wives, parents, children, lamentable cries, ruin and devastation of cities and states, and so on. So the truth of God, irritated by human iniquities, sends the terrible sword of His judgment and strikes the lawless! Let us fear this terrible sword and “create... fruits worthy of repentance" (Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8). 7) The Apostle says: “Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). God promises to reward piety mercifully and graciously not only in the future, but also in the present age with His blessing. “If you walk in My commandments, and keep My commandments, and do them, I will give you rain in its season, and the land will yield its fruit, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit; and the threshing of your grain will reach your harvest of grapes, and your harvest of grapes will reach your sowing, and you will eat your bread to the full, and you will live in your land safely, and there will be no war in your land; and I will give peace in your land, and you will sleep, and there will be no one who makes you afraid, and I will destroy the fierce beasts from your land,” and so on (Lev. 26:3-6 et seq.). Psalm 36 pretty much brings to our eyes the blessing of God, which is given to the pious: even though the wicked are exalted and tower like the cedars of Lebanon, they disappear, so that you will not find their place, although you will look for piety and help the pious on the day of death. “It will be good for him who fears the Lord... and on the day of his death he will find grace" (Sir 1:13). In the next century, "all the good things that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, which have not come... into the heart of man... those who love God" are expected, according to His false promise (1 Cor. 2:9). However, this should not be understood as if our deeds deserved anything from God; since our good deeds should also be attributed to God, Who is in us by grace He produces them with his own; they are called ours because we obey the calling and acting grace of God and, enlightened and strengthened by this grace, we mortify the deeds of the flesh, and we bring the fruits of faith, which is the gift of God, we fear and love God, and we show deeds of love to our neighbor, for God owes nothing to us, and gives freely, according to His goodness alone. His own, and with this promise arouses in us faith and a desire for piety, so He gives what He promised to those who listened to Him and believers freely, by His goodness alone. In this case, we must remember Christ’s word: “When you have done everything commanded you, say: “We are worthless servants, because we did what we had to do” (Luke 17:10). But who would fulfill “everything commanded”? Christ alone, the Fulfillment of the law and the prophets, fulfilled everything and earned grace and glory for everyone from God, His Heavenly Father. Glory and praise are due to Him, but we must always confess with humility: “With You, O Lord, there is righteousness, but on our faces there is shame” (Dan 9:7), and pray: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory according to Your mercy and Thy truth” (Ps. 113:9). However, one should not conclude from this based on carnal wisdom that if one receives benefits from God freely, through faith alone, and not through good deeds, then good deeds are not required. This opinion is erroneous. Whoever has such an opinion has no faith, because where there are no good deeds, there is no faith, which is known from good deeds, like a tree from its fruit (as stated under number 4 of this paragraph, and will be suggested below). Therefore, we must have faith and testify to it with good deeds, so that by faith we may receive God’s promise. 8) Brotherly Christian love requires this, so that we help our neighbor in his needs, as is said in the chapters on love, mercy and others, and build him up spiritually by example of Christian life and decent treatment. This is said again not so that we do good deeds so that “people will see” (Matthew 23:5) - this goal and intention, like Pharisaic hypocrisy, is condemned by God's holy word - but because the good life of one can give another a reason for either more zealous deeds in the Christian cause, or for those who are exhausted - to rebel from despondency and powerlessness. For true piety is like a light shining in the night of this world, which, although hidden, cannot be hidden, but is visible from afar. People are created no less by this example of pious life than by words. And although this example of piety is necessary for parents for the sake of their children, for shepherds, that is, bishops and priests, for the sake of the verbal sheep of Christ, which they feed with the word of God, for the authorities for the sake of those under their control, for the teachers for the sake of their students, for the old for the sake of the young, however, all Christians should not neglect this, but should help and encourage each other in the Christian deed against the flesh and the devil by their example. How strong an example of kind treatment is, we see from the story of the ancient Christians. Church history testifies how, during the persecution of Christians, Christians followed each other in fearlessly confessing the name of Christ before the tormentors, and encouraged each other by mutual example to suffer for Christ. Not only men and women of full age, but also youths and young women themselves, and even almost infants, zealously bowed their heads under the sword for Christ. And although this pious zeal was a gift from God, that saving fire received its greater power and effect from mutual example, just as a natural kindled fire turns into a larger flame when another fire joins it and is fanned by the wind. 9) The evil end of an unstable life, that is, temptation, should prompt us to a pious life and decent behavior. The rule of good deeds is God's Word. “Your law, O Lord, is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths,” says the Psalmist (Ps. 119:105). This lamp shines for us, walking in the darkness of this world, and shows us how to walk, live and handle ourselves, what to do and what to avoid. Therefore, temptation primarily occurs in two ways: firstly, through corrupt teaching that is contrary to the word of God, as heretics and other superstitions do; secondly, he who lives contrary to the word of God and leads corruptly among his brethren also gives temptation. For both the good and the evil example of one strikes the heart of the other through hearing or sight; the one to good, and the other to evil induces the one who sees or hears. Temptation is like a pestilence, which, conceived in one person, infects and kills many living nearby. So a corrupt teaching begins in one heresy leader, but countless people are struck and destroyed. Likewise, the depraved life of one often gives reason to many to commit lawlessness, and to do what they saw or heard, and just as a house burns next door to a burning house, the lawless flame of an ungodly example is kindled and caught on fire. From this we see that some cities and villages abound in one kind of lawlessness, and in another, more than others. In one, mammon especially possesses the love of money; in another, luxury and all carnal knowledge overflows in abundance; in a third, worldly pride shows itself more than anything else. The same is observed in homes and families. For one sees or hears evil from another and adopts it, and so becomes corrupted; and from him another learns the same thing, and so the stinking smell of lawless life expands and eats souls, like an intensified ulcer. Although everyone can give temptation to each other, first of all, parents give temptation to children, shepherds to people, bosses to subordinates, masters to their slaves, teachers to students, old to young. For the life and example of the higher for the lower is, as a rule, or like a mirror into which they look, and therefore correct themselves. The spread of temptations is greatly served and helped by slanderers who dispel the sins and iniquities of others, and thereby fill the ears of their listeners. “Woe to the world because of temptations,” says Christ (Matthew 18:7). “Woe to him through whom they come; It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and thrown into the sea, than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:1-2). From this we see how great an evil is temptation, which, like an ulcer, spreads and kills many. May this evil convince us to shirk lawlessness and strive for a virtuous life, so that the “woe” that awaits those who seduce, according to the word of Christ, does not befall us. 10) We must take care of a virtuous life in order to stop the mouths of our opponents and enemies, who sharpen their poisonous tongue to reproach and slander us, and are watching how to turn their speech against us. So, when they see our life is not what it is considered and denounced, they will be ashamed and stop their mouths and remain silent. And although it is the nature of slanderers to find a reason for censure and slander even there, where there is no reason; however, their slander, as false and unrighteous, will be in vain when “the Lord brings out the righteousness of the innocent as light, and their fate as the noonday, and then their sword, which they draw against the innocent, will enter their hearts” (Ps. 37:6, 14-15). 11) We must lead our life piously so that, seeing our good life, those who do not know and do not profess the name of Christ turn to Christ and become one with us, “and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Thus, the ancient Christians gained many for Christ, as we read in church history. § 272. Discussion about good deeds gives reason to remember the ancient Christians (about whom a little was said in the previous paragraph) and the state of Christians of the present century, in order to present to everyone before intelligent eyes how far today's Christians have retreated from Christian duty. The reader can also notice this from the discussion that was offered about the fruits of faith, about diligent obedience to God, about glorifying His name, about gratitude to Him, and so on. For this is why it was proposed so that “everyone could test himself to see whether he is in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). In the Apocalypse, Christ says to the angel (bishop) of the Ephesian Church: “I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember from where you fell, and repent, and do the first things; but if not so, I will come to you soon,” and so on (Rev. 2:4–5). This admonishing word of Christ our Lord befits and concerns Christians of the present age, “for the love” which the first Christians had “has been abandoned.” The ancient Christians had one heart and soul, as the apostle testifies: “The multitude of those who believed had one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32), that is, there was peace, harmony and love between them, the mother of all good things. This is a sign of true Christianity, as the prophet foretold about this blessed agreement: “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will no longer learn to fight” (Is. 2:4). And Christ says: “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Today’s people don’t have this, but heart against heart and soul against soul rebels; They plot evil against each other in their hearts and souls. And what is hidden in the hearts also appears outside through quarrels, curses, slander, slander, insidious sneaks, abuse, beatings and other evil fruits. A witness to this truth is not only every city, village, place and country, but almost every home. For we can hardly find any house in which there would not be complaints against each other. But what is more surprising, or even worthy of greater regret, is that brother and brother, sister and sister, husband and wife, those whom natural love should unite, remain in disagreement and quarrel. Among the ancient Christians “there was... no one in need” (Acts 4:34), since they were philanthropic, merciful and generous, imitating their Father in Heaven. The current ones are different. But the streets and houses are filled with beggars; the dungeons are filled with impoverished debtors, imprisoned for debts, arrears of quitrents, bills of exchange and other needs; many wander after the fires, without a home, with their wives and small children; many are deprived of their daily food, many walk around in rags, many are half naked. The reason for this is the pride and stinginess of the rich, who themselves want to be sufficiently and excessively satiated, to calm down, to be decorated with silks and fine linens, to live in rich chambers, to present rich tables, to drink expensive wines, to have quite a lot of servants, to ride in a train on choice horses, to keep a dog hunt, to play cards and other amusements; but they do not care about their poor brothers, who are similar to themselves, and do not want to look at them. Ancient Christians sold villages and houses, and the price sold was brought for the common benefit of the faithful (see Acts 4:34–37, 32). The current ones are different. But villages, lands, fields, fields, courts and other everyday needs are taken away from each other; expelled from their homes, shedding tears of the poor, widows, orphans and other defenseless people. The ancient Christians were simple-hearted, they did not deceive each other, but they told each other the truth, and therefore they believed each other. The current ones are different. The very thing shows the opposite, when they flatter and please each other, but think evil in their hearts. They say with their tongue like Judas to Christ: “Rejoice!” - and in their hearts they are inclined to betray and kill. With their lips they caress: “Brother,” but in their hearts they treat it like an enemy. They promise in words, but think differently in their hearts. Among the ancient Christians, chastity and abstinence flourished. Not so now. Drunkenness, luxury, carnal lust and subsequent inappropriate games, songs, screams can be seen almost everywhere. Ancient Christians were meek and forgave each other's mistakes from the heart. Not so with the current ones. But for a nasty word or a small offense they want to eradicate the offender. This is evidenced by the courts, which are filled with caustic slander against each other. The ancient Christians had such zeal for praising God, for prayer, for listening to God’s Word! Therefore, while they did not have churches of God for prayer because of persecution, they gathered in their homes for the sake of this godly work, and so their houses were like churches; For others, deserts and caves were houses of prayer. Not so now. But although there are churches, and they always open, and always with the ringing of bells, like a favorable voice, the church calls Christians to the praise of God and common prayer, but few are in a hurry. Although many come, it is for the sake of the ceremony, while others, worse than that, are just for temptation, with laughter, conversations, and other indecent amusements. Many would rather wander the streets, make noise and riot in drinking houses and taverns, than go to churches to praise God and pray. There is nothing to say about the Word of God: although it is preached a little, and rarely, however, like those who are full, or better yet, like those suffering from a fever, they take food, many prefer to console and amuse their flesh with funny and seductive books, rather than seek spiritual benefit from the Word of God, for which it was given. The ancient Christians had such love and zeal for Christ! Hence it is clear that men, wives, boys, young women and young children joyfully gave themselves up to death for His name. Nowadays that is not the case. Those tormentors - kings and princes - could not turn them away from Christ with the cruelest weapons. Today's silver, gold, carnal lust, luxury, drunkenness and other passions turn away. Ancient Christians often partook of the Mysteries of Christ as Food, which is the cause of immortality; Therefore, even now, the Holy Church daily calls: “Come with the fear of God and faith!” The current ones don’t have it, as the case itself shows. But once a year, and then almost under compulsion, they begin that immortal Meal, and many postpone until illness, others almost until death. It's a pity-worthy thing! People rush to banquets with joy, but they go to that spiritual and most holy Meal to which Christ calls, almost under compulsion! The ancient Christians had such a strong love of strangers that they preceded each other in accepting strangers, following the faith and love of their forefather Abraham. It is not evident among those of today, but either they do not open the doors to travelers at all, or they open them, but first after agreeing on payment. Among ancient Christians, lying and deceit were unheard of; among modern Christians, lying, deceiving, and deceiving are not considered a sin. The shepherds of the ancient Christians had such care and concern for the flock of Christ, one must marvel! I’m not talking about the current ones, everyone knows about it (I mean pastors, bishops and priests). The ancient Christians, sitting in court, how diligently they observed the truth and wiped away the tears of the poor! Nowadays this is not heard, but instead of perjury, trampling on the truth, or even, she was kicked out, and court places became market places and taverns; instead of God's judgment, a purchase is made; instead of God, mammon is revered and instead of truth, gold and silver makes its voice. Anyone will know this truth if they come to court without money. Ancient Christians taught their children in the law of the Lord, the fear of God and all piety. The current ones don't have this. But instead, they teach children dancing, secular politics and other vanity. Hence it happens that there is no point in looking for piety in fathers, and in children and grandchildren. So today's Christians left the first Christians with love, and with love, faith and true piety. And although many of today’s Christians build churches of God, as we see, stone or wooden, they destroy animated ones. They decorate the Gospel with gold and silver, but they don’t even want to touch what the Gospel teaches, or they don’t even know. Some give alms, but take away from others. And what is the benefit of that? For this is not a godly thing, but a godly thing. And so the current pagan state entered Christianity. For, although not with their lips, but with their deeds, modern Christians reject Christ, from whom the ancient Christians, forced by torment, did not want to renounce. “They say that they know God, but in works they deny,” says the apostle (Titus 1:16). And Christ also says: “This people draws near to Me with their lips, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). § 273. Therefore, we must heed what Christ further says to the bishop of the Ephesian Church: “Remember from where you fell, and repent” (Rev. 2:5). This sweet voice of our Merciful Savior hits everyone’s ears. Oh, may it strike the hearts with its Divine strength and awaken souls that have fallen asleep in the heavy sleep of sin! Strikes the shepherds: “Shepherd God’s (My) flock which is among you, overseeing it, not under compulsion, but willingly and godly, not for vile gain, but out of zeal, and not lording it over the inheritance of God, but being an example to the flock,” which you have acquired through My blood” (1 Peter 5:2-3). Strikes the judges: “Remember where you are sitting; “I said, “You are gods”... How long will you... judge unrighteously and show partiality to sinners” (Ps. 82:6, 2). Strikes parents: “Remember your children; bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Strikes everyone in general and people of every rank: “Remember from where you fell, and repent” (see Rev. 2:5). The Holy Spirit in the psalm says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” ****** (Ps. 94:7-8). “Take heed, brethren,” says the apostle, “lest there be in any of you an evil and unfaithful heart, lest you depart from the Living God. But instruct one another every day, as long as you can say, “Today,” lest any of you become hardened by being deceived by sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if only we hold fast the life we ​​have begun firmly to the end” (Heb. 3:12-14). If we harden our hearts, then let us listen to what Christ also says to the mentioned bishop: “I will soon come to you,” and so on (Rev. 2:5). This already comes to us through various punishments: the invasion of foreigners, our enemies, pestilence, frequent fires, the taking away of fruitfulness from our fields, illness, sorrow and various misfortunes - and, as it were, convinces us to listen to our voice and repent. If we don’t listen anyway: “Behold, He has prepared His Throne for judgment” (Ps. 9:8). “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of His holy angels to execute judgment on all and to convict all the wicked among them of all the deeds that their wickedness has done,” and so on (Jude 1:14–15 ff.). “Behold,” says the Lord Himself, “I come like a thief: blessed is he who watches and keeps his clothes, lest he walk naked, and lest they see his shame” (Rev. 16:15). For “as in the days before the flood they ate and drank, they married and were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and thought not until the flood came and destroyed them all, so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:38-39). Therefore, come before that day, terrible for sinners, comes. Come everyone. Let us return to the Shepherd and Visitor of our souls, Christ, the Son of God. He calls us, as we heard, and waits; ready to accept everyone with the most holy embrace of His love, like the father of the prodigal son. Let no one be embarrassed by the multitude and majesty of sins! He calls all sinners, small and great, and promises eternal rest for souls: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Let no one doubt His all-surpassing mercy and love for mankind! His holy Gospel and His love for mankind depicted in it, which He showed to sinners while wandering in His most holy Flesh on earth, firmly assures us. How diligently he attracts the Samaritan wife, a former harlot! He promises her “a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). How he looks with a benevolent face at a sinner who is washing His feet with tears and in a kind and comforting voice says to her: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). As he kindly resolves the adulteress: “I do not condemn you; Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). How favorably and mercifully he accepts all publicans and sinners who approach Him (Luke 15:1). How vividly does He depict His mercy, thorough and zealous for the recovery of sinners, in the image of a master who, “having a hundred sheep and having lost one of them, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it? And having found it, he will take it on his shoulders with joy,” and so on (Luke 15:4–5 et seq.). How merciful His gaze, during the very suffering, turns to the turned away disciple (see Luke 22:61), and with His gaze He gives His mercy and grace to comfort and strengthen him, “so that his faith does not fail” (Luke 22:32). Like a merciful helping hand, already hanging on the Cross, he gives it to the thief, and almost from the very gates of hell he delights him and opens the doors of the heavenly kingdom: “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). How, finally, from the height of glory, His merciful and humane voice strikes the ears and heart of Saul, the former blasphemer, persecutor and offender! “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute Me” (Acts 9:4) - and from the persecutor he makes a teacher of His name and the whole universe (see 1 Tim. 1:13). So meekly, so mercifully, so philanthropically, our Lord deals with sinners! For “he does not want the death of the sinner, but that he should turn... from the path of evil and live” (Ezekiel 18:23). So, if we have such a merciful Lord of ours, come, let us put aside the dark cloud of nasty thoughts that covers our hearts, and, “denying away the works of darkness,... let us put on the weapons of light” (Rom. 13:12), let us remember “from whence we fell,” and, remembering, “weep before the Lord who created us” and redeemed us with His Blood, “for He is our God, and we the people are His pasture and the sheep of His hand” (Ps. 94:6-7). Let us all lift up our voice with one voice from our hearts: “Soon may Thy compassions appear to us, O Lord, for we have become very poor! Help us, O God, our Savior, for the glory of Your name. Lord, deliver us and cleanse our sins for Your name’s sake” (Ps. 79:8-10). And again: “Lord God of Hosts! Restore us, show Your face bright, and we will be saved” (Ps. 79:8). And again: “Restore us, O God of our salvation, and turn away Your wrath from us. Will you be angry with us forever? Or will You spread Your wrath from generation to generation? God! You will revive us again, and Your people will rejoice in You. Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy, and grant us Thy salvation” (Ps. 85:5-8). And again: “Hear us, O God of our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and those who are far off at sea” (Ps. 64:6). And again: “Remember us, O Lord, in your good will toward Your people, visit us with Your salvation, so that we may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of Your people, and rejoice in Your inheritance. We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed lawlessness, we have committed iniquity” (Ps. 105:4-6). This reasoning of mine does not apply to those who, by the grace of God, stand motionless in faith and show the fruits of faith. I know for sure that the Lord has His servants who worship Him and knows them. “But the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” says the apostle (2 Timothy 2:19). “He knows his own, and his own they know him” (John 10:14). I wish them to remain in that grace of God and to prosper day by day, to ascend “from strength to strength” (see Ps. 83:8), and to strive to the end in that feat, and to help my brethren, who have forgotten and are forgetting their Christian duty, with fervent prayer. To these Christ says: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). But only here my word applies to those who boast of godliness, “but deny the power ... which consists of faith, fear and love of God” (2 Tim. 3:5), “they say that they know God, but deny by works” (Titus 1:16), they have faith on the tongue, but have unbelief and godlessness in their hearts (James 2:14). Conclusion 2: On perseverance and ultimate perseverance in faith “He who endures to the end will be saved,” says Christ (Matthew 10:22). “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God,” says Christ (Luke 9:62). “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). “If a righteous man departs from his righteousness and commits unrighteousness, he does all the iniquities that the wicked committed, all his righteousnesses, all the good deeds... that he did will not be remembered; in his crime which he has committed, and in his sins which he has sinned... he will die” (Ezek. 18:24). “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the reward? So run to receive” (1 Cor. 9:24). § 274. It is not enough for salvation to begin piety, but one must also end one’s life in the deed of piety. Many begin, but not all finish, as the case itself shows. Such a one is like one who begins a journey from one place to another and again returns from the path; like one who begins to build a house, but leaves it without finishing it; like one who began to create a pillar and did not finish. Such a one gives himself over to the ridicule and reproach of his enemies, the devil and his servants, who, having seen, “will begin to laugh at him, saying: “This man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:29-30). Therefore, God’s holy Word ascribes salvation only to those faithful who continue in faith to the end, “endure... to the end” (Matthew 10:22); who “keep the beginning of life firmly to the end” (Heb. 3:14), “do not turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them” (2 Peter 2:21), to the end “they will fight the good fight... they will finish the course, they will keep the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). This “keeps... the crown of righteousness” (2 Tim. 4:8). Therefore, he who began well must also finish well in order to receive the promise of God - eternal life. § 275. Obstacles to perfect salvation and obtaining eternal bliss. 1) Satan, the enemy of our souls, sets up various intrigues for us with the evil angels. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places,” says the apostle (Eph. 6:12). And again: “Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,” says Saint Peter (1 Peter 5:8). 2) Our flesh with passions and lusts rebels against us, for “the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit,” says the apostle (Gal. 5:17). We feel “another law in our members, warring against the law of our mind and making us captive to the law of sin that is in our members” (Rom. 7:23). 3) The many charms and temptations of this world, with which our weak flesh is inflamed, and which often beat our conscience, so that we are often and unwillingly forced to see or hear them. “Woe to the world because of temptations, for temptations must come,” says Christ (Matthew 18:7). And the closer the end of the age approaches, the more they multiply. “Know this,” says the Apostle Paul to Timothy, “that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unfriendly, unforgiving, slanderers, intemperate, cruel, not loving what is good, traitors, insolent, pompous, more lovers of pleasure than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-4). They are the tempters of piety! Against these enemies the faithful must always struggle, day and night, with a cheerful spirit and vigilant diligence! confused by waves of temptation, he floats, and often sees his ship break at the very pier (In the word at the beginning of Proverbs). This is proposed here so that those who wish to receive eternal salvation should shake off the sleep of laziness, look not at the beginning, but at the end, for the end completes every work, so that they trust not in their own strength, piety, and labors, but in God, who begins and completes. For this reason, God’s holy Word encourages us everywhere to diligence, caution and vigilance. “Remember Lot’s wife,” says Christ (Luke 17:32), who “looked back and became a pillar of salt” (Gen. 19:26). “Be faithful even to death” (Rev. 2:10). “If anyone thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). “Be sober, be vigilant” (1 Peter 5:8) and so on. § 276. Human effort by itself cannot do anything: a person without God can neither begin, nor do, nor accomplish. “Without Me you can do nothing,” says Christ (John 15:5). God begins the work of our salvation, does and completes it if we do not resist Him and do what His grace accomplishes. So, we need God’s help everywhere. God’s help is promised to those who ask Him by faith: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). And those who ask in faith, seek and knock on the doors of heaven, always open to those who ask in faith, receive it according to the promise, find it, and it is revealed to them. “Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened,” says Christ (Luke 11:10). For “if people, being evil, know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will the Heavenly Father, Who by nature is good and is the Source of good things, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13). And parents, although they want to help their children, but it often happens that they cannot, for not everything a person can do, what he wants. God is not like that, but He can do everything. He wants to give everything to us, for it is Good; and everything is possible, for He is Almighty. Therefore, in such difficult circumstances, in such a difficult and dangerous feat of ours against our enemies, not to lose heart, not to despair, but to Him, as our many-merciful Father, Champion, Defender and Helper, run with faith, ask Him, seek from Him, always knock with sighs and faith on the door of His mercy. Then “He who began a good work in us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). Then “by His Divine power He will keep us through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed at the last time” (1 Peter 1:5). Then “He who called us to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after we have suffered for a little while, Himself will perfect us, establish us, strengthen us, and make us steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10). Then “he will establish us.” and will keep us from the evil one” (2 Thess. 3:3). Then “he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but with temptation he will also give us relief, so that we can endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Basil the Great, - there is a custom to look at the sky, and from it determine the course of the voyage: during the day by the sun, at night - by the Northern or any other star that appears, and by them always note the correct course of the voyage. So, you too, sailing on the sea of ​​this world, lift up your eyes to heaven, following the example of him who said: “I have lifted up my eyes to You, Who dwells in heaven” (Ps. 122:1). Look at the Sun of Truth, that is, Christ, and, like some bright stars, give yourself over to the commandments of the Lord to rule, and have a watchful eye. “Do not let your eyes sleep and your eyelids slumber” (Ps. 131:4), so that you may forever flow according to the commandments. For “a lamp,” it is said, “your law is to my feet and a light to my paths” (Ps. 119:105). For if you never slumber at the helm while you are in this life, you will receive the help of the helping Spirit, who will always guide you further, and with a light and quiet breath will even bring you to a saving, quiet and cheerful haven” (In the word at the beginning of Proverbs). To the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One Trinitarian God, our Creator, Savior and Provider, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen! Translation by P. Yungerov – Editorial office of “The ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: