Поучение 36. О скорбях, случающихся в общежитии, и о том, что по мере умножения братства, Господь Бог непрестанно подает потребное.

My fathers, brothers and children! If I dared and dare to rule over you and be your superior, then I did not rely on the power of my word, for it, as you see, is weak, and not on a life worthy of imitation, for you know my laziness, but only on the mercy of God, having, as I think, some good intention and the prayer of my father and your father helping me. I know who should rule - those who have achieved dispassion and shine in it, who have the word and the necessary wisdom, who are attentive, perspicacious, merciful, and can, in the words of the Apostle, “bear the burdens of the weak” (Rom. 15: 1). But I, my children, am insignificant and weak, and cannot yet lead a life pleasing to God; however, I sincerely and unfailingly wish to convey to you not only the saving word of God, but also my most damned soul. I don’t know whether my work will be pleasing to the Lord, however (I believe) that for your sake it will be so, if only you want to help me with diligence and care, keeping God’s commandments. Sometimes sorrows, oppressions and temptations happen to me, children, as you know; but I do not grieve about it and do not think that I am enduring something unusual and beyond my expectations. For for this, for this and for this reason I am what I am, and must be vigilant about your souls, watch both night and morning, carefully consider, work, pursue and carry out the course in deed and word, in order to lead you to perfection. Therefore, my brothers, do not faint. And if I, the unworthy one, who is considered your mentor, endure so much for your sake: then you must work for me, also for each other, endure suffering and misfortune together, without being surprised, without complaining, without despair and without horror at the sorrows that come, for we, my children, have not yet resisted sin to the point of bleeding; have not yet passed through fire and water like the holy martyrs; Our soul has not yet passed through iron, as it did with the ever-memorable Joseph; We have not yet been wounded, we have not yet received wounds, like all the saints and righteous. And what will we boast about in the next century, is it that we suffered for Christ, when we do not endure with joy and courage even the smallest things, that is, reproach, shame, reproach, contempt, dishonor, poverty in food, drink and clothing, physical labor, diligent attendance at church services, standing at psalmody and occasional reprimands. Hey, my children! Be patient and endure, so that we may sing with David: “I have endured the Lord, and listened to me and heard my prayer” (Ps. 39:2). Each will bear its own fruit in the next century: the blessed martyrs - their blood, the venerable fathers - great virtues; and we have already said what feats for us sinners. And I am firmly convinced that we will not lose part of 40 of them, as the Divine Anthony tells us. So, my children, diligently “seek God, and your soul will live” (Ps. 68:33). Seek His face, and see Him with a pure heart. Remember His miracles, which He performed for us in the past years, and now, as I see, a blind man works in the midst of the city. For there are many opponents there, and no one agrees with us in the Divine, but God keeps them harmless, multiplies them, grows and nourishes them, and does not deprive us of anything necessary for real life. Therefore, my most honest brothers, for what He is now doing for us, let us show our gratitude to Him even more and pay tribute. What is He looking for from us? Nothing else but that we fear and love Him with all our hearts and with all our thoughts, and according to our strength imitate His life in the flesh. He, like a wanderer, descended from heaven to earth, so that in our thoughts we too could distance ourselves from our will. He was obedient to the Father, so that you too would obey me, unworthy, with zeal. He humbled himself even to death, so that you, thinking this, would bow down and humble yourself in thoughts, deeds, words and movements. What does true and Divine glory consist of, if not to be dishonored by men for the sake of God? And what is the true honor and glorification of a monk, my brothers, if not in humiliating oneself for the sake of God and appearing dishonest? The humble and humiliated one was chosen by God and my Savior when He put on a body in order to put to shame all that is glorious and rich among people. For this reason He was born in a den and laid in a manger; called the son of Tecton, nicknamed the Nazarene; dressed in the same clothes, walked and worked hard; was threatened by the Jews with stones; was molested, captured, crucified, perforated, killed, and then resurrected so that we, my brothers, would be moved to endure all this before His angelic powers, and to crown us in the heavenly kingdom, in Christ our Lord Himself, to whom belongs glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. From Greek της μερίδος ἐκείνων. You might be interested in: