Поучение 50 58 . В среду второй недели. О том, чтобы блюсти душу от смертоносных страстей.

Brothers and Fathers! Having spent the first week in fasting, we now see in each other a change opposite to what we had before: our faces are emaciated and have become pale and yellow. “But even if ... our outer man decays and diminishes,” as the Apostle says, “however, the inner man,” that is, the soul, “grows and is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16). For just as from contentment in life the body becomes fat and blooms, so the soul from abstinence becomes brighter and more courageous. And through this suffering of our body, we increased in ourselves spiritual beauty and splendor, that is, that beauty that the Holy Prophet David desired, and prayed to God to grant him grace, saying: “Lord, by your will, grant strength to my kindness” (Ps. 29:8). Through this beauty of abstinence, our souls are betrothed to the mental Bridegroom Christ, as Blessed Paul says about this: “I have betrothed... you to one husband to present a pure virgin to Christ. I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his wickedness, your minds will also be corrupted from the simplicity of Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2, 3). Do you see the greatness of the gift? We have been honored to have Christ as our bridegroom. Do you see how I and the great Apostle Paul fear and tremble for us, lest our enemy the devil deceive us and cast us down from such great dignity? Our soul is like a certain young virgin who is betrothed, and is hidden and kept from the eyes of the young men, so that they do not see her, and vigilantly guards herself in order to keep her virginity pure and undefiled until the time of marriage and union comes. Likewise, the soul must keep itself pure from sin until the hour of death. And then, upon leaving the body, as if from some royal chamber, if she is beautiful and shines with the virtues of virginity, preserved by her in this world, then the holy Angels will rejoice over her, seeing her beauty and splendor; if it is ugly and blackened by sins, it will bring joy to the demons to reproach Christ. And this is such a thing that it’s scary to talk and listen to. Therefore, we now subject the body to suffering and lead a harsh life in order to pacify carnal passions and disorderly movements, and so that the spiritual mind, and not the carnal evil will, dominates in us; and not only now, but always we wish to have the same protection and the same feat of abstinence. And what else is the life of a monk if not curbing passions, vigilance over thoughts, and constant warfare with invisible and hiding demons? Although it seems hard and difficult for the body, it brings great benefit to the soul; Moreover, this labor is temporary, but the reward is eternal. Therefore, the Apostle says: “our light sorrow... makes us heavy with eternal glory, let us not look at the visible, but at the invisible: the visible is temporary, but the invisible is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18). For the sake of the eternal blessings into which the angels themselves desire, and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom our souls are betrothed, I ask and implore your love, brethren, let us keep our souls pure from bad deeds and from unclean thoughts, which, according to the Lord, “defile” (Matthew 15:18) our soul; let us not at all perceive a sinful thought; for from such thoughts and reflections lust is kindled in us, like a great flame, which scorches and burns our souls, and often makes them ugly and black. Therefore, as much as possible, let us move away from passions, repelling the first attack of the enemy, and with great care let us run away from evil thoughts, so that we can enlighten our souls with good deeds, striving diligently in true abstinence and fasting; so that, when the hour of separation of the soul from the body comes, we may appear ready and pure, and be worthy of this heavenly joy and pleasure and the participation of eternal 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. 585. You might be interested in: