Поучение 62. В пяток пятой недели. Как можно достигнуть того, чтобы без труда подвизаться в делании добродетелей.

Brothers and Fathers! Virtue is an activity that never ceases and never stops in one place, but constantly extends forward. She is always one, and always raises those who are zealous for her more and more to the highest measures of perfection. Therefore, the Apostle says: “I do not know whether I have yet received grace, or whether I have learned that there is an end to virtue, but I persecute... even if I comprehend it, I will be comprehended and have mercy from Christ Jesus. “And he also says: “For the virtues that are behind,” that is, what I have done, “forgetting, but reaching out to the things that are before, I pursue with zeal, for the honor of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12-14). So, good never stops, as if anyone could accomplish it (having reached its end); for when good stops, then evil begins. Therefore, we, brothers, will not lag behind or stop on the path of virtue, but we will always be flexible and youthful in zeal, moving from strength to strength, until we reach a perfect man, according to the age of the fulfillment of Christ. How and in what way can we fulfill this? If we spend every day and hour in zeal, that is, the hour of Matins has arrived, we will immediately get up from sleep and go to prayer. Matins has ended: let us take up our needlework with zeal, and let us meditate in our hearts on the Divine words that were read, working together with our hands. Evening has come: with thanksgiving and tenderness let us go to sleep, having completed our rule in advance in silence with kneeling, and then we will fall asleep; Let us also beware of evil dreams. By preparing ourselves in this way, and spending our days and nights in this way, we will fulfill what the Divine David speaks about: “the day vomits out the days, and the mind proclaims the night of the night” (Ps. 18:3). Let not our day pass in idle talk, laughter and laziness, nor let our night pass in lustful and prodigal thoughts. Let us preserve not only the body, but also the soul; for the Lord wants her to be clean from evil thoughts. Do we desire what we desire? But what else is more desirable than virtue, whose sweetness is most desirable and insatiable? Do we love beauty and splendor? But what is more beautiful than our Lord Jesus Christ, through whose kindness beauty and splendor are imparted to everything? Evil lusts, on the contrary, harden the soul and torment it incomparably more fiercely than wild animals, so that they no longer constitute sweetness and joy, but torment and a life of suffering. Do not be deceived, says the Scripture, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, but corruption will inherit incorruption (1 Cor. 15:50). What man was captivated by sin, and was not dishonored and put to death? Whom did virtue take, and did not exalt and glorify him in the world? Let's leave many, let's talk about only two, about Joseph the beautiful and about the firstborn son of David. Was not Ammon killed because he committed adultery with his sister? Joseph, because he loved virginity, did not become king of Egypt? Truly, virtue is desirable and salutary, but sin is evil and hateful. But we humans are subjected to great delusion, and we choose death rather than life, and we love darkness more than light, and corruption more than incorruption. And what more could be worthy of regret? Some say that we want to love goodness, but we cannot. We do not desire him, and therefore we do not love him, and we do not truly desire him, but falsely and feignedly; because we are autocratic, and we do what we want. But, as you can see, the sinful habit from youth strengthened passions in us; and therefore it becomes difficult for us to free ourselves from them. What does the Apostle say? – I speak humanly for the weakness of your flesh. For you have presented your servants to uncleanness and lawlessness into lawlessness; So now present your servants with righteousness for the sake of holiness (Rom. 6:19). Therefore, brethren, we need to press on with patience and petition, and our good God will undoubtedly open the door for us, doing in us what is pleasing in His sight, and giving us eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: