Поучение 80 91 . О послушании, единомыслии и мире.

Brothers and Fathers! Again, I return to the same instructions more because I hear the Apostle saying: “Take heed to yourself and to the teaching and abide in them: for by doing this, you yourself will be saved, and those who will listen to you” (1 Tim. 4:16). I need to speak; But you will open your ears, and apply instruction to action. The abbot, as God's builder, must be reasonable and thorough. But this will be of no use if there is no agreement between the abbot and the cellarer, and if the others disagree with each other. For just as there are many members in one body, and all the members take care of each other, “and if one oud suffers, all the ouds suffer with him: if... one oud is glorified, all the ouds rejoice with him” (1 Cor. 12:26); This is what happens in brotherhood: if this truth is not preserved, then there is no community, no peace and unanimity, but confusion and division. If this is true, then who will dare to live according to his own will? Or who, when the day comes, will exercise himself in his teaching or some other handicraft of his own, and will not come to general obedience? Or how dare anyone, when called to a task, not go and stretch himself to that which is beyond his strength? Such a one is not a novice, but an adversary, and not a brother, but a stranger. But if this was the case, then stay ahead from now on, so that someone guilty of something like this does not find yourself among you and fall under punishment for the outrage. Or do you not hear what the Apostle commands? - “Be... kind to one another, merciful, forgiving one another, just as... Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32), and so we, brethren, will be with each other and in each other, according to Scripture, “bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). I asked you before yesterday and now I ask you again, do not complain from the burden of thoughts; but let us lead this ascetic life in the joy of the Holy Spirit, “looking to Jesus, the author of our faith and perfecter” (Heb. 12:2), who gives prayer to those who pray and victory to those who want to overcome. Do you know that before yesterday a storm suddenly arose, and now the air has changed again? This happens in thoughts: they will confuse you a little, and they will move away again. Oh, that we may not be carried away by them at all. For this is why we do not have peace in our souls. But this is impossible, for we are changeable, and not even one day are we in the same dispensation, much less always. But look at the shamelessness of the devil, how he, being driven away, comes again, and being darkness, is transformed into an angel of light, wanting to deceive us in every possible way. But we will say: “Get away from us, devil! We will not deny You, Christ, we will not lie in our vows.” Or do you not know, brethren, from what and what kind we have become? Are they not the famous among the unknown, or the wise among the ignorant, or the honorable among the insignificant? We have learning and wisdom, and glory, and the art of tongue and hand. Truly you are the most honorable sons, and you are likened to gold because of your golden obedience. Is there anything else we need? Patience, “for I will require patience,” it is said, “that having done the will of God, you may receive the promises” (Heb. 10:36). What are these promises? The Lord Himself said about this: “I am going to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will also come and take you to myself, yea, where I am and you will be; and even though I walk, you know, and you know the way... and no one will take your joy from you” (John 14:2–4, 16:22). Reflecting on this, and foreseeing the future ineffable and inscrutable glory that will be revealed to the saints, let us, brethren, endure everything with love: if we need to hunger, we will hunger; if we have to endure beatings, we will; If we have to die, we will die so that we may inherit eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. See Patrolology, vol. 99, p. 574. You might be interested in: