Глава 2. Святого Иоанна Златоуста наставления о молитве и трезвении

1) The Lord not only commands to forgive the one who steals what is yours and the one who takes you, but also says: love him with the strongest and most sincere love. For this, precisely this, wanting to inspire, He said: “Pray for those who do you harm” (Luke 6:28), which is usually done only in relation to those whom they love very much. So Christ commanded to pray for those who offend us, but we sew feats against them, and, having received the command to bless those who curse us, we pelt them with thousands of curses. 2) You say, I can pray at home, but I can’t hear conversations and teaching at home (those who leave the church are convicted after listening to Chrysostom’s conversation after reading the Gospel). You are deceiving yourself, man. Of course, it is possible to pray at home; but it is impossible to pray like in church, where there are so many fathers, and where such a unanimous cry goes up to God. You will not be heard as much when you pray to the Lord for yourself alone, as (when you pray to Him) with your brothers. For there is something more here, such as like-mindedness, agreement, the union of love and prayer of the priests. The priests were appointed to preside at the meetings for this reason, so that the weakest prayers of the people, being lifted up by their strongest prayers, would ascend to heaven with them. - Besides, what is the use of preaching if prayer is not combined with it? First the prayer, and then the word. So the Apostles say: “Let us continue in prayer and in the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). This is what Paul does, always beginning his epistles with prayer, so that both the light of the lamp and the light of prayer precede the word. If you train yourself to pray diligently, then you will not need teaching from your equal slaves; because then God himself, without any mediation, will enlighten your mind. If the prayer of one has such power, then even more so is the prayer in union with many. This one has more strength and more boldness than the one who is alone at home. Where can you see this? Listen to how St. speaks about this. Paul: “Who has delivered us from so much death, and is delivering us, even as we have hoped, so that He will also deliver us, even to those who help you through prayer, so that from many people the gift in us may be given thanks by many for us” (2 Cor. 1:10, 11). So Peter was freed from prison, because “there was no diligent prayer from the Church to God for him” (Acts 12:5). If the prayer of the Church benefited Peter, then tell me, how do you despise its power, and what excuse can you have for this? Listen again - God himself says that He cannot help but bow down when a multitude of people wisely pester Him in prayer. For, justifying before Jonah the speedy pardon of the Ninevites, He says: “Thou art offended because of the pumpkin, for which thou labored not, neither didst thou nourish it, which was born in the night and perished in the night: But will I not spare the great city of Nineveh, in which dwell more than twelve people” (Jon. 4:10, 11)? It is not just that He displays a multitude of people, but in order to let you understand that the prayer of many in agreement has great power with Him. 3) The subject of my constant exhortations is to be diligent in prayer with a sober mind and a cheerful soul (this is in church, at the liturgy). – The devil, seeing how fiery and excited your soul is in prayer, will understand that the path to your thoughts is impassable for him. Seeing that you are yawning and not paying attention to yourself, he will immediately jump into you, as if into an empty dwelling abandoned by a tenant. If he sees that you are collected in yourself, awake and as if suspended to the very heavens, then he will not even dare to look at you. Have pity on yourself and block the entrance to your soul to the evil demon. Nothing blocks the path to its coming upon us more than diligent and warm prayer. 4) What do you think is commanded when the deacon exclaims: “forgive” (about ρθοι, straightening up), “let’s become good”? There is nothing else other than for us to bring down our creeping thoughts, and, having shaken off the spiritual desolation generated in us by the troubles of everyday affairs, put our souls directly before the face of God. And that this is truly so, that this word refers not to the body, but to the soul, commanding it to be restored directly, let us listen to Paul, who used this saying in this very sense. For stretching out the word to people who were ready to lose heart under the burden of troubles, he says: “Make the weak hands and weak knees straight” (Heb. 12:12). Can you really say that he is talking here about the arms and legs of the body? No way; for he does not address his speech to those who are competing in running and wrestling, but he convinces with these words to restore the strength of inner thoughts broken by temptations. 5) Think about who you are standing next to? With whom do you start calling on God? - With Cherubim. Listen to this, standing in the same choir with you, and this will be enough for you to maintain sobriety, when you remember that you, covered with a body and intertwined with flesh, are honored to sing the praises of the common Lord of all together with the incorporeal. So, taking part in these sacred and mysterious songs, no one stands here with dissolute attention and relaxed zeal, no one at this time holding worldly thoughts, but having banished everything earthly from the mind, and having been completely transferred to heaven, so offer up the all-holy song to the God of glory and majesty, as if you were standing near the very throne of glory, hand in hand with the Seraphim. For this reason, we are commanded to stand good at this time. For to stand well means nothing more than to stand as a man should stand before the face of God - with fear and trembling, with a sober and cheerful soul. 6) That this saying (“let us stand”; before this he was talking about o ρθ oi - straightening up) refers to the soul, the same St. again showed. Paul, saying: “Stand fast in the Lord, your beloved” (Phil. 4:1). For, like an archer, wanting to shoot arrows directly at the target, he first of all takes care to position himself, and, having already positioned himself correctly against the target, begins to shoot; So you too, wanting to shoot the devil in his evil head, first take care to establish your thoughts so that, having established yourself in a right and unhindered position, you can faithfully throw arrows at him. 7) Prayer is a great weapon, an inexhaustible treasure, never-expired wealth, an untroubled refuge, an undisturbed calm - and the root and source and mother of countless blessings is prayer: it is more powerful than royal power itself. – I mean prayer, not some kind of prayer, not careless and absent-minded, but fiery and difficult, coming from a painful soul and a deeply collected mind. Only such a prayer is heavenly. 8) Just as water, when it flows over a level place and spreads widely, does not rise upward: when the hands of skilled workers press it with all-round barriers, then from its own pressure it rushes upward faster than an arrow: so the human heart, enjoying all peace, dissipates and spills; when circumstances oppress it, then, oppressed, it sends pure and fervent prayers to the mountain. And to convince you that these prayers, sent out of sorrow, are the most powerful in heaven, listen to what the Prophet says: “When I was in sorrow, I cried out to the Lord, and heard me” (Ps. 119:1). Let us inflame our hearts and crush our soul with the remembrance of sins, crushing it not just to oppress it, but to prepare for the hearing of its prayer, making it sober, alert and touching the very heavens. 9) “God, be merciful to me a sinner,” cried the tax collector, and he left the church justified more than the Pharisee (Luke 18:13). And it turned out that words came above deeds, and speech surpassed deeds. He exhibited his righteousness, fasting, tithes; but this one spoke only words (without deeds), and received forgiveness of all sins. Why is this so? Because God not only listened to the words, but even more listened to the feeling with which they were spoken - and, finding him contrite and humble, he had mercy and was merciful. I say this, not let us sin, but let us be humble. For if the publican, a man of the utmost wickedness, did not become humble in his wisdom (for what kind of humility does one have for whom everything is bad?), but only by being wise, and expressing his sins, and confessing himself for what he was, attracted God’s favor to himself: then how much more will those who, having done many good deeds, do not think highly of themselves, attract God’s help! That is why I always ask, and pray, and conjure each of you to confess your sins before God as often as possible. I do not bring you out in front of the public as if it were a spectacle, and I do not force you to reveal your sins to people. Open your conscience before God. Show Him your wounds and ask Him for healing. Show him not to the one who reproaches, but to the one who gives healing (James 1:5). He already sees everything, even though you are silent. Speak up and you will benefit. Speak out so that, having laid down all the burden of sins here, you can go there clean without any sinful wounds - and you will get rid of the intolerable publication of them (at the Last Judgment). Three youths betrayed their souls for confessing the one true Lord of all and God, and were cast into the fiery furnace; however, after so many and so many valors, they say: “We cannot open our mouths: there will be shame and reproach upon your servant and those who honor You” (Dan. 3:33). - So why do you open your mouth? - So that this alone, they say, is to say that “we cannot open our mouths,” and with this alone to appease the Lord. 10) The power of prayer quenched the power of fire, tamed the fury of lions, stopped wars, opened the gates of heaven, broke the bonds of death, drove away diseases, repelled attacks, saved cities from earthquakes, averted blows from above, slander prepared by people, and all kinds of disasters in general. Again, I mean not the kind of prayer that only revolves around the lips, but the kind that comes from the depths of the heart. For like trees that have taken root deep into the earth, they do not fall down and are not torn up, no matter how strong the winds attack them; because the roots hold them firmly in the ground: so prayers sent from the depths of the heart, being rooted there, safely extend to the mountain, not being deviated from this direction by any attack of thoughts. Why does the Prophet say: “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord” (Ps. 129:1). 11) Although we have had to talk about prayer quite a few times, we still need to talk about it now. For as it happens with our clothes, that if the material from which they are sewn is only dyed once, then this dye quickly and easily comes off, and if the dyer covers it with dye several times, then its color remains unchanged forever: the same thing happens with our souls - that if we often hear some instruction, then accepting it, like some deep-rooted coloring, we do not easily forget it. So do not casually listen to words about prayer. For there is nothing stronger than prayer, nothing equal to it. The king clothed in purple is not so much brilliant as the one praying, adorned with conversation with God. For just as if someone, in the face of the entire army, commanders and various officials, approached the Tsar and began to talk with him alone, then everyone’s eyes would turn to himself, and at the same time he would appear in their eyes especially worthy of distinction and honor: this is what happens with those who pray. Imagine what it is like for a person, like a person, in the presence of Angels, the presence of Archangels, Seraphim and Cherubim, and all other ethereal Powers, with great boldness to approach and talk with the King of these Powers? What honor does this not bestow upon him? – But not only honor, but also very great benefit comes to us from prayer, even before we receive what we ask for. For at the same time as someone raises his hands to heaven and calls on God, he immediately lags behind all human affairs and is transferred in thought to a future life, and then contemplates only heavenly things, nothing related to this life, not paying attention during prayer, if he prays fervently. As a result of this, whether his anger was in motion before this, it easily subsides; whether lust burned, it goes out; Whether envy is a whetstone, it is driven away with great convenience. This also happens in the soul, as happens in nature at sunrise, as the Prophet says. Do you remember what he says? “Thou hast laid down the darkness, and the night has come, in which all the beasts of the oak forest will pass through, roaring and seizing them and seeking food for themselves from God. The sun has risen, and they have gathered together and lie down in their beds” (Ps. 103:20–22). So, just as when the light of the sun appears, all animals run away and hide in their beds: so when prayer, like a certain ray, appears from our lips and our tongue, then the mind is enlightened, all the unreasonable and bestial passions retreat, scatter and hide in their holes - if only we prayed as we should, with a cheerful soul and sober thoughts. Then if the devil is nearby, he will drive away; if the demon is nearby, he will run away. 12) The Lord did many things to set an example for us. With the same intention, He performed many prayers. When the disciples approached Him and asked Him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1); What should he have done, tell me? – Shouldn’t you teach them to pray? But then He came to lead them into all wisdom. But if it was necessary to teach prayer, then it was necessary to pray Himself. Would you say that this could have been done with just one word? But teaching with words does not have as strong an effect on students as teaching with deeds. Why does He teach them prayer not only with words, but He Himself does the same, praying whole nights in secluded places, teaching and inspiring us, when we intend to talk with God, to avoid the noise and rumors of everyday life, and retire to an empty place, moreover, adapting not only the place, but also the time for prayer. A desert is not only a mountain, but also any dwelling inaccessible to noise. Also, when He blessed the loaves, He looked up to heaven and prayed (Mark 6:41), so as to teach us not to partake of the meal first, as with thanksgiving to God who created the fruits. 13) Nothing can establish and establish the righteousness and purity of life so much as frequent presence here in church and diligent listening to the Word of God. For what food is to the body, so is the teaching of divine words to the soul. “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3). Why not partaking of this meal produces a kind of hunger. And God threatens them and brings it upon them as punishment and punishment. “I will send,” says the Lord, “a famine on the earth, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). After this, how would it not be inappropriate, in order to remove bodily famine, to do and undertake everything, but to voluntarily inflict spiritual famine on ourselves, while it is much more disastrous than the first, to the extent that in the most important things one suffers damage from it. I ask you also I pray, let us not arrange such an evil slander against ourselves, but let us prefer being here (in the church) to any other business or occupation. For tell me, what can you acquire that could amount to harm both for you and for your house from leaving the church meeting? Even if you found a treasury, completely filled with gold, and for this reason you did not come here, you will suffer more and more harm, as much as the spiritual is more valuable than the sensual. Even if there was a lot of it, and it flocked from everywhere more and more, it’s not a big deal; because it will not descend to us into the afterlife, will not dwell with us in heaven and will not appear before the terrible throne, and often even before death it leaves us and is scattered, and even if it remains in our hands until the end of life, it will be taken away from us in every possible way by death itself. And spiritual treasure is an inalienable acquisition - it always accompanies us, it will follow us when we move from here, and before the throne of the Judge it gives us great boldness. 14) We receive two types of fruit from attending church meetings. Not only is the fruit of this that we infuse our souls with divine words, but also that through this we cover our enemies with extreme shame, and bring consolation and revival to our brothers. - For when, approaching these sacred doors, someone sees that there are few gathered, he immediately cools down and, in the zeal for the church that he had, succumbs to fits of depravity and, completely relaxed, moves away from the church; and when he sees that from everywhere they are rushing with all their zeal to church and flocking to serve God, then, even if he is the most careless and careless, this vision of the zealous kindles in him equal zeal. For if stone rubs against stone soon produces a spark, if even then, as the stone is cold and the fire is hot, their collision conquers nature; - then, if this happens with a stone, won’t it be much more so with souls when they begin to rub against one another and are mutually warmed by the fire of the spirit? 15) The husband is the head of his wife (Eph. 5:23), and the wife is a helper to her husband. So, let the head not decide to walk the path leading to this sacred place without its body, and let the body not appear here without the head, but let both the head and the body enter here, having their children with them. For if it is pleasant to see a tree with shoots from its root, it is even more pleasant to see a man who has a child with him, like a branch from his root. And this is not only pleasant, but also beneficial and praiseworthy. Beneficial for those gathered, in the sense as I said above; The word is commendable for parents and ministers: for we marvel at the farmer not when he cultivates the land, which has already been cultivated more than once, but when he takes the land that is not plowed and not sown, and takes every care of it to make it fruitful. So is St. Paul acted, setting it to his honor to preach the Gospel not where Christ was already named, but where he was not named. We too will imitate him, both for the return of the church and for our own benefit. 16) It is not so much the royal crown that adorns the head as the cross, the most honorable in the whole world. What everyone previously abhorred with horror has now become desirable to everyone, and you will meet it everywhere, among superiors and subordinates, among wives and husbands, among virgins and married women, among slaves and among freemen. Everyone often imprints it on the most important part of their body, and depicted on their forehead, like on a column, they wear it every day. He is at the sacred meal, he is at the ordinations of the priests, he again shines with the body of Christ at the Last Supper. Everyone can see Him ruling everywhere - in houses, in markets, in deserts, on roads, on mountains and hills, on the sea, ships and islands, on beds, clothes and weapons, on silver and gold vessels, on precious stones and wall decorations, on bodies possessed by demons, in times of war and peace, day and night. This wondrous gift has become so desirable for everyone - this ineffable grace! No one is ashamed of him, no one hides his face, thinking that he is a sign of blasphemous death; but we all adorn ourselves with it more than with crowns, diadems and countless margaritas. 17) Do you want to see the best bed decoration? I will now show you the decoration of the bed, not of some simple peasant, and not of a military man, but of a royal bed. I am absolutely sure that, even if you are the most proud of all proud people, you will not desire a bed more beautiful than the bed of a king, and not just any king, but the first king, the most king of all kings, and still glorified throughout the entire universe. I point you to the bed of blessed David. Do you know what she was like? She was adorned not with gold and silver, but with tears and confession. He himself speaks about this, saying: “I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears” (Ps. 6:7). Tears, like margaritas, were planted on her from everywhere. And look at me, what a God-loving soul he has? Since during the day he was entertained by many concerns and worries about the affairs of the people and the military, he used the time of rest for confession, prayers and tears, during which others all enjoy peace. And he did not do this in such a way that he stayed fast one night and rested the other, or stayed awake for two or three nights and indulged in peace in between, but did this every night. “I will wash my bed,” he says, “every night, I will wet my bed with my tears,” thereby expressing the abundance of tears and the constancy in them. When everyone was resting and indulging in peace, he alone then talked to God, and did not close his eyes, confessing his sins with contrition and tears. Prepare the same bed for yourself. A bed lined with gold on one side, envy excites the human, on the other hand, it ignites the wrath of God. Tears like the tears of David even extinguish the fire of Gehenna. 18) Why did God put such a day-and-night vigilant judge into our souls? - Conscience, I say. Among people there is no such vigilant judge as our conscience. External judges are spoiled by money, and flattery weakens them, and fear makes them tilt the scales, and many other things prevent them from righteously resolving matters. The conscientious judgment seat is not damaged by anything like that; but even if you give money, even if you lavish flattery, even if you intimidate, or whatever else you do, she pronounces all righteous condemnations of sinful thoughts; and having sinned, he himself condemns himself, even if no one else convicts him of sin. And she doesn’t stop doing this not once or twice, but repeatedly and throughout her life. Even if significant time passes, she will never forget what she has done. And while committing a sin, and before committing it, and after committing it, strict judgment falls on us, especially after a sin. While we commit sin, intoxicated by the pleasures of sin, we do not feel this way (reproaches of conscience); but when the sin is done and the sinful work is brought to an end, then the sweetness of sin disappears and finds the bitter sting of repentance. The opposite of this happens among those who give birth. For those before birth, there are unbearable pains, tearing torments, but after birth - joy and peace, for along with the outcome of the fetus, all pains go away; but here it is not so, but when we accept sinful thoughts and conceive criminal desires, we rejoice and have fun, and when we give birth to an evil child - sin, then, seeing the shame of the one born, we begin to suffer and be torn apart by pains worse than those of those giving birth. Therefore, I ask you, let us not accept, especially at the beginning of, corruptive lust; if we accept, we will destroy this seed inside (before the fruit ripens and is born from it). But if we allow this through negligence, we will hasten to kill the sin committed by deed, confession, tears and condemnation of ourselves. For nothing is more destructive of sin than self-condemnation with repentance and tears. Have you convicted yourself of sin? threw off his burden. And who says this: God Himself is the Judge. “Thou hast spoken thy iniquity before, that thou mayest be justified” (Isaiah 43:26). Why, tell me, are you ashamed and blushing to confess your sins? Do you really tell them to a person so that he can revile you? Or will you confess to your fellow servant and tell everyone about it? No: but you show your wounds to the Lord, the merciful, humane physician. 19) Are you a sinner? Do not despair, but go (to church) and repent. Have you sinned? Tell God: I have sinned. What difficulty is it to say: I have sinned? Unless you say you are a sinner, will you not have the devil as your accuser (at trial)? Warn and admire this dignity of his; for it is his dignity to condemn. And why don’t you warn him, tell him the sin and blot it out, when you know that in him (the devil) you have such an accuser who will not remain silent? -Have you sinned? - Go into the church and tell God: you have sinned. I don’t demand anything else from you except this one thing. For the Scripture says: “You spoke your iniquities first, that you might be justified” (Is. 43:26). Say sin to get rid of sin. There is no work in this, you don’t need to type a lot of words for this, and you don’t need to spend any money on it, or anything like that. Speak the word, treat your sin prudently, saying: I have sinned. You will say: how can it be seen that if I tell myself my sin, I will receive permission to sin? You have in Scripture an example of how one told his sin and received forgiveness, and how another did not tell his sin and was condemned. This is Cain and David. 20) Pray every hour; but do not be bored when praying, and do not be lazy in asking for mercy from the man-loving God - and He will not leave you for your persistence, but will forgive you your sins and give you what you ask for. If you are heard when you pray, remain in prayer, giving thanks (for the mercy); and if you are not heard, remain in prayer so that you may be heard. Do not say: I prayed a lot, but was not heard; because this often happens for your own good. God knows that you are lazy and self-indulgent, and if you receive what you ask for, you will leave and not pray anymore; why does he put off hearing you, so that, due to need, he can force you to talk with Him more often and spend time in prayer. Stay in prayer, and do not allow yourself to become lazy in it. Prayer accomplishes much, beloved; Why start it, not as if it were an unimportant matter. 21) Have you sinned? enter the church and blot out your sin (by repentance). No matter how many times you fall in the marketplace, you get up every time: no matter how many times you sin, hurry to repent, do not allow yourself to despair. If you sin again, repent again; do not lower yourself and do not fall away from the hope of receiving the blessings set before us. Even though you are already an old man and have sinned, go to church and repent. This is a doctor's office, not a court of justice; here they do not impose torment for sins, but give remission of sins. Tell your sin to God alone: ​​“I have sinned against you alone, and I have done evil before you” (Ps. 50:6), and your sin will be forgiven you. 22) You also have another way of repentance, not difficult, but very convenient. Which one is it? Cry over your sin, learning this from the Gospel. Peter, the supreme apostle, friend of Christ, who received revelation not from man, but from the Father, as the Lord Christ testifies to him, saying: “Blessed are you, Simon, var Jonah, for flesh and blood has not been revealed to you, but the heavenly Father” (Matthew 16:17), - this Peter committed not a small sin, but an extremely great one - he denied the Lord himself - I say this not to condemn him, but to you as a guide to repentance, - the Lord himself, the Ruler of the universe, the Savior of all, was rejected. And when is this? On the night when Christ was betrayed. The Gospel says that Peter stood by the fire and warmed himself. A maid comes up and says to him: “You also were with Jesus” (Matthew 26:69). What is he? - “We do not know this man” (Mark 14:68). Then the second and third time too. And the prophecy of the Lord was fulfilled. Then Christ looked at Peter and with his eyes he let out a voice (accusations). He did not speak a word to him with his lips, so as not to expose him before the Jews and not to disgrace his disciple, but with his eyes he let out a voice (accusations), as if like this: Peter! what I told you has come true. “Then Peter felt his fall and began to cry, and he cried not just, but bitterly, with tears from his eyes, arranging a second baptism for himself. With such bitter crying he blotted out his sin. If such a sin is blotted out by crying, then will you really not blot out your sin if you cry? It was not a small sin to reject one’s Master and Lord, but it was extremely great and heavy; and yet tears blotted out this sin. “And you also cry about your sin, and the crying is not simple, and not just for show, but bitterly, like Peter.” Bring out the sources of tears from the very depths, so that the Lord, having mercy on you, will forgive you your sin. He is a lover of mankind, as he himself said: “I do not want the death of a sinner, but to turn the wicked from his way, and to live to be him” (Ezek. 33:11). He wants little work from you, but He Himself gives you great things. He is waiting for a reason from you to give you the treasure of salvation. Bring tears and He will grant you forgiveness; bring repentance, and He will give you remission of sins. 23) How to bow to the mercy of the Lord? - That's how it is! Let us plant prayer in our hearts, and add humility and meekness to it. - For the Lord says: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). And David sang: the sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: “God will not despise a broken and humble heart” (Ps. 50:19). The Lord loves nothing more than a meek and humble soul. Take care, brother, that you do not resort to people when something unexpectedly burdens you, but, bypassing everyone, direct your thoughts to the Doctor of souls. For He alone can heal the heart, “who created our hearts as one” and “understands all our deeds” (Ps. 32:15). He can enter our conscience, touch our mind, comfort our soul. If He does not comfort our hearts, human consolations are unnecessary and meaningless: on the contrary, when He consoles, then, even if countless people oppress us, they will not be able to do so even by an inch. they will harm us. When He strengthens the heart, no one can disturb it. Knowing this, beloved, we will always resort to God, who is willing and able to dispel the clouds of sorrows that have fallen upon us. 24) When you have to make a request to people, you must adapt in every possible way to the time, place, and person, and conduct your speech thoughtfully; when we approach God, nothing of the kind is required. Cry only from your heart, and don’t move your lips alone, and that’s all. “Whenever you pray, go into your closet,” he says, “and when you have shut your doors, pray to your Father who is in secret: and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). Do you see the abundance of honor to you? When you ask Me, let him speak, no one sees; and when I honor you (with hearing and gift), then I will make the whole universe a witness of the good deed. Let us obey the word of the Lord, and let us not pray for show; We will also not show the Lord a way to help us. Did you tell Him your need, did you tell Him what your heart ache about? Don't say any more about how to help you. He Himself knows better than you what is good for you. Others say a lot in their prayers: Lord, give me health, increase my wealth, take revenge on my enemy. This is full of all kinds of foolishness. We must, leaving all this behind, beg God with the words of the publican: “God, be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). And He already knows how to help us. So let us be philanthropic in prayer, praying with pain of heart and humility, beating ourselves in the chest, like that one (the publican), and we will receive what we ask for. If, having indignation and anger in our hearts, we pray, then we will appear vile and hateful to God. Let us break our hearts, humble our souls, and let us pray both for ourselves and for those who have offended us. God listens all the more and fulfills the request of those who pray for their enemies, who are not vindictive, who do not rebel against their enemies. And the more they do this, the more God will take revenge on their enemies, unless they repent. 25) What many sins did the Ninevites atone for in three days, and what terrible sentence of God did they reject? Just as a lazy (not energetic) soul, even though it spends a lot of time in repentance, will not do anything special and will not achieve reconciliation with God: so, on the contrary, an excited soul, burning with jealousy and showing contrite repentance, can blot out the sins of many years in a short time. Didn't Peter deny three times? And for the third time, isn’t it with an oath? And were you not afraid of the words of an insignificant servant? - What? Did he need many years to repent? - Not at all. But that same night he slipped, and stood up, and accepted the wound and received healing, and fell into illness, and returned to health. How and in what way? Crying and heartbroken; not just crying, but with great contrition and deep pain in the heart. Why didn’t the Evangelist say, “weeping,” and nothing more, but, “weeping bitterly” (Matthew 26:75). How strong the crying was and how abundant the tears were, no word can imagine; but clearly shows the outcome of the matter. For after such a disastrous fall - for there is nothing more disastrous than renouncing the Lord - after such a fall, the Lord again elevated him to his former dignity. So do not fall under the weight of sins. The most destructive thing in sin is to remain in sin, and the most disastrous thing in falling is to lie in the fall. 26) Great is the power of sorrow for God and it brings great benefits. Wanting to show this, this is what the Prophet Isaiah, or moreover, God himself says through Isaiah: “Because of sin, they grieved him for little,” but when they saw that he “was saddened and went decrepit... I healed him” (Is. 57:17, 18). Not what should have been, he says, I imposed the punishment for sin. For in rewarding virtues God exceeds the due measure; and for the most part he only reproaches for sins, and even if he sometimes sends punishment, it is always much lighter compared to the sins. But this is also canceled as soon as someone repents of his sins. This is what the above words indicate. Do you see how quickly and how great the benefit comes from repentance? Not much, he says, punishing him for his sins, when he saw that he was sad and went decrepit, and forgave him this small punishment. God is so quick and ready to reconcile with us, and only waits for a reason, even the slightest. Let us always give Him an opportunity to show our love for us, trying in every possible way to guard ourselves from sins, and when we fall, hastening to rise with bitter weeping for our sins, in order to gain joy in the Lord. If someone who has become sad and gone decrepit has reconciled God to himself, then what will he not do who brings tears to it and diligently begs Him? 27) At the shore of the Red Sea, God says to Moses: “Why are you crying to me?” (Ex. 14:15), while Moses said nothing. With this, God revealed this: I am a God who hears not only what comes out of the mouth, but also knows what is in the heart; prayer is not something that cries out on the lips, but something that moves in the heart. “Why are you crying to me?” His lips said nothing, but his heart cried out. A prayer that is quickly heard is one that comes from a good heart and is not pronounced in one strong voice. 28) For two reasons it is appropriate to please the saint. servants of God and marvel at them - both because they placed the hope of their salvation in warm prayers, and because, having preserved through writing the songs and prayers that they raised to God with fear and joy, they passed on this treasure to us, so that the entire generation that followed them could be attracted to imitate their prayerful zeal (for the way of life of teachers should be transferred to the students, and the listeners of the Prophets should be imitators of their righteousness), - so that we, like them, spend all the time of our lives in prayer, worship and contemplation of God, now with life, now with health and wealth, now with the utmost respect for good things, in order to constantly pray to God from a pure and immaculate soul. 29) Just as the sun is light for the body, so prayer is for the soul. If it is a great deprivation for a blind man not to see the sun; then how great a deprivation is it for a Christian not to pray often, so that through prayer he can introduce the light of Christ into his soul? 30) Who will not marvel, and who will not be amazed at the love for mankind that God shows to us, giving people such honor that He deigns them to converse with Himself in prayer? For truly we talk with God during prayer, and through this we come into contact with the Angels and retreat far from other living, but unreasonable creatures. Prayer is the work of Angels; it even exceeds their dignity, since talking with God is above angelic dignity (in itself). 31) The angels, offering their prayers with great fear and joy, teach us that when we approach God in prayer, we must do this with fear and joy: with fear, fearing that we might not be unworthy of prayer; We must be filled with joy at this because of the greatness of the honor that our mortal race has been awarded such and such favor from God that it has been given the opportunity to often converse with God, due to which we cease to be mortal and temporary; - By nature we are mortal, but through conversation with God we move to immortal life. For one who converses with God cannot help but rise above death and corruption. As someone who is surrounded by the rays of sunlight, one cannot help but be far from even the slightest darkness; Thus, it is impossible for one who is worthy of conversation with God not to become above death. Such greatness of honor brings us into the realm of immortality (allows us to breathe the air of immortality). If those who conduct a conversation with the king and receive honor from him, they cannot be meager in anything; all the more, it is impossible for those who approach God in prayer and talk with Him to have mortal souls: for the death of the soul is wickedness and lawless life; Therefore, on the contrary, the life of the soul is service to God and a life consistent with this: prayer prepares a reverent life and a life consistent with serving God, and it is wondrously treasured in our souls. 32) Whether someone has loved virginity, or zealously honors marital chastity, or has decided to tame anger and have meekness with his partner, or to keep himself pure out of envy, or is jealous of anything else that should be done, he will easily and conveniently carry out his pious course if he accepts prayer as a guide and with it he will guide such a path of life in advance. For whoever asks God for chastity, righteousness, meekness and mercy, it is impossible for him not to receive what he asks for. “Ask,” says the Lord, “and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; ask, and it will be opened to you; everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and the answer is given to him who asks. Or is there a man of you, whose son asks for bread, will he give him food? Give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him” (Matthew 7:7-11), or, as it is said elsewhere, “he will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13). With such words and such promises the Lord convinces us all to be diligent in prayer; we must, obeying His divine inspiration, spend our lives in chants and prayers, striving to please God in the most precise way. Only by living this way will we live a real human life. 33) He who does not pray and does not have the desire to enjoy frequent conversations with God is dead, soulless and unintelligible. The very fact that he does not like prayer and does not consider death for the soul if it does not worship God is a sure sign of the lack of intelligence in him. Just as our body, when it is deprived of the presence of the soul in it, becomes dead and stinking: so the soul, lacking the excitement that moves us to prayer, is in a bitter state, dead and stinking. That those who are bitter about death should consider it an evil if we are deprived of prayer, this was well shown to us by Daniel, the great prophet, who decided it was better to die than to spend only three days without prayer. For the king of Persia did not command him to be completely wicked, but only wanted him to stop his prayers for three days. 34) Without God’s wave and contempt for us, nothing good will enter our souls. God’s beck descends on our labors and makes them easier if he sees that we love prayer, often turn to God with petitions, and expect that all good will come to us from there. Why, when I see someone who does not love prayer and does not have a warm and strong disposition towards it, it becomes obvious to me that that person does not have anything noble and lofty in his soul. And when I see someone insatiably hungry for worship and deprivation of frequent prayer, considering it one of the greatest losses and damages, then I am convinced that he is a faithful devotee of all virtue, that he is the church of God. For if “a man’s robe, and the laughter of his teeth, and the foot (step) of a man proclaim the same about him” (Sir. 19:27), - according to the word of the Wise; Moreover, prayer and service to God is a sign of all Righteousness, being a kind of spiritual and divine decoration, which imparts great goodness and beauty to our thoughts, arranges everyone’s life well, does not allow us to keep anything inappropriate and bad on our minds, inspires reverence for God, and honor the honor with which He deigned to honor us, teaches us to turn away from all superstitious sorcery, drives out shameful and empty thoughts, and incites everyone’s soul to despise carnal pleasures. This single pride befits those who honor Christ, not to be slaves to anything shameful, but to guard their souls in freedom from everything and in an immaculate life. 35) That without prayer it is in no way possible to have virtue as a partner and mother-in-law through life, I think it is self-evident for everyone. For how could anyone begin to strive in virtue without approaching and falling often before Him who is the giver and bestower of virtue? Who would even be strong enough to constantly nurture the desire to be chaste and righteous without holding a happy conversation with Him who demands this and even more from us? But I undertake to prove in a short word that prayers (having been revived in us or begun by us), even if they find us filled with all kinds of sins, soon cleanse us of them. And in this case, what will be greater and more divine than prayer if it turns out to be a healing medicine for those who are sick in their souls? Behold, the Ninevites were the first to be cleansed by prayer from many of their sins before God. As soon as prayer took them into its care, it immediately made them righteous, and the city, accustomed to living in lasciviousness, wickedness and all kinds of lawlessness, quickly corrected it, overpowering outdated bad habits, and establishing heavenly laws, bringing with it chastity, love of mankind, meekness, and care for the poor. Without these virtues it does not take root in the soul; but usually whatever soul it inhabits, it makes it full of all righteousness, it attunes it to every virtue, and drives out all evil from it. If at that time anyone who knew Nineveh well had previously entered it, he would not have recognized this city: so quickly he passed from an indecent life to piety. 36) Maybe someone who is lazy and unwilling to pray fervently and thoroughly will decide to justify himself with the words of the Lord himself: “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but do the will of my Father who is... in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). - To this I will say that if I considered one prayer sufficient for salvation, then someone else could rightly use these words against me. But as I say that prayer is the head of all virtues, the root and foundation of saving life, then let no one cover up his laziness towards prayer with such words. Neither chastity alone can save without other virtues, nor care for the poor, nor kindness, nor any other praiseworthy deed; but it is necessary for all the virtues to flow into our soul, and for prayer to lie beneath them as the foundation and root. Just as the lower parts of a ship and a house are made strong and united, so prayers hold our lives together; Without them, nothing good or saving can happen in us. Why St. Paul urgently commands us to be diligent in prayer, saying: “Continue in prayer, watchful in it with thanksgiving” ( Col. 4:2); in another place, he says: “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: this is the will of God” ( 1 Thess. 5:17, 18): and in another place: “Praying with all prayer and supplication at all times in the Spirit, and to this end we are vigilant with all patience” (Eph. 6:18). Thus, this apostolic leader exhorts us in prayer with many and divine words. Why, with the prayer of our mother-in-law, it is necessary for us to water and water our soul more often with the prayer of our mother-in-law: for we all have no less need of it than trees in water. Neither can they bear fruit unless they drink in water with their roots. - exude the valuable fruits of piety if we are not fed with prayers. 37) Having risen from our beds, we must always anticipate the sunrise by serving God, and when approaching the meal we must pray, as well as when going to sleep. But you also need to offer some kind of prayer to God every day, passing the time of the day evenly. In winter, we must spend most of the night in prayer, and with great fear, bending our knees, diligently listening to prayer, considering ourselves blessed that we serve the one true God. Tell me, how will you look at the sun without first bowing to Him who sent this light, sweetest for your eyes? How can you taste a meal without bowing to the Giver and Giver of these blessings? With what hope will you plunge into the darkness of the night? What kind of dreams do you expect to encounter without protecting yourself with prayers, but indulging in sleep without protection? You will be despised (for prayerlessness) and convenient for the evil demons who always revolve around us, waiting for the time when someone remains naked from the veil of prayer, in order to capture us and delight us suddenly. So, when they see that we are protected by prayer, they immediately recoil, like thieves and villains when they see a sword hanging in a warrior’s head. But if someone happens to be naked from the veil of prayer, the demons delight him and drag him into sins and atrocities. Fearing this, we will always protect ourselves with prayers and chants. 38) In prophetic visions, Angels appear with great fear bringing their songs of praise to the Lord of all: they cover their faces and feet out of great reverence, and when they need to fly, they do this with great trepidation. This is an example and a lesson in how we should perform our prayers. 39) During prayer, it is appropriate for us to forget our human nature, and, overwhelmed by a warm aspiration towards God, in union with reverent fear, not to see anything from the existing world, but to think that we are standing among the Angels and are performing the same service as them to the Almighty God. 40) All other accessories between us and the Angels, such as: nature, way of being, wisdom, knowledge, and everything that you touch, are different: but prayer is a common task - the Angels together and humans - and in this regard there is nothing between them and us (one choir). But whoever is diligently diligent in prayer and aspirations towards God will soon become like them in knowledge, wisdom, nobility, and way of life (Ibid.). 41) If one has the opportunity to talk with wise men, from frequent conversation with them he assimilates their wisdom and becomes like them in it; What can we say about those who often converse with God in their fervent prayers? What wisdom, what virtue, what knowledge, kindness, chastity and good behavior will not their prayer and constant conversion with God fill them with! So, it is not a mistake to say that prayer is the source of all virtue and righteousness, and that nothing that promotes piety can enter into a soul empty of prayer and supplication. 42) Just as a city, unfenced by walls, easily falls under the power of enemies, due to the absence of any obstacle to its occupation: so the devil easily takes a soul unprotected by prayers into his power and fills it with all sorts of sins. But around those who are diligent in prayer, he has no success. Seeing a soul protected by prayers, he does not dare to come close to it, fearing the power that prayers impart to the soul, nourishing it more than bread nourishes the body. In addition, those who pray diligently do not allow into themselves anything unworthy of prayer, but reverently before God, with whom they have just talked, they immediately reflect all the machinations of the evil one, bringing to themselves the thought of how inappropriate and bad it is for someone who has just asked God for chastity and reverence in prayer to immediately go over to the side of the enemy, allowing the soul to lust after shameful pleasures and thereby give the devil entry into the heart that God has just visited. (Ibid.). 43) It is impossible for a person, without the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to properly conduct a divine conversation; why, first of all, we must pray, so that His grace will be inherent in us and our prayerful work will flow when we enter our church or home in our cell to bend our knees and lift up our prayers and supplications to God. When you make sure that when you pray, you are talking with God and receiving the assistance of the Holy Spirit; then you will no longer allow the devil to have access to your soul, sanctified by the Spirit. 44) Whoever says that prayers are the nerves of the soul will tell the absolute truth. For just as, with the integrity of the nerves, the body remains in order and lives, stands and walks, but with the suppression of them it is completely upset: so, when prayers act, souls are well-ordered, firm and easily flow along the path of piety; if you deprive yourself of prayer, then you will do the same thing in your soul that cutting off the nerves does in the body - it will freeze - or, in another comparison, it will be the same as taking a fish out of water, for just as for a fish life is water, so for your soul is prayer. 45) Wanting to attract people to prayer and to present to our souls what a great good prayer is, Christ the Lord introduces a certain evil and cruel judge, who has lost all shame before people and who has driven out the fear of God from the soul. It would be enough to imagine a truthful and merciful face and, comparing his truthfulness with God’s love for mankind, to show through this the power of prayer. For if a kind and meek person graciously accepts those who turn to him with a request; is it not even more so God, the greatness of whose love for mankind not only exceeds our minds, but is unthinkable even for the Angels themselves. So it was enough, I say, to assume the person of the righteous judge; but the Lord introduces a cruel, wicked, inhuman judge, saying at the same time that he, who in all cases shows indomitable cruelty, could not withstand this character in the face of zealous and persistent petition, but appeared here good and meek. Why did the Lord do this? - To let you understand that asking and praying easily transforms evil nature into good and merciful, and so that in this way the power of prayer will no longer remain unknown to anyone. For this purpose, He, having placed the widow before the most evil judge of all and showing him, not according to his natural character, loving mankind, from him, the evil one, transfers the word to his Father, good, meek, loving mankind, surpassing iniquities, forgiving many sins, blasphemed and enduring blasphemy, seeing the honoring of demons and the insult to Himself and His Son and not taking revenge. If now He, the blasphemed One, so meekly endures those who insult Him, then when we fall to Him with appropriate fear, will He not have mercy on us both quickly and generously? Do you hear, says the Lord, what the judge of wickedness speaks? “Even though I do not fear God, and I do not put man to shame: but this widow does my labors, I will take vengeance on her” (Luke 18:4–6). If the widow, falling down, made the cruel so meek; then what cannot we expect from the man-loving God when we fall before Him? 46) “Then that servant fell, bowing to him, saying: Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all. Having shown mercy to the masters of that servant, forgive him and forgive him the debt” (Matthew 18:26, 27). Let us listen to the lazy ones in prayer, what power begging has. This slave did not show any special fasting or anything else like that, but because he just begged his master, he bowed to his mercy. Let us not become discouraged and despair in our prayers. Who was more insignificant than this slave, who only accumulated debts and had nothing good, no more or less, in himself? However, he did not say to himself: I am daring, shame covers my face - how can I begin? How can I open my mouth to beg? - what many sinners say, sick with devilish reverence. Are you reckless? For this reason, proceed to acquire boldness. Is the person whom you seek to propitiate, so that you may be ashamed of Him and blush? He is God, who desires more than you yourself to cleanse you from your debts before Him. You do not want to put yourself in a position safe from all sides as much as He desires your salvation. And He showed this in action. – Don’t you have the courage? But that’s why you yourself should dare, because you recognize yourself as such. For the greatest boldness is to consider oneself to be daring, just as the greatest shame is to justify oneself before the Lord. Such a one is unclean, even if he were the holiest of all people; on the contrary, he is righteous who considers himself to be the last of all. The Pharisee and the publican are witnesses to this. Let us not despair and lose heart because of our sins, but let us approach God, let us fall down, and begin to beg, as this servant did, who had hitherto been in a truly good mood. For not to lose heart, not to despair, to confess sins, to ask for relief and patience - all this is good, and is a sign of a contrite heart and a humble soul. But what he did after that was not at all similar to what he did at the beginning. Whatever he collected by entreaty, he lost it all by his unmercifulness towards his fellow servant. - But let’s move on to the image of pardon, and see how the master forgave him and how he got to this point. He asked for patience, but this one released him the entire debt, so that he received more than he asked for. This is why Paul says: “To him who is able... to do all things more abundantly than what we ask or understand... be glory” (Eph. 3:20, 21). You cannot even imagine what and how much He has prepared to give you. Don't be ashamed and don't blush. Be ashamed, it is true, of your sins, but do not despair, and do not give up on prayer, but approach even as a sinner, in order to appease the Lord and give Him the opportunity to show His love for mankind in you by forgiving you of your sins. If you are afraid to begin, you will put an obstacle to His goodness and prevent His generosity from pouring out on you. 47) I'm not saying: be in church all day. But give me two hours of the day, and keep the rest behind you. But you will not give these two hours to me, but to yourself - in order to be comforted by the prayer of the fathers, in order to be filled with their blessings, in order to leave here completely safe, so that, having put on all your spiritual armor here, you become inaccessible and invincible for the devil. What is more pleasant, tell me, than staying here? Even if you had to spend the whole day here, what’s more honorable than that? Where is it safer than here, where are so many brothers, where is the Holy Spirit, where is Jesus in the middle, and His Father? What other meeting like this will you find? What meeting? What synod? Such are the blessings here at the table (of the Lord), in hearing (the word of God and teachings), in blessings, in prayers, in mutual communication: but do you turn your eyes to other places of meeting? What excuse can you have for this? “I am not saying this for you (those present here), because you have no need for such healing, showing by deed your health, obedience and warm love for being in the church. But I am telling this to you so that those who are not here will hear through you. However, do not tell them that I only condemn those who did not come here, but convey to them my entire word from the beginning. Tell them how much better the congregation here is than any other, tell them what a great reward those who gather here receive. For if you only say that I condemned them, then you will only anger them - you will cause a wound, but will not apply healing to it. If you let them understand that I did not condemn them as an enemy, but as a friend I was pained about them, and convince them that “the essence of a friend’s ulcers is more reliable than the free kiss of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:6); then they will accept reproof with great pleasure: for in this case they will pay attention not to the words, but to the intention of the speaker. So heal your brothers. We are responsible for saving you who are here, and you are responsible for saving those who are absent. We cannot conduct a conversation with them face to face: we will conduct it through you, through your teaching. Let your love be a bridge for us to them. Make sure that our words pass through your tongue into their ears. 48) Глядя на вашу малочисленность и на то, что собрания наши все более и более умаляются, и скорблю и радуюсь. I rejoice for you inherent; I mourn those who are absent. Вы достойны похвалы, что и малочисленность пришедших не умалила вашего усердия и не сделала беспечнейшими; and those are especially guilty that even with your diligence they did not become more diligent. Почему вас я ублажаю, и называю ревнителями, что умаление приходящих сюда ни мало не повредило вам, а тех несчастными почитаю и плачу о них, что никакой пользы не принесло им ваше усердие. Не послушали они Пророка, который говорит: «изволих приметатися в дому Бога моего паче, неже жити ми в селениях грешничих» ( Пс. 83:11 ). Не сказал: "изволих" жить в доме Бога моего, ни: пребывать в нем, ни даже: войти внутрь; but: “I deign to sneak around” (to be near and around). It would be nice for me to at least be among the last; I will be pleased, he says, if I am honored to enter at least into the vestibule; великим почту даром, если хоть к ряду последнейших кто причислит меня в доме Бога моего. Love makes the common Lord of all its own: for such is love. He who loves not his beloved only loves to see, and not only his house, but also the vestibule, and not only the vestibule of the house, but also the porch and yard. Even if he sees his beloved’s clothes or shoes, he thinks that in front of him is his beloved. Such were the prophets. since they did not see the incorporeal God, they saw His house, and through the house they imagined His presence. “I deign to sneak into the house of my God rather than live in the villages of sinners.” Every place compared to the house of God is a sinner’s village, whether you call it a judgment seat, a council house, or a private house. There are also prayers and supplications, but there are also disputes, battles, bickering, and agreements on everyday matters. This house (church) is clean of all this. Why are those “villages of sinners”, and this one is the house of God? Like a pier, protected from winds and waves, it provides great safety to the ships entering it; so God’s house, seizing those who enter it from the rebellion of everyday affairs, as from a storm, allows them to stand in great peace and tranquility and listen to the word of God. Место сие есть настроение к добродетели, училище любомудрия, не во время только собрания, когда слушаются Писания, предлагаются духовные поучения, и предстоят почтеннейшие отцы: но и во всякое другое время войди только в преддверие (нартик, паперть), и тотчас отложишь житейские заботы. Go inside and immediately a certain spiritual breath will embrace your soul. Тишина, в нем царствующая, производит трепет отрезвляющий и располагает любомудрствовать, возбуждает ум, отбивает память о всем здешнем, и переносит тебя с земли на небо. If, without a meeting (worship), there is such benefit from being here; то, когда слышится глас пророков, когда благовествуют Апостолы, когда Христос бывает посреде, когда Отец приемлет бывающее здесь (жертвоприношение), когда Дух Святый исполняет духовным веселием, какими благами насытясь отыдут отсюда присущие здесь! Those who are absent will suffer what damage! 49) I would like to know where those who despised our congregation spend their time, what kept them and took them away from this sacred meal (i.e. hearing the word), what they talked about. But I already know for sure that they are either chatting about inappropriate and laughable things, or are enmeshed in everyday worries. Neither one nor the other is worthy of apology and deserves extreme reproof. There is nothing to say about the first: it is so self-accusatory. But that those at home who present us with matters and talk about urgent needs there cannot expect leniency when they are called here once a week, and here they do not want to prefer the spiritual to the earthly, this is clearly from the Gospel. And in the parable, those invited to the marriage presented the same excuses: one bought oxen, another bought a field; the third fed his wife (Luke 14:18–20); however, they did not escape the royal wrath. Those reasons are definitely valid; but when God calls, they have no price. Every need must give way to God’s reverence. Almost God; then turn your attention to other things. What kind of slave, tell me, before performing proper service to his master, will begin to clean anything in his home? How is it not absurd for human masters, where dominion is just an empty name, to show such fear and obedience, but not to honor Him Who is truly the Master, not only ours, but also of the highest Powers, with such service and veneration as is shown to fellow servants? “If it were possible for you to penetrate into the conscience of such people, you would see how wounded they are, how many thorns they have!” – Just as the land, which is not touched by the hand of the farmer, becomes desolate and overgrown with all kinds of weeds, so the soul, not cultivated by spiritual teaching, becomes overgrown with thorns and thistles. For if we, who listen to the prophets and apostles every day, barely restrain our anger, barely curb our rage, barely remove the thorn of envy, and barely, even with frequent chants (charms) from the divine scriptures singing to our passions, we manage to put down these shameless beasts: then they, who never take such medicine, never listen to the lessons of divine wisdom, tell me, what hope of salvation can they have? I would like to show their souls to your eyes; - and you would see them covered with all sorts of filth, slovenly, disheveled, humiliated and not daring to show themselves. Just as a body, when it is not washed, becomes covered with dirt and impurity, so the soul, which is not steeped in spiritual teaching, is covered with many, many sins. And everything that happens here in the church is a spiritual bath, evaporating all impurity with the warmth of the Spirit. The Fire of the Spirit not only evaporates all impurity, but also the color (induced by it). For the Lord says: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). At least he says, sinful impurity has ingrained itself so deeply into the nature of the soul that it would become motionless in it, like the natural color of things - and then I can change it into the opposite quality. It is enough to make one wave, and all sin will disappear. 50) (How do lazy people not be dissuaded from going to church?) Others set a hot time. The atmosphere now is suffocating, they say, the heat is unbearable, we cannot stand the crowding and crush among the people, when then it becomes so hot, stuffy. I'm ashamed of them, believe me. Because these are women's excuses. But even they cannot apologize enough for this, although their bodies are more tender and their nature is weaker. It would be a shame to expose such twists, but the need is there. For if they do not blush when making such pretexts, much less should we be ashamed to speak against it. What shall we say to those exhibiting this? I want to remind them of the three youths in the fire. The fire washed over them from everywhere, scorched their eyes, poured into their mouths, took their breath away, and they did not stop singing that sacred song of praise to God on behalf of all creation, but standing among the flames, as if walking through a meadow, they diligently sent their praise to the common Lord of all. After these three youths I will bring to their memory a den with lions and Daniel among them; and not only this, but I will ask them to remember about another ditch and prophet - about the ditch in which Jeremiah was immersed to the very top. Having risen from these ditches, I want to bring these dissuaders by the crush and heat into the prison and show them Paul and Silas, tied to a log, covered with scars and ulcers, their whole bodies reddened due to many wounds, and despite this at midnight singing a hymn to God and performing the sacred all-night vigil. Now how will it not be incongruous with anything that, while those saints, being in a cave, in a fire, in a ditch, among animals, in mud, in a prison, in wounds, with countless pains and sufferings, do not offer anything like this as an excuse, but with fiery zeal spend their time in prayers and in singing sacred songs, we are neither less nor more, not enduring anything similar to what was said, because of a small heat and sweat, we give ourselves the audacity to not care about our salvation, and leaving the sacred meeting, wander outside, interfering with corrupting gatherings that have nothing healthy? 51) Tell him (who does not go to church): aren’t you ashamed and shouldn’t you blush before the Jews, who keep their Sabbath with such precision, and even from the eternity of it abandon all work? As soon as they notice on Friday that the sun is approaching sunset, they immediately stop all transactions and stop trading. And if someone, having bought something from them before evening, brings them the price of what he bought in the evening, they will not agree to accept it and take the silver in their hands. What am I saying about the price of what was purchased? Even if they had to get the treasure, they would rather lose such an acquisition than break the law. So the Jews observe their law with such strictness, and, moreover, untimely and in such a way that this observance no longer brings them any benefit, but is even more harmful; and you, who have become above the shadow of the law, who have been worthy to see the very Sun of Truth, who already belong to the Kingdom of Heaven, do not want to show the same zeal for the saving thing that they show for the timeless, not for their own good, but, being called here for a small part of the day, you do not even have the patience to use this to listen to divine words? What kind of forgiveness can you obtain, tell me? What excuse can you imagine that is blessed and respectful? No, it is impossible, there is no way to gain any kind of forgiveness for someone who is so careless and careless, even if he presents countless everyday needs. Besides, don’t you know that if you come here, worship God and stay here throughout the service, then the affairs that are in your hands will flow more successfully? You have worldly worries. But for this reason, hurry here, so that, having acquired God’s favor for the sake of staying here in prayer, you leave here with the hope of success, so that you can take God as your companion in the fight against difficulties, so that, by virtue of the assistance of the highest right hand, you become invincible for demons. If you are worthy of the fatherly (priests’) prayers here, if you partake of the power of the common (brothers’) prayer, if you listen to the words of the Divine, if you attract God’s help, if protected by such weapons, you will leave here; then the devil himself will not even be able to look at you, and not only evil people, whose only concern is how to tempt and slander someone. If you go straight from home to the marketplace, then, being deprived of all such weapons, you will be open to all attempts against you. 52) (Second marriage is permissible). Only fornication and adultery are prohibited. We will run after them, both those who have wives and those who do not. Let us not shame our lives, let us not live a life worthy of ridicule, let us not introduce an evil conscience into our souls. How will you come to church after dealing with harlots? How will you stretch out to heaven the hands with which you embraced the harlot? How do you move the tongue and lips with which you kissed the harlot to call on the name of God? With what eyes will you look at the most honest of your friends? For even if no one knew about your sin, you yourself, before anyone else, will be forced to shame yourself and make yourself blush, and more than anyone else, you will be forced to abhor your body. If it were not so, then why are you running to the bathhouse after such a sin? Is it not because you consider yourself more unclean than any uncleanness? Where else should you look for proof of how unclean what you have done? Or what decision should you expect from God when you yourself, having fallen into sin, have such an opinion about what happened? – That such people consider themselves unclean, I praise and approve; but that they do not go to the proper place for purification, for this I condemn and blame. If there were only bodily filth here, then you would rightly hope to wash yourself of these impurities with the waters of the bath; but having defiled the soul and made it unclean, seek such a cleansing that will greatly wash away its defilement. What kind of bathhouse is there to wash away such a sin? Hot springs of tears, groaning from the depths of the heart, unceasing contrition, diligent prayers, alms - and generous alms, repentance for what has been done, a vow not to attempt such deeds again. This is how sin is washed away, this is how spiritual defilement is cleansed: so if we don’t do this, then at least we go around all the sources of water, and we will not cut off a small part of this sin. Of course, it’s better not to attempt this shameful sin at all. But if someone has already slipped on it somehow, let him hasten to apply the indicated medicine to the wound, making a vow first of all not to fall again into the same defilement. If, having sinned, we repent, and then again encroach on the same, then there will be no benefit from the cleansing we have undergone. He who washes himself and again falls into the pot - he who destroys what he built, and who builds again in order to again destroy what was built - receives no benefit, labors in vain, and burdens himself. 53) What we cannot correct through our own efforts, we can complete with prayers - prayers, I mean, unceasing ones. For it is necessary to pray unceasingly, for everyone, both those who are in sorrow and those who are in joy, and those who are in troubles, and those who are in prosperity. Anyone who is in joy and prosperity must pray that such a state remains motionless and unchanging, and is never stopped; and those who are in sorrow and troubles, so that they can finally see a favorable change in their situation and taste sweet peace from troubles. Are you living peacefully? Pray to God that this peace may remain unshakable. Do you see a thunderstorm rising? Pray diligently to God to carry the storm safely through and restore the disturbed peace. Heard? Thank you for being heard. Not heard? Keep praying to be heard. God often delays the gift through prayer, not because he is angry and disgusted, but in order to delay the gift to keep you with Him longer, as loving fathers do. Are you unworthy? By persistent prayer you will make yourself worthy. A Canaanite woman came to the Lord and cried out loudly: “Have mercy on me, Lord, my daughter is angry with evil” (Matthew 15:22). Who was she? An alien barbarian, like a dog. But by the persistence of the prayer she became worthy of hearing - and not only was she heard, but she was also praised: “O woman, great is your faith” (Matthew 15:28). At the beginning of her petition, the Lord did not answer her; but when she once, twice and thrice approached with prayer, then he only showed her His mercy: “Give it to you as you want,” in the end assuring us that at the beginning He delayed the gift, not having the intention of completely refusing the one asking, but wanting to show the patience of the wife, and to give us a lesson in prayer to endure (Col. 4:2). There is nothing stronger than warm and earnest prayer. 54) When we pray, then the devil who is evil towards us attacks us most of all. He sees the greatest benefit to us from prayer; why does he manage in every possible way to ensure that we return home from church empty-handed? He knows, he knows well, that if those who come to the church approach God with sober prayer, express their sins and warmly repent of it in their souls, then they will leave here, having received complete forgiveness: for God is a lover of mankind. Why does he warn them to use something to distract them from prayer, so that they don’t receive anything? And he does this without force, but by entertaining the mind with pleasant dreams and thereby inducing laziness to prayer. It is our own fault that we willingly surrender ourselves to his network, and therefore deprive ourselves of the benefits of prayer—and we have no excuse for this. Diligent prayer is the light of the mind and heart, an unquenchable, unceasing light. Why does the enemy bring countless thoughts, like clouds of dust, into our minds and even things that we have never thought about when collecting, pours them into our souls during prayer. Just as sometimes a gust of wind, attacking the burning light of a lamp, extinguishes it: so the devil, seeing the flame of prayer kindled in the soul, hastens to inspire from here and there countless caring thoughts and does not lag behind this until he has managed to extinguish the light that has become busy. In this case, let us do as those who light lamps do. What are they doing? Noticing that a strong blow of wind is approaching, they block the hole of the lamp with their finger and thus do not allow the wind access inside, because, rushing inside, it will immediately extinguish the fire. Also in us. While thoughts attack us from outside, we can still resist them; when we open the doors of the heart and accept the enemy inside, we will no longer be able to resist them at all. The enemy, having extinguished in us every good memory and holy thought, makes of us a smoky lamp: then in prayer only the lips utter empty words. Why, just as those who light lamps put their finger on the hole of the lamp, so we will block the door of the heart with sober thoughts, and thereby prevent the evil spirit from entering there, so that when it enters, it does not extinguish the light of prayer there. 55) Isaac prayed to take away the childlessness of his wife Rebekah, and God heard him (Gen. 25:21). Do not think that as soon as he called on God, he was heard. No, he spent a lot of time praying to God about it. For twenty years he prayed to God about this. He was forty years old when he took Rebecca for himself (Gen. 25:20); and when his children were born, he was sixty years old (Gen. 25:26). Rebekah suffered for twenty years, and during all this time Isaac prayed to God. - So, aren’t we ashamed, shouldn’t we hide our faces, seeing how a righteous man endures in prayer for twenty years and does not give up, and after the first or second prayer we often get bored and dare to keep our displeasure unheard? And besides, he had great boldness towards God, and yet he did not grumble at the delay of his talent, but patiently waited for it; We, however, are overwhelmed with a countless multitude of sins, living with an evil conscience, without showing the Lord any kindness, if, before we express our petition, we are not heard, we lose patience, lose heart and give up prayer. That’s why we always leave here empty-handed. Which of us has prayed to God for one thing for twenty years, or even for twenty months? 56) It is not enough to pray for our salvation if we do not pray according to the laws that Christ laid down for this. What laws did He lay down? Pray for our enemies, even if they sadden us a lot. And if we do not do this, then we are lost, as can be seen from what happened to the Pharisee. For if this one, not praying against his enemies, but only having become vain, suffered such a punishment, then what punishment awaits those who pray many and for a long time against their enemies! What are you doing, man? Do you stand asking for forgiveness of sins and fill your soul with anger? When we must be the meekest of all, because we talk to the all-merciful Lord, we pray to Him about our sins, we ask ourselves for mercy, philanthropy and forgiveness; Is it then proper to be fierce, to indulge in brutality and to fill your lips with bitterness? And how, tell me, can you and I improve our salvation by pretending to be petitioners, and uttering proud words and thereby upsetting our Master? You entered to heal your own wounds: this is a time of propitiation, a time of supplication and lamentation, not anger, tears, not irritation, contrition, not indignation. Why do you disturb the order of things? Why are you fighting against yourself? Why are you ruining your own construction? The one who prays, above all else, must be peaceful in soul, have a humble mind and a contrite heart; but one who is outraged cannot do anything like this against his enemies, because he is full of anger and incapable of having meek feelings. 57) When you see that any difficulties have arisen either in marriage or in the situation of other everyday things, call on God for help. This is the best way to resolve the difficulties encountered. The weapon of prayer is the most powerful. I have often said this, and I say it now, and I will not stop saying it. Even though you are a sinner, look at the publican, who was not refused, but cleared away so many of his sins. Do you want to know what the power of prayer is? God does not have so much friendship as prayer. And this is not my word: I would not dare to pronounce such a statement from my mind. Listen from the scriptures how friendship did not do what prayer did. “Who is of you,” says the Lord, “to have a friend, and goes to him at midnight, and says to him: friend, give me three loaves of bread in return: because the friend has come from the way to me, and I have no choice to offer him. And he answered from within and said: “Do not do my work: the doors are already closed, and my children are on the bed with me: [and] I cannot give you the rise.” I say... to you: even if he rises up and does not give it to him, he is a friend; but because of his lack of selfishness, when he rises up, he gives it to him and demands more” (Luke 11:5-8). Do you see how, what friendship was not strong enough to do, persistence (prayers) did? since the petitioner was a friend, so that you would not think that for this reason the request was successful, the Lord said: “Even if he does not give it to him... he is not a friend, but because of his godlessness... he will give it to him.” Even if friendship does not do this, he says, persistence will do what friendship was not strong enough to do. – But where was this actually the case? At the publican. The publican was not a friend of God, but became a friend. So you, even if you were an enemy, through persistence will become a friend. Look at Syrophinikissa, and listen to what the Lord says to her: “It is not good to take away a child’s bread and spoil it with a dog” (Matthew 15:26). How did He do it if it is not good? Through persistence the wife achieved this good, so that you will understand that what we are unworthy of, we become worthy of through persistent prayer. 58) Do not say: I am a sinner, I do not have boldness, I do not dare to pray. He who has boldness is the one who thinks that he does not have boldness; how, on the contrary, whoever thinks that he has boldness takes away the power from boldness, like the Pharisee. He who considers himself an outcast and without courage will be heard even more than a publican. Look how many examples you have of this - Syrophinikiss, the publican, the thief on the cross, the friend in the parable, who asked for three loaves and received them not out of friendship, but out of the persistence of the request. Any one of these, if he had said: I am a sinner, I am ashamed, and therefore I cannot proceed with a petition, he would not have received anything. But as each of them looked not at the multitude of his sins, but at the richness of God’s love for mankind, he became self-controlled and took courage, and being a sinner, he began to ask for what was beyond his dignity, and received what he desired. Remembering all this, let us pray unceasingly, with sobriety, boldness, with good hopes, with much zeal. Let us pray for both enemies and friends, and of course we will receive everything we need. He is the Giver who loves mankind, and it is not so much that we desire to receive as He desires to give. 59) Although you are outside the church, cry out and say: “Have mercy on me!” not just moving his lips, but crying out from his heart. For God hears those who cry to Him in silence. It is not a place that is required, but a well-disposed heart. Jeremiah was in the ditch of mud and had God with him; Daniel sat in a den with lions, and was covered by God’s favor: the three youths, cast into the fiery furnace with songs of praise, bowed to God’s mercy; the robber was crucified, but the cross did not prevent him from opening heaven; Job sat on rot, and made God merciful to him; Jonah was in the belly of the whale, and God heard him. Be it in the bathhouse, pray, or on the road, or on your bed, and wherever you are, pray. You yourself are the church of God, do not look for another place for prayer: you only need a prayerful mood of mind and heart. The sea was in front, behind the Egyptians, in the middle of Moses. There was extreme constraint for prayer, and yet the prayer was most extensive. The Egyptians were chasing behind, the sea was in front, and prayer was in the middle. Moses did not say anything, but God said to him: “Why are you crying to Me?” (Ex. 14:15). The lips did not speak, but the heart cried out. – And you, beloved, always and everywhere resort to God like this! God is not a man to go to Him in a certain place. He is always and everywhere nearby. If you want to ask a person for something, you ask what he is doing, what he is doing, or what he is doing or resting. When going to God, there is no need to scout anything like that. Wherever you come to Him and call on Him, He hears. Say: have mercy on me, and God is already near. “Again I say to you,” He himself says, “a river: behold Az” (Is. 58:9). O voice filled with philanthropy? Nor does he wait for the end of the prayer; Before you have time to finish your prayers, you will already receive the gift. 60) When I say to someone: pray, ask God, beg Him, another answers: I asked once, twice, three, ten, twenty times, and still I do not receive what I asked. “Don’t give up, brother, until you get it.” Let the end of prayer be that you receive what you ask for. Then stop when you get it; or better yet, don’t stop, but keep praying. Until you receive, pray to receive; and when you receive it, pray thanks for what you received. 61) Many people enter the church, read thousands of verses, and leave; but they don’t remember what they read. The mouth moved, but the ear did not hear. You yourself don’t hear your prayer, but do you want God to hear your prayer? - I bowed, you say, my knees; but your mind wandered outside. Your body was inside the church, and your thought was outside it. The lips spoke a prayer, and the mind counted profits, pondered transactions and exchange of goods, surveyed fields and other estates, and had conversations with friends. The evil devil, knowing how useful prayer is for us, especially attacks with thoughts during it. We often lie idly on our beds and have no thoughts. But they came to pray, and their thoughts were countless. It is the enemy who is trying to make sure that we leave prayer with nothing. 62) You see, beloved, that everything written in the Divine Scriptures was committed to memory for no other reason than for our benefit and the salvation of the human race. By learning from it, each of us finds and applies our own appropriate medicine to wounds. For this purpose, everyone has access to it, and it is convenient for everyone who wants to find the medicine required for the illness that is tormenting him, use it and receive the fastest possible recovery; just let him not reject the proposed healing, but accept it with willing submission. For there is not a single disease that afflicts human nature, neither mental nor physical, for which a cure would not be found here. And look! Someone comes here, tormented by sadness and oppressed by everyday circumstances, and therefore overcome by cowardice; but having entered here and immediately heard the words of the prophet: “How sorrowful are you, my soul? And are you embarrassing me? trust in God, for we will confess to Him, the salvation of my face and my God” (Ps. 41:6), - he receives sufficient consolation, and shakes off all cowardice. Others, tormented by extreme poverty, grieve and suffer, especially seeing how wealth flows to others, and they become puffed up and appear with such pomp. But he hears the words of the Prophet: “Cast your sorrow upon the Lord, and He will nourish you” (Ps. 54:23). And again: “Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, or when the glory of his house increases: for if he dies, he will not take it all away” (Ps. 48:17, 18) - and he is inspired to endure his lot complacently. Another grieves again, having been subjected to slander and slander, and counts his life against life, not finding human help anywhere. But this one also receives a lesson from the same Prophet - in such circumstances, not to resort to human defense, but to act as he says about himself: “I slandered me, but I prayed” (Ps. 109:4). Do you see where he is looking for help and assistance? Others speak, weave intrigues, slander and slander; I resort to an insurmountable wall, to a reliable anchor, to an untroubled pier - to prayer, by which all difficulties become easy and surmountable for me. Another, having been rejected and despised by those who previously helped him, and abandoned by his friends, is confused and troubled in thoughts. But even he, if he wants to come here, will hear the words of this blessed prophet that he needs: “My friends and my sincere ones have come close to me and stasha. And my neighbors are far away from me, and those who seek my soul are in need; and those who seek evil speak vain words to me, and I will learn from the flatterers all the day long” (Ps. 37:12, 13). Do you see how they weaved slander and waged constant war until their death? “For all day means all life.” What did he do when they slandered him like that and built feats for him? “But I, he says, am deaf and do not hear, and do not open my mouth; like a man, do not hear and do not open my mouth” (Ps. 37:14, 15). Do you see the abundance of wisdom, how he, following opposite paths, gained the upper hand? They intertwined, but he stopped his ears so as not to even hear about it. They all the time They refined their tongue and learned vanities and intrigues, but he disarmed their mania (evil plans) with silence. Why did he do this, and when they built feats against him, he behaved as if he were deaf and dumb, having neither hearing nor language? Listen to what he himself says about the reason for such wisdom? “For in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted” (Ps. 37:16). since, he says, I have placed all my trust in You, then I no longer have any concern about what they do. For Your single beck is enough to dispel and make all their slander and deceits fruitless, and to prevent anything they have prepared from going into action. You see how in any need, misfortune and sorrow, you can receive suitable healing here and leave here having shaken off all everyday sorrow. Therefore, I beg you: come here more often and carefully listen to what is read here from the Divine Scriptures, and not only listen to the Scriptures here, but also at home, pick up the sacred books and diligently assimilate what you read. For great benefit will come from this. 63) Prayer must be combined with fasting. And that this is truly how it should be, listen to what Christ says: “This generation will come forth as nothing except through prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:20). And about the Apostles it is written that, after confirming the faith of the souls of the disciples in Derbe, Lystra and Lycaonia, they prayed with fasting, committing them to the Lord (Acts 14:23). Again the Apostle says: “Not Deprive yourself of one another, only by consent for a time, so that you may continue in fasting and prayer” (1 Cor. 7:5). Do you see how fasting needs assistance from this side? - And then they pray more soberly, since the mind is then more quickly moving, not being burdened by the evil burden of passions. 64) Prayer is a great weapon, a great hedge, a great treasure, a great refuge, a safe refuge; only if you approach the Lord soberly, and having collected your mind from everywhere, in such a mood we enter before Him, in no way allowing the enemy of our salvation to sneak up on us. For he, knowing that at this time we, by confessing our sins and showing our wounds to the doctor, can receive complete healing, attacks us more strongly, and uses all sorts of tricks to discourage us from prayer and plunge us into negligence and absent-mindedness. Why let us be sober, I beg you, and, knowing the machinations of the enemy, at this especially time try to reflect it, as if seeing it inherent and standing before our eyes, and cutting off every thought that disturbs our mind, completely extend ourselves to grief, making our prayer a real prayer, so that not only the tongue utters the words of the prayer, but also the mind descends into what is being said. If the tongue utters words, and the mind wanders around outside, either reviewing household things, or imagining mercantile deeds, then there will be no benefit to us, and even more condemnation. St. Paul instructs us to pray “at all times in the spirit” (Eph. 6:18), not only with the tongue, but also in the soul itself, with the spirit. May our prayers be spiritual, may our thoughts be sober and may our minds extend along with our words. 65) A great good is prayer. If, by talking with a virtuous person, we receive no small benefit; then he who is worthy to converse with God, what benefits will he not receive? For prayer is a conversation with God. That this is so, listen to what the Prophet says: “May my conversation delight Him” (Ps. 103:84), that is, may my conversation with God appear pleasing to Him. 66) Can’t God give us what we need before we ask? “But He is waiting for our prayer, so that He can take from Him the reason to righteously grant us His special providence.” 67) Although we receive what we ask, although we do not receive it, let us remain in prayer. And we will be grateful not only when we receive it, but also when we don’t receive it. For not receiving what God wants is no less good; how to get it. For we do not know what is good for us, since God knows this. Why, considering both receiving and not receiving as equal good, we should thank God for both. “Don’t be surprised that we don’t know what’s good for us.” And Paul, this contemplator of wondrous mysteries, did not know what was more beneficial for him, and in ignorance he prayed for what was not useful. There was something weighing on him, and he prayed to be delivered from it. And he prayed more than once, but says: “For this I prayed to the Lord three times” (2 Cor. 12:8). But he did not receive what he asked for. What then? Was it difficult for him? sad? unpleasant? No way. The Lord said to him: “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). And St. Paul responded to this with this: “Sweetly, I will boast all the more in my weaknesses.” Not only, he says, am I not looking to get rid of what weighs me down, but it is sweet for me to even boast about it. Do you see how grateful this soul is? Do you see what her love is for God? - Listen to what the same Apostle says in another place: “For what we will pray as we ought, we do not know” (Rom. 8:26). It is impossible, he says, for us people to know everything exactly. Why is it necessary to provide the Creator of our nature with the definition of what is useful for us, and then with joy and complete pleasure accept whatever He approves, not looking at the appearance of what happens, but at the fact that it is pleasing to the Lord. 68) Let it be our constant practice to be diligent in prayer and not to lose heart when hearing is slow, but to show patient complacency. Let us accustom ourselves to clinging to prayer - and to pray day and night, especially at night, when no one bothers with business, when thoughts subside, when everything around is silent, and the mind has complete freedom to ascend to the Doctor of souls. If blessed David, both king and prophet, preoccupied with so many things and tired of affairs, devoted midnight to prayer, as he himself says: “At midnight I rose to confess to you about the destinies of your righteousness” (Ps. 119:62): then we spend a private and short life, what can we say in our justification without acting as he did? Let us also imitate him, simple people - the king, leading a life of little business and quiet to the one who in the diadem and purple surpassed the life of the monks. For listen to what he also says in another place: “My tears were bread to me day and night” (Ps. 41:4). Do you see the soul in constant contrition? My food, he says, my bread, my meal, was nothing more than my tears, shed day and night. And again: “I am weary with my groaning, I will wash my bed every night” (Ps. 6:7). What is more beautiful than these eyes, adorned with margaritas and such a plentiful rain of tears? You saw the king, day and night, indulging in tears and prayer; Look now at the teacher of the universe, imprisoned with Silas, and spending the whole night in prayer, despite neither the bonds nor the suffering from beatings, which not only did not interfere with prayer, but made it even more ardent and flaming with love for the Lord. “At midnight,” says the Acts, “Paul and Silas prayed with the belt of God” (Acts 16:25). David in the kingdom in a diadem spent his entire life in tears and prayer. The Apostle, raptured to the third heaven, vouchsafed the ineffable mysteries of revelation, while in chains, at midnight offered prayers and songs to the Lord. And the king, rising at midnight, confessed Lord; and the Apostles performed hymns and diligent prayers at midnight. We will also imitate them, protecting our lives from everything unpleasant and calamitous through continuity of prayer. Every place and every time is suitable for such an act. If you have a mind cleansed of impure passions, then whether you are in the market place, be at home, be on the road, be in court, be at sea, be in the workshop - and wherever you are, calling on God everywhere, you can obtain what you ask for. 69) Anna, Samuel’s mother, inspired by love for God, raised her mind to heaven, and, as if God himself was in vain, she prayed to Him with all warmth. What did she say? At first nothing, but before starting the prayer she began to sigh deeply and wrenchingly, and let out streams of hot tears. Just as dry and hard earth, watered and softened by rain falling on it, becomes capable of bearing fruit, so it was with this woman. The soul, softened by crying, gave rise to a strong prayer: “with a tender soul... pray to the Lord... Adonai, Lord Eloi of hosts” (1 Samuel 1:10, 11). She did not call Him by word alone, but by many, applied to Him, showing her love and ardent affection for Him. The prayer itself was inspired by painful sorrow of the heart. She was soon heard, because her petition was written extremely reasonably. These are usually the prayers that come from a soul torn by grief. Instead of charters, she had a mind, instead of a pen, a tongue, instead of ink, tears. Why is her petition read to this day: for letters written in such ink remain indelible. 70) Nothing is equal to prayer, nothing is stronger than faith. Anna showed us both. For having approached God with these gifts, she received everything she wanted: she corrected her barren nature, and took away the shame of childlessness, and stopped the reproaches of a jealous couple (her couple), and grew to great boldness when she squeezed a rich stone from a barren stone. You have heard and know how she prayed and asked, how she begged and received, how she gave birth, raised and dedicated her Samuel to God: so it will not be a sin who calls this wife the mother and at the same time the father of the child. Her prayers, tears and faith were the beginning of a birth, although not without a seed. Let us men imitate her, and wives imitate her. This wife is a teacher of both kinds. Those of you who are barren, do not despair; who became mothers, raise children like her. Let us all be jealous of this woman’s wisdom before birth, faith in birth, and care after birth. 71) “Increase those who pray before the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:12). These words indicate two virtues in Anna: patient persistence in prayer and alertness of mind; the first with the word: “multiply,” and the second with the word: “before the Lord.” We all pray, but not all before the Lord. For if, when the body is stretched out on the ground and prayer is murmuring in the mouth, the mind rushes about the house, then around the marketplace; How can one then say that he prayed before the Lord? He prays before the Lord who gathers his soul from everywhere, and, having become disconnected from the earth, the whole person moves to heaven and casts out every human thought from his soul, just as this woman did then; for she, having collected all of herself and stretched out her mind to God, thus called upon God from her painful soul. But how does it say: “multiply” when her prayer was not verbose? “Multiply” means: she often said the same thing, repeating the same words for a long time, did not get tired and did not retreat. So Christ the Lord commanded in the Gospel to pray. For having told the disciples not to pray like pagans, using many words in prayer, He indicated the measure of prayer (Matt. 6:7), and thus showed that being heard does not depend on the number of prayer words, but on the sobriety and vigor of the mind of the one praying. But how, someone will say, did He teach in a parable that one should always pray and not lose heart, if one should not pray in many words? Just like St. Does Paul command to remain in prayer (Rom. 12:12), and to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17)? For not to talk too much in prayer, but at the same time to pray unceasingly - one thing is contrary to the other. No, this is not at all contrary to one another, but on the contrary, one is completely in agreement with the other. And Christ the Lord and St. Paul commands frequent but short prayers, with small intervals. 72) About St. It is written to Anna that during prayer her lips moved, but no words were heard. This is real prayer, when cries rise from within, when prayer is expressed not by the tone of voice, but by the aspiration of the mind. This is how Moses prayed, to whom, when he did not utter anything with his lips, God said: “Why are you crying to me?” (Ex. 14:15). People hear only this sound voice, but God hears first what is crying out inside. Why is it possible to be heard without crying, and while walking through the market place to pray with the mind with all zeal, and sitting with friends, or anything else that makes a strong cry to call on God - internally, I mean - without making this obvious to anyone inherent. St. did this then. Anna. “Her voice was not heard” (1 Samuel 1:13). But the Lord heard her. Such was her inner cry. 73) “And Hannah rose up after they had eaten them in Shiloh... to stand before the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:9). Do you see? “What others make a time of rest for sweets, she made it a time of prayer, and after the meal she hurried to the place of prayer and poured out streams of tears, presenting to God a chaste and sober mind. Even after the meal, she prayed so diligently and fervently that she received a supernatural gift. So this wife sets an example for us - to pray even after meals. And how much benefit it would be if we undertook to imitate this! For he who thinks about prayer after a meal will not drink a lot and will not allow himself to become intoxicated, and will not eat a lot and will not allow himself to become satiated. The expectation that he will have to pray after the meal will be a bridle on his thoughts, so that he can touch everything that is presented in moderation: and this will be a great good for both the soul and the body. A meal that begins with prayer and is continued with prayer will never become scarce, but more abundantly than a source, every good will bring us. Where there is prayer and thanksgiving, the grace of St. is present. Spirit: demons flee from there and all the opposing forces retreat. Anyone who thinks to turn to prayer after a meal will not dare to say anything inappropriate during the meal, and if he does, he will immediately come to his senses and repent. Therefore, both when starting a meal and after finishing it, one must pray to God and thank Him. 74) Let us also take St. as our teacher. Anna, let us always resort to God in everything and ask Him for everything we need. For there is nothing equal to prayer: it makes the impossible possible, the difficult convenient, the stubborn smooth. Blessed David always held her, which is why he says: “In the seventh day of the day we praised you about the destinies of Your righteousness” (Ps. 119:164). If a king, a husband immersed in countless worries and entertained everywhere, calls on God so many times a day; then what excuse or excuse can we have, who lead such an idle life, that we do not pray so often, and, moreover, receive such great fruits from this? For it is impossible, in no way impossible, for a person who prays with the proper zeal and often calls on God to sin. And here's why this is so. Whoever, having warmed his heart and aroused his soul, completely moves to heaven, and thus calls on his Master, confessing his sins and asking for forgiveness for them, with such dispositions, he naturally puts aside all worldly cares, takes inspiration and becomes higher than human passions. Therefore, after prayer, whether he sees an enemy, he will no longer look at him as an enemy, or a beautiful woman, and will not be carried away by her appearance, because the fire kindled inside by prayer still remains in him and reflects every inappropriate thought. But how do we, human beings, usually cool down? When, two or three hours after prayer, you notice that the warmth generated in you begins to dissipate and weaken little by little, quickly resort to prayer again and warm your cooling heart. If you do this throughout the whole day, warming yourself with frequent prayers at convenient intervals, you will not give the devil a reason or access to your thoughts. If you do this, then no matter what winds blow against you - temptations, sorrows, unpleasant thoughts, and anything heavy - they will not be able to knock down and destroy your house, which is so tightly bound by frequent prayers. - You will say: but how can a worldly person, or someone assigned to the trial of judicial cases, stand in prayer for three hours a day and also go to church? – Possible and very convenient. It is not convenient for everyone to go to church, but everyone can pray anywhere. For in prayer it is not so much the voice of prayer that is required, but rather the thought turned to God, not so much the raising of hands, but the aspiration of the soul, not so much the position of the person praying, but the prayerful mood of the heart. So do it. Arise, mountaineer, remember your sins, look up to the sky and say in your heart: “God have mercy on me!” And you prayed. 75) Let us not hide behind excuses, saying that there is no house of worship nearby. The grace of St. ourselves. The Spirit is pleased to make churches of God if we are sober, so that we have complete convenience to pray everywhere. Our service to God is not the same as it used to be among the Jews, which had a lot of sensual things and needed visible things and actions. There, the one praying for something had to come to the church and bring a substance for the sacrifice, for which again a knife, fire, firewood and something else was needed. Nothing like that here; but wherever you are, you have with you the altar, and the knife, and the sanctuary, being yourself a priest, and an altar, and a sanctuary. Wherever you are, you can erect an altar, showing only a sober disposition; The place does not interfere, and neither does time; and even though you don’t bend your knees, even though you don’t hit your chest, or stretch out your hands to the sky, but only show the warmth of your feelings for God, you have done the work of prayer as it should. It is possible for a woman sitting at a spinning wheel or a loom to gaze at the sky with her mind and warmly call on God. It is also possible for a man who has entered the marketplace, or who is walking alone, to say diligent prayers. And the one who sits in a shop and sews leather can ascend with his soul to God. And the servant, when he buys something, or runs upstairs and runs downstairs to serve the master of the house, or stands in front of the fire in the kitchen, can earnestly say prayers in his heart if there is no time to go to church. God is not ashamed of place; He is looking for one thing - a warm heart and a chaste soul. “So I convince you, go to church more often, and pray quietly at home; Whenever you can, bow your knees and lift up your hands; and when you happen to be among many others, then do not abandon prayer because of this, but in the way that I have indicated to your love at this time, call on God, in the confidence that you will nevertheless receive what you ask for. 76) It is not an abundance of words that implores God, but a pure soul, zealous for good deeds. To those people who, living wickedly, hope to beg God with an abundance of words, look what He says: “Even if you increase your prayer, I will not hear you: When you stretch out your hands... I will turn away My eyes from you” (Is. 1:15). The Holy Prophet David says: “The God of my righteousness will always call upon me to hear me” (Ps. 4:2), i.e. God, who sees my righteousness. Let no one think that he is arrogant by saying this. He says this not to exalt himself, but to offer some instruction and admonition, very useful to everyone. Lest anyone say: he was heard because he is David, but I will not be heard because I am small and insignificant, he inspires that God hears him for a reason and does not hear you in vain and not by chance, but always looks at deeds. If you have deeds that can intercede for you, you will certainly be heard; and on the contrary, if you do not have them, then even if you were David, you will not be able to beg God. Whoever approaches God, who loves truth, approaches with truth, will not leave Him with anything: on the contrary, whoever approaches Him without it, or having been defiled by vices contrary to it, even if he asked thousands of times, will not have success, because he does not have with him anything that can beg God. 77) If he who treats any wondrous husband receives great benefit from this very treatment; then, even more so, one who constantly converses with God. But we do not properly know how much benefit comes from prayer, because we pray inattentively and perform prayers not as God commanded. When we intend to speak with any of the people who are higher than us, then first we put in order our appearance, and the position of the body, and clothes, and everything, and then we enter into a conversation: and when we approach God, we yawn, move from place to place, look around, get bored, and although sometimes we kneel, our thoughts wander around the marketplace. When we approached prayer with proper reverence, remembering that we have a conversation with God in it, we would recognize, even before receiving what we asked, how great a benefit we receive from prayer itself, as prayer. A person who has learned to talk with God in prayer, as one who talks with God should talk, will finally be like an Angel: his soul is freed from the bonds of the body, so his thought is highly elevated, so transferred to heaven, so does not listen to anything worldly, so he stands before the very throne of the king, even if he were poor, even if he was a servant, even if he was simple and unlearned. 78) God does not require from the person praying beauty of speech and skillful composition of words, but spiritual warmth and zeal. If in such a disposition he speaks before Him what is pleasing to Him; then he will depart from Him, having received everything. Do you see how convenient it is? It happens to people that when approaching someone with a petition, they need to choose special words. But here nothing of the sort is unnecessary; but have a sober mind and nothing will stop you from being close to God. “God draw near, I am,” says the Lord, and not God from afar” (Jer. 23:23); so if we are far from Him, then the reason for this is ourselves, and He is always near. – But what am I saying, that here you don’t need to worry about art in words? Often there is no need for a voice. For if in your heart you only express your need to Him and call on Him as you should, then even in this case He will hear you. This is how He heard Moses, this is how He heard Anna. 79) This is an image of prayer pleasing to God! Having approached God with a sober mind, with a contrite soul and streams of tears, do not ask for anything worldly, look for the future, beg for spiritual things, do not pray against enemies and do not hold grudges against anyone, drive out all passions from your soul, lament your sins, keep your inner self in order, express readiness for any kind of compliance and to turn your tongue only towards good things. other speeches, do not get involved in any business, either by consent or assistance, have nothing in common with the common enemy of the universe, i.e. with the devil. For in this way you will be righteous; and being righteous, you will be heard, having righteousness as your intercessor. 80) “Be gracious to me and hear my prayer” (Ps. 4:2). What are you saying? I mentioned truth above, but here you turn to generosity and mercy? – And what could be the sequence here? – Great and very consistent with the previous one. For even though we have done countless good deeds, we are heard because of our generosity and love for mankind; Even though we have ascended to the very top of virtue, we are still saved by grace. From here we learn that with righteousness it is necessary to have a contrite heart. If someone is a sinner, but begins to pray with humility - which is already a part of virtue - then he can receive a lot; on the contrary, if someone is a righteous person, but approaches God in prayer with pride, he will lose all benefits. The publican and the Pharisee taught us this and that by their example. Learn from the publican, do not be ashamed to take as your teacher someone who has done the work of prayer so beautifully that he has achieved everything with words alone. Since his soul was well prepared; even one word was powerful enough to open the sky for him. How was she prepared? He cursed himself, hit himself in the chest, and did not even dare to raise his eyes to heaven. If you pray in the same way; then you will make your prayer the lightest feather. 81) Prayers are heard not simply, whatever they are, but prayers performed according to the law of God. What are these? Those in which they ask for what is fitting for God to give, and do not ask for what is contrary to His laws. Who, you say, is so bold as to ask God to do something that is contrary to His laws? He who prays against his enemies: for this is not in accordance with the law laid down by Him. He says: release your debtors (Matthew 6:14). And you call upon the very one who commands you to forgive your enemies. Could there be anything worse than such madness? The person praying must have the appearance, thoughts, and feeling of a supplicant. Why do you take on another face, the face of an accuser? How can you be forgiven of your own sins when you pray to God to be the punisher of the sins committed by others? So let your prayer be meek, quiet, with a welcoming and benevolent face. Only such a prayer is worthy of the ear of the Heavenly King, worthy of heaven - only such is the language of angels. When she begins to ask for those who have insulted and offended, then the angels standing by listen to her in great silence, and when she falls silent, they do not cease to applaud her, praise her and marvel at her. When we approach God in prayer, let us not think that this is an ordinary spectacle. No, this is such a spectacle, the audience of which is the whole universe, especially the host of the heavenly Powers on high, and among them the Heavenly King, ready to hear our prayer. Let us perform it in such a way that it turns out to be worthy of this spectacle. Let no guitarist, no lyricist be as careful in preparing to perform on stage for fear of making any unpleasant sound as we are when intending to enter the spectacle of the Angels. With a plictor (with which the strings are struck), may we have a language that does not utter anything unpleasant, but only harmonious and harmonious, with the proper mood of the soul. By approaching God, asking Him and begging, we will also propitiate Him towards our enemies: then, praying for ourselves, we will be heard. 82) “Sons of humanity, how long will the heart be heavy?” (Ps. 4:3). The Prophet calls the sons of men people who are devoted to the cares of everyday life and inclined towards evil. Therefore, what does it mean – “heavy heartedness”? Carnal, tied to the earth, prone to evil, given over to vices, corrupted by voluptuousness. What can make the soul light? A wonderful life, such as not to get carried away by anything here, and not even to attach anything to your feet that pulls you down. Of material objects, some usually tend downwards, such as stone, wood and the like; and others - upward, such as. fire, air, fluff, light in nature. If you attach something that weighs down to a light thing, then its natural lightness will not help it at all. The same happens with the heart. By its nature it was created light and tending upward, but we, contrary to its nature, make it heavy, tying it to the ground. Let us not make it heavy, lest it sink, like a ship that has too much cargo. 83) Why are many people not heard? Sometimes because they ask for useless things: in this case, not being heard is better than being heard; and sometimes because we ask carelessly: in this case, God, through the slowness of giving, teaches us to be diligent in prayer. God knows how to give and knows when to give and what to give (Matthew 7:11). – And Paul asked and did not receive; because he asked for something useless (2 Cor. 12:8); and Moses asked, but God did not hear him either (Ex. 32:32). So let us not retreat when we are not heard, let us not become discouraged and weak, but continue to ask with zeal; because God works everything for good. 84) “Whatever you say in your hearts, be moved on your beds” (Ps. 4:5). What do these words mean? - During the time following dinner, he says, when you are going to bed, when you are getting ready to go to bed, when in the absence of everyone there is great calm, when no one bothers you and there is deep silence: you begin the trial of conscience, demand an account from it, and what vicious thoughts you had during the day, composing deceptions, or constructing feats for your neighbor, or allowing depraved desires, put all this on display during such calm, make conscience the judge of these vicious thoughts, cut them off, judge, punish the sinning soul. Let this be every day, and do not first fall asleep, man, until you think about the sins you committed during the day; Then, no doubt, the next day you will not be so quick to attempt such a thing. 85) “It is fitting that the sun should be preceded to give thanks to You” (Wis. 16:28). With a king, you would not allow anyone inferior to you to bow to him before you; and here, when everyone is already worshiping God, you are still asleep, you yield primacy to the creature, you do not warn all the creatures created for you, and you do not give Him gratitude, but, getting up and washing your face and hands, you leave your soul unclean. Or don’t you know that just as the body is cleansed with water, so the soul is cleansed with prayer? So wash your soul first. Many stains of evil stuck to her. Let's wash them away with prayer. If we protect ourselves in this way from the first hours after waking up, we will lay a good foundation for our daily activities. 86) The furnace will not flare up if you do not add fire, and lust will not flare up if you do not give it food: you will not stare at handsome faces, you will not go to shows, you will not fatten the flesh with satiety, you will not drown the mind in wine. – And that’s enough, you say? No, this alone is not enough, but something else must be added: unceasing prayer, communion with saints, consistent fasting, constant abstinence, tedious idleness - and above all the fear of God, remembrance of future judgment, unbearable torment and promised blessings. By observing all this, you can curb your raging lust. 87) You must always remember that you must not only pray, but pray in such a way as to be heard. For prayer alone is not enough to get what we want if we do not send it in the way that pleases God. And the Pharisee prayed, but received no benefit, and the Jews prayed, but God turned away from their prayers; because they did not pray the way they should pray. What is needed? What is needed are tears, sobs, sighing, removal from wicked people, fear and apprehension of God's judgment. I will say in general: we will be heard if we prove worthy of receiving what we ask; if we pray in accordance with God’s laws about prayer; if we pray unceasingly; if we do not ask for anything unworthy of God; if we ask for something useful; if we do what is due on our part. Thus many were heard: Cornelius was heard for his life; Syrophinikissa - for persistence in prayer; Solomon - for a worthy subject of petition; the publican - for humility, others - for something else. We are not heard when we ask for useless things, also when, while praying, we do not forsake our sins, and also when we ask for vengeance on our enemies. 88) Do the prayers of saints have power or are they unnecessary and in vain? No, they are not in vain, but they have great power when you help them. So St. Peter resurrected Tabitha not through his prayer alone, but also through her alms. In the same way, the prayer of the saints helped everyone whom it helped. But this only happens here on earth, and there it is not so - there your salvation comes from works alone. 89) “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord” (Ps. 129:1). What does from the depths mean? Not just with the lips, not just with the tongue: for words can pour out without thought, but from the depths of the heart, with great zeal and zeal, from the very foundations of the soul. Such prayers have great power and strength, they do not scatter and do not waver, even if the devil attacks with great audacity. Just as a strong tree, which has deeply sunk its roots into the earth and embraced its bowels, resists every gust of wind, and a tree that stays on the surface falls down at the slightest breath of wind, is uprooted and falls to the ground: so similarly, prayers emanating from the depths of the soul, and having a root in its depths, remain strong and unflagging and do not waver, even if they approach, countless thoughts and all the horde of the devil; and prayers that come from the lips only and from the tongue, but do not originate from the depths of the soul, cannot even ascend to God, due to the indifference of the heart to them. Whoever prays like this, his mouth makes a sound, but his heart is empty and his mind is idle. 90) He who prays from the heart, even before receiving what he asks for, already receives great benefits from the very act of prayer. Such prayer tames all passions, humbles anger, drives out envy, suppresses lust, weakens love for worldly things, brings great peace to the soul, and ascends to heaven itself. Just as rain, falling on hard ground, softens it, or like fire softens iron, so such prayer, even stronger than fire, and better than rain, softens and waters the soul hardened by passions. The soul itself is tender and receptive: but just as the water of the Danube often petrifies from the cold, so our soul hardens and becomes stone from sin and carelessness. Therefore, we need a lot of heat to soften its hardness. This is primarily accomplished by prayer. And so, when you begin to pray, then worry not only about getting what you ask for, but also about making your soul better through prayer itself. 91) “In the night lift up your hands in holiness” (Ps. 133:2). Why did he say: “In the night”? Wanting to teach us not to spend the whole night sleeping, and to show that then prayers are purer when the mind is lighter and there are fewer worries. If one must go to the sanctuary at night, then think about what kind of forgiveness one can receive who does not pray at home at this time. The Prophet lifts you out of bed and leads you to the church, commanding you to spend the night in prayer; and even if you stay at home, you don’t do this. 92) What does it mean: “I will sing to You before the Angels” (Ps. 137:1)? – I will try to sing along with the Angels, I will compete with them, rejoice along with the heavenly Powers: although I am different from them by nature, I will try with my zeal to become equal to them. 93) We are especially heard when our prayer is pleasing to God. Next, it is up to us to be heard. When we ask for what God is worthily able to give, when we ask with diligence, when we ourselves make ourselves worthy of receiving, then He hears the prayer and gives what we ask for. 94) “I will bow down to Your holy church” (Ps. 137:2). It is no small virtue when someone can enter a church and, upon entering, bow with a clear conscience. The point is not just to enter the church and kneel, but to enter with a zealous soul and an attentive mind, so as to remain in it not only with your body, but also with your soul. 95) “Lord, I have called to You, hear me” (Ps. 140:1). The Prophet does not express that in order to be heard, one must have a loud and strong voice; but he means here an internal appeal, which is uttered by an inflamed heart and a contrite spirit, which, uttering, Moses was heard. Just as a person who calls with a loud voice strains all his strength, so one who calls with his heart strains all his mind. Such a proclamation is required by God; an appeal that comes from the heart and does not allow the singer to have fun and look around. There are many people who stand in prayer and do not cry out to God; their lips cry out to God and pronounce the name of God, but their minds do not pay attention to a single word. Such a person does not cry out or pray to God, although he seems to be praying to Him. 96) “Do not turn my heart into words of wickedness, and do not bear the guilt of sins” (Ps. 140:4). To sin is evil; but an even graver evil is to deny it after committing a sin. This in particular is the weapon of the devil. So it was with the primitive people. Whereas Adam should have confessed his sin, he places the blame on his wife, and she then blames it on the devil. While he should say: “a sinner, a lawless one,” others are not only not recognized, but also constitute an excuse. For the devil, knowing that confession of sin is deliverance from sin, inclines the soul to shameless stubbornness. But you, beloved, when you sin, say: I have sinned. In this way you will appease God and make yourself slower to sin. 97) “I have remembered the days of old, I have learned in all Your works... I lifted up my hands to You” (Ps. 143:5, 6). He did not say: he stretched out, but: “he sighed,” wanting to express the strong disposition of the heart, which was striving, as it were, to break out of the body and move away to God. Inspired, he says, by the recollection of great events, thinking about humanity, about admonition through misfortunes and the peace that comes from getting rid of them, I resorted to You. - “And my soul is like a waterless land to You.” Just as the parched earth thirsts for rain, so I desire to be constantly with You. 98) The prayers of saints alone will not help if we ourselves do not make ourselves worthy of hearing and do not pray. Making this clear, the Prophet said: “a brother will not deliver” (Ps. 49:8), be he Moses, be Samuel, be Jeremiah. For listen to what God himself says to St. Jeremiah: Do not pray for these people; - for I will not hear you (Jer. 11:14). And don’t be surprised that I don’t want to listen to you. Even if Moses and Samuel joined you, I would not listen to your prayer for these people (Jer. 15:1). So Moses prayed for his sister, but was not heard. “Let’s not look at others while we ourselves have given up.” The prayers of the saints have great power, but only when we ourselves repent and demonstrate a good life. If we ourselves are negligent, then through others we will not receive anything and will not be saved. God is more ready to give us what we need for the sake of our prayer than for the sake of the prayer of others. I say this not because we should not pray to the saints, but so that we do not indulge in negligence, and, giving in to sleep and carelessness, do not lay everything on others. 99) Such is the property of spiritual fire that it does not allow us to have an attachment to anything here, but fills us with love for the other world. The one who loves him, even if it were necessary for his sake to lose all his property, even to part with all joys and glory, even to give up his soul, he will do all this willingly and without delay. For the warmth of that fire, having entered the soul, overthrows the burden of laziness, and makes everyone the lightest of the pen. Such a one, having finally despised everything, remains in constant contrition and tenderness, always shedding abundant sources of tears, and in this finding sweet consolation. Nothing cleaves to God and connects with Him like tears. Such a person, living in the middle of a city, seems to be in the desert, in the mountains and caves, not listening to anything real, and not finding satiety in crying and tears, whether he pours them out for himself or for others. 100) “Whenever you pray, go into your closet” (Matthew 6:6). But before even closing the door of your cell, the Lord wants you to close the doors of your mind and heart. When you begin to pray, then, leaving everything behind, look to the One Who has the power to grant you what you ask for. If, having left Him, you wander everywhere and spin your mind, then you will leave empty-handed. If this happens to you, then even if you enter the cage and close the door, it will not do you any good. Let us not limit our prayer to the position of the body, but rather let us send it out from a burning heart, with all calmness, tender contrition and tears. “But your soul hurts and you can’t help but cry out?” “But it is especially natural for someone who is grieving to pray as I said.” And Moses grieved in soul, but prayed in this way, and was heard; why did the Lord say to him: “Why are you crying to Me?” (Ex. 14:15). And Anna again, with her voice inaudible, asked for what she wanted, because her heart was crying out. You too moan like them, I don’t forbid it. Strip, as the Prophet commanded, your heart, and not your clothes (Joel 2:13). Call on God from the depths of your soul, imitating St. David, who says: “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord” (Ps. 129:1). Raise your voice from the depths of your heart, keeping your prayer secret. You stand in the choir of Angels, you are a fellow member of the Archangels, and you sing with the Seraphim. But all these great hosts observe decorum to God, the King of all, reverently sending up their secret hymns. Assimilate yourself to them by praying and compete with their mysterious beauty. You do not pray to men, but to God, who exists everywhere, who hears your cry first and knows the secrets of your heart. since He Himself is invisible, He wants your prayer to be the same. 101) Let us always thank God. For it is extremely inappropriate to actually enjoy His benefits every day; not even to confess His grace in a word, and, moreover, when such a new confession again brings us good. God needs nothing of ours, but we need everything of His. Thanksgiving does not add anything to Him, but makes us more our own to Him. If, keeping in mind the good deeds of people, we warm ourselves more strongly with love for them; all the more, constantly remembering the countless good deeds of our Master and Lord to us, let us become warmer towards Him and more zealous for His commandments. This is why Paul said: “Be grateful” (Col. 3:15). Observing the gift of a good deed is the best memory of the good deed and truly everlasting thanksgiving, which is manifested by deed. And the Holy Mysteries of Christ, terrible and full of saving powers, celebrated at every church meeting, are called the Eucharist, because they are a remembrance of many and great blessings, and they themselves demonstrate the primacy and height of Divine care for us. To be born of a virgin is a great miracle; then sacrifice for us, where, at what level of height will we place it? How do we call the crucifixion for us and the shedding of His blood, and the gift of Himself to us as food and spiritual saturation? Let us continually thank Him. May thanksgiving always precede our words and deeds. Let us give thanks not only for ourselves, but also for others. Through this we will destroy envy in ourselves, and we will make love the closest and most sincere. For it will no longer be appropriate for you to envy the one for whom you offer thanks to the Lord. Why does the priest, before the terrible sacrifice that lies before him, call upon us to thank God both for our former and present fathers and brothers. This removes us from the earth, and takes us to heaven, and makes us Angels from men. For the Angels, forming a choir, thank God for His blessings poured out on us, singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). What do they care about us when they are not on earth and not human? But they show us an example and teach us to love God’s fellow servants and consider their good as our own. This is why Paul, in all his epistles, thanks God for his good deeds to the entire universe. We will always thank God for our blessings and for the blessings of others, both great and small. Even if what is given is small, it is great because it is given by God. Nothing that comes from Him is small; but also such benefits from Him that are great in nature, and not only because they are from Him in abundance, outnumbering the sand. Leaving aside everything else, what can compare with the economy of our salvation? Who was more precious to Him than all, the only begotten Son, He gave Him for us, the former enemies, and He did not only give Him, but He gave Him and offered Him to us at the table, Himself doing everything for us, both in order to bestow, and in order to make us grateful for the gift. Thinking about this, where will we find worthy words to express complete thanksgiving? Feeling is more comprehensive than words and mind, but even it cannot reach the height, depth and breadth of this ineffable good. 102) He who listens or reads the word of God and loves conversations about spiritual subjects brings great and saving benefits to the soul. By taking care of this we can please God, and our lips, when we exercise them with spiritual conversations, will not be defiled by reproaches, condemnation, obscenity and curses. We will become terrible for demons when we arm our tongues with such conversations. We will attract the grace of God to ourselves to a greater extent, and our gaze will become more penetrating; sight, mouth, hearing and all members will learn to serve God truly, to say and do what is pleasing to Him. Send unceasing songs of praise and thanksgiving to him. Just as the body, enjoying clean air, becomes healthier, so the soul, nourished by these activities, becomes wiser. 103) Many people say: when we are here in church and take what we hear to heart, then we come to our senses; and as soon as we leave here, we become different again, and the fire of jealousy in us goes out. How can we prevent this? Eliminating what is causing it. And where does it come from? Because when we leave here we do things we shouldn’t and spend time with bad people. After leaving church, we should not take up matters that are indecent to the church, but when we come home, we need to take the book of Scripture, and together with our wife and children, bring to memory what was said, and then begin the affairs of everyday life. If, having left the bathhouse, we do not want to go to the marketplace, so as not to lose the benefits of the bathhouse there; Shouldn't you be much more careful about this when you leave the church? But we do the opposite, and as a result we lose everything. What was useful in what was said has not yet been established in us, as a strong whirling of external objects, rushing into us, overthrows everything and throws it out, and leaves only emptiness in the soul. 104) Not only should we ourselves be diligent about fulfilling the commandments, but we should also call upon help from above, which will certainly come and facilitate our deeds and make everything easy for us. Why did the Lord command us to ask and promise that the request would be fulfilled? However, he commanded not just to ask, but with great care and effort. For this means: “seek” (Matthew 7:7); since whoever is searching, having thrown all other thoughts out of his head, only strains his attention to what he is looking for, and does not think about anything extraneous. This is what the Savior means by the word: “seek.” And having said: “push,” he shows that one must proceed with strong determination - ask with patience and persistence, so that even if He does not open the doors of mercy soon, one should not despair, not give up, but wait with hope. And so ask with patience, and you will certainly receive. 105) No one should be ashamed of the venerable sign of our salvation - this main thing of spiritual blessings - we live about it, we are about it. But as a crown, we will wear the Cross of Christ; for by him everything is accomplished in the matter of our salvation. Is it necessary to be born again - the Cross is inherent; Whether to be fed with this mysterious food (body and blood), or to be ordained, or to do something else, this sign of victory lies ahead of us everywhere. Therefore, with all care we inscribe it on houses, and on walls, and on doors, and on the forehead, and on the heart. For the Cross is a sign of our salvation, common deliverance and mercy of our Master. Therefore, when you are marked by the Cross, then imagine its full meaning, extinguish anger and all other passions. When you are marked by the Cross, fill your forehead (mind) with complete hope and make your soul free. For one must not simply depict it with one’s fingers, but especially with one’s will and complete faith. If you depict it like this on your forehead; then not one of the unclean spirits will be able to approach you, seeing the sword with which he was wounded, seeing the weapon from which he received a mortal wound. Do not be ashamed of such a good thing, so that Christ will not shame you when he comes in His glory, and when this sign appears before Him brighter than the very rays of the sun. This sign, both during the time of our forefathers and now, opened closed doors, took away the power of harmful substances, invalidated poison and healed the deadly stings of animals. Imprint it in your mind and embrace this salvation of our souls with your heart. This Cross saved the universe, drove out error, restored the truth, turned the earth into heaven, and made people Angels. By his power, demons are no longer scary and death is not death. By the cross, everything hostile to us is overthrown and trampled under foot. 106) How is it possible, you say, that we, being here, stand before the throne of God on the mountain? Just as Paul, while on earth, was where the Seraphim and Cherubim were. If we want, it will be possible for us too. For if the Lord were a distant place, then you would have reason to doubt; if He is omnipresent, then He is close to everyone who directs their mind to Him. Therefore, the Prophet said: “I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Ps. 22:4); and God Himself says: “I am a God who draws near, and not a God from afar (Jer. 23:25). And it is said about Him: while I was speaking to you, He said: “Behold, I have come” (Is. 58:9). What father has ever been so attentive to his children? You have not finished your petitions yet, he says, but God has already heard and is approaching you. Let us always call on Him as He wants. 107) Some people talk in church while prayer is being said. Oh, impudence! How can we hope for salvation? How can we appease God? – Just as on a lyre, composed in a variety of ways and together harmoniously, from the improvement of each of its component parts euphony occurs: so here, too, one harmonious harmony should be composed of all. For we constitute one Church, harmoniously combined members of one head; we are all one body; if one member is neglected, then the whole body is neglected and corrupted. Thus, the decency of all is violated by the outrage of one. – Don’t you know that you stand with the Angels? Do you sing with them, send praises with them, and, standing here, laugh? The King is coming, the army (heavenly) is watching; and you laugh before their eyes? When will those who laugh at such a terrible hour refrain from laughing? When will those who speak during a blessing refrain from idle talk? Aren't they ashamed of those present? Don't they fear God? It is not enough for us to be mentally inattentive, it is not enough for us to have our thoughts wandering all over the place while praying; we bring more laughter and laughter. Is this a spectacle?! 108) When St. Peter was imprisoned and sentenced to death, the night before all the believers gathered together and prayed for him (Acts 12:5). Where are the wives now who sleep all night? Where are the men who don’t even want to turn around on their bed? Do you see how alert their soul is? With their wives and children and maidservants they sang, having become purer than the sky through grief. There is nothing brighter than the church of that time. Let's imitate her, let's compete. The night was not given for us to sleep and be inactive all of it. Witnesses to this are artisans, mule drivers, traders, the Church of God, rising in the middle of the night. Arise, you too, look at the course of the stars, at the deep silence, at the great silence, and marvel at the works of your Lord. Then the soul is purer, lighter and more cheerful, it is especially capable of soaring and ascending; The very darkness and complete silence are very conducive to tenderness. Kneel, sigh, and pray to your Lord to be merciful to you. He especially bows to mercy with night prayers, when you make the time of rest a time of weeping. Remember the king who says about himself: “I am weary with my groaning, I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears” (Ps. 6:7). And in another place: “At midnight I arose to confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness” (Ps. 119:62). Do the same for you, the husband, and you, the wife. Let your house become a church. Do not consider the fact that you are only one husband, and that she is only one wife, to be an obstacle to this. “For where there are two... gathered together in My name, I am in the midst of them,” says the Lord (Matthew 18:20). And where Christ is, there are Angels and Archangels and other Powers. Therefore you are not alone when the Lord of all is with you. If you have children, then raise your children too, and let the whole house become a church during the night. There is nothing more beautiful than a home in which such prayers are performed. 109) But when I say: dedicate part of the night to prayer, another may say: I am very tired during the day and cannot. This is an excuse and a pretext; for no matter how much you work, you will not work harder than a coppersmith, who, working with such a heavy hammer and being saturated with smoke all over his body, nevertheless spends most of the night in this. And you wives who go to the meeting know how easily they spend almost the whole night without sleep. So let you also have a spiritual forge, to build not cauldrons and frying pans, but your soul, which is much better than any product made of copper and gold. Throw her, outdated from sins, into the furnace of repentance; hit her like a hammer with confession of sins; ignite the fire of the Spirit. This kind of art is much better. You are not building vessels of gold, but a soul more precious than all gold. You are not preparing a material vessel, but you are freeing the soul from all worldly cares. Let a lamp stand before you, not this burning one, but the one that the prophet had with him, as he himself says: “The lamp of my feet is your law” (Ps. 119:105). Ignite your soul with prayer. If you see that it is already quite hot, take it out and treat it as you wish. Believe me, it is not so much fire that destroys the rust of metal as night prayer that destroys the rust of our sins. 110) Why did Christ himself spend the whole night on the mountain (Luke 6:12)? Is it not in order to set an example for us? Let us imitate Him, at least in part, so as not to be adorned with His name in vain. When, tell me, do plants regain their strength? During the night. Then, especially, the soul has an even greater need to receive dew into itself. What is caught in the sun during the day is refreshed at night. Night tears, better than any dew, descend on wishes and on any ardent kindling, and do not allow anything harmful to be tolerated. If it is not nourished and refreshed by this dew, then over time it will all burn out. 111) Another says: we maintain a church, our services go on as usual, we gather and pray. What else?! - All this is good; but we should not boast about this alone, but if this increases piety among you, if every time we leave church home profitably, having collected more or less fruits. Has anyone become a better person by going to church so many times? This is what you need to take care of. When you are in church meetings, prophets, evangelists, and apostles talk to you - and they all offer you saving dogmas and convince you to correct your morals. What then? To what extent have these lessons entered your life? A warrior, coming to the place of training, becomes more skilled in military affairs; a wrestler, coming to the spectacle of wrestling, becomes more experienced in wrestling; a student of medicine, coming to a teacher, becomes more knowledgeable, learns more, learns more; What benefits do you gain from being in church? Or do you consider just going to church to be the height of piety?! No, that’s not enough. The church is like a dyehouse; If you always leave without receiving any color (without accepting good intentions), then what is the use of coming here often? I rejoice that you often go to church; but I ask and implore you, try not only to come to church, but also to go home, having received some kind of medicine against your passions. 112) In ancient times everyone came together and sang together: we do this even now; but then in all “there was one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32), and now even in one soul such agreement is not visible, but everywhere there is great warfare. And now the head of the church wishes peace to everyone, but while the name of peace is repeated often, the deed itself (peace) is nowhere to be found. Then houses were churches, and now the church has become a house, or even worse than any house. In the house you can see all sorts of decorum; the mistress of the house sits on the seat with all decorum, the maids spin in silence, and each of the household has in his hands what has been entrusted to him. And here there is great noise, great disorder; our meeting is no different from a hotel; here there is the same laughter, the same noise as in the baths, as in the marketplaces, where everyone shouts and makes noise. And this only happens here; and in other places in the church it is not allowed to even say a word to someone nearby, even if someone has met a long-unseen friend - and quite rightly so. The Church is not a shop, not a marketplace, but a place of Angels, a place of Archangels, the kingdom of God, heaven itself. If someone opened the sky and led you into it, then you would not dare to talk, even if you saw your father, even your brother: just like that, you shouldn’t talk about anything here: for here is heaven. If you don’t believe, then look at this meal, remember for Whom and why it was set: think about Who comes here, and fear even before that time. Whoever sees only the king’s seat immediately becomes sober in his soul, awaiting the king’s exit, so you too, even before the terrible time (of the sacrament), fear and remain awake, and even before you see the raised curtains and the preceding host of Angels, ascend to heaven itself. 113) What do many people say? – I don’t hear what is being read, I don’t understand what is being said. But this is because you talk, because you make noise, because you do not come with a soul filled with reverence. I don’t understand, you say what is being read. But that’s why you should be careful to understand. Don't you understand what is being said? Pray to understand. Or better said, it is impossible that you do not understand everything; because much is understandable and clear by itself. But even if you don’t understand everything, in this case you should remain silent, so as not to drive out those listening attentively and so that God, seeing your silence and reverence, makes what is unclear clear to you. But you can't remain silent? Go out so as not to harm others. One voice must always be heard in the church, since it is one body. 114) Let us carefully gather in church for prayer and pray for each other. By doing this, we will fulfill the commandment (James 5:16), and we will succeed in love, and we will learn to thank God more diligently. For whoever thanks God for the benefits shown to others will thank Him all the more for his own. This is what David did; for he says: “Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Ps. 33:4). We must do the same thing - preach the good deeds of God before everyone, in order to excite everyone to glorify God. Let us pray in advance to the saints so that they thank God for us, but we ourselves will thank Him for each other. True, this is a special duty of priests; why, when approaching God, we first give thanks for the universe and for the common good. But everyone should take part in this thanksgiving for everyone. For although everyone in general is affected by the good deeds of God, you, however, are among everyone who received salvation. So, although the Lord lit the sun not for you alone, but for everyone; however, you use it as much as everyone else. Why do you owe the same gratitude that everyone should give to Him together? 115) One must always have the judgment of God before one’s eyes, and all – the most violent – ​​passions will be silent. In the same way, during prayer we can maintain sober attention if we remember with whom we are talking. Take care, do not allow a single thought to occupy your soul at this time. Prayer is a sacrifice to God. Remember that Abraham, during his sacrifice, did not allow either his wife, or his slave, or anyone else. So don’t keep any passion to yourself; but alone, detached from everything, climb the prayer mountain. If any of the unworthy thoughts are intensified by you to ascend this mountain, forbid them this, as their lord, and say: “Sit here, and I and the offspring, having bowed, will return” (Gen. 22:5). Leave everything that is dumb and unreasonable - both the donkey and the slaves - at the foot of the mountain; go up, taking with you only what is reasonable, like Abraham Isaac. Just like him, build the altar, renouncing everything human and becoming higher than your nature; for even he, if he had not risen above his nature, would not have decided to slay his son. So, let nothing disturb you at this time, but be higher than the heavens themselves. Weep and groan bitterly, offer confession of sins and heartfelt contrition instead of sacrifice. These sacrifices do not turn into ashes, do not disappear with smoke; They don’t need either wood or fire, they only need a tender heart. This is firewood, this is fire that embraces the firewood with flames, and does not burn them. For whoever prays with fiery zeal burns and is not consumed, but like gold tempted by fire, it only becomes purer and brighter. 116) From the grace of the Spirit, says the Apostle, “your hearts sing to the Lord” (Col. 3:16). He commands not only to sing with the lips, but also with the heart: for this actually means singing to God, and even to the air, since the voice spreads in the air. You can sing like this anywhere. Even if you are in the marketplace, you can turn inside yourself and sing to God there, without being heard by anyone. So Moses prayed and was heard. “Why are you crying to me?” God says to him (Ex. 14:15). And he did not say anything in words, but cried out mentally with a contrite heart. Nothing prevents you from praying with your heart and being in grief during the journey. “And whatever ... do in word or deed, all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father” (Col. 3:17). If we do this, then where Christ is called, there will be no place for anything vile, nothing unclean. Whether you eat, drink, or go on a journey, do everything in the name of God, that is, calling on God for help. Get down to business, having first prayed to God. Do you want to say anything? Do it first. Do everything in the name of the Lord, and everything will go well for you. 117) “When I remembered you on my bed, I learned from you in the morning” (Ps. 62:7). Although one should always remember God, but especially when the mind is at rest, that is, at night. During the day, even if you try to remember God, the worries that come erase this remembrance, but at night you can remember constantly: then the soul is in peace and tranquility. One should remember God during the day; but here you are amusing yourself with everyday affairs. Therefore, remember God, at least on your bed, meditate on Him in the morning. If we do this in the morning, then we can safely go out to do our business. We need weapons, and prayer is a great weapon. Let us have an all-night vigil every night; Let us try not to be ridiculed when we go out during the day. The hero himself sits before us at the right hand of the Father, listening carefully to see if we say anything obscene or unnecessary, for He is the judge not only of our deeds, but also of our words. 118) Christ performed prayers, having no need for prayer, but wanting to teach you to be constantly attentive to prayer, to perform it unceasingly, soberly and with great alertness. By vigilance I mean not only to wake up at night, but also to be sober in prayer during the day. A person is awake in prayer when his soul is directed towards God, when he thinks about the one with whom he is talking and to whom his word is being spoken, when he keeps in mind that the Angels also stand before Him with fear and trembling, and thereby revives his reverence. Let us be diligent in prayer. It is a great weapon if it is done diligently, without vanity, from a sincere heart, and especially with humility. If we pray with humility, if we beat ourselves on the chest like the publican, if like him we cry out with contrition: “God, be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13); then we will get everything. We need to repent a lot, beloved, to pray a lot, to endure a lot, to show a lot of zeal in order to receive the benefits promised to us. The original title of this collection: “Patristic instructions on prayer and sobriety or attention in the heart to God.” To the author's text of the collection (from St. Basil the Great to St. Barsanuphius and John inclusive), the publishers added quotes about prayer from the letters of St. himself. Feofan. You might be interested in: