Поучение 93 107 . В неделю седьмую. О том, что иноки не должны ума своего прилеплять к житейским и тленным вещам мира сего, но простирать оный к высшим и бессмертным.

Brothers and Fathers! Our days flow and pass like hours, weeks like days, months like weeks, and years like months: the year passing in this way draws everyone to death and to the last day of the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ; on this day of judgment, “all... naked, and our deeds will appear before His eyes,” as the Divine Scripture says (Heb. 4:13). Why is man fussing in vain? Why does the king trust in his wealth and his gold? That the strong and the predator is proud and boasts of his acquisitions and pastures? What does one who is addicted to wealth and a lover of money hope for in his treasures? That the sensualist insatiably cleaves 108 to sin; - while every day one should cry and weep, and, if possible, cleanse oneself, before mortal judgment has yet arrived, in order to avoid the wrath coming on the disobedient sons? “These... they don’t see the tree, they blaspheme: the tree by nature is like a dumb animal, and in these they are desecrated. Alas and woe to them, for they followed the path of Cain, and rushed into the flattery of Balaam’s bribes, and perished in the bickering of Correus” (Jude 1:11). I am afraid that these words, while condemning those, will not humiliate you, who think something about yourself. For if one seeks his father’s inheritance, and for this he undertakes a long journey, and the other cares and suffers to the point of death in order to increase his wealth; others, out of covetousness and not monastically, are forced to acquire both; then aren’t they worthy of the same condemnation? Even more, they may have some, albeit weak, excuse, since they must take care of their wives and children; and for you, monks, who have renounced the world and what is in the world, and accepted the one cross, what remains to be said to justify yourself? Nothing. Are you not worthy of greater punishment and torment when you do the same as the laity? For Scripture says: “the stronger... the more severe the torment will be” (Wis. Sol. 6:6); “And having given much to him, they ask much from him” (Luke 12:48), such as from the priest and the bishop. “Sons of humanity, how long are you heavy-hearted and unrepentant? Why do you love vanity and speak lies? (Ps. 4:3) throughout your life? Therefore, David also says that the Lord will destroy “all who speak lies” (Ps. 5:7). We invent excuses to excuse our sinful passions, and blame them on persecution, which is not at all to blame. But look at the ancient generations, and see how the Word of God cries and cries out, saying: “Who is the faith of the Lord and is ashamed? or who remained in His fear and remained?” (Sir. 2, 10). Did not Patriarch Abraham, by the command of God, leave his home and fatherland, and therefore become the father of many nations? Was it not with one rod that Patriarch Jacob retired to Mesopotamia, and yet returned from there rich? Was not the beautiful Joseph sold and taken to Egypt, but instead of a slave he became equal to the king? Was not the Prophet Elijah persecuted by the evil Jezebel, and did not even have a bag for bread with him, and now a raven feeds him? Didn’t the blessed Apostles go out naked and unarmed to preach, as if they were going to a terrible battle, and yet they won and conquered the universe? And you yourself, brethren, in these past years, were you not subjected to expulsions and plunders, and yet saw the truthfulness of God’s promises? Where does this impermanence in us come from? Why this cowardice and madness? Because, as I think, we have forgotten the good deeds of God, as the Jews once did, and we tempt God, “as we were not tempted by them” (1 Cor. 10:9). But what does God say about them? “Fourty years of indignation of that generation, and they have always gone astray in heart” (Ps. 94:10). Look, brothers, lest we hear the same from God because we, like the Jews, are ungrateful, although we are calm in everything we need. Because of this, our feet have no rest, and we walk to and fro like the Egyptians; This is why there are courts and disputes among us, like among the pagans. This is why it happens that we live alone, and not together with our brother; if with a brother, then it is for appearance and hypocrisy, and not by choice. For how can one cut off his will and be non-covetous if he has with him a dear friend - the love of money? With her, will he want to achieve unanimity with the brethren? No way. Woe to them; for they, as obscene, will be subject to torment. I said this not about you, my brothers, and not about those who here or in another place lead a godly life, but about those who live carelessly and criminally. Let us pray for them to God with sincere prayer, so that, although it is ever too late, they have the right to march on and achieve something better, so that not a single servant of God perishes, but that we all may be saved, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. See Patrolology, vol. 99, p. 665. Add. from Latin inhaertat. You might be interested in: