Words about the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

Contents Word on Wednesday of the week of the 1st Great Lent Word on the Friday of the week of the 1st Great Lent Word on the Friday of the week of the 2nd Great Lent Word on the Friday of the week of the 2nd Great Lent Word on Wednesday of the week of the 3rd Great Lent Word on the Friday of the week of the 3rd Great Lent Word on Wednesday of the week of the 4th Lent Word on the Friday of the week of the 4th Great Lent Word on Wednesday of the week 5th of Great Lent Word on the Friday of the 5th week of Great Lent Word on Wednesday of the 6th week of Great Lent Homily for Wednesday of the 1st Lent “Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk! Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. To her, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages!” Not without a special reason, my brethren, this prayer is so adopted during Holy and Great Lent that it is repeated many times at every service. Without a doubt, this was done by the Holy Church because, despite the brevity of this prayer, a great wealth of holy thoughts and feelings is hidden in it, and our spiritual needs are very clearly depicted. Therefore, we will act in accordance with the intention of the Holy Church and our spiritual benefit if we turn this prayer into the subject of our discussions, and consider separately each petition contained in it. In this way, a whole series of holy virtues will be revealed to us, with which everyone should decorate their soul, and a whole dark horde of sins and vices will appear, from which we must protect our hearts. And without reminder, many people probably know that this is the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. In addition to this, let us say that Saint Ephraim is one of the greatest ascetics of piety, who adorned the ancient Christian Church. He was a man in the flesh, but an angel in spirit and perfection. From his very youth, Saint Ephraim left the world and moved into the desert, where his long stay, without mentors, made him a teacher of the East and a luminary of the universe. Ephraim’s most favorite subject of both contemplation and teaching was repentance. The Syrian Church, to which he belonged in his place of residence, had everything in him - a teacher of the faith, a denouncer of morals, a nourisher during famine, a miraculous doctor against illnesses, and a protector against heretics and pagans. Universal respect for all these virtues, even during the life of the holy Ascetic, extended to the point that his teachings were read in churches directly behind the Holy Scriptures. From such and such a mind and heart the prayer we are considering flowed - from a mind enlightened by God, from a heart flaming with love for God and neighbors, completely purified and sanctified by grace. And in his prayer, as in his soul and life, Saint Ephraim is simple and artless. He prays and invites us all to pray to the Lord, firstly, for the removal of spiritually harmful vices from us, and secondly, for the sending down of God-loving virtues in their place, assuming that the vices will not move away from us, and the virtues will not come to us without the special assistance of the power of God. Such a feeling of unreliability in the matter of salvation on one’s own strength and calling on the grace of God for help is a distinctive property of Christian morality. The proud pagan said arrogantly: may the gods give me honor, wealth, health, and I will get virtue for myself. But where did he get this destructive arrogance from? Because the pagan did not know well the sinful corruption of human nature and its spiritual powerlessness, he did not understand the properties of virtue itself, limiting it to external honesty alone. A Christian enlightened by the light of the Gospel, on the contrary, clearly sees how fallen man is incapable of thinking on his own, not only of doing anything truly good, but how sin and evil have penetrated our soul to such an extent that they have taken possession of the innermost source of thoughts and feelings; He also clearly sees, on the other hand, what is required of virtue, so that it is completely pure and pleasing not only in the eyes of men, but also in the eyes of God, that for this it is necessary not only a brilliant appearance, which often covers only secret pride and self-interest, but sincere love for good, perfect obedience to the will of God and the law of conscience, with the rejection of all calculations of self-love; he sees, I say, all this, a Christian, and, recognizing in himself the impossibility of freeing himself from the poison of sin by his own efforts, of acquiring by his own means a virtue so pure and perfect, he falls in humility before the throne of grace and exclaims: “Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk! Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant!” – If You, the all-good and all-powerful One, do not close up the bottomless abysses of evil nesting in me: then, with all my efforts, it will forever exude a stream of bad thoughts and deeds, flooding my soul and heart with impurity. If You, the all-holy and righteous, do not put me on the path of righteousness and truth, do not establish my wavering feet on the rock of Your commandments, then I will forever stumble and fall, I will always prepare to go to You and will not move from my place, much less will I achieve that longed-for goal that is intended for me by Your wise love. It is also impossible, my brothers, not to pay attention to the very expression used by Saint Ephraim in his prayer. He prays to the Lord not only that vices be removed from him and that virtues be given to him, but that he be freed from the very spirit of these vices, that the very spirit of these virtues be sent down to him. Thus, spiritual people contemplate the spirit in everything, while carnal people often see only flesh in the most spiritual objects! What is called here the spirit of vices and the spirit of virtues? Is it what we usually call such-and-such a vice and such-and-such a virtue, or something else, more? We will not be mistaken if we say that Saint Ephraim, praying for the drive away from him of the spirit of idleness, despondency and covetousness, and for the granting of the spirit of chastity and humility, meant actual spirits - in the first case, dark and evil spirits, in the latter - good and luminous spirits. Man, according to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, is constantly between two worlds: the one above – luminous, and the one below – dark and diabolical. The one and the other world act on him incessantly and fight among themselves for him. The angelic world acts on a person by protecting, supporting, strengthening him on the path of repentance and virtue, inhaling good thoughts and feelings, imparting spiritual strength and strength. The world of the devil acts by trying to seduce a person from the path of truth, to keep him captive to passions and vice, breathing into his soul and heart everything unclean and ungodly. It is not surprising after this if each virtue has its own pure spirit, which, due to the abundant power of this virtue in itself, becomes a special guide for the person striving for it. It is not surprising if every vice has its own spirit of darkness, which also, perhaps, due to the overwhelming power of this vice in itself, becomes its assistant for sinful people. “The man of God sees these spirits, as the beginning of the leaders of good and evil, with his divinely enlightened eye, and prays to the Lord to send down the luminous spirits of virtue to him and to remove the dark angels of sin from him. Besides this, every virtue, as soon as it is established in a person, and every vice, as soon as it takes possession of him, forms from itself its own spirit, according to its type. This spirit of virtue is stronger and more luminous than virtue itself; this spirit of vice is darker and more evil than vice itself. How is this spirit formed in the soul? Just like in sensual things. Fill the room with some things and leave them there for a long time: the spirit of these things is formed in the room, so even if you take them out, this spirit will remain for a long time. If you fill it with fragrant substances, the incense will remain; if fetid, then stench. This also happens with the soul when it is filled with any known type of virtues or vices: the spirit of a dominant virtue or the spirit of a favorite vice is formed in it. - Whoever, for example, now, during the continuation of Holy Lent, works hard by fasting, even after the end of the fasting days, the spirit of fasting will remain, and will make him sober and abstinent in everything. Whoever, on the contrary, has indulged in a lot of luxury and voluptuousness in the past days, Holy Fasting cannot suddenly drive out the spirit of sensuality and carnality, so that even among spiritual objects, in the most sacred moments, he will be indignant at the memories and thoughts of the flesh. In general, the fight against the spirit of vice is much more difficult than against the vice itself. You can immediately leave a vice, but the spirit of vice will not leave you soon: you have to fight for a long time, strive for a long time and endure in order to free yourself from it. All this, without a doubt, is what the holy Ascetic of Christ means, and therefore asks the Lord for complete liberation from evil, complete cleansing of his spirit and body, complete destruction of the sinful leaven in his nature. Imitating this, we, my brothers, will not stop at the superficial cleansing of our soul through confession from some only apparently evil and ungodly deeds. What is the use of cutting off branches when the root of evil remains? Is it wise to kill one large snake when ten small ones are ready to take its place? Armed with the spirit of zeal for God and our salvation, let us penetrate to the very source of evil in our soul and try to destroy it completely. For ourselves this would be impossible, but we have the omnipotent grace of God, before which everything is naked and open, everything is possible and convenient. When we, through fervent prayer, bring this grace down into our souls, surrender our hearts to it and allow it to act in us without hindrance and heal our ailments, then the abyss of darkness and evil that besets us will be divided; dry land will appear - firm walking in the commandments of God, the light of the Face of God will shine over us, a new heart will be created, a right spirit will be renewed; and we will be imagined with the former, primeval kindness of innocence and truth, if the grace of Christ be with us all! Amen. Word on the Friday of the 1st week of Lent “Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness!” One might have expected that the great Ascetic of Christ would begin his prayer with a request to remove from himself some other vice, and not idleness; because idleness, according to the ordinary concept, is not something important and dangerous. Some are ready to honor her even for her enviable fortune. But the man of God sees things differently; sees idleness as the first enemy to his salvation; and therefore, first of all, he prays to the Lord for liberation from him. But what harm does an idle man do when he does nothing? That is, that it does nothing, because a person always needs to do something. In fact, if the Son of God says about Himself and His Father: My Father is working hitherto, and I am working (John 5:17); then should a person indulge in idleness? Activity is our purpose: it is for this that being and life are given to us, for this we are equipped with strength and abilities. And our earthly life is not durable at all; and meanwhile, during its continuation, we must deserve an entire eternity, blessed or ill-fated; then idleness, considered from this side, is already a great crime against ourselves; for every idle hour leads to a loss not only for this life, but also for eternity. Failure to use the powers given by God for good deeds likens a person to a slave who hid his talent in the ground, and prepares for him the deplorable fate of this slave, that is: even if he thinks he has it, it will be taken from him (Matthew 25:29). It will definitely be taken! By whom? And by the justice of God - in due time, and now - by idleness itself! This vice, by its very nature, is such that it weakens, reduces and, finally, takes away from us our strengths and abilities. In fact, stop, for example, walking and using your legs: if this disuse continues for a long time, then you will finally lose the ability to walk, you will barely be able to get up and stand on your feet. So with the body, so with the soul. Every ability of the soul that is exercised grows and strengthens; left inactive, it weakens and deteriorates. What, for example, is more alive by nature and never silent than our conscience? But if it is not exercised, not preserved, and hindered in its activity, conscience weakens, becomes silent and falls asleep: a person becomes unscrupulous. The sooner other mental abilities wither and weaken from disuse: for example, for a person who has not prayed for a long time, it is difficult to put himself into a state of prayer for a few minutes; a person who has not practiced fasting cannot go without food for even one day. But idleness is dangerous not only because of what it deprives, but also because of what it brings with it. What does she bring up? Vice and corruption. If our soul were like an insensitive instrument, which, when they stop playing it, remains calm, then it would be possible to leave it inactive without harm; but with the soul, by its spiritual nature, such inaction cannot exist; but what happens is the same as with a field left without cultivation: the field is covered with bad herbs, the soul is covered with bad thoughts and feelings. Therefore, idleness can rightly be called a ready and natural soil for everything bad and sinful. No one is so overwhelmed by a multitude of unclean thoughts and sinful desires as an idle person: his thought, not fixed on any subject, rushes everywhere, and, like Noah’s crow, always stops at what attracts sensuality; In this case, the imagination usually draws before itself seductive images that it has ever seen; memory represents cases when passions found criminal satisfaction; the mind multiplies - either various everyday plans, or doubts about sacred objects; the heart is disposed to various passionate movements. In addition, idleness has the harmful property that it produces boredom in a person, forcing him to seek entertainment and amusements, which for the idle usually consist of something that harms the soul, since they revolve around objects that are the most sensual, if not downright ungodly. And here is the root and source of various addictions to amusements from which idle people suffer, those amusements that destroy health and honor, upset the state, make the most significant person in society not at all what he could and should be. Finally, when assessing idleness, let us not forget that for the majority of people this vice entails shortcomings and poverty, forcing them to turn to unaffordable means of acquisition: and since an idle person, out of habit of idleness, is usually more inclined than others to sensuality and pleasure, the temptation to illegally take advantage of the labors of others through the same thing for idleness increases even more. Look at the people imprisoned in prison, delve into the reason for their crimes, and you will see that most of them occurred at the beginning, one way or another, precisely from idleness. The holy men of God knew all this, and they tried to avoid nothing so much as idleness. It seemed that the deserted and contemplative life itself freed them from labor, especially physical ones, for how much time did they have left for public and domestic prayers? But, knowing the danger of idleness, they took labor with them into the very deserts; were not separated from him when performing the highest deeds. Who, for example, sits by the desert hill in Thebaid, sings psalms and at the same time weaves baskets? This is the luminary of Egypt, Anthony the Great. These baskets will go to Alexandria and be exchanged for circles of bread, with which a hundred-year-old old man from time to time strengthens the weakness of his flesh. Who is this in the darkness of the night, by the light of a lamp or the moon, engaged in making tents and tents? This is Saint Paul. During the day he preaches the Gospel to the wise Greeks, and at night he uses the tabernacle, so as not to be a burden to anyone with his meager content. Who is it in the small hut of Nazareth that knocks with a hammer, operates with a saw, and works from morning to evening at woodworking? This is Saint Joseph, the educator of the Lord Jesus and the guardian of His Mother. The labors of his hands provide food for the Holy Family. In general, among holy people, time was divided between contemplation of God and hard work. Their first rule was to feed not from strangers, but from their own labors. With all the poverty of their external condition, this labor even required them to help their neighbors, feed the hungry, clothe the naked and redeem the captives. But what, they will ask, should those who, by their very condition, be removed from labor, especially physical ones, do? - What to do? - Invent a job for yourself according to your strengths and circumstances. After all, we invent pleasures; why not invent labor? And are there not enough pure and useful objects to occupy the soul and heart, the very members of the body? One vast field of charity can provide everyone with everything they need. Whatever the work, as long as it is sinless and occupies our strength, and the goal will be achieved. For idleness is destroyed not by bodily labor alone, but by all kinds. Arguing in this way about work and idleness, we mean, brethren, the state of man in general, or more especially the state of man who has not yet been regenerated by the grace of God, who has not begun to live in Christ. For a person blessed with grace, unceasing spiritual activity is already a holy necessity; for he must continually ascend from strength to strength. Idleness in this case is the cessation of the sunrise itself; and stopping the rising is the same as retreating back. For they, as requested in church prayer, even in the midst of sleepy silence are enlightened by the vision of God’s destinies. Having such a high goal of existence (for we are all destined for the same thing), let each of us cry out, brethren, together with Saint Ephraim: “Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness!” Don’t let me, but my days, which are so small and brief, pass in worldly vanity and inaction; do not give, but the talents entrusted to me will be buried in the land of oblivion and laziness; Do not let me, because of my lack of love for work, I will become a burden like myself and disgrace Your image in myself! May I be alert to every good deed, may I continually labor to cultivate my being for eternity, and may I do everything I do for Your glory, Lord, and not to please myself! Amen. Homily for Wednesday of the 2nd week of Lent “Lord and Master of my living, do not give me a spirit of despondency!” This means that the spirit of despondency is disgusting not only to worldly amusements, but also to Christian life. Why is this so? Because Christian life requires constant spiritual activity, vigor, courage and strength; But in the sad, what activity, what vigor and strength? – Because the Kingdom of God, in which a true Christian finds himself, is, according to the testimony of the Apostle, truth and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17); and in the sad what peace and what joy? Therefore, those who think that the Christian life is necessarily associated with despondency, thereby show that they do not know the spirit of true Christianity. No, this is the spirit of light, strength and strength, the spirit of peace and unceasing joy. It is true that a Christian does not suddenly achieve this blissful state, just as a seriously ill person does not suddenly receive health; but the feeling of the very beginning of mental recovery is already a gratifying and comforting feeling, which, constantly growing, fills the whole soul with peace and joy. It is also true that a true Christian, always busy with the work of his salvation, while enjoying, although at times, higher and spiritual pleasures, shuns the noisy joys of the world, often appears thoughtful in those moments when others do not know the extent of their delight; but he considers non-participation in worldly joys just as little as a loss, just as an older person considers it a loss that he does not participate in children’s games and amusements; his thoughtfulness does not come from a spirit of despondency, but from other reasons, often from the thought of how some can have fun when they should be crying. Finally, it is true that a Christian, waging a constant battle with sin and passions until the end of his life, is sometimes subjected to such temptations of which peace-loving people have no idea, but this spiritual warfare does not produce in him a spirit of despondency; The warrior of Christ goes against the enemies of his salvation with even greater complacency than the warrior of the king of the earth. Therefore, when you see, my brethren, a true Christian suffering from despondency, then be careful to deduce from this something in favor of Christianity: no, it only follows from this that this member of the body of Christ is still imperfect in faith and devotion; that, due to the weakness of human nature, he is still ill with his heart, and perhaps this spiritual illness was deliberately allowed by the heavenly Doctor to return him to full health. Be that as it may, despondency is always an unnatural state of spirit, it is a disease that, when intensified and prolonged, can become extremely dangerous and cause death not only of the spirit - by despair, but also of the body itself - by its destruction. The sadness of this world, the apostle notes, is accomplished by death (2 Cor. 7:10). Therefore, holy men feared nothing so much as despondency; and at the first appearance of this enemy, they hastened to take all measures to repel him. Due to their solitary and ascetic life, despondency, of course, was more dangerous for them than for people living in the world: but even those living in the world cannot indulge in it without danger to their soul and body, which increases the more the longer this unnatural state continues. Therefore, it is useful for all of us to understand why despondency occurs and what are the remedies against it? There are many sources of despondency: both external and internal, spiritual and sensual. And, firstly, in souls that are pure and close to perfection, despondency can occur from their abandonment for a time by the grace of God. The state of grace is the most blissful. But so that the one in this state does not imagine that it comes from his own perfections, grace sometimes withdraws and hides itself completely, leaving its favorite to itself. Then the same thing happens to the holy soul as if midnight had come in the middle of the day, or the scum of winter had appeared on the brightest summer day: darkness, coldness, deadness and at the same time despondency appeared in the soul. Secondly, despondency, as people experienced in spiritual life testify, comes from the action of the spirit of darkness. Unable to entice the soul on the path to heaven with sensuality, to seduce it with the blessings and pleasures of the world, the enemy of salvation turns to the opposite means and brings upon it inner torment and despondency. In this state the soul is like a traveler suddenly caught in darkness and fog; sees neither what is ahead nor what is behind; does not know what to do, loses vigor and spirit, falls into indecision and a kind of internal disappearance. People who have also labored a great deal on the path of virtue and who have already conquered the temptations of sensuality are subjected to this kind of despondency. The third source of despondency is our fallen, unclean, weakened nature, deadened by sin. As long as we act out of self-love, are filled with the spirit of the world, we are filled with passions: until then this nature in us is cheerful and alive; where does strength, spirit, courage and patience come from? But change the direction of life, get off the broad path of the world onto the narrow path of Christian self-sacrifice, take up repentance and self-correction: immediately an emptiness will open inside you, spiritual powerlessness will be revealed, and heartfelt deadness will be felt. Until the soul has time to be filled with a new spirit of love for God and neighbor, to stand by faith in the power of the Cross of Christ and cling, like a branch, with all thoughts and feelings to the tree of life - the Lord Jesus: until then the spirit of despondency, to a greater or lesser extent, is inevitable for it. She is happy if she does not remain in this state for long, for the abyss of spiritual despair is not far from it. Sinners are especially exposed to this type of despondency after their conversion. The fourth, common source of spiritual despondency is lack, especially the cessation of activity and habitual labor. Having stopped using its strengths and abilities, the soul loses vitality and vigor, becomes sluggish and stiff; her very previous activities are opposed to her: an inner emptiness begins to be felt; dissatisfaction, boredom and despondency appear. Dejection can also occur from various sad events in life, such as: the death of relatives and loved ones, loss of honor, property and other unfortunate adventures. All this, according to the law of our nature, is associated with unpleasantness and sadness for us; but, according to the law of nature itself, this sadness should decrease over time and disappear when a person uses means to animate himself and does not indulge in sadness. Otherwise, a spirit of despondency will be formed. Dejection can also occur from certain thoughts, especially gloomy and heavy ones, when the soul is too indulged in such thoughts and looks at objects not in the light of faith and the Gospel. So, for example, a person can easily fall into despondency from frequent reflection on the untruth that prevails in the world, on how the righteous here mourn and suffer, while the wicked are exalted and blissful, and how everything, apparently, is given up to the mercy of human passions and chance. Finally, the source of mental despondency can be various painful conditions of the body, especially some of its members. However, no matter what causes despondency, prayer is always the first and last remedy against it. In prayer, a person stands directly in the face of God: but if, standing against the sun, one cannot help but be illuminated by light and feel warmth, much less spiritual light and warmth are the direct consequences of prayer. In addition, prayer attracts grace and help from above, from the Holy Spirit; and where the Comforter Spirit is, there is no place for despondency, there the very sorrow will be turned into sweetness. Reading or listening to the word of God, especially the New Testament, is also a powerful remedy against despondency. It was not in vain that the Savior called to Himself all those who labored and were burdened, promising them peace and joy. He did not take this joy with Him to heaven, but left it entirely in the Gospel for all those who mourn and are discouraged in spirit. He who is imbued with the spirit of the Gospel ceases to grieve joylessly, for the spirit of the Gospel is the spirit of peace, tranquility and consolation. Divine services, and especially the holy sacraments of the Church, are also a great medicine against the spirit of despondency: for in the church, as the house of God, there is no place for it; The sacraments are all directed against the spirit of darkness and the weaknesses of our nature, especially the sacrament of confession and communion. Laying aside the weight of sins through confession, the soul feels light and cheerful; and when he receives the Lord’s Body and Blood in the Eucharist, he feels revival and joy. Conversation with people rich in the Christian spirit is also a remedy against despondency. In an interview, we generally emerge more or less from the gloomy inner depths into which the soul plunges from despondency; along with the opening of the lips, in a sad person, one might say, the depths of the spirit are opened up, access to light and spiritual warmth opens up. In addition, through the exchange of thoughts and feelings in an interview, we borrow from those talking to us a certain strength and vitality, which is so necessary in a state of despondency. Thinking about comforting objects and fixing your thoughts on any of them also helps a lot in despondency. For thought in this state either does not act at all, or circles around sad objects. To get rid of despondency, you need to force yourself to think about the opposite. For example, if despondency came from sadness over the death of a loved one; then, instead of constantly wandering with your thoughts at his grave, imagining him lying in a coffin, or smoldering in the ground, transport your thoughts more often to heaven, where his spirit is, imagine the day of the general, future resurrection, when we will all be clothed with a new, glorified, immortal body, and will no longer be subject to sorrowful separation from our neighbors. Engaging yourself in physical labor also drives away despondency. A sad person is incapable of work, but what are the needs? Let him begin to work, even reluctantly; let him continue the work, although without success: from movement, first the body comes to life, and then the spirit, and you will feel vigor; in the midst of work, the thought will quietly turn away from objects that make me sad, and this already means a lot in a state of despondency. Finally, if the source of despondency is hidden in bodily ailments, then a Christian should not neglect the benefits of the art of medicine: for this art is from God. The Lord created, says Scripture, a doctor for the needs of man (Sir. 38:1), therefore the doctor is a servant of God for our good. Everything we say about despondency concerns Christian despondency. Do peace-loving people and sinners who are careless about the salvation of their souls suffer from despondency? - Most of all and most often, although, apparently, their life consists mostly of fun and pleasure. Even in all fairness, it can be said that internal discontent and secret melancholy are his constant share of sinners. For conscience, no matter how much it is drowned out, like a worm, eats away at the heart. The inner man, no matter how much he is suppressed, often raises his head and groans. An involuntary, deep premonition of future judgment and retribution also disturbs the sinful soul, outrages and saddens it the insane pleasures of sensuality. The most inveterate sinner at times feels that he is like a branch without a root, like a building without a foundation, that inside him there is emptiness, darkness, ulcers and death. Hence the uncontrollable inclination of peace lovers to incessant entertainment, to forget themselves and be beside themselves. What should we say to peace-loving people about their despondency? It is good for them: for it serves as a call and incentive to repentance. Therefore, instead of driving away this despondency like a disease, it must be used as a medicine, turning it from the fruitless sadness of this age into saving sadness for God. And let them not think that any means will be found for them to free themselves from this spirit of despondency until they turn to the path of righteousness and correct themselves and their morals. Vanity pleasures and earthly joys will never fill the emptiness of the heart: our soul is more spacious than the whole world. On the contrary, as time goes on, the very joys of the flesh will lose their power to entertain and charm the soul, and will turn into a source of mental heaviness and boredom. Meanwhile, sadness for God, contrition for one’s lawless life, although at first it will apparently add something to the longing of the soul, but over time will serve to complete healing from all heart diseases; for he will bring behind him truth, peace and joy about the Holy Spirit. Amen. Word on the Friday of the 2nd week of Lent “Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of covetousness!” Do not give in to the spirit that, having taken possession of the luminous Angel, darkened him and cast him down from heaven forever, which, having prevailed over our ancestors, expelled them irrevocably from paradise; that spirit by which the blinded Pharaoh asked: Who is God, whose voice will I listen to? (Ex. 5:2), by whom, deceived, Dathan and Abiron went down to hell alive for their indignation against Moses; that spirit that forced heretics to go against the authority of the Church, troublemakers and seditionists to torment the bowels of their Fatherland, violent writers to sow tares and corruption of morals in entire generations; that spirit which, despite its monstrous size, can inhabit the smallest person, and whoever it inhabits, makes him dissatisfied with nothing, especially with his condition. In fact, brothers, no one is safe from the spirit of covetousness and exaltation: it penetrates into the very deserts and sometimes forces people who have renounced everything to seek primacy over others, if not in something else, then in the very distance from power; he appears in the circle of the youngest children and turns the boy into a leader of his own kind, who proudly gives orders, looks at his rival with envy, and is tormented in spirit if he is deprived of his superiors. What can we say about the world and human society? There it is even accepted as a rule that a thin warrior is one who does not want to be a military leader. When entering the field of life, few people do not bring with them the most ambitious views, the most exorbitant desires. And how can many not be infected with the spirit of arrogance, when parents and educators themselves often consider it their duty to arouse it in their young pupils, considering this to be the key to their future success in life? Indeed, this can be collateral, but for what? Not successes, but failures, not exaltation, but the most dangerous falls. For, firstly, is it possible for everyone to achieve high places, honors and brilliant distinctions? This share, of necessity, belongs to a few. And therefore, for others, an attempt on her life is an attempt on the almost impossible and, therefore, harmful. And, secondly, the spirit of covetousness is generally the worst assistant in achieving honors and virtues. For a person imbued with it almost never has patience and modesty, so necessary for success in earthly affairs. He who is arrogant in the spirit of covetousness, on the contrary, is ready to use all means in order to quickly achieve his goal; and using them recklessly, he rarely suffers from serious falls. In case of failure and vicissitudes, it becomes even worse for him: he allows himself impudence and violence, which deprive him of what he had. Usually such people, with deceived ambition, abandon the path of honor and even public service, and prematurely conclude themselves in the circle of domestic life. This peaceful and good circle could reward them for all the deprivations of greater light; but, unfortunately, even here the ambitious person rarely finds peace for himself, because he brings home with him the spirit of dissatisfaction from his failures, the spirit of grumbling and bitterness of heart. In addition, the passion of exaltation here also wants to find food in everything, and according to the natural order of things, often encountering opposition, it rages and torments itself and others. A person who is proud of everything is difficult and disgusting even when he has excellent abilities: for everything that nature has distinguished and adorned him with, he usually uses to humiliate others; and who enjoys being humiliated? Therefore, people usually try to avoid such people. But the spirit of covetousness also appears in the most mediocre people. They are no longer avoided, but outright despised. How much grief comes from this for the despised! Well, someone will say, is it really not allowed for a Christian to desire high virtues? A Christian is not prohibited from wishing for all that is good. You can desire, when you feel the ability to do so, and high dignity; but how to wish? – Is it true that you consider yourself destined specifically for this or that high rank? This would be conceit and unforgivable pride. Is it so that, having not achieved your desire, you think that the whole purpose of life has already been lost, and therefore lament and torment yourself? No, that would mean not understanding the meaning and purpose of your life. Is it so that all means to achieve distinctions and merits are considered legal and permissible? But the world itself does not tolerate such lust and ambition. What is permissible for a Christian in relation to honors and virtues? It is permissible to prepare oneself to be worthy of them, to reveal and improve in oneself all the talents given by God, to reveal them in a correct and generally useful way, to show activity, honesty and love for the common good. Work on all this as much as you like: all this is commendable not only before men, but also before God. But to strive intensely for higher places and virtues, all the more so using intrigues and connections, deceit and deception for this, and not achieving what you want, raising a murmur, falling into cowardice and despair, all this is completely unchristian. A Christian calmly awaits a calling from above: his turn comes, he humbly enters the field that has opened before him; does not come - he uses his abilities and knowledge in the circle in which he is, without contradicting the orders from above, without reproaching anyone for not paying attention to himself. For rest assured, God’s Providence, when bestowing excellent abilities on someone, always makes sure that they do not remain in vain, and itself opens the field for their use in business. It may seem to us that this field is small, not for us: but if, having entered into it, we do our job as we should, then everything good that is in us will find its own use and bear fruit. On the other hand, this circle is often narrow only at the beginning - to tempt our patience and humility; and then with an invisible hand, depending on our fidelity, it expands; and the one who thought to remain down forever sees himself at a height suitable for him. But even without this height, you can always do a lot of truly useful things, even, if you like, be the first and leader for others. There are so many good paths around everyone that have not yet been laid, good deeds that have not yet begun! Look around and, without losing spirit from your low position in the world, begin to do, albeit little by little and in a small form, what no one has done: in this way you will be the first, you will create a new field and distinction for yourself, you will set an example for the bosses themselves, for the whole society. Isn’t this exactly how the activity of many friends of humanity began, whose names would have been lost among many other names if they had followed the common and ordinary path of honors and distinctions, and who now shine in the scroll of everyday life, perhaps precisely because they did not have to go this way, but were given the opportunity for the good of humanity to open a new field, their own? But speaking in this way, instead of extinguishing the spirit of covetousness, we can still arouse it in those who have a predisposition to it. As a warning to this, let us hasten to show what is required of a Christian when entering a high place. Whosoever... willeth to be in you, let him be your servant (Matthew 20:26): this is the law spoken by Him Who Himself is in all respects the First and the Last! (Rev. 1:17). The higher a Christian is, the more humble, hardworking and selfless he should be. The authorities bring him work and vigilance, care and sadness for everything that is under his hand. Whoever firmly keeps this in mind, the spirit of covetousness will fall of its own accord, for is it for the sake of labor and the common good that this spirit drives its favorites to the heights of honor? No, he shows them at this height one luxury and contentment, one greatness and praise from everyone. Destroy all this in your mind, and the bait will disappear. Look in high dignity at the heavy responsibility that comes with it, both before people, and especially before your conscience and God - and instead of ambitious desires, you will feel fear from high places, and you will look at them as you look at the top of tall buildings, where it is scary to place yourself even in thoughts. But in human nature, someone will say, there is a natural desire for the high and great: shouldn’t it be nourished and supported? Without a doubt it should; and if we preserved and nourished it properly in our souls, we would not be seduced by any human heights and would not dwell on them as at the top of all desires, for our innate desire for the high and great is higher not only than the whole earth, but also the whole world. It is precisely this, kept in purity and strength, that would save us from all petty types of earthly ambition. And so that he himself does not remain idle, for this purpose the Creator has indicated the highest goal for all people, without exception. Which? The one to which the Gospel points and calls everyone. What could be higher than the promises it contains? According to his teaching, we are all destined for the kingdom with Christ, for dominion over the whole world, for the heights of the angels. Behold dignity for one and all! Everyone strive: not only does no one forbid this, but on the contrary, everything encourages it. Meanwhile, who goes to these heights and ascends to them? The poor ages of this, the rabble of the world, as the Apostle puts it, that is, people removed from all worldly honors and dignity. What about people who are at the height of earthly greatness? Alas! They, seduced by their height, rarely pay attention to this subject! With them, unfortunately, the same thing happens as with the tops of high mountains, which, being covered with snow and ice, sparkle with rainbow rays at every rising and setting of the sun and delight the eye, but always remain bare and barren, without any sign of life. Bearing in mind these experiences, if the hand of Providence places us at the height of earthly dignity, we will stand with the fear of God, not forgetting our unworthiness and the great responsibilities that lie upon us, not being seduced by our height, and constantly directing the gaze of our minds and hearts to the honors of the highest rank, to those thrones and crowns that are distributed to the worthy not by human arbitrariness, but by the all-holy and righteous will Almighty. And if Providence has destined us to remain in a low place, let us stand in it with complacency and devotion, remembering that our Lord is the Lord of the mountains and valleys (1 Kings 20:23), that standing in the valley is standing only for a while, and that we are all destined to such a height, before which everything high and great on earth is but a ghost and a shadow. Amen. Homily for Wednesday of the 3rd week of Lent “Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idle talk!” Apparently, idle talk is a very dangerous vice, that there are so many prayers against it! For Saint David, as you yourself often hear, constantly prays to the Lord, saying: Set, O Lord, a guard over my mouth and a door of protection over my mouth (Ps. 140:3). And the wise son of Sirach exclaims prayerfully: who will give me a storehouse in my mouth, and a seal of understanding on my lips? (Sir. 22:31). But with us, brethren, it is the opposite: nothing is preserved so little as the word; nothing is squandered so idlely as the word. The very ones who could set an example of the prudent use of words, that is, people gifted with excellent intelligence and knowledge, are often the first to neglect this and set an example of the opposite. Is this good? It is very bad because for every idle, especially bad word, according to the testimony of our Lord Himself, it will be necessary to give an answer (Matthew 12:36). It seems to us that our words disappear into thin air; but they all, on the contrary, remain intact, are collected and sealed for the day of judgment and retribution. Therefore, an idle talker pronounces future condemnation on himself with his own lips. Is this a small thing? And it would be in vain for us to imagine that when they judge us for our words, they will treat us too harshly. No, this judgment is correct and necessary: ​​for it only seems to us that our words mean nothing, and that wasting them madly is an unimportant thing; Meanwhile, the human word is very important and very much worth demanding an account of. For what is our word? Obviously, an imprint of the word Creative. In God is the word, and in man is the word. It is true that the word in God is not the same as our word; in God it is the most imprinted image of His being, the Only Begotten Son of God: but in us the word is not an idle sound, and in us it is an imprint and image of our spirit, so that if we were to collect all our words, we would see our own image in them. Is it prudent not to value this image, to burden it with disgusting features and mercilessly defile it? Further, in a word, man is visibly and predominantly different from all the creatures surrounding him. This is the main sign and the main means of our dominion over the world, as was shown at the very beginning through the naming of names from our progenitor to all animals. What has not the word of man produced in its pure form, as it was with the holy men of God! Stopped the sun, closed and opened the sky, raised the dead. Who, after this, does not recognize in the word the scepter of our dominion over the world? We are not yet able to act with this scepter; At least let’s not throw it into the dirt and break it recklessly. Animals have only a small and weak resemblance to our word; but look how they take care of it: they use it only out of dire need; spring will come - those who are capable will open their lips and sing with all diligence praise and glory to the Creator; and at other times of the year they are silent. In a word - further - the entire human race is held in strength and union: it is the conductor of our mutual thoughts, feelings, needs, joys and sorrows, enterprises and improvements. The word mysteriously connects the past with the present, the present with the future; those who have never seen each other come into close communication. Take away the word from people: and everything will stop in the human world. How can the golden chain that binds all humanity be covered with the rust of sin or made poisonous? Pay attention also to the consequences of human words. Every word that comes out of your mouth will never return to you: no, it will go through minds and lips, through years and centuries; will produce an innumerable multitude of thoughts and feelings, deeds and deeds, and, having grown into a huge tree, burdened with all kinds of fruits according to its type and type, will meet with you, its creator, at the Last Judgment. - How can it be crazy not to take care of such a prolific product and produce thousands of them? And in the present tense, on the one who utters the word, it does not remain without action. According to our words, firstly, everyone judges us; our lips give us either respect, or instill disgust and contempt towards us. The wise one, - notes the ancient sage, - will do for himself kindly in words; but he who multiplies words will be abominable (Sir. 20:8, 13). Idle talk is sometimes tolerated for entertainment, just as some birds are kept for the same purpose; but will never earn respect. If they listen to you when you say empty things and do not show disgust; then be sure that this disgust is not only on the face of those listening, but in the hearts of many. Is it prudent not to value that on which our honor or dishonor, the love or dislike of each and every one of us depends? If we neglected other people’s opinion of us for the bad use of our language and words, then even then we would not escape punishment, for idle talk punishes itself. An idle talker becomes empty internally: his mind becomes shallow, his judgment incoherent, his views empty, his assumptions insignificant or reprehensible. In the eyes of an observant person, he looks like a stupid child who cannot remain silent. Such a person is not capable of anything important and truly useful, as was noted in ancient times, where the sages did not accept as their disciples those people who, through prolonged silence, had not proven their ability to do business. Finally, we should not ignore without special attention the fact that the emptiness of the soul and the unfoundedness of the mind that comes from idle talk do not stop on the lips alone, but, according to the law of our nature, pass into our very actions and life. Saint James wisely noted that if anyone does not sin in word, he... is able to bridle the whole body (James 3:2): this is a natural reward for bridling his tongue. He who is accustomed, on the contrary, to sinning in word, will soon begin to sin in life. In fact, who is a bad ruler and judge? An idle talker. Who is the bad executor of the orders of the bosses? An idle talker. Who is the thin father, son, friend? An idle talker. Who is the skinny mother of the family? The wife is idle talker. Where is the source of gossip, slander, quarrels? In the mouth of an idle talkative wife. In all this, do not be surprised, brethren, that the word of God so strictly persecutes idle talk and threatens judgment for words not only bad, but also idle. This is to our true benefit: for our word destroys us. How, you ask, should a word be used so that it does not one day serve to condemn us? Use it, firstly, with extreme frugality, as required by the high origin of the word, its great purpose in the world and its extremely important effects on other people and ourselves. To use, secondly, on objects worthy of it, for the glory of God, for the benefit of our neighbors and for our improvement, and in no way to use it on shameful objects, on wicked thoughts, on harmful feelings; Do not use it for lies and deceit, for slander and slander, for abuse and quarrel. Thirdly, to observe the use of your word and from time to time demand an account of it - it is best to go to bed every day. Fourthly, turn to the Lord with prayer, so that He Himself will guard our lips, He Himself will protect us with His grace from the spirit of idle talk, which is now infecting the entire universe with such ferocity. For, if the holy men of God, David, Sirach, Ephraim did not see in themselves sufficient strength to fight this seductive and harmful spirit, then can we expect victory over it without help from above? Fifthly, one must repent of bad and idle words and try to reward them - most closely - through the good use of the same word, confessing, where possible, directly to its previous reckless use. When we do this, our word will gradually free itself from all shortcomings and finally become what it should be - a life-giving echo in us of the word of the Creative, a bright imprint of our pure being, a powerful organ of our dominion over creatures, a sacred chain connecting us with all humanity, a faithful intermediary for communicating to others what is good in us, and for accepting from others what we lack - an everlasting instrument and guarantee of our success in all perfection. Amen. Word on the Friday of the 3rd week of Lent “Lord and Master of my life, grant me the spirit of chastity to Thy servant!” If there is any spirit, then chastity must be asked from above: for in order to preserve all virtue one must fight with one’s own nature; and where, in the words of John Climacus, nature is conquered, there must be the presence of a being that is higher than nature. “You will fight in vain,” continues the same holy mentor, “and drive away the spirit of carnal uncleanness from yourself with philosophical proofs and contradictions; because he, for his part, can present to us quite a few things similar to reason and compete with us with natural arguments. Therefore, whoever wants to overcome the flesh by himself goes in vain. Offer the weakness of your nature to the Lord and admit all your powerlessness before Him: then you will insensitively receive from Him the gift of chastity.” In addition to the general prayer, repeated as often as possible, for the gift of the spirit of chastity, anyone who wants to be chaste, on the advice of holy men, should always have a short private prayer ready - in case of sinful temptations. - Namely, when you feel, they say, that in your heart - whether from vision, from hearing, or by itself - unclean carnal lust is being revived, then immediately direct your thought to Christ with a prayer for help and keep it there until you receive reinforcement. By thus turning your attention away from the sinful spark that has sunk into your heart, you will thereby, as it were, take away the air from it, and through this it will fade away. And when necessary, the dew of grace will also descend to quench it. After prayer, nothing protects chastity more than fasting and labor. In fact, take away the pride from under the cauldron and the fire will go out; take away luxurious dishes and satiety from the body, and the lust of sensuality will fade away. A body burdened with labor has no time for passionate movements: it then seeks peace and quiet. Idleness, on the contrary, and bliss are an inexhaustible source of voluptuousness. Therefore, someone who thinks to maintain chastity in the midst of satiety and luxury is like someone who, reclining in the middle of a swamp, hoped to remain clean. Perhaps he will manage to maintain physical purity, but he will certainly lose his spiritual purity. Likewise, those who wish to preserve the purity of soul and body must avoid all cases where it may apparently be subject to denigration; and for this, following the example of Saint Job, he must make a covenant with his eyes, ears and all his feelings. For it is not in vain that the prophet calls our feelings windows through which death enters our soul. All sins love to enter through these windows; but nothing enters them so often as the lust of the flesh; Therefore, it is necessary to guard these windows and not open them recklessly. And when it is no longer possible, for some reason, not to see and hear temptations; then in such cases it is necessary to have a spiritual antidote. Such a means during the surrounding temptation, in addition to heartfelt prayer, can be the aspiration of thought to the Cross of Christ and His most pure wounds, or to one’s own tomb and death. In this way, the poison of temptation is quickly and surely weakened. A humble disposition of spirit and heart, according to the teaching of the holy fathers, is also a great barrier for chastity: is it because the Lord looks upon the humble most of all - and where His gaze is, there is grace, from there every temptation and sin flees; - or maybe because the properties of humility are to lower and suppress in a person everything that goes beyond the limits, therefore, the leaping of flesh and blood. Pride, on the contrary, and arrogance, especially combined with condemnation of one’s neighbor, according to the observation of people experienced in spiritual warfare, most likely expose the most apparently perfect person to temptation from carnal defilements, so that he may be punished not to exalt himself with his virtue, seeing such a fierce ulcer within himself. Meditation on spiritual objects and the resulting love for them, especially love for our Lord and Savior, for His suffering and the Cross, is also a means of protecting the purity of spirit and body. “A chaste person,” teaches Saint John Climacus, “reflects love with love and extinguishes physical fire with spiritual fire.” On the other hand, chastity is protected by the representation of eternal torment and the fire of hell. This fire will burn in itself, but now it can cool and save from the fire of passions when we vividly imagine it. One ascetic, not content with imagining this fire in his mind, decided to first let his body feel its cruelty. “You encourage me to sin,” he said, “let’s see if you are able to endure the torment that threatens for sins!” and with these words he placed his finger on the burning candle. The pain from the fire extinguished the flame of the flesh. The very thing that kindles carnal lust can be usefully used as a medicine against passion. “Does the smoldering flesh in the grave invite you to be wounded by the beauty of your face?” asks Saint Demetrius of Rostov? So, when this beauty begins to hurt your living heart, imagine it lying in a grave, ugly, covered with decay and stench, and it will lose its power to attract you.” By these and similar means we must protect ourselves, brothers, from the attacks of carnal thoughts; must, if necessary, fight until there is blood, but emerge victorious from the battle. For it is absolutely necessary to overcome, because God has called us, as the Apostle teaches, not for uncleanness, but for holiness (1 Thess. 4:7). Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, he asserts, will inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9). And since such people usually like to deceive themselves that their sin is small, that they supposedly fulfill only the requirement of nature, that if they harm in any way, it is to themselves, and not to others, moreover, they often have a soft heart, compassion for their neighbors and other good qualities, with which they calm themselves, as well as with the mercy of God; then the apostle, having all this in mind, precedes his judgment on adulterers with the word: do not be flattered! You, as if he were saying this, hope, despite your carnal uncleanness, with the help of some of your virtues, to escape from the wrath of heaven, to be admitted into the pure and holy Kingdom of God: no, this is a pathetic deception and self-delusion - do not be flattered! neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers will inherit the Kingdom of God. Why? Because nothing bad can penetrate into it. And notice where the apostle places fornicators and adulterers? Around the idolater, these vices seemed to be of the same nature. And they have exactly the same properties: like an idolater, an adulterer, for he gives his heart, which should be dedicated to the one true God, for Whom it was created, to an idol, and thus violates the union of love and fidelity; so an adulterer is an idolater, for instead of God and the Creator he gives his heart to the creature, making it a cold idol for himself. Let us first of all keep our hearts pure, beloved, so that the heart preserved from lust may also preserve the flesh from uncleanness. Let us not rely on any of our firmness or purity. “Do not believe,” says Saint Climacus, “your mortal flesh throughout your entire life and do not hope to abstain from it until you present yourself to Christ.” Only there, where there will no longer be any enemy - in heaven, with Christ and our Lord, will it be possible to indulge in perfect peace; but here, as long as we live, we walk among snares, and therefore we must continually watch. What, someone will ask, should someone do who has had the misfortune of enslaving himself to carnal passion and is bound by a sinful habit? – The same thing, beloved, that we do when we are thrown into some deep and steep abyss: having examined our position, protecting ourselves with the Cross of Christ, calling on God and the Guardian Angel for help, begin to emerge from the abyss: climb, if necessary, with our hands and feet, but ascend; to be covered with falling earth and stones, but to rise; to feel stinging and pain in all members of the body, but to ascend; break off at times and fall, but still rise. When we do this and use everything we can on our part, then be sure that insurmountable strength and courage will appear in us; an invisible hand will support us, and, probably, visible help will also appear, sent from the One who leaves the ninety-nine sheep and looks for one in the mountains - the lost one. Amen. Homily for Wednesday of the 4th week of Lent “Lord and Master of my life, grant me the spirit of humility, Thy servant!” We repeat this many times, if not with our lips, then with our thoughts, together with the altar server. But how many actually want to acquire the beautiful virtue of humility? Alas, the spirit of the world, the spirit of obvious or secret pride and vanity, has so prevailed among Christians themselves that the virtue of humility has almost fallen into universal oblivion, and if it continues to stand among the virtues, it is as a rarity, which was once in use, but is now suitable only for some special, so to speak, hunters of virtue. Meanwhile, which virtue is more kind to everyone - humility? - for everyone, I say, for the Lord Himself testifies of Himself: to whom will I look, only to the meek and silent and trembling of My words (Isa. 66:2). And don’t we ourselves feel a special pleasure when we have the opportunity to deal with, or meet, a person of truly humble wisdom, especially when he is adorned with abilities? In order for us to love humility and not think that it can humiliate us or hinder us on the path of life to our exaltation, this virtue is directly promised a reward, and namely exaltation; just as for the opposite vice - pride - it is directly threatened with punishment, and namely humiliation: everyone, - it is said, - who is exalted, will humble himself; the one who humbles himself will exalt himself (Luke 18:14). And since God Himself says this, He is not false in all His words, experience continually confirms what has been said. How many proud ones have been cast down, how many humble ones have been exalted! But nothing touches us and cannot attract us to humility, neither the word of God nor experience. To be proud, to be arrogant, to consider ourselves better than others, to despise others like ourselves, to seek primacy and distinction - all this has become for us, as it were, a kind of necessity. Why? From ignorance of ourselves, from not paying attention to our shortcomings. He who knows himself well, no matter what talents he has, will always be humbly wise. Why? Because, despite all our perfections, we always have many shortcomings, therefore, reasons for humility, both natural and dependent on us. And, note: the all-wise Creator, in order to protect us from pride, giving someone excellent talents of a certain kind, always almost takes away from such a person the ability to do some of the most ordinary things, or adds some visible, tangible deficiency to the talents. So, for example, people gifted with great intelligence often do not have any gift of speech; those with amazing memory are poor in understanding; especially beautiful ones are often short-sighted or stupid. Our very perfections, soon reaching their limit and encountering a barrier beyond which we cannot pass, should lead us to humility. You, for example, are distinguished by a high mind and extensive knowledge: so you, more and more quickly than anyone else, should know what the whole human mind and all our knowledge mean; how this mind, in the words of Solomon, with difficulty acquires what is on earth, but cannot cognize or determine what is in heaven, what is beyond the limits of the sensory world. The very fragility and frailty of many of our perfections is also a constant encouragement not to be arrogant. You are now gifted with health and beauty, which encourage you to rise above others, but how long will this freshness of your face, this rosy color of your cheeks and lips, this so-called heavenly, but in fact often hellish, look last? Tomorrow the disease will come - and everything will disappear; the day after tomorrow will be visited by sadness and grief - and everything has faded; After a while, old age will come - and you will stand along with everyone else. Isn’t it better not to separate yourself with pride from others now that everyone will consider this to be your virtue and merit? If we take at least a cursory glance at our moral shortcomings, we remember our voluntary and involuntary falls into sin; then an inexhaustible source of incentives to humility will open for everyone. For how many duties everyone has not fulfilled, or performed carelessly! How many occasions for good, omitted unwisely, or used for good, but selfishly and only partly! How many direct and obvious bad inclinations and dark deeds! Moreover, there are so many vicious thoughts and feelings! One has only to look into one’s heart, at least from time to time, to review the scroll of one’s thoughts, feelings and deeds; and everyone will see how small in spirit and unclean in heart he is, how far from what he could and should be. If any of us, for these and many other reasons, has a holy desire not only to pray with our lips for the spirit of humility, but to actually acquire this God-loving virtue, let him know that humility is such a state of the soul in which it, having recognized all its weakness and impurity, is far from any high opinion of itself; He constantly tries to reveal all that is good in himself, to eradicate all that is evil, but he never considers himself to have achieved perfection and expects it from the grace of God, and not from his own efforts. A humble person always has a certain holy distrust of himself, of the powers of his mind and will: and therefore he is circumspect, modest and quiet in all his words and actions. He will never allow himself to make impudent judgments, especially about persons and objects that are higher than him, especially about the sacraments of faith. A humble person is especially afraid of praise and high virtues: therefore, not only does he not seek them, but he is glad when they pass him by. He willingly gives up primacy to others in everything, even in good deeds. But when it comes to setting an example, he is the first. The humble person without grief, even sometimes with joy, faces failures and sorrows; for he knows the value and benefit of them for his internal correction. Therefore, he does not remember to be angry, he is always ready to forgive the offender and repay him for evil with good. These are obvious signs of humility! It loves to hide its virtues; On the contrary, he loves to reveal his shortcomings, if this can be done without tempting his neighbor. From whom can we learn humility? Earthly wisdom has less of everything. Reason by nature, as St. Paul notes, is arrogant (1 Cor. 8:1), that is, it puffs up and disposes to pride and grandeur; pure love alone creates - humbling; connecting, affirming. It is best to learn the virtue of humility from the holy men of God, who left us the greatest examples of humility, such as Abraham, who, having received extraordinary revelations and the great title of friend of God, did not cease to call himself earth and ashes; Saint David, to whom neither the rank of king nor the title of prophet prevented him from saying about himself: I am a worm, and not a man, the reproach of men (Ps. 21:7); Saint Paul, who, being the first of the apostles in his labors, humbly confesses that he is the first of sinners. But in order for us to more willingly learn this virtue, which is difficult for our pride, the Lord and our Savior Himself undertook to be a teacher of humility for us. Learn, He says, from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). What lesson did He not leave us with, what example did He not set in humility? At the very entrance into our world, He, as the Lord and Lord of all, could surround His cradle, if not with luxury, then with convenience; but where is He born? In the den. On what does the Born lie down? In the manger. This is an example of humility for you, rich ones! Herod instigates fierce persecution against Him, His life is in danger: why would he send against the persecutor even one of those twelve legions of Angels who were always ready to carry out His commands? But He, persecuted, humbly saves His life by fleeing to Egypt. This is an example of humility for you, mighty of the earth! John goes to the Jordan to preach repentance and performs baptism for the remission of sins: is there a place for Him who did not commit a single sin, and came to earth to destroy every sin with His righteousness? And what will they think if a sinless person asks for this baptism and receives it? But the Lord asks for baptism, and humbly accepts it from His Forerunner. This is an example of humility for you, who value human opinion about you too much, and for fear of what they will think of you, who shy away from doing good deeds! - And at Golgotha? This is no longer an example, but one might say, miracles of humility, before which all our exploits and experiences in humility are nothing! So, soul seeking humility, you and I do not need to think much about whom to choose as a mentor and example of humility: for us the Lord and our Savior Himself will be for him. For this, let us surrender ourselves completely to Him, like a little child surrenders to its teacher, and we will listen to what He begins to inspire in us. People can only teach and give advice; He will teach a hundredfold better, and will show in Himself a perfect example of what He teaches, and will give us the strength to actually carry out what we have learned. Amen. Word on the Friday of the 4th week of Lent “Lord and Master of my life, grant me the spirit of patience, Thy servant!” There is no need to arouse the petitioners much to this request, for for whom is the spirit of patience excessive? We all suffer in one way or another; everyone's nature turns away from grief and sorrow; Therefore, everyone needs a spirit of courage and patience, so as not to sink under sadness, not to indulge in cowardice and murmuring. But where can we get this spirit of patience? In your own heart? Ah, it is the first to refuse to endure, beats restlessly in the face of slight displeasure, grumbles and groans in pain in the face of great adversity. In your mind? He is ready, at times, to look coldly at disasters, but only at times; and what of this cold look? A new tightness in the soul, a new heaviness in the heart. Among people like themselves? But everyone has their own grief; Moreover, people are more capable of sharing joys with us than sorrows, and, sharing our sorrows, they are more capable of crying with us than of drying our tears. In life circumstances? It is from them that our sorrows, our sorrows and misfortunes arise; The human view of the world is the weakest comforter. In nature and its harmonious order? But its very harmony and splendor are, as it were, a reproach to our poverty. And besides, the gaze of a suffering person, passing by what is joyful and soothing that is in nature, usually stops at what appears gloomy and disturbing in it; Isn’t that enough? Thus, the thought of a grieving person, like Noah’s dove, finding nowhere, neither inside nor outside himself, a place for peace, naturally strives to heaven. An inner feeling, unmuffled by anything, tells everyone that there is grief, there is strength to strengthen all weakness, there is joy that can drive out all sadness, there is life that does not know death and decay at all. What is most unexpected is that in moments of great grief and misfortune, the most unrepentant sinner sometimes also raises his eyes to heaven and expects help and a spirit of patience. But for what? So that, having gathered strength, we again strive to achieve the same or similar, lawless and insane plans! Can one wish such a spirit of patience? No, Lord, give them a spirit not of patience, but of cowardice and despair in the fulfillment of lawless plans, so that they will understand that in vain they strayed from Your law, in vain they thought to find from the world and the flesh that which is found in You alone. Take away from us the spirit of patience if we use it not for deeds of love and piety, but for serving the world and passions. The prayer for patience has the right to be offered by those who endure for the truth or for the truth. “Lord and Master of my life, grant the spirit of patience to Your servant,” a person burdened with family and poverty can say unashamedly, “so that I may not grumble at my heavy lot, so that I may be able to raise my children with the labors of my hands, and, tormented by need, I will not stretch out these hands to deception and theft.” “Lord and Master of my life, grant me the spirit of patience,” a person invested with high power and dignity can unashamedly say, “so that I may carry out my great service as it should, without forgetting or leaving anything that serves for the common good, so that I may bear with complacency the whole burden of human quarrels, so that I may be everything to everyone, sparing neither my strength nor my peace, not being embarrassed by any difficulties and failures.” “Lord and Master of my life, grant the spirit of patience to Your servant,” a servant who wants to serve his master in a Christian way can say, “so that I may be able to endure the whims and cruelty of my master without complaining, so that I may not be tempted by the bad examples of luxury and sin with which I am surrounded, and may I never lose sight of that eternal reward that You promised to all faithful servants in Your kingdom.” “Lord and Master of my life, grant the spirit of patience to Thy servant,” the very last of the criminals can say when, having hated the previous path of lawlessness, he decided to use the requested gift of patience to complacently endure a well-deserved punishment, to conquer the habit of sin, to cleanse his life and conscience through feats of repentance and good deeds. Let all such and like them boldly ask for the spirit of patience and can be sure that they will not be denied. For if anything is pleasing before the Lord and Master of our life, then it is our willingness to endure suffering and temptation. He will never leave such people with His help. But how is it, someone will say, that I have been suffering cruelly for a long time, praying fervently, crying out for help, asking for at least the spirit of patience, and I don’t see it in myself, I don’t feel any joy or courage? - Whoever is suffering in this way, let it be known to you that the Lord hears your prayer, sees your sorrow, has compassion for you, protects you invisibly and prepares for you crowns and rewards. For how could He not see your tears and not have compassion for them? – This would mean for Him to renounce His own omniscience and His very essence, which is love and mercy. - Why don’t you have courage and patience? “Perhaps because the state of cowardice is more reliable and useful for you than courage, so that, having gone through this temptation, you would recognize all the powerlessness of human nature and place all your hope solely in the Lord; It may even be that the requested gift has already been given to you, and you do not see it only because you imagined receiving it in a different form or to the extent that it was given to you. In fact, if you continue to pray and hope, then you already have at least the beginnings of the spirit of patience. For this spirit consists not in not feeling one’s powerlessness and one’s suffering, not in crying and not crying out for help, not in not bowing under the weight of troubles and temptations and never falling, but in not falling at all and not losing faith and hope. To encourage you on your way of the cross, we can and must tell you and the apostle one thing - that the Lord has never allowed and will not allow anyone to be tempted more than he can bear, but with temptation he always creates excess (1 Cor. 10:13). “But for me,” another will say, “there is nothing left to expect and desire except death.” And what then, beloved in Christ, is a sufferer, even if it is death? Wouldn't you die if you were the very first lucky person in the world and when everything was in your power? Death is an inevitable event for everyone. Everyone must care about one thing: to die for the Lord, with true repentance for sins and with faith in the Redeemer. In this case, death is not a loss, but peace from labors and sorrows. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord...hey, says the Spirit, may they rest from their labors! (Rev. 14:13). “But,” the sufferer will object, “it’s not my own death that confuses me, but the thought of what will happen to my family, with whom and how will it, poor thing, remain?” - He will remain with Him who calls Himself the Father of the orphans and the Protector of widows, in whose right hand are all the destinies of men, who preserved three youths unharmed in the fiery furnace, who from a child betrayed by the waves of the river raised up a leader for the people of Israel and a god for Pharaoh. What will happen to your family? There will be something that you and I cannot even know, but which has long been, from eternity, laid down in the council of God - there will be something that, in any case, can serve for his true good. And your family, of course, will suffer and endure; but this patience will serve as a barrier from the temptations of luxury and, perhaps, will be rewarded a hundredfold in this world. Indeed, there are so many examples that the most beautiful people come from the poorest and orphaned families; meanwhile, where, apparently, everything was used for the upbringing and education of children, there are family members serving him in sadness and reproach. With these and similar reflections, let us strengthen ourselves, brethren, on the path of earthly sorrows and hardships, inspired by the example of our Lord and Savior Himself, who, instead of the joy set before Him, endured the cross, neglecting its shame, and sitting at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2), preparing crowns for all true sufferers. Amen. Homily for Wednesday of the 5th week of Lent “Lord and Master of my life, grant the spirit of love to me, Thy servant!” Grant: for even if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, I am not an imam of love, but they are like ringing brass, or a clanging cymbal. Grant: for even if an Imam has prophecy, and knows all the secrets and all the mind, and even if an Imam has all the faith, even if he has given up mountains, I am not an Imam of love, I am nothing! Grant: for if I give away all my possessions, and if I give up my body to be burned, for the love of the imam: there is no benefit for me (1 Cor. 13: 1-3). The Holy Apostle Paul, from whom we borrowed these words, so highly values ​​the gift of love. He calls it the union or sum total of all perfections; puts it not only above prophecies, the gift of tongues and knowledge, but also above faith and hope itself: greater than these are loves (1 Cor. 13:13). Otherwise one cannot value this virtue; for the Lord our God Himself, according to the testimony of the holy evangelist, is love, and only if one abides in love, he abides in God, and God abides in him (1 John 4:16). But what kind of love is this, so highly valued? Obviously, not the one that dominates the world; for the world is filled with love, but what kind? “Everything in the world,” says the same apostle, “is carnal lust... the lust of desire and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). This impure love does not calm, but irritates, does not create, but transforms; from this love the silence and happiness of families collapses; the cities and towns groan; Sometimes human blood flows like a river. This love is worse than worldly hatred itself: for hatred forces one to be careful and run away from the snares of the enemy, but carnal love forces one to voluntarily strive into the abyss. Do you want to know the properties of pure Christian love? “It is impossible to better depict her as she is depicted by the Holy Apostle Paul.” Love, he says, is long-suffering, merciful: love does not envy: love is not exalted, is not proud, is not rude, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth: it covers everything, has faith in everything, trusts everything, endures everything, love falls away in no way (1 Cor. 13:4-8). Obviously, there is no such love in the world. We were all created for this holy love and once had it, but we did not know how to preserve it. The spirit of evil came and disturbed the flow of love in our hearts with its hellish breath. Since then we have been at enmity with the whole world and with ourselves. In fact, what is our love now? Mostly hidden hatred. If we love God Himself, it is because He is omnipotent, and we are afraid of falling into the hands of His justice - of being subjected to His wrath and eternal torment. Take away the flames of hell, and the love of many for God Himself will fade away. What kind of love is this that needs to be warmed by the flames of hell? – If we love our neighbors, it is because they serve our benefit and pleasure; because we see in them the necessary tools for our pride, our passions and whims. Otherwise, disgust and even hatred, enmity and persecution immediately take place. What finally comes out of our love for ourselves, which is apparently so limitless and unchangeable? The fact that we, servile all our lives to our lusts and passions, finally perish, body and soul. Therefore, the word of God does not find any other means for our good than to prescribe for us, instead of impure love, pure hatred of ourselves. This is our love! Besides this unfortunate transformation of the gift of love into us, there is another, terrible evil in our hearts - the spirit of hatred and malice. No matter how much we hide this newcomer from the abyss, he often appears in many ways - in the obvious and secret pride with which we casually despise those like ourselves and do not tolerate those superior to ourselves, - in constant envy of the slightest perfection of our neighbors, especially when it is not in ourselves, - in a kind of gloating at the grief and failures of not only people who are strangers to us, but our very neighbors and friends. The flame of innate malice that nests in us, although it is hidden in the depths of the spirit, like underground fire, often produces terrible explosions and shocks, from which houses, cities and entire kingdoms are transformed. Moreover, like an underground fire, it has permanent holes on the surface of our lips, into which the child emerges from the student of the abyss (Rev. 9:2), in the form of abusive and foul-smelling words. Together with this child, like stones from fire-breathing mountains, quarrels and quarrels are often erupted over the most insignificant and empty things - discord and hatred between such persons, who are connected by everything that nature and friendship have in themselves. Finally, like fiery lava, impudent deceptions, obvious predation, cruelty and murder flow, especially in times of war and civil strife. Looking from this side at the human world, feeling the stormy breath of malice and hatred around him, seeing in his own heart an increasingly impoverished source of malice and wickedness, who will not feel the need to raise his eyes to heaven and, together with Saint Ephraim, cry out: “Lord and Master of my life, grant me the spirit of love, Thy servant! Grant that I may not be carried away by the worldwide flow of pride and envy, that I may be able to love everyone whom You love, to love as You love, not with that worldly love that seeks its own in everything, but with the love of Your beloved Son, which is ready to lay down its soul for the brethren, all the more able to endure all the shortcomings of its neighbor and insults, ready to forgive and love His very enemies!” But, expecting and asking in this way for the fire of pure love from above, we, brothers, ourselves must not remain inactive, but prepare our souls and hearts, like lamps, so that the heavenly fire, descending on them from the Holy Spirit, can conveniently ignite them. What should this preparation consist of? After prayer, most of all in thinking about the love of God and about that blessed union by which all the descendants of Adam are inextricably linked in Christ. Indeed, the Heavenly Father embraces all people with His love; He makes his sun shine equally on the righteous and the unrighteous; we are called and want to be His children: if we are not called in vain, if we want to be children not only in words, but in reality, then how can we hate those whom our common Father loves? The only begotten Son of God, our beloved Savior, came to earth and died for the salvation of all; His love for poor sinners does not reject anyone: neither the tax collector, nor the adulterers; He offered forgiveness from the Cross to His very crucifiers and prayed for them. We recognize ourselves as sinners; We want our sins to be cleansed by His Blood, covered by His merits: will our prayer for this be heard, will we be given forgiveness for our sins, if we do not imitate the generosity and love of our Redeemer, if we do not forgive our debts to our neighbors, which, in comparison with our debts, are so small? The Holy Spirit, by Whom we were marked in the baptismal font and from Whom we received the betrothal of the eternal life, placed His precious, indelible sign not on us alone and not only on those who are dear to us, but on each and every one; He is able to make Paul out of Saul, into an evangelist out of a tax collector, into an heir of paradise out of a thief hanging on the cross; Will we after this look at anyone as an outcast, and completely deprive our love of someone who is not deprived of the sign and love of the Holy Spirit? And what are we striving for? To the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, into which no malice and hatred can penetrate. Therefore, if one of our neighbors deserves our anger by his uncleanness, then we should not harbor hatred towards him out of love for ourselves, so that this hatred, as a forbidden thing, does not prevent us from entering the kingdom of love and peace. With such reflections, brothers, we must warm up our cold heart for love for our neighbors, and thus prepare it to receive the fire of heavenly love from the Holy Spirit Himself, firmly remembering that until this fire descends on us, our soul can warm up, heat up, even smoke, so to speak, with love; but she will never produce from herself the pure, constant and unquenchable flame of the love of Christ. Amen. Word on the Friday of the 5th week of Lent “Lord the King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever!” What would seem easier and more natural for a person, how to contemplate his own sins? “But, apparently, this is not our property, but a gift, and a considerable gift, when such a great ascetic as Saint Ephraim asks for it for himself.” Truly, this gift comes only from above, and is very necessary for everyone. We all have some kind of incomprehensible disgust from seeing our sins. Perhaps this is a sign that sin is not inherent in our nature; but in any case, this is extremely harmful for us: for how can I begin to correct my life if I don’t know what’s bad in me and what my sins are? – However, this is knowledge that people care about least of all. Here even his innate curiosity leaves a person, so you will find many people who, like Solomon, have examined everything from cedar to hyssop, and have never examined themselves even as much as they examine any insect or grass. Judging by this, one might even think that a person hates himself and therefore does not want to know. Meanwhile, he loves himself most of all, and in everything he seeks only himself, he relates everything to himself, apparently, he is constantly concerned with himself, but a person has no desire to consider his character and behavior, his heart and conscience; in this regard, he is ready to do anything but himself; I am ready to spend days and weeks sorting out the most unimportant things, just not to be forced to talk with my conscience. In fact, how much time do we spend testing our conscience even before confession, when it is necessary to give before the servant of the altar, or otherwise before our Savior himself, an account of our behavior, and listen to the verdict with permission or condemnation of us for all eternity? - A lot if we spend several hours on this most important matter. And how many hours, days, weeks and months do we spend on the most unimportant subjects for the soul and conscience, on small bills and household reports, on examining a book or antiquity, on drawing up a plan for some kind of entertainment, on selling or buying several animals? In vain the word of God constantly repeats to us that our soul is infinitely more important than our body, and that if we destroy our soul, then nothing will help, even if we have gained the whole world; It is in vain that the pastors and teachers of the Church inspire us that we should not neglect the sinful wounds of the heart, that if they are left without attention, they will become incurable and cause death to the soul; in vain our inner man, abandoned without help, sometimes raises his head and with his groans reminds us that there is death and destruction within us: we are deaf and blind to all these suggestions and instructions; Having taken a quick glance at the gloomy picture of our existence, sometimes correcting some features in it that are too ugly, we immediately close it from ourselves with a veil of oblivion. Who, after this, can awaken us from harmful insensibility and inattention to ourselves, if the Lord Himself does not come to us and touch our hearts with His omnipotent grace? But this grace must be sought through fervent prayer, without which it, even if it comes to us, will not find an entrance or place for itself among us. Therefore, a person who begins to feel the need to know his uncleanness and sins should turn to the Lord in prayer as often as possible and cry out from the depths of his soul: “Lord King, grant me to see my sins!” Remove the thorn of pride from my mental eyes, so that I can see all the blackness of my criminal deeds; direct my spiritual vision to my conscience, so that it does not slip and dissipate on objects that are alien to me, although seductive! “For what good is it if I know everything and don’t know myself?” What good is it if I do great and loud deeds, at which the world will marvel, and do not correct myself for eternity? “Let it be better for me to remain unknown to everything that happens in the world, how kingdoms fall and rise, but let it not remain unknown to me what is happening in my heart and conscience, how I fall and how I myself must rise from the fall.” With harmful inattention to oneself and the state of one’s soul, there is another extreme in a person - an unfortunate inclination to condemn his neighbors. Let’s not even talk about the weaker sex, in whom the inclination to gossip about their neighbors often becomes the dominant passion: even men, from whom examples of the completely opposite were expected, and they, along with weak vessels, slavishly succumb to this ailment. And where does the far-sightedness of the most short-sighted minds come from in this regard! Where does the sharpness and subtle intelligence come from among the most inert in all other judgments! Why the tirelessness in studying other people's affairs and intentions among the most inactive! And here, too, people are not without a strange contradiction. Give these self-proclaimed judges and judges the responsibility of judging the sins of their neighbors according to the laws: they will soon lose patience and will be burdened by their position, showing negligence in its performance, although this is harmful for the public good. And without obligation, at home, in idle conversation, these people are always ready, without tiring, to judge and re-examine the whole world. Virtue and vice themselves do not make almost any difference in us regarding the inclination to condemn our neighbor. For a pious person, for example, it is completely indecent to engage not only in condemnation, but also in judgment about the sins of his neighbors; for if anyone works for the Lord, he must know that by the same judgment a man judges his neighbor, he condemns himself (Matthew 7:2). But how many pious people are completely free from the unfortunate tendency to condemn their neighbor on every occasion? For some, on the contrary, piety serves, as it were, instead of the universally recognized right to see and point out the thorn that is in the eyes of a brother. This is the case with people who are clearly vicious and headless. Their own sins and blackness should forever seal their lips and force them to look down. But they are the first to be ready to shout to the whole world about what they notice in you, adding from their own stock of evil what is missing to the evil of your act. After this, it is not surprising if a truly good Christian, feeling along with others in his fallen nature an inclination to condemn his neighbor, and seeing the impossibility of always keeping his tongue from slander, turns to the Lord with a prayer that he be given the grace to “see his own sins and not condemn his brother!” Enough, Lord, I have had enough of my own sins and internal ulcers, which have not yet been examined, not counted, remain without healing and are becoming deeper and more incurable from day to day; But as for the sins of others, since those who sin do not depend on me, what need do I have? They have their own judge and together a doctor, your truth and your love. Are they worth it? They stand for you, your Lord. Do they fall? They fall to you, your Lord. And You are always able to raise them up (cf. Rom. 14:4). How many sinners have become saints through repentance! Perhaps those whom I condemn have already ceased from sin, have long begun their repentance and are justified by Your grace: but I will continue to persecute them with slander and, like the devil, slander them, now innocent and justified by You! “May Thy grace preserve me from this, and let me, instead of condemning my neighbor, “see my sins,” see not with the cold eye of an alien spectator, but how they look at their poverty, their wounds, their own death, see and cry about what is visible, see and heal the rottenness of the soul, see and use all means not to fall into new sins and new destruction! If anyone were to ask: what is the most reliable means of accustoming oneself, with the help of God’s grace, to seeing one’s sins? Let us say that the best way to force oneself to do so (with the intention of saying force: for without force, no good deed, much less this, will ever be accomplished) is to assign a certain, albeit short, time specifically for examining one’s actions and feelings, to assign so that it is no longer used for anything else. In this way we will put ourselves into the need to take care of ourselves; and by studying constantly, if not suddenly, then over time, we will certainly learn what we are like, what is the dominant passion in us, what ails our mind and heart. This advice may seem impossible to implement for those who do not have the right to manage their time. But, firstly, there is no person who does not have his own time; but here a little of it is needed; secondly, if you cannot have time, then have thoughts: no one can take this away from you. You, for example, a servant, must be ready to carry out the master’s orders at all times; but, in the midst of their very fulfillment, you have many opportunities to turn your thoughts on yourself, on your life, on your sins. This holy activity would fill even you with many idle periods of time, during which you don’t know what to do, you get bored, indulge in slander or even worse. How can one accustom oneself, on the other hand, not to judge one’s brother, that is, every neighbor? – First of all, always look at a fellow sinner as if he were sick; because sin is truly a disease, the worst of all diseases. With such a view, the passion for condemnation will certainly grow cold and extinguish. For do we condemn the sick person, no matter who he is? No, we feel involuntary compassion for him. Secondly, you should make it a rule that when you see something bad in your neighbor or hear about it, you should immediately mentally pray for him. This is always very easy for everyone to do; and yet, this is the most powerful remedy against the spirit of condemnation, which does not tolerate prayer and runs away from it. When we thus do our own work to the best of our ability, we will accustom ourselves to look at our own failures, and not at the sins of our neighbor: then the Lord will give us His grace, with which we can achieve that desired state in which they know only themselves and their sins, and do not know whether there is at least one similar sinner in the world. Amen. Homily for Wednesday of the 6th week of Lent The prayer of Saint Ephraim has ended, brothers. Our interviews about her will also end. Will the spirit of prayer and conversation also end with them? - Yes, it won’t! - For if so, then time was spent here in vain; in vain we came out before you and wasted our thoughts and words; It was in vain that you gathered in such a multitude, stood for a considerable time in such crowded conditions, following us with your eyes and thoughts. But if what we saw in you during holy fasting can serve as a guarantee for the future, then we have the right to have not so sad hopes. For what have we seen? Constant, zealous disposition towards the Holy Church and listening to teachings; they saw deep reverence for sacred objects and attention to the work of their salvation; we heard frequent sighs when reminded of our sins, we even witnessed your tears more than once. Is it possible for all this to dissipate and disappear without leaving a trace? It’s not our labors that we would feel sorry for, brethren. Have we worked hard, and doesn’t such work reward itself? No, we would feel sorry for you and your souls in that case. For if going to church and listening to teachings, which continued for so long, did not leave any trace on our morals and life; then this would mean that our hearts are like stones, on which, no matter what, you will not receive any fruit, on which, if anything sprouts, then, not having a deepening in the root, it soon dries up and then becomes fruitless. This would mean that we are in deep blindness and are mercilessly deceiving ourselves: for when the time of fasting comes, we become quiet in evil, abandon pleasing the flesh and slavery to the passions, and apparently turn to God; and when the fast passes and the world with its poison appears again, we run headlong to this enemy, drink to the dregs the poison offered to us, and sacrifice to him what we managed to acquire good. What fruit, you ask, do you require from us, and what do you want your conversations to produce in us? Not our conversations, beloved. If we trusted in our word and our mind, we would never have decided to open our mouths to you. But we are confident that with us, in this place, always invisibly, is He who chose us unworthy for the work of ministry and entrusted us with the word of salvation (2 Cor. 5:19), Who gives, when necessary, mouth and wisdom to the most powerful people in the world, Who with His word can raise up from the stone a child of Abraham and make a vessel of honor from the most embittered sinner. We have the confidence that when we perform the sacred act of the gospel of Christ and fill your ears with our words, at the same time the grace of the Holy Spirit, that common Teacher of us all, acts upon your hearts, Who, through fishermen and tax collectors, turned from darkness to light, from the realm of Satan to God - the whole universe, who can touch not only the most stubborn heart in sin, but also change it to a new, pure heart and sacred. With such great and omnipotent agents, why not expect the most miracles of conversion? – In fact, has the hand of the Lord shrunk? Doesn’t the Savior have cleansing blood left for us, and does the Spirit have enlightening fire? “Don’t imagine that you are not obliged to do anything important because you listened to a person like you.” Let this person be far from perfect, let him be the lowest of sinners; but he spoke to you about the name of the Lord, he spoke not from himself, but from the person of your Savior; together with him the very Spirit of truth and grace acted upon you. To neglect such an action means to forget about the salvation of your soul. Don't forget this, beloved! Do not be like the man who, looking in the mirror and seeing his face and the black spots on it, instead of immediately washing his face, walked away and forgot what he saw and what he needed to do. Let's be more direct. Before you, to the best of our ability, are depicted the vices that disfigure our soul, and which therefore a Christian must avoid in every possible way; Virtues are also depicted that can decorate our entire being, and which for this reason we must, no matter what, acquire and preserve until the end of our lives. It is impossible that not only our word, but also your own conscience does not tell you that in you, as in other people, there are these vices and a considerable lack of these virtues. Shouldn’t we after this, if we do not regard both vices and virtues as nothing, take all possible measures to eradicate the former in us and to plant and strengthen the latter? - So, whoever has hitherto loved to idle talk and blaspheme, let him now learn to put weight on his words and shut his mouth. Whoever loved to indulge in idleness and wasted precious time in amusements, let him find a useful occupation, akin to his condition and abilities. Let those who have been carried away blindly by the dreams of ambition come to love humility and stop chasing the ghost of worldly praise. Those who are accustomed to rebuffing the temptations encountered in life with grumbling and complaints about their fate, let them now meet them with devotion to the will of God, as a medicine useful for the soul. Whoever was harsh, cruel and unloving towards others, let him accept the opposite way of treatment and actions. Whoever forgot his sins and loved to look at the shortcomings of others, let him stop seeing the speck in his brother’s eye and learn to remove the log from his own eye. When such a change follows in us, then it will be possible to say that this holy fast was not without benefit for us, that it was not in vain that we visited the church, that it was not in vain that we listened to the teachings. Then we too will thank the Lord that His grace has deigned us to serve the cause of your salvation. Until this happens, having apparently completed the matter, you and I still stand at the crossroads between success and failure, between loss and gain. Without a doubt, the luminous spirits of virtues and the dark spirits of vices are standing, and are now waiting to see which of them we will turn our face to, which one we will follow. Let us not force them, brothers, to look at us for a long time in bewilderment. Why hesitate? What is there to doubt? Let us follow the Angels of God along the path of the virtues dear to them into the Kingdom of God, so that, surrounding us and accompanying us throughout our life, they may appear to us when our soul leaves the body and accompany us to the bosom of Abraham. Let us turn once and for all from the dark angels of sin and vices, let us cast out from our souls and hearts, through repentance and confession, everything that is ungodly and harmful to them from them, so that otherwise they would not appear at our deathbed and drag our poor soul, as their property, into the depths of hell. The Lord, who gave the strength of our weakness to proclaim to you the path of truth and righteousness, may he also grant you the desire and strength to enter this path with cheerfulness and walk along it without stumbling. For this we will not cease to pray to His goodness until the word fails in our mouths. Amen. You might be interested in: