Поучение 27. О том, чтобы с прилежанием и вниманием исполнять дела обители, как бы дела Божия.

My most honest brothers and spiritual children! Those instructions that I wanted to teach you orally, I decide to convey through writing. For this is why our good God gave us the gift of speech, as Basil the Great said, to reveal to each other the thoughts of our hearts. So I reveal to you the love that I have for you; for although I am a sinner and desperate, due to the multitude of my sins, despite this, having abandoned my own misfortune and weakness, I care about you in every possible way and in everything, I fear, tremble and care for all of you. “Who is faint, and I am not faint? - I say thoughtlessly or: who is tempted, and I am not liquefied? (2 Cor. 11:29). In my madness I speak, having with all that, as I said, a multitude of sins. He who cares about his salvation is not only my child, but also my master, my master and my father, and I lie at his feet with my soul. For being zealous and thorough in your obedience is my salvation; the humble one is my strength and courage; the trembling word of God is my soul, my heart, my thought. But I grieve for the idle and careless, because he is not worthy of “below and eat” (2 Thess. 3, 10), as the Divine Paul says; in the same way, about the one who is not diligent and lazy, who grumbles, who is drowsy and slumbers in every good deed; for such people lose half their life. Therefore, rise with me, children and brothers, companions and travelers on the path that leads us to heaven. And above all, pursue spiritual achievements with zeal and courage, and burn like fire, going to night chants and daytime prayers; and then be careful in the external affairs that are entrusted to you. Get up early so that the sun does not find you in bed, as our great teacher Blessed Basil commanded in the rules; in hot weather, one hour of sleep is enough for you and get up immediately. Or do you not hear what is said in the Holy Gospel? “In the morning,” it says, “the woman came to the grave” (Luke 24:1). Also “very early in the morning... Peter and John” (John 20:4). “Paul and Silas rose at midnight” to pray (Acts 16:25); The prophet David also speaks about himself - “At midnight I rose to confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness” (Ps. 119:62). What does Paul himself say about himself? "Night... and whoever works the day, let us not burden anyone from you” (1 Thessalonians 2:9). Look at the Apostle, look at the preacher of the Gospel, at the fisher of the universe, how he, after such service with the word, sat at handicrafts. So, do not be forgetful hearers according to the scripture, but be together both hearers of the law and creators of the word, as God wants. Have competition among yourself, and encourage each other, each trying to listen quickly, without waiting for a second word from the commanding one; he will be the highest among you in humility, who with the first word asks for forgiveness with a bow, and accepts all the blame. If you do this, then I am firmly convinced that you are in joy and gladness, lifted up in hope to dispassion, and ascended with boldness to the Heavenly. If you are pure in soul and already free from envious zeal, it is better to say that if you are dispassionate, or even if passions tempt and confuse you, but armed with such spiritual virtues, you will drive away the demons that fight you. And what warrior would allow himself not to be always armed, even if he always won? And how can the Heavenly King not crown such a person, even if he received thousands of wounds, but only if he were not killed by sin? “Be... merciful, just as our Heavenly Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). “The bellies of the wicked,” as Scripture says, “are unmerciful; but the righteous have mercy on the souls of his animals” (Proverbs 12:10). And first be merciful to yourself, and then to animals, so that they do not remain unfed and unwatered; but in due time give them both food and water. And this is a sign of monastic working animals that they are well-fed and strong; and if they are not like that, then they are not monastery animals, but the poorest, or rather the craziest, laymen. So, my children, show diligence in your life in everything, even in the smallest things, and, as you are careful in everything, do not neglect the greenery, do not throw away the fruits, do not despise even the smallest piece of clothing, even if it is old and no more than one span, much less clothing; for a monk must wear such clothes as it is said in the Patericon 29 that if they were thrown outside the gate for three days, no one would want to pick them up. What kind of condemnation will those who neglect any thing be subjected to? And not only that; but don’t even neglect firewood, and don’t burn it unnecessarily, especially if it turns out to be suitable for crafts, not even part of a board, even the size of a dog’s jaw. Never spill wine or oil on the ground. Alas! the fathers say that we should not even smell wine; And do you know how much oil the one who turned the vessel with a needle 30 used? We, having eaten them in abundance, from much saturation, or rather from our inattention, spill them on the earth and solder it; and others, either due to their abstinence, or due to poverty, would like to at least taste it. You can also cite a popular proverb if it is relevant; It is said: when the butcher's children are full, then rings are made from the intestines of the killed animals. Don’t do this, my children, for, both in the spiritual and in the physical, a person grows rich little by little. I don’t know if any of you are susceptible to laryngeal rabies; but I know that every day you are approaching death, and that then you will appear before the face of God. Therefore let your tears flow like a fountain day and night. Remembering this, pour out your hearts before God, and I hope that you will go to the wondrous tabernacle, even to the house of God, living in the voice of joy, in the village of those celebrating in heaven, in spiritual noise. So, do not grieve or be troubled by passions, even if they greatly torment you. But spread the sail of your soul and boldly swim across the abyss of this life, helped by the prayers of our father. And if water enters through the small wells of your senses: either through sight, when you look passionately or without passion, or through hearing, when you hear an adulterous story, or through the smell of some fragrant ointment, when you anoint your body with it, or through taste, when you enjoy some food, or through touch and the most harmful touch, when you touch your body, or someone else with the intention, or without intention, through carelessness: then exhaust it all quickly with confession and tears. If passion rages like a storm, then lower the sail, which means true humility. If the rope, that is, the strength of patience, is worn out, correct it with the strength of your mind. Thus you will enter with the burden of your virtues into the quiet refuge of life, having made a happy purchase, being enriched with eternal treasures, and rejoicing with our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Hon. Tales of the asceticism of St. and blessed Fathers. Moscow. 1846 p. 272. You might be interested in: