Поучение 32. О том, чтобы довольствоваться малым, и о том, чтобы принимать в монастырь отроков, калек и увечных.

Fathers and brothers! It is my duty to always speak a word of edification to you. “Represent your udah,” as the Apostle says, “servants of righteousness unto holiness” (Rom. 6:19). Succeed in divine wisdom; understand the important and angelic dignity of your honest image, although you have already understood this, and with humility you have completely surrendered yourself to the Lord; endure daily suffering both in spiritual and physical matters, for both are equally beneficial, and one is connected with the other. One practices reading, another in prayer, another sits at handicrafts, and another works somewhere outside. Another digs up grapes, another plows the land, another collects alms, and this one works as a carpenter, and no one remains idle, and no one is idle, but everyone works according to their strength. As for me, neither the one who looks after those entering the monastery, nor the one who drives the birds away from the fruits seems to me an unnecessary person, for they also satisfy the needs of the whole body, and, although partially, they fill the place of a foot or a finger. We are all, as it were, one soul and one will. This is how we should always be; and let no one, outwardly being among the brotherhood, cut himself off through his own imprudence, but let him voluntarily work together with the other brothers. You all sanctify your hands; for your work, like a sacrifice and an offering, ascends to God. Or am I not telling the truth? For are not our children fed, whom we receive every day? Don’t you feed the elders, don’t you serve bread and vegetables to wanderers, a cup of cold water or wine, or anything else that is available in the monastery? Don’t you treat visiting friends and don’t you eat yourself? What is all this? Isn't this an offering to God? For the Scripture says: “Do I want mercy, and not sacrifice?” (Matthew 9:13). So, you are merciful: if anything is given, then I am not the only one who gives it, but we give everything, whether it be silver, or clothing, or something else; for you are my children and partners in everything, both mental and physical. My heart burns for you, although I am a sinner; “and you are not crowded in” (2 Cor. 6, 12) in my heart, although I am unworthy; however, I embrace each of you with spiritual love, hold you in my bosom, and wish to warm you and calm you in every possible way. So, let no one oppose or despise another, not even the steward himself of the lowest of all according to the wall. Anyone who resists his brother resists me, for I am in his person. Therefore, be peaceful, love and honor one another, help one another and have spiritual love. Lower ones, honor your superiors as you do me, and obey them in everything. And if anyone does not obey my word, he is not my child. Rejoice in spiritual consolations, church services, watchful and attentive, and sacred prayers; be comforted physically also for the sake of the labors that happen. Reinforce yourself with bread and boiled vegetables and a small amount of wine, but this is only for those with a weak stomach. And whoever loves abstinence, let him abstain, thanking the Lord. During the bright week, some people complained to me about not drinking wine. I replied that I allow you to do this with reason. In general, now I command you: when you are supposed to eat twice a day, have relief from bowing to the ground, and regarding the hours of time (in eating) 34. Then, if anyone wants, let him observe abstinence, except on Saturdays and Sundays, and be content with only bread and water. If he feels that he is exhausted, let him indulge himself and drink a little wine to strengthen himself, or let him eat twice a day. Let the weak always drink, as well as those who are accustomed to a pleasant life in cities. So, whoever drinks wine out of weakness, let him not lose heart, but let him be strengthened by humility; Likewise, whoever does not drink wine should not be arrogant, as if he is doing something great, for “too much... will not place us before God” (1 Cor. 8:8) if we are vain. However, it is good for young people to abstain from wine, if only one can abstain. Even we are commanded not to drink wine by the Divine Basil the Great 35, Saint Mark and other Fathers; however, as we have already said, this applies to healthy people. But still, my children, it is better to abstain, but if you allow it, then be content with one cup, or two, and let the cup hold four ounces 36 . And whoever wishes, let him always abstain from wine. Then may the glory and honor of heaven crown you, may the mercy, peace and grace of God precede you, and thirdly may the prayer of our Father seal you and keep you unharmed. Know, brethren, that many lay people come to us every day to enter monasticism, but I, as I have told you more than once, refuse them, not because I do not like you to be more numerous than other monasteries, which I, being vain, could also boast about, but because I want you to multiply for the glory of God and according to His will. For it is not just those who gather in great numbers that give glory to God, but only those who gather in large numbers in His name. And if the Lord rejoices over one sinner who repents, then much more over many. And if one is found “in the midst... two or three” (Matthew 18:20), then will he not rejoice in being found among many? Seeing my weakness and many of my passions, I always say that I am not worthy to control myself, much less anyone else, and especially many. But for the sake of the commandment, which commands: “I will in no way cast out everyone who comes to Me” (John 6:37); and again: “Leave the children to come to Me... of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Luke 18:16), I bow down and accept children, both old and young, unmarried and married, healthy in body and crippled, armless and lame. And I do this not out of my own arbitrariness, so that they would consider me to be doing something great, but as a debtor and obligated to this, according to the teaching of the Divine Fathers. And if I don’t do this, then I will find myself a transgressor of the Divine commandment. What can you say? Do you agree with me and accept them or not? Let everyone answer me, then I will do it even more diligently; for your labors, but with the help of God, “who fulfills every living creature with good pleasure” (Ps. 144:16), and “who gives food to the livestock and to the chick of the corvids that call for it” (Ps. 146:9), saying: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap... and our heavenly Father feeds them” (Matt. 6:26). Therefore, relying on your prudence, I hope that we will keep the commandments, and will not be condemned for one, and not one will be left unfulfilled. For why should I become a criminal for the sake of violating one commandment, without accepting the crippled, and without putting the old one to rest? For keeping the commandments is a circle and standing together, and they hold on to one another. If anyone breaks one commandment, he will be named in the kingdom of heaven. And according to the explanation of the great Chrysostom, this means nothing more than that one is guilty of torment. So, we will receive the young, and the old, and the lame, and the armless, and our good God will not abandon us, but will give us everything we need for both soul and body, as we received it from Him from the first day until now. I am in grief because I must be separated from you for some time. But you do not grieve, children, for I am always with you, even though I am a sinner. May the grace of our Lord, with the prayer of our Father, keep you unharmed, and I will see you again, and it will be joyful for me to meet you healthy in soul and body, as I hope, hopeless. May Christ our God, all-generous and all-kind, help you in every good deed, and may he fill you with all spiritual joy, and may he make you all-perfect in the Holy Spirit. Glory to Him forever. Amen. At that time, when it was supposed to eat once a day, they ate food at the 9th hour (according to the ancient reckoning, but in the present, at 3 in the afternoon). When they ate twice a day, it was allowed to eat food earlier. See his first word “about asceticism.” Here, as in other similar places, there is, of course, grape wine, which is an essential need in the southern climate. Moreover, as can be seen from the 9th teaching of the teacher. Theodore in the monasteries mostly used new wine, or rather recently squeezed vine juice, which did not have wine strength. You might be interested in: