Поучение 40 45 . Перед Рождеством Христовым. О рождестве Спасителя нашего Иисуса Христа и о том, чтобы мужественно переносить труды в нашем подвижническом житии.

Brothers and Fathers! Now the revelation of God to the whole world has come near, and the day of joy has reached our doors. Great is the joy for the world; there has never been such a thing since the beginning of the world; for the Son of God came to us, not as in ancient times he appeared to our fathers in signs and types, but, according to the predictions of the Prophets, he came through the birth of the Virgin, and appeared to us in person. In all generations of generations there is nothing higher and more salutary than this sacrament, nor more wonderful than all the miracles that God has created since the beginning of the world. Therefore, the Angels preached about this sacrament, and the heavenly star announced the Heavenly King on earth; Therefore, the shepherds hastened to see the gospel of the Youth, and the wise men bowed to Him with royal gifts, and the Angels sang that God, glorified in the highest, appeared on earth in peace. And the Apostle testifies of Him, saying that He is our peace, uniting Angels and men, two ranks into one, creating the world through the cross, killing hostility by Himself (Eph. 2:14-16). The prophets and righteous people wanted to see this, but they did not see it; they saw it only by faith. And we “see... and our hands touched, as it is written, the Word of the living things: and the living things... appeared to us” (1 John 1:1, 2), and we accepted adoption as sons. What shall we render to the Lord for all that He has rendered to us? To which, for many years, Saint David responded like this: “I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord” (Ps. 116:3, 4). So, let us rejoice, brethren, that we too have been deemed worthy to repay the reward of the Lord for all that He has rewarded us with. What kind of reward is this? The monastic life that we loved, and the vows that we confessed, which is obvious martyrdom, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Let this celebration be with us not just for one day, but for the rest of our lives. Those who are overwhelmed by carnal passions cannot celebrate, although they think that they are celebrating, and do not have freedom, being slaves of passions and sold into sin. “If you commit sin, the servant is sin; and the servant never lives in the house, but the son remains forever” (John 8:34, 35). And since we have been deemed worthy to be called sons of God by grace, we will remain in the house of our Father God, always and to the end, if we stand firm with a good beginning to the end. Thus, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we will work even more in our ascetic life. Let us encourage each other to perfect love and good deeds, to obedience, humility, meekness and every good progress. Let us not neglect our zeal, but let us strengthen ourselves more and more, especially as we see the coming day closer; for the great and bright day of the Lord is approaching, on which the Judge of the whole world will appear, and will appear in the great glory in which He appeared to the Apostles during His Divine Transfiguration; He will bring all His creation into judgment, and will reward each according to his deeds. Oh, that we and all the saints may see our Lord Jesus Christ and our God, and that He may look upon us with a bright face and receive us into the heavenly kingdom by His grace and love for mankind; for to Him belongs glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. See Patrology Greek, Minya edition. Volume 99. Paris. 1860 pp. 552 You might be interested in: