Поучение 94 109 . В неделю восьмую. О памяти смертной и о девстве.

Brothers and Fathers! Everything has its own time and time; for one time is for sowing, and another for harvesting; one time is for peace, and another is for war, another time is for doing, and another time is for leaving things and calming down. Any time is suitable for spiritual salvation, and every day it is favorable for us, if only we want it. So, let us always strive for good, putting into practice what is said: “not the hearers... of the law are righteous before God, but the creators of this law will be justified” (Rom. 2:13). When invisible warfare comes upon us, we will resist it with all our might, and with the help of God we will drive away demonic thoughts; for by how much they slow down in us, by how much they kill us. If there is a spiritual harvest ahead, let us reap diligently, collecting fastings, vigils, kneeling, and other spiritual works into eternal granaries, so that we may not hunger forever. There is always a time for prayers, a time for tears, a time for reconciliation and peace, a time for forgiveness of sins, and a time to delight the kingdom of heaven. So what are we waiting for? Why do we add sins to sins? Why do we deceive and deceive ourselves, putting off day after day the correction of our souls? Does not the image of this world pass away? Do not countless numbers die every day? Don't shining coffins, so to speak, expose the unfortunate human race to shame 110? Doesn't the earth steal bodies that are similar to it? Or will we alone remain immortal in this life? Do we not see how many of our brothers have left here? Where are our blessed fathers? Where are the brothers in spirit and in the flesh? Where are our fellow-countrymen who lived with us, friends and accomplices in psalmody? Isn’t there only one memory left of their community, but they themselves are no longer there? I think we are forgetting what we promised. For when the death of a brother or father occurs, we immediately come to memory, tenderness, lamentation, and correction; but as a little time passes, we forget about our promise to live in tenderness and tears. The saints of God did not act like us, who sometimes cry and sometimes laugh; but throughout their lives they remembered death, and they died daily and crucified themselves apostolically (Gal. 6:14), and died daily by will before God, living a blessed and eternal life. Doesn’t the parable of the ten virgins, about whom the Gospel speaks, frighten us: “Behold, the Bridegroom is coming, come forth to meet Him.” And the wise met Him with burning lamps, and entered with the bridegroom Christ to the wedding feast; The foolish virgins were late to come: and since they had no good deeds, they cried out, saying: Lord, Lord! open the door of Thy mercy to us too, but the Lord answered them: “Amen, amen,” that is, truly, “I say to you, we do not know.” Then he adds: “Watch, for you do not know the hour of the day” (Matthew 25:6, 12, 13). Therefore, let us stay awake and awaken our slumbering and lazy souls to weeping, tenderness, repentance, to purification, purity and enlightenment, so that death does not suddenly come and the doors are closed to us; and then no one will open the door or give us help. Thus, we all strive in good time to prepare for the outcome of our souls the deeds that God loves: let the lazy be diligent, let the disobedient be submissive, let the vain and proud humble himself; Let the hard-hearted one soften and be meek; he who has no tears must be forced to weep; let him who does not confess his sins confess; Let the idle one work; We will all improve in everything. We will also say that those who are partial to women and young men should not talk to such persons, for this kindles a sinful fire. Let us listen to the words of Scripture: “If anyone binds fire into the depths, will he not burn his own garments? Or will anyone walk on coals of fire and not have their feet burned?” (Prov. 6, 27–28). The same will happen if someone went to a husband’s wife, or a virgin, or a nun, or a widow, who had promised to have the Lord of glory as her bridegroom. However, I said this about those who wander here and there, and want to live in a worldly way, and seek excuses for their sins. Don't you remember what the Lord says? “If your eye... causes you to stumble, take it away” (Matthew 5:29); this is His commandment. But I’ll tell you one thing: “we must... We are stronger than the weak to bear the weaknesses of the weak” (Rom. 15:1), and serve as an image and example in the performance of good deeds, which by the grace of Christ you are, in order to take advantage of the disobedient and disobedient. And may you, by the grace of God, become more adept, so that you may be saved in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. See Patrolology, vol. 99, p. 680. You might be interested in: