314. Беседа по освящении храма преподобного Алексия человека Божия, в Страстном монастыре

(Said on October 24th; printed in the Works of the Holy Father, 1855 and in the collection of 1861) I don’t know if there was a special thought that would have governed the intention to dedicate the church built above the gates of the monastery to the name of St. Alexis, the man of God. But in these gates I encounter thoughts that it would not be innocent to pass by without attention. Righteous Alexy lived for seventeen years at the gates of his parents' house, in a hut, in squalor, in voluntary alienation from his family, although from time to time he saw his parent, and heard the voice of his former bride - in fasting and dry eating, although he received good food from his father's table - amid humiliation and insults from slaves, over whom he could have been master if he had not deviated from the earthly inheritance for the sake of the heavenly inheritance. And such a residence was a blessing not only to his father’s house, but also to the entire city of Rome. Here the righteous Alexy is offered not a wretched hut at the gates of a magnificent house, but a splendid church above the gates of a pious monastery, not for a few years, but forever: no one dares to humiliate him, but everyone recognizes his shrine, brings him reverent honor, and seeks his protection. Will he come? Will he agree to live here? We believe that, by faith, by the prayers of the Church, by the will of God, who is wondrous in the Saints, the man of God is invisibly visiting now, and will visit this church, for the sake of his good will and benefit, since there will be nothing here contrary to his holy residence at the pious house of Euthymian. If we could now hear the Monk Alexy, we would hear, I think, something similar to the following. “You want to have me as a guard over the gates of your monastery. Out of love for my Lord, the heavenly Shepherd of souls, I wish to be the guardian of His true sheep. Be the blameless sheep of His blessed flock. Listen to the voice of the heavenly Shepherd and the guards appointed by Him. Keep to the sheepfold - the safe fence of the Orthodox Church. Do not run away from your spiritual flock into the alien pastures of worldly sensual pleasures. It was pleasant for me to be on spiritual guard at the gates of my parents’ house: because in it, in the souls of Euthymian, Aglaida and their daughter-in-law, the treasures of secret prayer, faith and virtues were collected and kept. Collect treasures that are worthy of being guarded by heavenly guards. If, due to your negligence, nothing good is deposited in the storehouses of your souls, or what was laid down is squandered by you, or plundered by the spirits of wickedness: then what is the use of a guard for empty storehouses? Shouldn't he leave the useless guards? In a rich house I lived in poverty, which was dear to me. Judge, would it be pleasant for me to dwell where those who took a vow of poverty, or those preparing for it, would yearn for abundance, excess, imaginary blessings of many, lying for many years? Having loved the sweetness of fasting, would it be pleasant for me to approach those from whom heavy air emanates from a body burdened with gluttony? 773 Having the habit of hiding from those close to me, despite their proximity, in order to listen to my soul and God, can I not move away from those who do not listen to their soul and God, who love to leave the fence of silence to look for those close and known, and with them for the most part there is dispersion and vanity? Having accepted insults from his slaves with patience and love, how can I have fellowship with those who do not observe patience in dealing with their brethren, and respond to the just reprimands of their superiors with a murmur? Let those who live in this monastery think carefully about what the Reverend Alexy, the man of God, who is now called to live in this church, tells them; and let them strive to arrange themselves in such a way that they can undoubtedly have him as a gracious guardian and guardian of their monastery, a protector of their souls and an assistant in their salvation. Amen. Handwritten author and in Creation. St. Ot. “the stench of gluttony, intemperance and luxury.” You might be interested in: