Слово 10. Сказания святых мужей, их преподобные изречения и чудное житие

One day I went to the cell of one holy brother and, due to my weakness, lay down in one place with him so that he would follow me for God’s sake, because I had no one there. And I saw how this brother gets up at night ahead of time and has the custom of coming to rule before the brethren. He spoke poetry for quite some time and suddenly, for the entire time this continued with him, he abandoned the rule, fell on his face and hit his head into the ground a hundred or more times with the fervor that grace kindled in his heart. After this, he stood up, kissed the Lord’s cross, bowed again, and kissed the same cross, and again threw himself on his face. And he observed this custom all his life, so that it is impossible for me to describe the number of his many genuflections. And who would be able to count the bows this brother made every night? Twenty times with fear and ardor, with love dissolved in reverence, he kissed the cross and again began poetry, and sometimes, from the great ignition of thoughts that inflamed him with their ardor, when he was unable to bear the kindling of that flame, overcome by joy, he exclaimed, because he could not restrain himself. Therefore, I marveled greatly at the grace of this brother, and his feat, and his sobriety in the work of God. In the morning, after the first hour, when he sat down to read, he became like a captive man and during each chapter he read more than once fell on his face, and in many verses he raised his hands to heaven and praised God. He was forty years old. He ate food in very small quantities and very dry. And since, beyond measure and strength, he made frequent compulsions on his body, he seemed like a shadow, which is why pity aroused in me the exhaustion of his face, so emaciated from much lack of eating that there were not even two fingers in it. And I often said to him: “Have mercy on yourself, brother, in your deeds, and this good life that you have acquired; do not confuse or break this, similar to a spiritual chain, of your life, and out of the desire to add a little more work, do not diminish or completely stop the flow of your path. Eat in moderation so as not to lose the opportunity to eat; do not stretch your legs beyond your strength, lest you become completely incapable of doing your work.” He was merciful, very modest, and showed mercy with complacency. Pure in his innate qualities, ready for consolation, wise according to God, he was loved by everyone for his purity and complacency. With the brethren, when they needed him, he often worked for three or four days and only went to his cell in the evening, because he was skilled in all kinds of service. When he acquired something, although he needed it, out of his great respect for great and small, he could not say 95 that he did not have it. And even when he worked with the brethren, he mostly did it out of respect and forced himself, not finding pleasure in leaving the cell. Such was the life and conversion of this truly wonderful brother. To our God be glory forever! Amen. You might be interested in: