73. Продолжение. Раз данный обет безбрачия должно держать твердо. Высота девства

I hasten to add something else to you about the same thing. The Holy Apostle Paul, who planted the faith of Christ in Corinth, fearing that the Corinthians might deviate onto some wrong path, wrote to them: “I am jealous... for you with God's jealousy: for I have betrothed you to the One Man to present a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his wickedness, your minds will also be corrupted from the simplicity of Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2-3). I am also jealous of God for you, as you can see from the very beginning of our conversations. Behold, you stand before Christ the Lord - a pure virgin who has given herself up to Him! But your betrothal to the Lord was not made by me. It settled in spite of my efforts and even my intentions. Writing to you, I did not have anything in mind about how to set you up for a structure of truly Christian life - a strong structure, in which, as on a safe boat, you could sail across the uncertain sea of ​​temporary life. However, something more happened. And thank God! You had a natural predisposition to do this—God gave it. God's grace blew over him. And that’s the solution! Solution! But the matter is still far away. How many accidents can occur that can turn everything upside down. Therefore, you cannot help but be afraid, lest your mind decay from simplicity, lest the enemy deceive you with his wickedness, as the serpent once deceived Eve. May the Lord deliver you from such accidents. However, if it is always necessary for the servants of Christ to be sober and watchful (1 Pet. 5:8), to watch and pray (Matthew 26:41), all the more necessary is this for you now, after the intention you have accepted. I can’t tell you anything definite except: be on guard. An enemy can attack instantly. Write quickly then. Meanwhile, stand. Deeply root the conviction that the way of life you choose is blessed by God. The Savior approved him with the word about the eunuchs “for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:12). He gave preference to him, saying about Mary, who sat down at His feet and listened only to His word, that she chose the “good part”, chose that which is “the only thing... needed” (Luke 10:41-42). You see bright examples of it in the person of many prophets and apostles, the holy Forerunner of the Lord, and especially the Most Pure Lady Theotokos - the purity of a friend and source. May Her Mother's Protection always overshadow you. Virgins are a special subject of Her care. Virgins, like virgins, were established in the Church of Christ back in the time of the Apostles and from that time they constantly remain in it and will remain as long as the Holy Church stands, that is, until the end of the age. For this kind of life is not alien to our nature, and is favored by the spirit of the faith of Christ. In Corinth, many virgins did not want to get married, loving Christ the Lord with all their love - to all souls of one husband. The fathers turned to St. Paul with the question of what to do. St. Paul advised them to give their daughters freedom to work for the Lord without forcing them to marry. The fathers obeyed this advice, and the virgins remained virgins. Other Churches followed the example of the Corinthians, and virginity blossomed everywhere. In other places, virgins gathered to live in one house - they worked and prayed to God, without entering into communication with others. Many of these were crowned with martyr's crowns, as their authentic lives testify. See what kind of host you are entering into, whose footsteps you will follow, whose cover you are overshadowing and whose word you are listening to. See, when you take hold of your head, don’t turn back. Confirm the words of the Apostle about those who have refused marriage and turn it around in your mind more often: “she who has not committed marriage,” that is, who has not married, “cares for the Lord’s things, how to please the Lord, that she may be holy in both body and spirit” (1 Cor. 7:34). There is nothing to talk about holiness in the body. But one cannot help but talk a lot and care a lot about holiness in spirit. You can instantly lose it. “Beware how dangerously you walk” (Eph. 5:15). What to watch out for? The heart, so that it does not cleave to anything: not only to the face (there is nothing to say about this), but to no thing. Any such attachment will be a violation of your betrothal to the Lord, unfaithfulness to Him. And He is jealous. And he strictly exacts from the hearts that are unfaithful to Him. I am not writing this to intimidate you. What a power Fear is! But I remind you of the case that you yourself may sometimes have to admonish yourself with fear if others do not accept admonition. We cannot rely on our jealousy and constancy. Today it is, but tomorrow who knows what will happen. So, know how bad it will be if you deviate from what was intended. You might be interested in: