Слово 32. О том, чем сохраняется тайное, внутреннее в душе трезвение и откуда приходят сонливость и холодность в уме, и угашают в душе святую горячность, и умерщвляют стремление к Богу, лишив душу горячности к духовному и небесному

Whoever has good desires cannot be prevented from fulfilling them by opposition, unless the evil one finds a place for a bad pretext in those who want good. This happens for the following reason. Every thought of good desire, at the beginning of its movement, will be followed by a certain jealousy, its ardor likened to fiery coals; and it usually protects this thought and does not allow any resistance, obstacle or obstacle to come close to it, because this jealousy acquires great strength and unspeakable power to protect the soul at every hour from relaxation or from fear, when all kinds of constraining circumstances are directed at it. And just as that first thought is the power of holy desire, naturally planted in the nature of the soul, so this jealousy is a thought driven by an irritable force in the soul, given to us by God for our benefit, to observe the natural limit, to express the concept of our freedom by fulfilling the natural desire found in the soul. This 185 is a virtue, without which no good is produced, and it is called zeal, because from time to time it moves, excites, inflames and strengthens a person to neglect the flesh in sorrows and in the terrible temptations that confront him, to constantly give up his soul to death and enter into battle from rebellious force for the sake of accomplishing the work that the soul strongly desired. For someone clothed in Christ called this zeal in his words a dog - and the guardian of the law of God, that is, virtue, because virtue is called the law of God. This power of jealousy is strengthened in two ways, awakened and ignited in the keeping of the house, and also in two ways it is brought to exhaustion, drowsiness and laziness. Namely: awakening and ignition occurs when a certain fear occurs to a person, causing him to fear for the good that he has acquired or intends to acquire, so that it is not stolen, that is, destroyed by some incident or consequence of it. And this is awakened in man by Divine providence; I mean fear in all worthy workers of virtue, abiding in the soul for its awakening and jealousy, so that it does not indulge in slumber. When this fear is aroused in nature, then jealousy, which we call a dog, flares up day and night like a blazing furnace and awakens nature. And, like the Cherubim, he awakens and hourly listens to what is around him, and, as the person mentioned above says, if a bird passes near him, he begins to move and barks with the fastest and most unspeakable swiftness. And when this fear is about the body, then it becomes satanic 187 because a person has wavered in his faith in the Providence of God and has forgotten how God cares and provides for those who strive for the sake of virtue, hourly watching over them, about which the Holy Spirit speaks through the mouth of the prophet: “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,” etc. (Ps. 33:16); and again: “the power of the Lord is of those who fear Him” (Ps. 24:14). And the Lord Himself, as if on His own behalf, said to those who feared Him: “No evil will come to you, and no wound will come near your body” (Ps. 90:10). But when there is fear about the soul because of what happens to virtue and what follows it, and precisely the fear that it will not be stolen and for some reason will not suffer damage, then this thought is divine, good care, sorrow and languor occur according to God's providence. And there is another way, that is, the strength and ignition of the dog are revealed when the desire for virtue increases most in the soul. For to the extent that lust grows in the soul, to the same extent this dog, that is, natural zeal for virtue, is inflamed. The first reason for cooling it down 188 is when lust itself diminishes and ceases in the soul. And the second reason is when some thought of confidence and courage enters the soul and takes hold in it, and a person begins to hope, think and hold on to the thought that there is no reason for him to be afraid of being harmed by some force; and therefore he lays down the weapon of jealousy and becomes like a house without guards; the dog falls asleep and leaves the guards for a long time. Quite a few mental homes are robbed by this thought. And this happens when the purity of this illumination with holy knowledge fades in the soul. Why is she darkened? Of course, because some subtle thought of pride secretly entered the soul and nested there; or the person began to indulge more in the care of the transitory or the frequent seductive communication with the world for him. Or does this happen from the womb - this master of all evil. Every time an ascetic enters into communication with the world, his soul immediately becomes exhausted. The same thing happens when he comes into contact with many who involuntarily crush his soul with vanity. In short, the mind of an ascetic in flight, when he enters into communication with the world, is likened to a helmsman who calmly sails on the sea, and suddenly falls into the midst of reefs and is wrecked. To our God be glory, power, honor and splendor forever! Amen. The words: “about the body, then it becomes satanic” are supplemented from the ancient Slavic translation. You might be interested in: