83. Слово по освящении храма Святыя великомученицы Екатерины при Екатерининском Институте

(Said September 14th; printed separately and in collections of 1835, 1844 and 1848) Prepare to call on your God to Israel. (Amos.4:12). The consecration of a church is one of the occasions in which the Church gives us thoughts about our preparation for God. For what do the prophetic words proclaimed with special solemnity mean during this mystery: “Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, the gates of eternity, and the King of glory will come in” (Psalm 23:7)? Shall we say, in accordance with the explanation of some ancient contemplatives, that this depicts the ascension of Jesus Christ, after the resurrection, with humanity deified in Him, to heaven - an ascension extraordinary for heaven, because 457 the ascent to heaven with the flesh was unprecedented and completely incomprehensible: therefore, some extraordinary movement of heavenly forces had to happen, as if small doors and a secret staircase of ascension and the descent of the Angels, turned into the great gate of the solemn entry of the Conqueror of death and the Restorer of humanity? - There is no dispute about this original, heavenly meaning of the words of the Prophets: but when they are pronounced before the gates of the earthly church; then, of necessity, they require relevant application here. Shall we say that this depicts the entry into the consecrated church of the grace-filled, mysterious presence of Jesus Christ, the King of glory, may he sit here on the throne of the church, just as he sits in heaven at the right hand of God the Father, may he bestow grace here, just as he gives glory from here? - This is true: but what does it mean that they command the eternal gates to rise, while this command is pronounced before the gates, which are temporary, because they are material, and which can neither hear, nor understand, nor fulfill this command? For a satisfactory resolution of this question, let us take as a basis what the Holy Apostle Paul says about the church and its holiness: “The church of God is holy, just as you are” (1 Cor. 3:17). That is: the church of God is a sensual image of the spiritual church, which is a true Christian; the holiness of the church depicts the holiness of the Christian; consequently, by the consecration of the church, the consecration of the Christian. So, when at the consecration of the church one shouts to the eternal gates: this refers to the immortal soul, to its free will, desires and love, with which it can accept God. When it is commanded that the gates be raised, then through this a person is aroused to raise the power of his will from low, earthly things to sublime, heavenly objects, to lift up the mountain of thoughts and desires, to open the opening by faith, to expand his heart with love, to communion with the infinite God. If this explanation of the words of the Prophets and the rite of consecration of the church seems to some to be uncomfortably simple, for conviction of the truth: then let them believe it by the proclamation of another Prophet, directly to people who honor God, under the name of Israel. “Get ready to call on your God, O Israel”: the Prophet Amos calls: or, more precisely, according to his Hebrew saying: “get ready to meet your God.” Let them remember the promise of God’s visitation, which is not allegorically directed to the gates or the church, but directly to the believer and to the loving soul, Jesus Christ Himself pronounces: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). And so they tell you, Christian soul, “get ready to meet your God.” How to prepare? When can we expect Him? Where can you meet Him? – Let's look a little more closely, a little closer. Man is not so created that he should be and remain separated from God and at a distance from Him. If the soul of man is the breath of life from the mouth of the Lord, as the book of Genesis says: then what is the closeness between the breath and the one who breathes, such must be the closeness between the human soul and God. The separation of man from God is an unnatural state. The reason for this separation should also be said in relation to all people, what was said by the Prophet in relation to the Jews: “your sins separate between you and God” (Is. 59:2). Look at the first people after the first sin. “I heard the voice of the Lord God going to heaven at noon”: this is the trace of man’s initial communication with God! “And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God” (Gen. 3:8): this is an image of sinful separation from God! Note that the merciful God comes to man even after his sin: but the sinner is not ready to meet his God, and runs away from Him. And this is not only in paradise: but even after a person is expelled from paradise, God still tries to get closer to the sinner in order to convert him to Himself, and therefore does not hesitate to speak even with the fratricide Cain; and the sinner continues to move away from God; and not God to Cain, but Cain himself pronounces the sentence of exile on behalf of God. So from the first days of the world and further, God keeps coming to man, drawing closer, appearing in works of nature and Providence, in miracles, in revelations, in the law, in the Prophets, and in these last days in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Listen, attentive soul: don’t you also hear “the voice of the Lord God walking,” not only “in paradise at noon,” but throughout the entire universe, at noon and midnight, morning and evening? Will the distracted soul, on the other hand, say that she doesn’t hear anything like that? To this we answer her: God, however, did not change, did not retreat, did not stop acting; if you don’t hear Him, then you are not paying attention. As eternal and omnipresent, God is present and active always and everywhere, therefore you can always and everywhere meet with Him. But because man, due to his sinfulness, turns away and moves away from God; due to his changeability and weakness, he does not always listen to Him; due to his spiritual blindness and carnal coarseness, he often does not notice the subtle spiritual actions of the Divine: that is, special circumstances and cases when, and where, the voice of God’s procession to man is especially clearly heard, and thus man is especially called upon to prepare for the meeting of his God. “I will do this unto you, O Israel,” says God in the Prophet: “Even as I will do unto you this great seed, that you may prepare to meet your God, O Israel” (Am. 4:12). Now there is no need to inquire about what kind of work the God of Israel is anticipating: although, however, from the words of the Prophet one can notice that this is a threat with the work of justice and punishment: it is enough to note for the present discussion that there are special deeds that God does, and about which he anticipates man, precisely in order to arouse man’s attention; to show him Your approach, and to call him to meet Him; in order to instill in him Your saving intentions, and to dispose him to comply with them. “Your procession has been seen, O God” (Psalm 67:25)! Enlighten our eyes to see in pure light what we have seen, so that we may learn to contemplate what we have not seen. If we did not happen to see with our own eyes some great and miraculous procession of God, in which “the earth was shaken, the heavens were destroyed from the presence of the God of Sinai” (Psalm 67:9): do we not see, in places, at times, although His lesser ways, which sometimes go straight to us? Doesn't it happen that the earthly things that surround us are shaken, move away from us, and leave space between us and other creatures? Illness, sadness, shock to well-being, separation from sincere and faithful people, unreliability of those left behind, persecution, oppression, contempt, sudden vicissitudes, striking disasters, threatening dangers, and in some cases, an internal action inexplicable by external causes, do not sometimes lead us into such a mood that objects that were previously entertaining and pleasant no longer attract us, but become unsatisfying, tasteless, alien; do we feel emptiness, the insignificance of everything we have experienced, a need and a certain expectation that nothing satisfies? Do you know what this is? – Invisible, however, not entirely inconspicuous is the “procession of our God,” the “voice of the Lord who walks.” He comes to our soul and prepares the way for Himself, removing from it the creatures that crowd around it and block His path. And “as He does this” to you: “Prepare to meet your God, Israel,” - prepare, my soul, with the free and decisive rejection of creatures, with dislike of the world, not even those in the world, so that there will be no obstacle for you to accept God with the full love of an undivided heart. When the thought of the future and the fear of God's judgment, like a thunderclap, awakens us from the slumber of carelessness; when conscience, like lightning, illuminates the darkness of the soul with a sudden, menacing light, and exposes everything, even the hidden impurities, thoughts and desires, even the long-forgotten sins of youth: what is this if not the “procession of God,” just and at the same time merciful, the “voice of the Lord,” pursuing sin, and at the same time seeking to graciously approach the sinner? Do not hide yourself uselessly, like Adam; do not stubbornly sharpen yourself further and further from God, like Cain; “Prepare to meet your God,” with heartfelt contrition, tears, repentance, and correction of life. Do you feel expansion, relief, elevation of your heart when doing a good deed, during diligent prayer, when visiting the church of God, when listening to the word of God? – Know that this is the “voice of the Lord God who walks into paradise” in the inner, a gracious approach, a sweet pushing at the door of the heart of the One who said: “Behold, I stand at the door and understand; If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). Don't waste a precious moment; do not shut yourself away from the desired Alien; “Prepare to meet your God,” open the door of your heart to Him with faith, love and sincere readiness to obediently accept grace-filled suggestions and faithfully follow them. Here are some of the most common meetings of blessed visits. Whoever waits carefully and carefully prepares: he will meet his God so often and so closely that he will finally be able to say with David: “I have seen the Lord before me, as if he is on my right hand, so that I will not move” (Psalm 15:8). Look with grace, O Lord, both on our David and on His co-throne Mother, common to all these children out of love for mankind; and to those who, by the construction of this sanctuary, wish to bring closer to You, and to You to prepare these young hearts, be close and present to the saints and to those who sanctify Your blessing, temporary and eternal. Amen. In the department ed. and in collection 1835: unusual for heaven and because there they are accustomed to seeing the Son of God descending from above, from God the Father, and not ascending from below, from earthly creatures, and therefore... You might be interested in: