Поучение 81. О том, чтобы стяжать правое житие и удаляться порочных людей. По рождестве Богородицы.

My fathers, brothers and children! Here we are, as you see, moving from glory to glory and from holiday to holiday; for yesterday we celebrated the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Mother of God, and now we move on to the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. And blessed is he who celebrates by living holyly; for he who lives holy celebrates daily, because he is sanctified, enlightened, purified, reborn, made God-bearing and truly adored. O most honest brethren! I do not have a worthy word of teaching or edification; however, I have a strong desire, and my heart burns for your salvation and to find the path to your salvation everywhere. So, I ask and implore you, strive for yourself, instruct yourself, strive for good on your own, please God, and lift up your mental eyes to see eternal blessings for you, and for their sake endure everything. Accept, and endure, and endure sorrow, oppression, violence, need, annoyance, slander, obedience, labor, sweat, and whatever happens to you; if only we could find what we want and receive what we came out of the world for. Oh, how blessed, my brothers, to lead a right, constant and thorough life! Oh, what a blessing it is to live with tenderness, humility and reverence, to prepare for death, for meeting and answering before the terrible and one Judge of all, God. That is why Arseny the Great asked himself the most holy and saving question: Arseny! Why did you come out of the world? Let us also consider and reason why we left the world, we will force ourselves to do this, and decorate our lives with the beauty of virtues; for we are called churches of God. But “if anyone corrupts God’s church,” it is said, “God will corrupt him” (1 Cor. 3:17). Therefore, we strive to be disgraced by Christ with the lordship of the most honest virginity. That is why I weep and sob for some, because “even though they were not tempted to have God in their minds for their salvation, for this reason God gave them over to an unskilled mind to do unspeakable things” (Rom. 1:28). I'm ashamed to say; that “you too will be proud, and no more a cryer, so that he who has done this deed may be removed from among you” (1 Cor. 5:2). This is why you become careless and you fall into the same vices, because you do not avoid them as you should. Do not be tempted by the fact that I am denouncing you; and do not be too angry with him, I will even tell you that such a thing should be comforted, so that from great sorrow he does not fall into despair; however, apart from compassion, you should not have communication with him, you should not laugh together and talk idle talk to your destruction, as the Prophet says about this: “if you saw the thief, you flowed with him, and you shared your part with the adulterer” (Ps. 49:18). And you don’t understand, while doing this, I, a sinner, am burning and tormented in my heart; I know my assistants, because I don’t want to blame everyone. But why don’t you all have love and desire for common salvation and benefit? Woe to me if I do not reprove and proclaim the commandments of God; but woe to you too if you do not avoid those who live badly. Who am I, accursed and unclean, that I should live among you and have you as children? However, this happened. Now I’m waiting for time, and looking for a way that I don’t know: will the Lord give it to me and grant me dispassion for the benefit of your salvation. For my sins, coming before you, usually stumble you, my followers. In conclusion, pray to the Lord, my children, that He, out of His omnipotent love for mankind, will save both me and you; for to Him is due all glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: