Слово 7. О грехах произвольных, непроизвольных и совершаемых по какому-нибудь случаю

There is a sin committed out of weakness, into which a person is carried away involuntarily; and there is a sin committed arbitrarily and out of ignorance. It also happens that someone will commit a sin for some reason, and also because of obstinacy and practice in evil. These are all the kinds and types of sins; and although all of them are worthy of blame, nevertheless, when comparing the punishments imposed for sins, it turns out that one is greater than the other. The greatest condemnation falls on another, and repentance from him is difficult to accept, and the sin of another is close to forgiveness. And just as Adam, Eve and the serpent, although they all received retribution from God for sin, were nevertheless cursed to varying degrees, so it happens with their sons: for each, the severity of the punishment is proportionate to his intention and addiction to sin. If someone, having no desire to serve sin, through negligence about virtue, is drawn into sin, because he has not practiced virtue, then it is hard for such a person to remain in sin; and his punishment is heavy. And if it happens that someone who cares about virtue is tempted by some sin, then, without a doubt, mercy is close to him to cleanse his sin. Another sin is committed when a person turns out to be caring for virtue and constant in doing, so that he does not sleep at night, worrying so as not to suffer damage in what he cares about, and during the day he carries his burden with him everywhere, and all his care is about virtue, but with these and similar concerns, or due to some ignorance, or from any obstacles on his path, that is, on the path of virtue, and from the waves, in every time he rises in his members, or as a result of the deviation allowed to him to test his freedom, his scale tilts somewhat to the left, and through bodily weakness he is drawn into one of the types of sin; and at the same time he grieves, grieves, sighs painfully in his soul, because of the disaster that happened to him from those who opposed him. Sin is different, when a person turns out to be weak and careless in the practice of virtue, has completely abandoned its path, slavishly seeks obedience to every sinful pleasure, shows zeal to seek the means to complete pleasure, like some slave, is ready to carefully fulfill the will of his enemy and prepare his limbs as weapons for the devil with all obedience to him, does not in the least intend to think about repentance, to get closer to virtue, to stop evil and put an end to your destructive path. Otherwise, sin comes from the inclinations and falls that can happen on the path of virtue and on the path of truth. For, according to the fathers, on the path of virtue and on the path of truth there are falls, obstacles, coercions and the like. Another thing is the fall of the soul, its complete destruction, complete abandonment. Whoever clearly belongs to the number of such, when he falls, let him not forget the love of his Father; but if it happens to him to fall into many different sins, let him not cease to strive for good, and not stop in his course; but let the conquered one again rise up to fight with his opponents and daily begin to lay the foundation for the destroyed building, until his very departure from this world, having in his mouth the prophetic word: “Do not rejoice in me,” my opponent, “as if I have fallen”; for again “I will arise, if I sit in darkness,” the Lord will illuminate “me” (Mic. 7:8); and let him never stop fighting until his death, as long as there is breath in him, and let him not give up his soul to be overcome, even during the very defeat. But if every day his boat is broken and all its cargo is wrecked, let him not cease to take care, to stock up, even to borrow, to transfer to other ships and to sail with hope, until the Lord, having looked upon his feat and having mercy on his contrition, sends down His mercy on him and gives him strong motives 83 to meet and endure the kindled arrows of the enemy. This is the wisdom given from God; such is the wise patient who does not lose his hope. It is better for us to be condemned for some things, and not for abandoning everything. Therefore, Abba Martinian admonishes us not to become exhausted from many exploits, from many different and frequent battles on the path of righteousness, not to go back and not to give in to the enemy victory over ourselves in any way that is shameful for us. For, like some loving father, in a decorous and orderly manner, he says the following: Council of Saint Martinian “If you, children, are truly ascetics, striving for virtue, and have spiritual zeal in you, then desire to present your mind to Christ as pure and to do deeds pleasing to Him. For you must certainly endure for this all the warfare raised by natural passions, the attraction of this world, the constant and incessant malice of the demons with which they usually attack you, and with all their evil tricks. Do not be afraid that the cruelty of the battle is continuous and prolonged; do not be shaken by the long duration of the struggle; do not weaken and do not tremble from the enemy’s armies; do not fall into the abyss of hopelessness, if, perhaps, it happens to you for a while to creep and sin. But even if you suffer something in this great battle, you are struck in the face and wounded, this will not in the least prevent you from striving for your good goal. Above all, remain in your chosen work and achieve this desired and praiseworthy quality, i.e. so that in battle you will be strong, undefeated, stained with the blood of your wounds, and in no way stop fighting your opponents.” These are the teachings of the great elder. There is no need for you to become weak or exhausted because of what has been said above 84. Woe to that monk who lies to his vow and, trampling on his conscience, gives his hand to the devil so that he will rise up against him in the form of some small or great sin, and who cannot again stand before the face of his enemies with the contrite part of his soul. With what face will he appear to the Judge when, having achieved purity, his friends meet each other - the same ones with whom, having been separated on his journey, he went down the path of destruction, lost both the boldness that the venerables have before God, and that prayer that comes from a pure heart, ascends to the mountain above the Angelic Powers and is not forbidden by anything until he receives what he asks for in it and returns with joy to the lips that sent it? And the most terrible thing is that, just as here he was separated from them on his journey, so Christ will separate him from them on the day when a bright cloud carries bodies on its ridge, shining with purity, and places them at the gates of heaven. For by the very fact that their deeds have already been condemned here, “the wicked will not rise again for judgment, nor the sinner for the council of the righteous” (Ps. 1:5) at the resurrection of judgment. You might be interested in: