36. Слово в день тезоименитства государя императора Александра Николаевича (О благочестии наших предков. Что такое дух мира? Необходимость воспитания молодого поколения в духе веры и благочестия, противоположным духу мира)

Turning now with prayers to the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, we ascend mentally to the heavenly abodes and cannot help but contemplate there with him all the other faces of the saints who passed there from the earth and rejoice there with unspeakable joy. There are our saints, priests and monks, princes and princesses, boyars and warriors - a whole cloud of the sanctified, whom our Orthodox Church has revived and educated and who, overshadowing us and helping us in every possible way, call on us to unswervingly adhere to the path they have traversed and led them to such a blissful end. How comforting and inspiring such contemplation! Descending from there, I think to the earth, to the times when they lived on it, like us, to be filled with a new consoling thought. How brightly did piety shine everywhere in the days of our fathers! Then it was as if heaven was on earth (in Kyiv at one time there were up to 30 miracle workers), and everyone walked the path of heavenly life without hindrance. Then all orders, all everyday relationships and customs were arranged in such a way that even those who did not want to were involuntarily disposed towards good. Piety did not hide, it was a shame not to be pious, and wickedness did not dare to appear openly in the hundreds of cities and villages. Turning after this to yourself, to our time, you will ask, is this how things are going with us and among us? We, the heirs of the property of our fathers, famous throughout the world for piety, do we keep this pledge properly? Our fathers, praising God, could speak to the Apostle: now salvation is closest to us; Can our time boast of this advantage, which in many other ways surpasses past times? And in general, what spirit reigns today? We propose this question not out of curiosity and not out of passion to condemn everything, but because whatever the spirit of the time is, such are we for the most part, and therefore, we will either be saved or perish by its influence. They say that every time has its own spirit, suggesting that there are many spirits as there are many times. But the God-enlightened mind of the Apostle sees only two spirits: the spirit of the world and the Spirit who is from God. “We,” he says, “have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God.” (1 Cor. 2:12). Which of these two is dominant today? Looking at what is happening around us, we can decisively answer: now the spirit of peace is beginning to dominate among us, that spirit that was conquered by our Lord Jesus Christ and must be conquered by His power and through us. The waters of the flood of wickedness are rushing towards us and are ready to swallow us all. Let us be sober and watchful. Would anyone think that by saying this, we are frightening you with ghosts, exposing you to unprecedented dangers, pointing out an enemy, a strong one, perhaps somewhere else, but not here. God willing, it would be so! And may this destructive spirit depart from us to the ends of the earth, and may his name not be remembered among us! But look at what is happening around, and you will see that the enemy is facing us face to face, is already breaking into the ranks of our army and causing great confusion and devastation in it. For what is the spirit of the world? 1. The spirit of the world is the spirit of enmity against God. This is what the Apostle James says: “Do you not know that all the things of the world are enmity to God? Whoever desires to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). Enmity against God - what a terrible word! The human spirit cannot tolerate such an arrangement. With the consciousness of the existence of God - omnipotent and omnipotent - only Satan and his hordes can take up arms against Him. Reverence for God is so deeply imprinted in the heart of man that, refusing to work for Him, he rather forgets Him, or tries to convince himself that He does not exist, rather than, believing in His existence, decides to rebel against Him. Knowing this, our enemy does not frighten people with such desperate suggestions, but first arranges everything in such a way as to only displace from their memory every thought about God and, teaching them to act contrary to the will of God, to keep them in the deceptive conviction that they are not arming themselves against Him. Then from forgetfulness of God he transfers them to unwillingness to have God, and from here to doubts and final unbelief. In a soul that has forgotten God, the consciousness is clouded by the smoke of vanity, the heart is corrupted by all kinds of vicious inclinations and passions, the head is filled with absurd concepts from listening to absurd speeches and reading empty books, but in the corrupted soul it is natural to desire that there should be neither God - the Judge and the Rewarder, nor the time of judgment - the future life, nor even the face of the judged - the immortal soul. To the one who doubts and hesitates, superstitious wisdom comes to the aid, knowing how to interpret everything in its own way, and godlessness takes root in the mind and heart of the peace-lover. Among the lovers of peace, look for those who love God. And so those who have tasted the spirit of the world do not think about God and Divine things, do not speak, do not write, but live as if there were no God: they even consider it indecent to remember this in their circle. There is among them a class of people with purified, as they say, concepts, who do not consider it shameful, on occasion, to let go of a sharp word about our holy convictions and deeds of piety, which every month publish huge ones, we, read by tens of thousands, where they talk about everything except God, decide everything without the participation of a higher power, wise and good, and decide on everything without feeling the need for Divine assistance and in prayerful appeal to God, where if according to out of fear they do not openly spew out blasphemous unbelief and atheism, then they are not afraid to pour the poison of doubt and hesitation in faith into inexperienced souls with various twists of speech. Is it surprising that coldness towards the faith and the Holy Church is spreading among them, neglect of its holy statutes, alienation from them, a desire to abolish and destroy them simply because they proclaim so strongly about God and the future life; Is it surprising that they have such a general forgetfulness of God - the Creator and Provider, a criminal thought that one can be without God (that is, understand, explain and arrange everything), that there is not even a God, and everything is built by itself? Is this somewhere between us, brethren? – If there is, then the spirit of peace begins to settle among us. 2. The spirit of peace is the spirit of mutual cooling, division and enmity between people, in contrast to the sincere and deep unity that should reign between true Christians. When someone, carried away by the spirit of the world, falls away from God in mind and heart, he naturally stops at himself and, setting himself as an end, turns everything around him - both things and persons - into a means for his goals. Self-love (egoism) is an inaccurate beginning of life according to the spirit of the world. Anyone who tastes even a little of this spirit begins to attract everything to himself, to set himself apart from others, to live and act independently—dominantly. That is why coldness and indifference to each other, mutual apprehension and suspicion, a common fear that keeps everyone in a defensive position, intrigues and searches for preparing rebuffs to supposed undermining of personal benefits - this continuous secretive warfare with the visible specter of reciprocity and agreement required by decency, constitute the characteristic features of those living in the spirit of the world. That is why, further, where the spirit of the world penetrates, there society becomes a pile of sand, without internal connection, held in one place by external fences and ready to crumble as soon as these last ones are gone. And they talk about community (commercial or philanthropic) in it; but this is the ghost of unity, which at the first clash of interests immediately disappears and, after displeasure and indignation, turns into open hostility and enmity. And so you see that among us, among those who are carried away by the spirit of the world, mutual coldness is spreading, brotherly love is drying up, husband and wife, children from parents are beginning to separate, houses are being undermined by houses, childbirth is being undermined by childbirth, and classes are arming themselves against classes: the laity are growing cold towards the clergy, the lower classes from the higher classes, secular scientists from spiritual scientists and vice versa... everywhere separation is taking place... Lord! Are these Your disciples to whom You said: “They will lead you to this, just as My disciples are, if you have love for each other!” (John 13:35) Is this so with us, brothers? If so, then we agree that the spirit of the world is beginning to overcome us! 3. The spirit of the world is the spirit of all-round lusts, for “everything in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of desire and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16), says the Apostle. Here he seems to be himself in person, or at least in his representatives, the most tactile, the most seductive. When, having fallen away from God, someone stops at himself and makes himself his goal, it seems as if he becomes a master and master, but in reality he turns into a slave of his sensual needs and passions, which, with the uncontrollability of fierce beasts, cry out for satisfaction and drag him, like a bound slave, to their favorite objects, not allowing him to come to his senses and come to his senses in order to see where and where he is striving. The eye requires a variety of colors, pictures, natural and artificial, the ear - pleasant sounds, singing and music, taste - a variety of delicious dishes, touch - soft fabrics and light clothes, other needs - other pleasures that have no end; all this is diversified under the influence of vanity, voluptuousness and worldly pride, and everything fits into the tone, into the condition of life, into the law, hiding behind naturalness, which as if nothing can and should not be denied. And here we have open parks, spectacles, theaters, musical evenings, home performances, living pictures, concerts, balls, fireworks, pleasure gardens everywhere, where everyone is invited without distinction of gender and age, without distinction of Sundays, holidays and fasts. Hundreds of hands are busy describing and pictorially depicting all this, in hundreds of sheets of newspapers and magazines where they vie to present it all in the most attractive and seductive colors. All this is before our eyes. You see how the spirit of the world overcomes us and, stripping us of the chaste robe of Christian life, clothes us in the shameful rags of lustful deeds and customs. 4. The spirit of the world, finally, is the spirit of persecution and persecution of everything holy, heavenly and Divine. “If we were quicker from the world, the world would love its own; Because you were chosen out of the world... for this reason the world hates you” (John 15:19) says the Lord. The world that is hostile to God cannot tolerate anything that bears the stamp of Divine origin and reminds of God; Therefore, it oppresses and drives out of its area the works of faith and piety. The Prince of Peace seemed to have issued a secret command so that no one should dare to appear in his kingdom with such matters. And so everyone, albeit reluctantly, listens to him and is afraid to openly reveal their faith. Persecution of works of faith - in the Orthodox kingdom!! Surprisingly, this is how it is. Someone is chasing them and pursuing them everywhere, although no one can definitely identify the persecutor himself. For judge what is happening among us and even by ourselves?! You are walking down the street, you come across the Church of God, you would like to stop and make the sign of the cross, but your hands do not serve you, and you pass the Church of God like that. Do you feel that someone has bound you with shame and has not allowed you to reveal your reverence for the church of God? Isn't this embarrassment? Another person happens to be sitting in a conversation, in a circle of educated people, he would like to start talking about God and the works of God, but he is afraid to even hint about it. Someone ties his tongue and imposes silence on his lips. Isn't this some kind of prohibition? Another undertakes to describe some incident: he clearly sees the hand of God working in him, but does not have the courage to expose it and hides the truth of God, fearing someone. Isn't this persecution? Others would like to consecrate some enterprise with church prayer, but are afraid to do it publicly, so they either leave this consecration completely, or do it secretly, so as not to be seen. Others desire to talk and partake of the Holy Mysteries - even during Lent; but he is afraid to do this holy deed openly, so he either hides with him or leaves him out of instability. There are people who are ashamed to go to the church of God and, having come to the church, behave as befits a Christian. What is all this if not persecution? If they are afraid to appear in society, in front of everyone, with deeds of faith and piety, this means that they are excluded from the list of permissible deeds, that they are being persecuted and persecuted. The persecutor is invisible; but persecution is visible and experienced by everyone. Who is this invisible one? This is the spirit of the world, bringing secret fear to everyone. The Prince of Peace threatens anyone who dares to appear in his area not with his business. And that’s all, according to the magic word: what they will say, not knowing who will say what, they are afraid to openly reveal their holy faith in their deeds. And words and deeds, according to the spirit of the world, appear openly on hailstones. They are not ashamed or afraid to create them, they are like at home (Ps. 54: 1-11). Isn't it obvious that the spirit of the world overcomes us and we bow before it? But is this how it should be among us, to whom the Lord said: “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world?” (John 16:33). And where is the victory that conquered the world—our faith?! Behold, brethren, what a pernicious atmosphere is forming around us! You know, see, experience all this. Let us also recognize the danger of our situation, the danger that the destructive elements of the spirit of the world are multiplying around us in such abundance, and we will be sober and vigilant. The beauty of the world never approaches its victims in its own disgusting form and under its own vile name, but always dresses itself in some attractive clothing. Some things here are covered up by higher education and tone, others by the consciousness of one’s dignity and the need to stand up for oneself, others by the demands of nature or the age, by living conditions, by detachment from prejudices, and so on. True, these masks are not so beautiful that they could captivate the sensible, and these veils are not so opaque that the abominations of the world cannot be seen through them. But they can be charming. The spirit of the world is bewildering (infuriating). In his actions, he is like such an infectious air that takes away consciousness and strikes to death before anyone has time to feel its harmful attack. Let's be careful! Let us remove ourselves from this environment and let us not allow ourselves to be touched by its uncleanness. Let us depart not in body, but in spirit, for otherwise we would have to leave the earth, when everything seems to be filled with the same spirit—let us depart not by running, but by resisting. Living together with people filled with a worldly spirit, we cannot help but meet this spirit face to face; but we will meet it not with the humility of obedient slaves and not with the cowardice of the powerless and desperate, but with the zeal of true Christians. The Lord calls us to fight. Let the difficulties and inconveniences of this feat not frighten us. Let us not forget that every time has its own conveniences and inconveniences for salvation. But neither inconveniences take away salvation, nor conveniences provide it by themselves. Everything depends on the inclination of our will and the desires of our heart. Even though the spirit of peace now prevails in everything, and the prince of peace dominates almost everyone around us, yet he dominates those who want to submit to him and tyrannizes over those who voluntarily give themselves into his slavery. If we don’t want (we won’t desire passionately), he won’t overcome us; we resist, and he will retreat from us. And the more of us who resist him, the more his area among us will shrink; and if we all unanimously rose up and said to this seductive spirit of the world: get away from us, we don’t want to know your ways, then there would be no trace of him left either in our families, or in our cities and villages, or in our entire kingdom. Let us stand, brothers, having girded our loins with the truth - in the armor of righteousness, with the shield of faith, in the helmet of the hope of salvation and with the sword of the word of God - and courageously begin to fight the spirit of the world, which is spreading everywhere and trying to swallow everything. Let us contrast this spirit of God-forgetfulness and unbelief by walking in the purifying fear of God, living faith and living by faith, keeping our minds from hesitation and doubt and our hearts from passionate hobbies, praying for the enlightenment of those who already have the misfortune of being entangled in the seductive and illusory networks of a God-fighting and unbelieving world. To the spirit of worldly mutual coolness and division, let us contrast brotherly love for each other, without distinction of titles and conditions, - love in our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us, as children of one Father, born of one Spirit in one font, one incorruptible food - nourished by the Body and Blood of the Lord, contained in the one fence of the Church and one undoubted hope animate. Let us contrast this all-round carnal lust with sobriety, abstinence in everything and self-mortification befitting Christians, believing that our paradise is not on earth, but in heaven, where our Lord and Savior sits at the right hand of God and waits for all who labor to preserve life according to His Spirit. Let us drive away this cowardly timidity and timidity to walk openly in matters of faith and piety with unshakable confidence in our righteousness, believing that we walk and fight under the banner of the One who is worse than anyone else in the world, and in whose trust the Church, inspiring us all, sings: be of good cheer, be of good cheer, people of God: for He will prevail. enemies, like omnipotent. But our good works should not consist of personal withdrawal from the spirit of the world and resistance to it. We also need to think about the future. Just as we ourselves received part of the good prepared by our predecessors, so we, in turn, must take care to prepare a good inheritance for future generations. How is this? – Through the education of the young generation living among us in the spirit of faith and piety, contrary to the spirit of the world. The Prince of Peace, leaving behind firm and experienced men and elders, turns his deadly and pernicious eye primarily on youth, so that, having corrupted them, he can expand his area in the present and prepare for himself zealous workers for the future. But where there is more danger from the enemy, there it is necessary to build fortresses. Pay all your attention, brothers, to the upbringing of your children and protect them from being carried away by the spirit of the world. The evil we are talking about is not yet so comprehensive. It is growing and will continue to grow from generation to generation because in young years it manages to infect people with corruption, which can be difficult to heal in old age. On the contrary, it should be diminished, reduced in volume and completely cease if, while leaving outdated peace lovers to leave the stage of life, we protect at least the young from this infection, strengthening them in faith and virtue. May the Lord give parents, educators and everyone in whose hands the education of our youth is in charge, this good thought and zeal to bring it to fruition. This alone, and, it must be said, this alone, can we expel from among us the destructive spirit of the world that has already taken root among us. Most of all, let us shed tears of prayer to the Giver of every good gift - God and our Lord Jesus Christ, the Conqueror of the world, may He raise up among us good workers, zealots of faith and piety, and may He lead them to His work, so that with living words, and writings, and deeds they will enlighten our minds, improve our lives and drive away the charming intoxication brought upon us. us by the flattering (deceptive) spirit of the world. May the most pious Sovereign Emperor Alexander Nikolayevich, who cares so much about our good, grant His wisdom and strength, in accordance with His good will, to protect us and our upbringing, and the order of our lives from this pernicious spirit through the prayers of the holy blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky and all the saints. Amen. You might be interested in: