Поучение 85 96 . О тесном и прискорбном пути и о добром пристанище вечной жизни.

Brothers and Fathers! Every person who travels some inconvenient and long path suffers great sorrows from the difficulty of the journey; but in the hope of a good refuge, he endures suffering on the way, constantly forcing himself with all zeal until he reaches that place. What does this parable mean? The fact that we, monks, walk in this life a path that is narrow and sad, especially long and full of suffering. And how can we deny this, when throughout our entire lives we must observe virginity and chastity, obedience and strict obedience, also purify our thoughts, cast down “every burden charged on the mind of God, and take every mind captive into the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5), and everything else that follows in monastic life. But the end of this path is very joyful. What is this? Eternal life, which our honest God promises to give to those who endure for His sake. Therefore, we, brothers, will endure all the sorrows in this temporary life, for the sake of eternal life, with thanksgiving and constancy, glorifying God in our bodies and in our souls. But how can we glorify God? Let me give you one example of this. Two days ago, some of the laity came to visit us; and when we saw that we were all sitting together and in our hands we were holding and peeling a red onion, and with our lips we were singing David’s psalms, we glorified and thanked God, and received benefit, and thus what was said by the Lord was fulfilled: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). In this matter you have glorified God both in your body and in your spirit. But also glorify Him always and at all times, and in every way, leading a godly life; for we humans are, for the most part, stimulated to virtue by competition; just as the Divine Scripture says: “do not be jealous of those who are wicked, nor do you envy those who do iniquity, for the grass will soon dry up, and the herbs will soon fall away” (Ps. 36: 1, 2); but be jealous of those who do good. And in this temporary life, those who want to learn art go to study not with a bad artist, but with a good and skillful one, jealous of becoming the same as him, whether he be an architect or a painter; and in general no one will go to the inexperienced and unlearned, but to skilled artists. If we do this in the material and perishable, much more in this science of sciences and the art of arts should we direct our lives according to the example of holy men, and not sinners. Therefore, brothers, let us imitate those who remained obedient from youth to old age, I do not say the ancient saints, but those who shone forth in our brotherhood. Let us imitate those who through simplicity defeated the wiles of the devil; Let us imitate those who led a good life in unquestioning obedience and completed the ascetic path. If you want, let us imitate the one who commands us, saying: “Be imitators of me, as I was of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). And he also says: “become imitators of God, like beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma” (Eph. 5:1,2). Can we really not endure even a little sorrow with thanksgiving? Christ was subjected to reproach, just as Scripture says: “The reproaches of those who reproach You have attacked me” (Ps. 68:10); But will we really not tolerate even a little brotherly insult and contempt? How can we be together with the saints if we do not imitate them and follow in their footsteps? How will we reign with Christ if we are not conformed to His death and do not share His pure passion? “Even if the righteous man barely escapes, where will the wicked and sinful appear?” (1 Peter 4:18). Do you see the severity of our holy faith, that even the righteous are barely saved? How can one be righteous who is impatient, does not endure the labors of asceticism, remembers old enmity and insults, who is kindled and inflamed by confusion and does not have peace and love for God? Whoever has these passions within himself and follows them will, of necessity, be excommunicated from the communal union, and falling away from it, must necessarily be subject to eternal condemnation. In madness I again say what I said before: was I not a novice? Didn’t he have an abbot, a steward, a spiritual and carnal father, and brothers in spirit and in the flesh? Between them I remained as if on fire, drawn hither and thither, and struggling against two opposing lives. But I could not get rid of this by anything other than patience and confession, and by ascribing all my sins to myself that they were mine; for nothing can calm a troubled soul like patience. And you are all the same as you were. Enough said. You tempt me when I teach you, and you despise me as ignorant and ignorant of what I teach you; meanwhile, it is clear to small children that you are acting on the impulse of the devil 97 and do not humble yourself under the strong hand of God, where there is joy, peace and life without care. You think you are confessing, but you are not doing it sincerely; This is not a confession, but a debate and mutual denunciation, as at a worldly court, to the destruction of your souls, to the humiliation of my dignity and to the harm of all who hear. I think that what I said saddened you; and I see that you are grieving; but that’s why I’m talking because I’m worried about you; Moreover, on the day of God’s judgment, the answer must be given for each of you. And since it is written: “Now is the time acceptable, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2), then, brothers, let us take away wickedness from our souls, learn to do good, let us be pure before God, who sanctified us, before the terrible and threatening day of the Lord comes, in which we will give an account for an idle word; for death is as close to us as our shadow, so that we may receive 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. 631. This passage has been corrected according to the Latin translation. You might be interested in: