Поучение 91 105 . В неделю пятую. О том, что нам должно подражать житию наших отцев.

Brothers and Fathers! There is nothing more blessed than our life and higher than monastic life; and therefore, since we are called monks, we must certainly live so that the name and life do not contradict each other in us. For a monk is one who directs his gaze only to God, desires one God, is nailed to one God, and serves one God and works day and night with good will, and having peace with God, creates peace and love among others. “If he doesn’t have these things, then the opposite happens, that is, jealousy, contentiousness, enmity and quarrels; and such a one is blind, oblivious, the method of cleansing his ancient sins” (2 Peter 1:9), and experiences only the sins of others. The guilty ones know why I said this. I say this not to insult them again, but so that from now on they will be careful to fall into the same sins. Our fathers did not listen to condemnation or slander; but if someone slandered, then the one who heard either stopped his ears, or turned the slander to good. But now we quickly turn our ears to the one who condemns, and with great eagerness we listen to gossip; We are completely inattentive to reading. Our fathers never spoke with irritation and embarrassment, but meekly and decorously, and now we speak with anger, shouting and a distorted face. What could be worse and more disgusting than this? These blessed ones did not grumble at all, but each one accepted with gratitude the service that was entrusted to him; even though it was difficult, regrettable and low, he considered him worthy, but now we grumble and blame, and we say this and that not only to ourselves, but we complain to everyone, so that we have many participants in the murmuring, and in order to further offend God. But this, my brothers, should not be, and this is not characteristic of monastic life. No small sin is annoyance and reproach: “troublers,” it is said, “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:10). And grumbling is not an unimportant sin, but a great one, for it is said: “Do not grumble, as ... The Jews grumbled, and perished from the Destroyer” (1 Cor. 10:10). And idle talk is no small sin, for the Apostle says: “Let not every word that is rotten and idle come out of your mouth, but it is good for the creation of faith, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not offend the Holy Spirit of God, for whom you are marked on the day of freedom and deliverance” (Eph. 4:29-30). Do you see the threats and wrath of God that we provoke the Holy Spirit to anger with bad conversations? How are we not afraid that even for an idle word we will give an answer on the “day of judgment” - just as Christ threatens (Matthew 12:36)? So why don't we protect ourselves? Why are we not preparing for the future and the future, so that we may appear good and righteous? Have you been reproached? Bear reproach with patience, suppressing reproach within yourself; for it is said: “confused and speechless” (Ps. 76:5); and the reproach will pass, but your virtue will remain forever. Was there food offered at the meal that you found unpleasant? But what is unpleasant for you, and what you abhor, others would like to at least taste. If we do not endure even this, then what is our renunciation, and how can we boast about it? For neither abstinence nor any other virtue or feat brings such benefit as cutting off the will, for the sake of which the feat of communal life is charged with martyrdom. “Having put aside all malice and all flattery and hypocrisy and lies and envy, all condemnation and all slander - let us not say one thing with our lips and another with our mind, as the Blessed Apostle Peter commands us - as newborn babes, let us love the milk of words and the unflattering, so that in it we may grow unto salvation... and let us taste that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2, 1–3), if only we desire eternal life. And let us not be burdened when we are taught not to blame those who always call us from evil to good; for by living so well and prospering, we will 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. 561. You might be interested in: