Глава 2. Святитель Димитрий о возрождении человека к духовной жизни. Божественная благодать и личное участие человека в деле спасения

The highest and main goal of shepherding is the salvation of human souls, concern for the restoration of the image of God in fallen human nature, guidance on the path of truth, which consists in spiritual care. All the writings and sermons of Saint Demetrius are imbued with this paternal concern, in which the main idea is about the great calling of man to become a joint heir of eternal life and glory in the Kingdom of Heaven. To achieve bliss and unity with God, it is necessary to make efforts, overcome the difficult path to salvation in a constant struggle with the forces of evil and one’s own sinfulness, and lay the beginnings of Christian virtues as the foundation of one’s salvation. Being an experienced mentor and preacher, Saint Demetrius knew how to convey his spiritual impulse to his listeners, kindled gratitude and love for the Savior in their hearts, and awakened a desire for moral revival. When presenting the issue of the spiritual and moral renewal of human nature, Saint Demetrius in his works draws the attention of pious readers to the high destiny of man, starting from the time of his creation. Even in the eternal Council of the Holy Trinity, it was decided to create a person, “for whom (God) created and arranged the entire universe, prepared for him a special, most noble, most beautiful and worthy place on earth, like a royal city, who should become the king of the whole earth, a blessed paradise, I say, planted in the east” 27. Of all earthly creatures, only man was honored by the gift of the image of God. In the Chronicle and in the Search, the saint explains what the image and godlikeness of man consists of. “The image of God and likeness is not created in the human body, but in the soul, for God does not have a body. God is an incorporeal Spirit" 28. The Lord endowed man with properties similar to Him, “... and He created the human soul disembodied, similar to Himself, free, rational, immortal, participating in eternity, and united it with flesh” 29. Human nature is dual. By his material essence, by his body, man belongs to the entire created world, has much in common with it, but in his soul he bears the image of the Creator, and can and is called to become like Him. The image of God in the human soul is revealed and visible in its properties: just as the soul is invisible, so God is also invisible, it is rational, just as the Creator of the world is the God of intelligence, the Giver of wisdom. God is in three Persons, and the soul has three powers: mind, word and spirit; just as the soul is in its body, so God is present everywhere in the world 30. The soul is a rational being that gives life to the body; as a reflection of the Divine, she is alive - and God lives forever 31. In human nature, the image of God is wisely united with bodily nature, and at the same time has the opportunity to communicate with the Creator, and therefore the saint calls it “most God-like” 32. “The soul is the most God-like nature, that is, it is closest to God, has the image of its Creator” 33. “Let it be known to you,” the saint teaches, “that the image of God exists in the soul of an unfaithful person, but the likeness exists only in a virtuous Christian” 34 . Therefore, a person who loves his Savior and God never transgresses His commandments, strives to remain in holiness, and becomes like the Creator. But if “a Christian commits a mortal sin, he loses only the likeness of God, not the image. And if he is condemned to eternal torment, then even then the image of God remains with him forever, but there is no longer any likeness in him” 35. One of the manifestations of God’s love for man is the freedom given to him by the Creator, which the Lord does not limit in any way: “if God allowed and did not prevent both the devil and man from sinning, then this is because God does not violate free will” 36 . And even in terms of a person’s personal salvation, God does not act violently over his freedom. “It is not in vain,” the saint writes, “in one place God says to the sinner this: I was able to create you without you, but I cannot save you without you... If you yourself do not want salvation, if you yourself are running away from eternal life, if you love your destruction more than salvation, then neither My wisdom, nor My mercy, nor My omnipotence will help you” 37. Sin has taken such hold of human nature that no one except God is able to restore it to its original purity. For Adam’s sin alone, all the Old Testament righteous could not give satisfaction to the truth of God. “After Adam’s crime, paradise was closed to the human race, and no one could open it for five thousand years. Everyone, even the holy saints of God, at the end of this temporary life went not to heaven, but to hell” 38. Sin is a great evil, resistance and disobedience to the will of God, it removes a person from his Creator, deprives him of sonship and grace. “King God is angry with that man whom He created, enriched with His grace, loved like a father a son, and for whom He has prepared eternal blessings in heaven,” but who, having despised such great mercy, “the love and goodness of his Creator, begins to transgress His commandments... From this let us understand how great the evil is sin, since it can be the cause of such great disasters” 39. But God’s love did not deprive humanity of hope for deliverance from sin and death, “for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29) 40. One Son of God could repay the debt to Divine justice, give “satisfaction to God the Father through His voluntary suffering for universal sin and open the entrance to heaven with the cross” 41. The priceless human soul was redeemed at the price of the blood of the Son of God: “The soul has as many centuries as the blood of the Son of God has... Drain the blood of the Son of God, and you will hang the integrity of your soul” 42. Praising God’s wisdom, Her providential action for the salvation of mankind, the saint resorts to images from sacred poetry: “The human soul is the only daughter and bride of Christ our Savior. Daughter, for He raised her from death to life through His Blood. Bride, for He united with her in such a strong union of love that He did not refuse to die for her love. It is not in vain that the Song of Songs says: “Strong as death is love” (Song of Songs 8, 6).” The saint considers the spiritual and moral uprising and justification of man a miracle higher than that which the Lord performed over the four-day-old Lazarus. It is possible for every repentant sinner who runs to the feet of the Savior because the image of God is still preserved in man. “Now it is clearly visible how much greater the triumph and miracle of Christ is to resurrect the soul of a sinner who has died in his sins than the miracle of resurrecting a four-day-old dead man... Lazarus died again, although many years later. When He resurrected the soul of a sinful woman who was crying at His feet, this soul was already immortal” 43. The image of God is manifested in the ability of will, when a person freely chooses which path to follow: to eternal death or to life with God, to holiness and eternal bliss. This is the idea of ​​human personality. The rise from death to a godlike life leads a person to moral rebirth and perfection. The value of the human personality lies in its free choice and achievement of perfection, to which the Creator calls every person. The soul is blessed because it can transform from “the likeness of hell into the beauty of heaven” 44. Saint Demetrius distinguishes three stages of spiritual and moral state on the path of spiritual renewal and improvement of a person, his ascent to God. “If a person has abandoned sin, but does not enter into a struggle with it, then he belongs to those who work for God “out of fear of torment”, do good, fearing punishment. This is the rank of slavery, work without a heartfelt attraction to God. The second rank is mercenary work, labor in the hope of payment or reward of the Kingdom of God. The third rank is those who work “for God for the sake of God’s love itself.” These include those who “neither seek retribution nor fear torment, for perfect love casts out fear” 45 . The spiritual and moral sermons and teachings of the saint give a complete and comprehensive understanding of the process of human rebirth and the action of God’s saving grace in him, and reveal the doctrine of salvation. Man receives from God the gift of salvation through the grace of God, poured out through His infinite love for people. Saint Demetrius bases this view of salvation on Holy Scripture, which indicates that man inherits eternal life from God, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). From the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the saint, confirming this, it is clearly seen that God's grace is the supernatural saving power of the Holy Spirit, sent down to the Church for the sake of the redemptive feat of Christ the Savior. “The Father sends Him, according to the words of Christ the Lord spoken to the Apostles: “The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” (John 14:26)” 46. The Church, like a tree, watered with grace-filled gifts, blossomed, and, like leaves, was adorned with saints 47. It follows that for a Christian, the grace of God is necessary, for it enlightens the soul. What the soul itself is to the body, so is grace to the soul. “As long as a person holds on to God, his Creator and Giver of Life, by whom he lives and moves and exists, until then he is not a dead soul before God, until then God lives in his soul, until then grace revives him. But as soon as a person turns away from God and from a virtuous life, then God immediately separates from his soul, departs from him with His life-giving grace” 48 . It revives the soul, imparts to it both its action and its properties 49 . The saint expresses the idea that human salvation is an unceasing action of God’s grace, without which there is and cannot be salvation. The grace of God makes the soul a temple of the Holy Spirit and makes it an heir to heavenly bliss. “The grace of the Holy Spirit is for us either a shining fire or a cooling cloud. No one can enter the land rightfully without the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit... Those sailing towards eternity through the sea of ​​this world benefit from the wind of the Holy Spirit, without which all our efforts, all our preparations are all in vain and inactive” 50. Salvation without the grace of God cannot be achieved because it strengthens a person in saving virtues, frees him from sinful inclinations, God affirms, “helps us in every state, whether we are in grace or in sins: if in grace, then it believes that we will not suffer as a result of falling away from it; gives affirmation to those who come from sin, so that they do not fall away from it again” 51 . Salvation, according to the saint, is created by the grace of God, and without it, virtues will not help a person to be saved 52. The saint sees various actions of God's grace, providentially given to a person at a certain stage of his salvation. “Prevenient” grace guides the path of salvation and promotes success. She comes like the wind into an earthly cave, settles in a purified heart, shakes it and encourages it to piety 53 . “Accompanying” grace helps in sorrows, so that we “with gratitude accept from the hands of God all kinds of mental and physical sorrows” 54. “Consequent” grace strengthens our will in goodness, supports us in remembering our Creator and our own imperfection 55 . “Confirming” grace promotes success in the fight against carnal lusts, “gives strength to begin divine works and confirms us to always remain in the service of God, in zeal and grace” 56. Without grace, a person is powerless to be saved: he becomes bitter and no longer cares about his soul 57. But it does not invade the soul spontaneously, does not force the will of a person who is stuck in sins. “As long as a sinful person remains in sins without repentance, so long he remains in darkness and does not have the light of God’s grace. When, having come to his senses, he begins to repent, God’s grace immediately begins to shine in his heart.”58 Pointing out the importance of God's grace in the matter of man's salvation, the saint also draws attention to the necessity of the person being saved's own efforts. The decisive factor is a person’s free choice: to repent and do God’s will, goodness, or remain in sin. Neither the wisdom of God, nor His mercy, nor omnipotence can resurrect the soul of a sinner unless he himself desires and takes a counter step. While he is in a sinful sleep, he is on the path of destruction; sinners “who completely despaired, turned to stone in their hearts, and abandoned God and gave themselves up to the enemy... through this they have already written themselves down in the perilous book of those condemned to hell” 59. The first condition for salvation is repentance and faith, for “the Lord is near to all who call on Him” (Ps. 145:18). Those who repent, we can boldly write among the saints and call them new saints 60. The saint's works contain many instructions and teachings about the path of salvation leading to unity with God. As an experienced shepherd, Saint Demetrius confidently says that there is only one path to God - the path of sorrows and trials, along which the Lord Himself walked, who predicted to His disciples that they would not be able to avoid it: “In the world you will have sorrow... You will weep and lament, and the world will rejoice, you will be sad...” (John 16:33-20). However, He dissolves these very sorrows with joyful consolation: “But your sorrow will turn into joy... and no one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:20–22). “Don’t we read in books, don’t we hear in stories, don’t we see how it actually happens that everything that happens by God’s permission from the world, the flesh and the devil to God’s servants: all disasters, sorrows, persecutions, insults and even bitter death are transformed for them into eternal glory, praise, into endless life and into heavenly crowns” 61 . This is the lot of those who walk the narrow path to the Kingdom of Heaven. According to the saint, although there are great trials and difficulties along this path, which require a lot of effort to overcome, this is a sign that the Lord cares about our salvation. “By God’s permission, man suffers for his sins many disasters, misfortunes, embarrassments, loss of friends and children, depletion of property; this is a hammer striking the heart and saying: come to your senses, make peace with God” 62. Salvation is available to every person, regardless of his position in society and vocation. The world is like a stormy sea in which everyone is a swimmer. “Our life is a swim in the sea of ​​peace. The swimmers in the common ship of the Church and the kingdom are people of faith, great and small, dignified and common people. Opposite winds, storms, waves - these are many different and varied disasters in the world" 63. Due to the multiplication of sins, iniquities, untruths, due to the lack of repentance and virtues, the sea of ​​life is troubled. “As long as that Judas, that is, sin, habitual sin, is on the ship of our life, until then we will not have any good, until then we will be overwhelmed by waves of disasters and evils” 64. On such an unsafe voyage, the saint advises leading the boat of salvation along the royal path: “If you have nothing of good deeds, you will capsize in the abyss of temptation. If you begin to lift a burden above your strength, you will soon be overwhelmed by exhaustion or pride. If you work and strive to the best of your ability, you will remain free from disasters. Know that the royal path is moderate exploits, a moderate life and a clear conscience. Thus, little by little, from virtue to virtue, you will ascend to heaven, as if on a ladder, and you will be in paradise” 65. According to the saint, God and man himself participate in the spiritual renewal and salvation of man. God promotes the salvation of man by His grace, strengthens him in good deeds, and man must create the fruits of repentance with his virtuous life, because the Lord said: “Not everyone who says to Me: Lord! God! He who does the will of My Father in heaven will enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 7:21). From these words, it is clear that the matter of saving a person requires constant feat. Here on earth there is an opportunity to bring repentance and grow its fruits, to receive forgiveness from God. To enter heavenly Jerusalem, it is necessary to begin the procession from Olivet, where these fruits grow in the spiritual garden. “Let everyone be like a fruitful olive tree, bringing their spiritual fruit to God. “The fruit of the Spirit,” says the Apostle, “is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23). Let a person do something good, the saint continues, fasting, prayer, almsgiving, let him leave a debt to his neighbor; forgive the sin of the one who saddened him, let him leave behind all evil deeds, repent and, turning away from evil, begin to do good. All this is spiritual fruit pleasing to God, and man himself is “a fruitful olive tree in God’s house”" 66. According to the saint, our Lord Jesus Christ gave the parable of the barren trees for the instruction of those who have faith and prayer, but do not work to fulfill the will of the Lord. Therefore, he advises calling on the Savior for the third time: “Lord!.. You see all my labors of repentance in satisfaction for sin, you see my humility and my work. Prayer and repentance without labor are unclean bread, full of chaff. He is not brought into the heavenly granary" 67. For the shepherd, virtues are the instrument and means by which he leads his flock to salvation and which help to put off “the old man with his works” (Col. 3:9) and put on the new, which “is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:10), so that “what is mortal may be swallowed up in life” (2 Cor. 5:4). In his spiritual and moral works, the saint expounds church teaching about the basic Christian virtues, their interaction, and gives pastoral advice and instructions on ways to acquire them. To master virtues, successfully fight sin and achieve perfection, it is necessary to make efforts, perform feats, plant and cultivate a spiritual vineyard. Divine grace leads a Christian to the Savior, who taught people the perfect law of faith and morality, saving for the whole world and for all times. High and glorious is the face of the apostles, prophets, teachers, saints, virgins and other saints, “and our Lord Jesus Christ appeared as an example for all of them” 68. Gradually, the image of Christ is imprinted in the soul of a Christian. The purpose of imitation of Christ is to achieve a close union of man with God, just as God Himself was united with human flesh in His incarnation 69 . This unity must be so monolithic and strong that it will never be separated from Christ, just as He was forever united with us. The Death and Resurrection of the Redeemer of the world laid a solid foundation for our resurrection. Christ sacrificed Himself for us and thereby healed us from spiritual death and mental illness. He is the Source of our resurrection and eternal life. And a Christian must still here on earth unite with Christ, so that his earthly life becomes the beginning of heavenly life. The merciful Lord, who wants everyone to be saved, knocks on human hearts, and a person’s future depends on his free choice: to respond or drown out this call. The work of Divine providential action is manifested in the sending down of grace, and consent and desire to accept it with faith are required from a person. Christian virtues and means on the path to salvation The main content of the Christian faith lies in the free and conscious acceptance by man of the Gospel teaching about God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, about Divine love for fallen humanity and the redemptive feat of the incarnate Son of God. The source of saving faith is Divine grace, which confirms a person in God 71. No one from the human race can independently come to the knowledge of God and believe in His Only Begotten Son without grace-filled help from above. “No one can draw to Me,” Christ says to His disciples, “unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44). Saint Demetrius, according to Divine Revelation, teaches that the Holy Spirit, the Source of all goodness, sends down faith to humanity, like “a dove with an olive branch” 72. The Lord gives people faith as a means of understanding Divine truths hidden from the human mind. The saint gives the following definition of faith: “Faith is that which your fleshly eyes do not see, nor your hands touch, but your heart, your mind undoubtedly affirms within itself that it is so and not otherwise” 73 . By faith, various secrets and laws of the world are revealed to man, in which man sees his place and calling. “To know God is all the happiness of a Christian, all spiritual joy, all hope for salvation and even salvation itself... Faith knows God, knows that there is a God in heaven, that the whole earth is filled with Him” 74. Faith is necessary for humanity to know God, but when “the worthy come to God, then there will be no need for faith, for face to face they will see Him in whom they, while living on earth, believed without seeing Him” 75 . Evangelical faith is, first of all, faith in Christ as the Son of God, who descended to earth for the salvation of the human race. Therefore, no one can be justified and receive salvation before God without Christ, without faith in him. “She... what we do not see with our bodily eyes, we are undoubtedly convinced of by faith and see as if it were an existing thing. Bodily we do not see Christ the Lord, but by faith we undoubtedly see Him everywhere.” 76 The Holy Scriptures and the Gospel call a person to God and teach him to follow the teachings and life of the Savior - the ideal of spiritual perfection. Faith is the basis of man’s saving activity, the beginning and engine of his spiritual life in God: “Faith is youth without old age, for Enoch, delighted with it, still lives and has not grown old. Faith is a living, bloodless sacrifice, for by faith Abraham offered his son Isaac as a living sacrifice... Faith is an intelligent eye, for it knows how to bless Jacob, and how to bless Esau. Faith is a prophet, for with it Joseph predicted the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. Faith is the bottom of the sea that carried Israel dry. Oh, how many great praises of the holy faith the Apostle wrote! Let us also look carefully at how the Apostle ends his praises. Faith, he says, is the only salvation for a sinner or a sinner: “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish” (Heb. 11:31)” 77. The perfection of faith has a relationship with the inner, spiritual growth of a person. Perfect faith encourages him to live according to the Divine commandments, directs his will and strength to fulfill the will of God. Therefore, spiritual perfection and salvation are impossible without perfect faith, expressed in deeds and deeds, for “what is the benefit for a Christian only to believe in Christ, but not to have Christian deeds? What is the use of only praying to Christ, but transgressing His commandments... If you say that Christ is with you, and you are with Christ, then show me this in your life, as the Apostle says: “Show me your faith by your works” (James 2:18)” 78. Faith teaches a Christian to maintain piety and be virtuous in various conditions. Faith consoles in sorrows, helps in illnesses, strengthens in trials. Faith is the first virtue and path 79. “Therefore,” says the saint, “the forefathers are called righteous, because with their faith in God, which they had, they did not do, nor said, nor thought a lie, never offended anyone, nor slandered, nor lied, and did not commit any untruth, either in word or in deed... What are our exploits? What are our works against their righteousness alone? 80. True faith, assimilated in the mind and heart, is the guiding principle of the life of a Christian. It has a decisive influence on the will of a person in his conscious striving towards the path of salvation. Only living and active faith, bearing the fruits of Christian piety, is pleasing to God. Such faith is the foundation of the real, God-like life of a Christian, the “dove” of the gospel, the harbinger of his future glorified state in eternal life. Pointing out the meaning of true faith, the saint instructs: “Faith has as much as a person believes. He who believes little receives little, and he who believes more receives more. Whoever believes that the Providence of God will be accomplished in him, it will happen, but whoever does not believe, it will not happen. So, choose for yourself whatever you want to receive from the hands of the Lord: it is better to seek eternal than temporary blessings” 81. As you can see, the impoverishment of faith comes from negligence. Those who wish to inherit salvation must maintain and strengthen their faith in Christ, not follow the lust of the flesh, and not cling their hearts to the world, glory, riches and honors of this temporary life, for “there is no temporary happiness in which one could not drown. He (the Apostle Peter) was saved by the hand of Jesus not only from drowning in water, but also from drowning in unbelief, and after that he was already the firmest in faith. You see, Peter, what your desire has brought you... to be better, higher and holier than others, do not be proud of yourself: these people are sitting in a boat, and I am walking on the waters” 82. A wise person, thirsty and seeking salvation, does not seek temporary blessings, but strives for the knowledge of God; above all else, he places knowledge of the secrets of the spiritual world; this is the highest philosophy 83. Every Christian must make efforts to strengthen faith, always feel God’s omnipresence and have His saving fear, “for where right faith is located along with good deeds, God dwells there” 84. An important means that “assures a person of God and teaches him to please God” is the word of God, the reading of the Holy Scriptures, which saturates a person with spiritual food and encourages wakefulness 85 . From all that has been said, it follows that faith is one of the main Christian virtues, since without faith in Christ, human salvation is impossible. Faith is the driving force behind the spiritual and moral renewal of a person, the basis on which many other Christian virtues grow. In accomplishing personal salvation and Christian achievement, effective help and strength is provided by hope, “given to the human heart by God’s inspiration and enlightenment... a virtue given from above, through which the blessings of eternal life are expected with firm faith” 86. This virtue is given to the believer in God's grace if he fulfills His commandments and unites with the Lord Jesus Christ through Holy Communion. Christian hope is of great importance for a person exposed to various trials, and helps in the fight against the devil, as “the anchor of Christians sailing on the sea of ​​this world in the ship of the body” 87 . The strength and inviolability of hope depends on a person’s faith and his spiritual and moral state. True Christians base their hope in the Savior, in unfeigned reverence for God, leading a righteous and pious life. “Let us think about this,” the saint reasons, “that in any person his righteousness and piety, in that there is also the hope of the joy of Israel, that is, the future life of the saints, which consists in saturation with the sight of God... If someone is righteous, then there is already an undoubted hope that he will receive a crown in the Kingdom of Heaven” 88. The grace and mercy of God are so great that they can cover the many sins and failures of a Christian, if only he wishes to be healed and repents. “Just truly repent,” the saint urges, “and make a promise in your heart not to return, like a dog, to your vomit. Dare with fear, and fear with hope, and receive communion, without doubting God’s love for mankind, and you will receive remission of your sins” 89. Despair of salvation is an insidious weapon of the enemy of our salvation, the devil. When a person sins, he inspires him that salvation is no longer possible for him, trying to plunge the person into the abyss of despair. And only a Christian’s hope in God destroys the devil’s trap. She convinces the Christian that God accepts repentant sinners. The saint cites many such examples from the Holy Scriptures and patristic works. Judas and Peter fell away from the Lord. “Judas repented and confessed his sin before everyone, going to the bishop, saying: “We have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4). However, his repentance is not accepted, but Petrovo is accepted: Peter is saved, and Judas is lost. Why is this? But because Peter repented with hope and hope for the mercy of God, but Judas repented with despair. This abyss is terrible! Without a doubt, it must be filled with hope for God’s mercy” 90. Hope helps a person in the fight against sin, and it is strengthened by repentance and good deeds. Real hope in God requires a person to actively fight temptations and be patient in trials. All this prevents a person from despairing of his salvation and strengthens his strength in trusting in the mercy of God. Christian doctrine values ​​nothing so highly as love for God and neighbor. The Lord Jesus Christ himself called this virtue the greatest commandment: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). Only love can lead a Christian to moral perfection, to unity with God. For this purpose man was created, for this purpose the Lord accomplished his redemptive feat, and the Church directs the Christian to this 91. Saint Demetrius, addressing Orthodox listeners, speaks of two ways of knowing God: by faith and love. “Both of these ways of knowing God and achieving eternal life are very good... faith is sometimes perfect, sometimes imperfect, the second way, that is, love, is completely perfect. Love truly is the right way, for “love ceases to exist” (1 Cor. 13:8)” 92. All Christian virtues “not only come from love, but are also connected with it, as the right path” 93. Love is necessary for a Christian as the guiding principle of Christian morality. Faith must be evidenced by deeds of love: “It is not enough to just believe in Christ, for according to the words of the holy Apostle James, “even the demons believe and tremble” (James 2:19). What is the benefit for a Christian to only believe in Christ, but to transgress His commandments?” 94. The Savior's contemporaries saw His miracles and could not deny the evidence of Divine greatness in Him, but not many were saved, since they did not have active love for Him. In its essence, love is indefinable by human standards, for it has a Divine nature. She is the gift of the Holy Spirit, inflaming the hearts of Christians with reciprocal love for God and man. What wings are to a bird in flight, so is perfect love to a Christian on the path to God. “Just as a bird cannot fly with one wing, so love cannot fly to heaven with one wing of love... The Holy Spirit unites love for God and love for neighbor so that no love can be without the other, for He is the very love of God the Father and God the Son, pouring out to the human race. And love is the most beautiful, the most perfect and the most praiseworthy, which exists both for God and for one’s neighbor, and merges both into one” 95. Every Christian must testify to his love for God not only in words, but also in his deeds, throughout his life, and “no one knows God until he has tasted Him” 96 . The main sign of true love for God is the Christian’s aversion from the world and everything sinful in it. Love cannot be divided, because “it does not like for anyone to love God with one half of his heart, and with the other to love secular vanity: “You cannot work for God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).” On the other hand, perfect love seeks God not for the reward of future benefits, not for its own sake. “Whoever has true love for God desires nothing but God Himself: neither heaven, nor heavenly crowns, nor the sweets of heaven. He desires only one God, and he desires more than heaven and more than all the luxuries of paradise” 97. Whoever loves God with all his heart and strives to spiritually unite with Him, nothing will force him to retire “to a distant country.” True love will never think of angering Him." 98 The feeling of gratitude will not allow God’s greatness to be offended.” 99 Speaking about the meaning of love in the life of a Christian, the saint cites the words of the Holy Apostle Paul: “Love is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in untruth, but rejoices in the truth: it loves everything, it endures everything” (1 Cor. 13: 4-8) - and gives a brief explanation of them. Love cultivates patience in a Christian, teaches him to endure insults, and be lenient towards the imperfections of his neighbors. Such prudence of a follower of Christ contributes to the creation of the world, heals the ailments of those around him, having a beneficial effect on their souls. The highest perfection in love is the virtue of love for enemies, because it is higher than human nature. Distorted by sin, nature demands retribution, and love is ready to forgive everything, thereby healing the infirmity of one’s neighbor, and defeating evil with good 100. A Christian should not allow anger and hostility to flare up. Therefore, the saint concludes, “he who loves his enemy is a miracle worker” 101. In the same “Instruction”, spoken by Saint Demetrius in 1701 in connection with the message about the war between Russia and Sweden, it is said about the duty of a Christian to defend his Fatherland: “Do not think, my listener, that I would say about those enemies who are at war with our Christian Fatherland and are at enmity against our pious faith: not only is it not necessary to love such enemies, but we must fight them for our property” 102. The high ideal of perfection outlined by the Savior in the commandment to love enemies (Luke 6:27) is achieved by man gradually, facilitated by self-sacrifice and compulsion, through which he receives from God the gift of love for all people. An example is the holy martyrs, ascetics, wounded by the love of Christ. A true Christian endures suffering with Christ, patiently and resignedly endures everything that happens to him by God’s permission. The Savior's sufferings on the Cross, like arrows shot from the cross of Calvary into human hearts by the Catcher of Souls, kindle a response of love towards Him 103. Truly love is the perfect way of knowing God, closely uniting us with Him, like skin with flesh 104 . Love will help a Christian in the difficult struggle with sin and burns the thorns of passions with blessed fire. The heart of a Christian should be like an altar, in which “the fire of our love for God must always burn, heated and supported by the thought of God” 105. And vice versa, as St. Demetrius noted, “alien fire, that is, worldly, sinful, should not be brought into the heart under threat, under the fear of eternal death, so that the fire of hell does not burn us forever” 106. Saint Demetrius has entire hymns dedicated to love, which protects from sinful falls and betrayals of the Lord, making a person a saint: “O sweetness, most beloved sweetness! What else can we love besides You, more lovingly than the step of our Lord, Whom we desire to love in all ages? How else shall we sweeten our bitterness, if not You, sweetest Jesus, with Whom we hope to be satisfied; instill in us the love you desire. Grant that we may love You and love You! Grant that we may desire You and thirst for You! Scatter us into Thy love, Word of God, Only Begotten!... May Thy love, O Lord, captivate us into Thy love” 107. The constant remembrance of God by a loving heart, according to the saint, lies in a feeling of gratitude for His mercies to the human race, in prayerful communication and contemplation of God, in the constant collection of spiritual treasures. “The desire to continually be with Christ is a clear sign of gratitude... Gratitude is the guardian of all virtues... The soul of a God-loving person, like a dove, having found the great benefit of Christ’s redemption, is so grateful to Him that it never wants to be separated from these wounds” 108. Quoted from: Pitirim (Starinsky), hierodiac. Saint Demetrius of Rostov, his theological works and pastoral activities. Zagorsk, 1972 (typescript). pp. 74–136. Search for the Bryn faith. S. 4.