Поучение 49 56 . В первую неделю Православия. О том, чтобы сверх силы не подвизаться в Божественных подвигах, и чтобы питать душу духовными созерцаниями 57 .

Brothers and Fathers! Just as every good deed is difficult at first, so the beginning of the Holy Pentecost brought us some burden, due to the change in food and church services. But over time, with practice, this matter, with the help of God, will become easy for us, just as the Divine Scripture says: “all... punishment at the present time... brings sorrow, but afterward it rewards the fruit of righteousness and peace” (Heb. 12:11). So now work seems hard for us, but work comes and goes; later, when we learn what benefit abstinence has brought to our soul, we will be filled with great joy. And since we, with the help and grace of God, were honored to spend one week of fasting, let us apply even more zeal and care to the rest of the period of Lent, knowing that zeal gives strength to the soul and body, makes the heavy easy and the inconvenient comfortable; just as, on the contrary, laziness and negligence make what is easy heavy, and what is comfortable inconvenient. However, in the matter of asceticism and labor, let us have measure and reasoning in order to maintain bodily health. For what is the benefit of first struggling beyond one’s strength, then gradually getting tired and giving up one’s struggle? Therefore, the fathers also said that what is small and permanent is better than much and what is short-lived. Such should be our works and exploits according to God. But since the length of the day brings burden and cowardice upon a person, let us spend the daytime containing spiritual thoughts and reflections in our minds and thoughts, with which the soul is nourished and comforted, and we will not allow our mind to be occupied with worldly affairs, which are all filled with confusion and bitterness; but let us meditate on the Divine, in which lies sweetness and joy. Let our minds, brothers, always remain in God, in heavenly contemplations, in heavenly beauties, in eternal abodes, in angelic ranks, in this abiding. Let us reflect on where the souls of the righteous are now and where the sinners are; what kind of fear and trembling will there be when this second coming of Christ comes, in which, according to the Divine Scripture, “these heavens are passing by with noise and great shouting, the four elements... will be destroyed, and the earth and the works on it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10); and this sea will dry up from this great and terrible flame; how then each soul will again unite with its body, with which it lived in this world, and what a multitude then there will be of people who were from Adam to the end of the world. And yet, how terrible the glorified face of the Lord will be, and will shine like seven suns, and shed rays more abundantly than the sun; and what a voice we will hear from Him, meek, sweet and joyful: “Come, blessed of My Father, - or this terrible one: get away from Me, curse” (Matthew 25, 34, 41). After all, what will this end be like, when the righteous will be called to the heavenly kingdom with great honor and glory, and the damned sinners will be sent with great dishonor and sorrow to eternal execution and torment. This is what, brethren, we should have care and concern for, and this is what we should meditate on, as strangers in this world - for our residence is in heaven - and removed from carnal and peace-loving people. From these good reflections come tears and enlightenment of the soul, and from that time a person spends his life in peace and without embarrassment, having spiritual joy and hope of receiving future and heavenly blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. See Patrol. volume. 99th, p. 584. In glory spiritual visions. You might be interested in: