142. Свет и тьма

There is bodily and visible light; there is spiritual and invisible light. Likewise, darkness is physical and visible, and there is spiritual and invisible. The body is illuminated by bodily light, but by spiritual light the soul is enlightened; Likewise, the body is darkened by physical and visible darkness, but by spiritual and invisible darkness the soul is darkened and darkened. God and the knowledge of God is the light of the soul; but ignorance of God is spiritual darkness. Faith is the light of the soul, but unbelief and superstition are darkness of the soul; the fear of God is the light of the soul, but fearlessness is the darkness of the soul. Every virtue is the light of the soul; but every sin is spiritual darkness. Humility, belittlement and destruction of oneself is the light of the soul; but pride, arrogance and grandeur are spiritual darkness. Love for God and neighbor is the light of the soul; but immoderate self-love is spiritual darkness. Hope and trust in God is the light of the soul; but hope in man and other creatures is spiritual darkness. True and unfeigned prayer, singing and praising the name of God is the light of the soul; but neglect of this is spiritual darkness. Kindness and forgetfulness of malice are the light of the soul; but malice and remembrance are spiritual darkness. Fasting and moderation are the light of the soul; but overeating and drunkenness are spiritual darkness. Love for purity and its preservation is the light of the soul; but fornication, adultery and all uncleanness are spiritual darkness. Grace, mercy and compassion for one's neighbor is the light of the soul; but unmercifulness and hardness of heart are spiritual darkness. Generous giving of alms from a pure heart is the light of the soul; but stinginess is spiritual darkness. Contempt for the vanity and pomp of this world is the light of the soul; but love for him is spiritual darkness. The memory of death, the Judgment of Christ and a blessed and unhappy eternity is spiritual light; but their oblivion is spiritual darkness. In a word, true repentance and the fruits corresponding to it, good deeds, are soulful light; but unrepentance and the evil fruits associated with it, dark deeds, are spiritual darkness. You see, Christian, light and darkness: run away from darkness, lest you remain in darkness, and be cast into eternal and total darkness; love the light, that you may remain in the light and pass on to the eternal light. He walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going, for the darkness has blinded his eyes, he who lives in sins. He who knows God walks in the light and is in true repentance, and runs away from dark deeds, and bears the fruits of repentance. “I am the Light of the world,” says the Lord. “Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). We follow the Lord not with our feet, but with our heart, will and morals. The one who follows the Lord is the one who imitates Him with faith, humility, love, meekness, patience and other virtues, and walks in the light, for he walks after the light. The one who lives according to his own will and does not correct his morals following the example of the life of the Lord does not follow the Lord; and walks in darkness, because he is moving away from the light. For there must be one in darkness who moves away from the light. It is written: Now this is the judgment: that light has come into the world; but people loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed, because they are evil, but he who does righteousness comes to the light, so that his deeds may be revealed, because they are done in God (John 3:19-21). Anyone who does good does not avoid the light and does not seek darkness, for he is not afraid of reproof, because his deeds are righteous. But whoever does evil runs away from the light and seeks darkness, for dark deeds are committed in darkness. The fornicator, the thief, the predator and every lawbreaker seeks darkness and the hidden place. Oh, poor man! Wherever you hide, in the darkness, or underground, or in the desert, or between walls, you cannot hide anywhere from God and your home witness and accuser, conscience. God is everywhere, and He sees everything you do. And your conscience is everywhere, and everything exposes your deeds. She is not silent in all your iniquity, but boldly says: “You are doing bad things, man, the Last Judgment of God will be upon you! On him all your evil deeds will be exposed. Then God, the Righteous Judge, will reward you according to your deeds.” Christian! Let us hate darkness and love light, so that we may be sons of light (John 12:36). Let us turn away from the deeds that go on in darkness; Let us do the deeds appropriate to the day, so that we may be enlightened. The night passed and the day approached. Let us therefore reject the works of darkness and put on the weapons of light. As during the day, let us behave decently, not indulging in feasting and drunkenness, nor in sensuality and debauchery, nor in quarrels and envy; But put on our Lord Jesus Christ and do not turn the cares of the flesh into lusts (Rom. 13:12–14). Christ, True Light! Enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may see You, Unstoppable Light; and direct our feet to walk after You, that we may have the light of life (John 8:12). You might be interested in: