34. Слово на успение Пресвятой Богородицы (Успение Богоматери – упование перехода к жизни вечной. Смерть – общий удел, а слава по смерти – достояние веры чистой и живой)

Throughout the Christian world, the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos is brightly celebrated because, after the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord, it is the closest and living assurance of the glory predetermined by those who believe in the Lord. Look at the Dormition - and you will understand what the hope of our calling is, and when you understand, you will not regret anything to acquire it. Here is an icon! - The Mother of God has left. She is surrounded by lamenting apostles. But immediately the Lord, surrounded by Angels and all the saints, descends and receives Her most pure soul into His arms. So it was with the Matter of God. But She is the Mother of all of us, and she renewed this new path of transition from this life to another, so that after Her, all Her sincere (neighbors) would then be transferred to God in the same way, and so that in due time She could testify: these are the children. Death is a common destiny, and glory after death is the property of faith, pure and living. Contemplating this glory and the immutability of its promise, and how the assurance of this influences the structure of our spiritual life, the Apostle Peter could not resist crying out: “Blessed be God... He has begotten us to a living hope for an inheritance that is imperishable and undefiled and does not fade away, kept in heaven for our sake” (1 Pet. 1:3). The pagans had no hope, according to the assurance of the Apostle Paul. The hope of the inheritance of eternal life has become a distinctive feature of Christians and the strongest support for moral strength to endure all the labors and hardships that are inevitable in life by faith in the Lord. This link has fallen out of the chain of human spiritual movements. And so the Lord inserts it, and restores the spirit that has fallen into despair. He resurrects in Himself, lifts up to heaven and places human nature at the right hand of God and the Father, having previously certified that “where” He is, “there” and His servant “will be” (John 12:26). Then in reality he imagines everyone moving to the glory of their Mother and ours. Finally, He repeatedly revealed this to the apostles and many saints, and all in order to imprint as palpably as possible not only the thought, but also the feeling of glory, even to this day. A new spirit of life filled the believers who entered into this promise. They ceased to live on earth and for earth, having residence in heaven, according to the direction of the Apostle, as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. That is why everyone could certify with the word of the Apostle: who and what will separate us from the Lord? - Nobody and nothing. They also felt sorrow when they were in sorrowful circumstances; but they endured sorrows, but rejoiced in hope. Living in the world, they themselves had and saw others having what they considered good in the world; but everyone counted their skills (considered them rubbish) for the hope that was set before them. It was difficult for them to be firm and not act in life by faith; but they overcame all difficulties, out of the hope that the faithful in a few will be placed above many, that for the sake of Whom they endure, with Him they will be glorified (2 Tim. 2, 12, Rev. 21, 7). So this is where the key of life is in Christ Jesus our Lord! In living hope! Should I invite you, brethren, to “grace for the hope that is set before us” (Heb. 6:18), so that you may have it as an anchor of your soul, firm and known (reliable). I would like you to respond to this call with reproach: aren’t we Christians? One might rejoice at such a reproach. But what, even the word about hope will be answered by a perplexed question from the heart: what is hope and what is it for in life? – This will mean that the word of hope is both incomprehensible to the mind and inconceivable to the heart. At least know that if the temporary sweetness of sin, or not sin, imperiously attracts, if encountered troubles weaken the spirit and give rise to grumbling, if labor in fulfilling duties required or sanctified by faith - alone - kills zeal for them, then this is a clear sign that hope - this heavenly mover - was not part of the circle of our spiritual life, that this heavenly guest did not visit our souls. For when he visits, he rearranges everything in his own way and makes his presence obvious. When the house is illuminated, this is clearly visible to everyone by the light emanating from the windows. Thus, when the house of our soul is illuminated by hope, this light cannot hide, but immediately reveals itself in neglect of carnal and worldly pleasures, in complacency and peace of mind, despite any external opposition, in constant unquenchable zeal to work for the Lord, in the circle in which it is placed, despite any labors. Whoever has this, we can say that he was born into Living hope; in whom it is not, he is invested in hopelessness and is, as it were, godless in the world. If we examine ourselves properly, how many of us should be included in this last class? – Despite all this, it is rare that one will agree to consider oneself not a real, not a complete Christian. Hope is the most subtle feeling. To our consolation, the image of his acquisition is simple and tangible. If you want to be adorned with hope, begin to work for the Lord by fulfilling his commandments, and you will give birth to hope and grow in it. Just as a servant, faithful to the master, is confident that the master has favored him and will not leave him in any way, so one faithful to God cannot help but carry a feeling of His favor and confidence in the readiness of rewards on His behalf. On the contrary, a son loses confidence in his father’s benevolence when he transgresses his explicit will in some way, just as the hope of those who lived holy is extinguished when they deliberately violate the explicit commandment of God. It happens in life that a believer begins to work for the Lord. This work gives birth to hope. Hope, in turn, kindles even more zeal for pleasing God. Intensified pleasing to God again strengthens hope. And in this way they support, strengthen and grow each other, until finally everything internal and external that has been sacrificed becomes hope - and God Himself will fill the whole person with hope (Rom. 15:13). And what could be more blessed than this, when the heart gives evidence that God is no longer only our hope, but also the taste of glory! May the Lord grant us, brethren, an abundance of hope, so that having it, we can act with greater boldness (2 Cor. 3:12) and show this diligence, again, to make known the hope even to the end (Heb. 6:11), “so that we may be heirs of eternal life” (Titus 3:7). Amen. You might be interested in: