40. Речь при открытии дома трудолюбия в Москве

(Spoken on August 10th; printed in the collections of 1844 and 1848) Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones: for I say to you, for their angels in heaven always see the face of my heavenly Father. For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost. Matthew 18:10–11. Those who now accept the care of these little ones know who this Great Son of Man is, who cares so much about the little children of men that he not only forbids to despise them, but commands to beware of this contempt, as a misfortune or a crime, 207 and consequently commands to care for them with love and respect. How quickly do you know who gives this small commandment to care for the little ones: this is already enough for it to become great and dear to you. If it is pleasant to hear and fulfill the word of a benefactor to the blessed, to the pardoned the word of the pardoner, to the one delivered from destruction the word of the Savior: then how pleasant should it be for a Christian to hear and fulfill the word of Christ? Our pious ancestors knew the power and captivating sweetness of this feeling. From the word: “Give for Christ’s sake,” the iron doors of the treasuries opened. From the word: “forgive for Christ’s sake,” the shackles were broken, and the sword fell from the hand of justice. I hope that for those who accept this charity of poor children, this deed is pleasant, as the fulfillment of the commandment of Him who, being “Blessed God forever,” became for our sake not only the son of man, but the poorest child on earth. But let us not leave without special attention those incentives to care for the little ones that He offers 209. The first impulse is not to despise the little ones: “for their angels in heaven always see the face of the heavenly Father.” Looking at children with the eyes of the flesh, we see in them weakness, imperfection, often even ugliness and uncleanness. That is why people inclined to bliss sometimes care little even about those children with whom they are connected by ties of nature. Therefore, the best natural feeling in relation to these little ones, perhaps, is pity for their helplessness, and not respect for this small and weak creature: but the Lord requires this respect 211. “Take heed, and do not despise.” What does He do to inhale this gracious feeling of love for mankind? – He will take away the veil of flesh; opens the spiritual world before us, and, in the place of the baby and the nanny, shows us the soul and its Angel. Now shall we dare to neglect? And what else does he say? - “Their angels in heaven always see the face of My heavenly Father.” Why does He speak about their Angels only? Don’t we, as adults, also have Angels? Don’t our Angels “see the face of the Heavenly Father?” “Isn’t the whole point of service souls, we are sent into service for those who want to inherit salvation?” ( Heb. 1:14 ) Ah! it is difficult to speak about our Angels in the same way as 212 about the Angels of infants. Who knows whether the Spirits of light are already evading us, being repelled by our dark deeds and thoughts? Perhaps even when they approach us for some kind of service, they are forced to protect themselves with a cloud from our moral impurity, which is unbearable for them and cannot bear the touch of their pure light. But the Guardian Angels of the infant heart, not yet darkened by passion, not corrupted by vice, without obstacles turn between these little ones and the Heavenly Father, and with the light acceptable from Him they protect them from dark forces, and by their communication with them they give them that which in children and those who do not know Angels recognize as Angelic. So, it is good for people who, through Christian care for these little ones, participate in the heavenly Angelic ministry, protecting them and guiding them from the visible world, just as Angels protect them and guiding them from the invisible world. This means being friends with their and your Angels in the heavenly community. Another incentive not to despise the little ones: “For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost.” Thinking about the purpose of the coming of the Son of God to earth is the most abundant, purest source of charitable dispositions of every kind. If the Son of man “came to seek and save that which was lost,” that which had already perished: then is it possible for His followers to again, through negligence, put in danger of perishing, that which was so miraculously saved by Him? If He came from heaven to earth to look for the lost, would it be excusable for us not to move from one human state to another state in order to get closer to what needs help or preservation? If He left Divine bliss to bring salvation to poor humanity: is it great when we devote part of the temporary blessings given from Him to the charity of these little ones, who are equally heirs to us of eternal bliss? And how a great thing can be accomplished with this small means! Those saved by the Great Savior become instruments of salvation, and, so to speak, little saviors for these little ones, and, if it is not bold to say this, in some way benefactors 214 of their Savior: for He said: “Before you have made one of these... lesser ones, you have made them for Me” (Matthew 25:40). If by charity and care you have saved the life, health, prosperity, purity of heart, of one of these little ones: you have done a good deed 215 to Me. “Do the same to me.” May the Lord bless the institution now opening here for the care and education of these little ones. May he give grace to all those participating in the work of this care and education, so that they do this work in the Spirit of Christ 216. May he give grace to those who are looked upon, so that they may know the Heavenly Father, Who gave them earthly parents, and now gives others in place of the first, and so that, growing in the outer man, they preserve the infant purity and simplicity of heart, dear to people and Angels, and to which the Heavenly King and Judge will award the right to the Kingdom of Heaven. According to Euro collection these words do not exist. According to the Hebrew collection: from the word “forgive for Christ’s sake,” ties were broken, they were lamented... According to the Hebrew collection: which the Son of Man Himself offers. According to the European collection: people who have acquired a taste for sensual grace and are inclined... According to the Hebrew collection: Son of Man. According to European collection: as affirmative as... In collection 1844 this word does not exist. According to the European collection: gloomy... According to the European collection: saviors... According to the European collection: saving work... According to the Hebrew collection: in the Spirit of the Son of Man. You might be interested in: