Глава 2. СМЕРТЬ

1. Preparation for death Mortal memory and its fruits Keep the memory of God and the memory of death. From them the fear of God will be in force. From fear - attention to yourself and all your affairs, thoughts and feelings. From this comes a sober, reverent life. This causes suppression of passions. This is where purity comes from. From purity - being with God, not only with thoughts, but also with feelings. Work hard. Labor overcomes everything with God's help. (No. 1438 letter 903 issue 5 page 9) Why be afraid of death? But we must be afraid of what happens after death, and try to always be prepared for it. There is readiness - crying about sins, doing good to the best of our ability and unshakable faith in the Lord the Savior, who wants everyone to be saved. Everyone? Therefore, you too. And what does the Lord want for those who can interfere? Just don’t make any mistakes on your part, and the Lord will not forsake you. Your mood, as you depicted it in your last letters, is very good. May God grant you to keep it, and to keep it to the end, so that your transition from here to there will not be particularly sensitive and sharply different from what you have now. The Lord is everywhere and fulfills everything, just as He is with you and in you now, and after the transition. Where the Lord is, there is the sky, and everything that is in the sky - and the vision of heavenly things and hearing, and the corresponding feelings, the morning refreshing coolness and rainbow images and faces. Accompanied by them, may the Lord grant you to reach His throne, where He will be seen intelligently by you and as He is in His glorified body, radiant and illuminating everything. I am writing as if you have already set foot in that unknown, but desired and desired country by everyone. But I think that you are still here - and you will still motivate me. What you foreshadow, I borrow from your words. As you are sure that the door is about to open - and the ambassador of God will appear to invite you to marriages, as if everything is already ready: then you should behave as if this was already happening. Some legends about those departing say that they will first be visited by fears from fearful persons. But there are other legends that assure that some of those departing are not only not afraid, but with a bold word they disperse these ugly hordes, which, however, cannot even come close to them, driven by the spirit living in the dying. Created by the Spirit of God in the continuation of the entire path traveled by turning to God. Take courage, and let your heart be strong. These will scatter from the enemy camp and their own will approach, bright, beautiful, cheerful and pleasing. – Grace and peace to you! (No. 1444 letter 1014 issue 6 p. 21) That's how you got caught! Please accept my condolences. But as you wrote that you felt better, maybe the mercy of God will prolong the relief and make it completely easier. Accept what the Lord sends with humility and complacency. The thought of death is never a bad thing to hold; especially during painful attacks. And get ready! Fear is natural... But excessive fear, shaking faith and hope, from the enemy is... Hold on to the cross of the Lord, and do not tear yourself away. When there is nothing unconfessed and unresolved on the conscience, then everything is already forgiven... Glory to the long-suffering and mercy of the Lord!! The enemy inspires hopelessness because he himself is hopeless... But we have a strong support of hope... Now think more about this... according to the principles of our holy faith. May the Lord open his arms to you to receive your soul. (No. 1444 letter 1021 issue 6 p. 24) You are going to the next world. Good! Bless, Lord! Would you like to hear some parting words? And I would be glad to tell you so much that you would tire yourself out reading it. But what can you say when the road is hidden? Of course, you know the general knowledge about it. This path, tested only once by everyone, therefore, until the time of this test, unknown to anyone in detail, is nevertheless illuminated for us by our holy faith. Recreate everything you hope for in your consciousness - and stand in it, looking at the Lord who has passed ahead of us on this path, and everyone after that who has come upon it. Wash yourself with tears of repentance, put on good thoughts and dispositions pleasing to the Lord, and stand like this, before the doors of this entrance, until you hear: Barbara - come! Read the Gospel... and from the books of your fathers, what do you remember the best... St. Ephraim. He often prayerfully addressed the hour of death. (No. 1449 letter 990 issue 6 p. 25) If death, I believe that for you there will be no horror and the shadow of death will be filled with darkness. It is illuminated by your faith and great trust in the merciful Lord. Be it with you! But I believe that you are able to overcome your weakness. May Saint Tikhon help you! (No. 1446 letter 991 issue 6 p. 27) God's mercy be with you! I don’t have anything to tell you, but I’m writing just to say that your fate occupies me not a little. The thought comes that it would be better for you to live a little longer... But let God’s will be in everything, especially in this matter. Who knows what the coming day will produce? If departure is set before you, go in peace. If you stay, may the Lord grant you to stay here for the greater whitening of the robe of your soul for your safe entry into the chamber of the Heavenly Bridegroom. You are doing a good thing by putting all earthly concerns aside. And in general, it’s better this way, especially in your current situation. But I still believe that you will still have to suffer on earth... And God bless you for this! (No. 1446a letter 995 issue 6 cmp. 28) God's mercy be with you! So this is how it is for you?! You are finally going home to your Father. Blessed is the path. God bless! And I kept thinking that you would get better!.. And how suddenly - such a disorder? But be it God's will! You do good in that you do not turn your face away from death and do not separate from the Lord. The thought of the Lord with faith and hope makes the soul unapproachable to enemies both here and after the departure. This is the fire that burns them. May the merciful Lord overshadow you from now on before the exodus and after the exodus. The protection of the Mother of God be upon you! (No. 1454 letter 1013 issue 6 page 3O) God's mercy be with you! You are going on a long journey - to a place from which there is no return. No one can avoid this path. But the moment when they are ordered to enter it is unknown, but all that is known is that it can come at any moment; then it’s best to think that you’ll just have to go home and always keep yourself ready for that... (No. 1447 letter 450 issue 3 p. 141) Yes, yes... Time flies... And you won’t notice how death will come. You showed me signs of death there... Although of very dubious significance, nevertheless, having placed myself in a state of doomed to death, which could soon come and choke, I felt how bitter it was to be in such a state... And only the undoubted hope in the mercy of God can sweeten it... Since the great and indescribable mercy of God is the cross of the Lord. In him lies all our hope. (No. 1451 letter 422 issue 3 p. 143) What tricky things do you see in the words of Climacus? The soul does not have existence from the body, but receives it together with the body - and in order to live with the body. And death will come to separate them. And it’s amazing how the soul will live without a body, having become accustomed to living with the body. The separation of the soul from the body is a punishment, and it must be sensitive. Saints, due to their close communion with the Lord, either feel little or not at all this inconvenience. (No. 1465 letter 1221 issue 8 p. 117) We must prepare for the afterlife judgment God's mercy be with you! Surely you have already returned. We've cried, we've been sad... Now it's time to console ourselves. Vladyka departed not for the worst, but for the best. Therefore, for his sake, one must rejoice that work and troubles are over and peace begins. “And it’s better for us.” He will pray for us, and the prayer there is more direct and stronger. It is clearer to him what we need, and he will directly speak to the Lord: grant them this and that... And since he will speak directly before the Lord, his prayer will be more audible. Therefore, we have nothing to grieve... but rather rejoice both for his sake and for our own sake. Let's get ready too... There will be an exam. Let's review the program, and what we haven't taught, we'll reteach, what we don't know for sure, we'll confirm. And let’s hasten to sort this out... For who knows, maybe they’ll just call: Feofan Vyshensky... or N. Tambovskaya... or someone else... and go out... There are no notebooks, no books... and there’s no one to tell you. Each one... like a finger... with his own means... So that's it?! It is difficult to cope with every emotion... May the Lord comfort you with every consolation. (No. 1443 letter 406 issue 3 p. 139) So this is your position! I couldn’t believe that you would get so sick that you had to get ready to die. Be the will of God! But I think that your illness does not lead to death. Live with us! Pray and we will pray. However, may the Lord arrange your path for the better. You have been planning to die for a long time. Therefore, death will not take you by surprise. And all Christians are capable of transition to another life; but for those who have worked more on themselves, for the Lord’s sake, the road there is straighter and more unobstructed. However, reconsider everything - words, deeds and thoughts, more strictly, like the most captious judge, and everything that you find faulty, lay it down at the cross of the Lord. After that, having surrendered to the Lord, wait for what He speaks about you - Whether to still suffer or to rest: it’s better there, of course. What a comparison! When fear for yourself comes, surrender yourself more strongly into the hands of the Lord, praying to Him for your faith to fill what is lacking in life and deeds. His merciful embrace is extended to all who depart from here. May He receive you and embrace you, saying: Come, My bride, My sincere one! God grant you this! May the memory of God not depart from you. Now it's all away! Have me read for you the life of Saint Dositheus, a disciple of Abba Dorotheos. Saint Dorotheos kept asking: how is prayer? He goes, he answered, with your prayers. Let it go for you too. Help you Mother of God! (No. 1453 letter 747 issue 4 p. 105) (three weeks before her death) What will God give you? May God grant you relief and complete recovery. Either way, His will will be done, not ours! Are you really going to leave? I can't believe it. Get sick, I think, and you’ll get up. But what to do if you leave? The transition from this life is not a feature. How long do they leave each day and even what hour? And our turn will come. Who is today, who is tomorrow, it’s all the same. It’s not just who is leaving what. Look around, is everything ready? And if there is nothing else to cook, surrender yourself to the Lord! When you look at the hour of death from afar, it seems different than when it approaches. It is difficult for someone alive and healthy to feel themselves leaving. Death is a great mystery about us. It is enlightened by the faith of Christ, but everything is something hidden. When you have to go through the actual thing; then everything will become clear. However, there is no point in tormenting yourself with fears. The Lord walked this path of death in order to make this path more convenient for us. Let us also follow in His footsteps, passing through the midst of the shadow of death, and let us not fear evil: for He is with us when we are with Him in this life. Sin separates, but when it is cleansed by repentance and feasible labor, then this mediastinum no longer exists. The Lord is near. Be brave. I am writing to you sick people all about death: but I do not think that this will bring gloomy thoughts to you: for it is possible to desire to be resolved with the Apostle in order to be with Christ. (Phil. 1:23). This desire is not alien to you. An indication of the proximity of achieving what you want makes you happy, not despondent. (No. 1450 letter 748 issue 4 p. 107) (two weeks before death) I wish you all the best from the Lord. Then I write just to say this. The first benefit to a sick person is recovery. God grant! Get well as soon as possible, so that you can live longer, not to sin, according to the usual saying, but so that, being comforted by the common comfort of all those who love the Lord with faith and love, you can be nourished and grow. Whether here or there, everything must grow, into the appointed measure of the age of the fulfillment of Christ, known to everyone (Eph. 4:13). What is prayer? I am turning to you with a question from Abba Dorotheus to Dosifei. Have you read this life? It's similar to yours. God grant that the end be the same. May the Lord grant you peace of mind, patience, generosity, so that the joy given to us in the Lord does not cease. Through sorrow, see clearly into what will bring you great joy. Embrace stronger faith that the soul is gained by patience (Luke 21:19), and that sorrows open the entrance to the kingdom. Remember the Lord as He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He languished in relief of our dying sufferings. Let us also take from Him the spirit of devotion to God: “not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). May the will of God be over you and about you! (No. 1410 letter 749 issue 4 p. 83) (To her on March 27, 1869, four days before her death) God's mercy be with you! Easter is coming. Where will you celebrate Easter? If it had been left to choose, of course we would have chosen where it was better. But since everything is in the hand of God, it remains for us to confess: there and so, where and how it pleases the Lord, adding to this the innermost unquestioning agreement: Thy will be done, Lord! May the Lord, His Most Pure Mother and your Guardian Angel be with you constantly! In this community, may your soul abide with God-minded attention! Everyone's hours are accounted for. But for someone who is constantly waiting in the wings, there is no need for a definitive indication whether this is his last hour to live; for he already has every last hour. Who is able to say: “Even if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Ps. 22:4) - He who in his life forced himself and still forces himself to constantly be with the Lord. For such a soul there is no shadow of death. One moment - and she appears in another region of light, full of all sorts of joys. Then the song of confession will be sung: “Because of the multitude of my illnesses in my heart, Your consolations have made my soul glad” (Ps. 93:19). Of course, the nearness of the outcome may produce a shudder. Take courage and may your heart be strong! Go for it; for the Lord has overcome. He also shows every believer to be a winner. This is certain. The enemy always arrives here in time to darken bright aspirations if not extinguished. He who has prepared himself with strong faith will be able not to pay attention to this, committing his soul into the hands of the Lord. The Angels of God are about to come, and they will disperse everything that darkens. We do not flow towards the unknown (1 Cor. 9:26). But hope does not put one to shame (Rom. 5:5). If you go away and take away some of those who are being saved, and pray to God for us, that He may grant us to repent and correct our lives. The blessing of the Lord is upon you and on the path which His holy will is pleased to determine for you! (No. 1455 letter 750 issue 4 p. 110) The time has come, which involuntarily encourages composure. Homelessness and attention to oneself are now a turn instead of entertainment, for which summer almost always provides the occasion. What am I?!!! Are you healthy? And are they even alive? I'm not asking about the main thing. The Apostle wrote: in every way - whether through life or death - let God be glorified in us. I wish this for you too. Whoever glorifies the Lord in life will also die for His glory. (No. 1460 letter 765 issue 5 p. 11) About the sudden death of a Christian woman May God rest the soul of the deceased slave Alexandra. But why are you worried? The image of her death does not represent anything saddening. Christian death. What is accidental is nothing. Many saints, glorified by the Church, died accidentally. Remember Athanasius of Athos! It is better, instead of useless lamentation, to intensify the saving prayer and keep yourself ready for death every hour. Who can say when whose hour will strike. I prayed for the dead woman alive; the more earnestly I will pray for the departed. (No. 1461 letter 390 issue 3 p. 144) Review of St. Theophan about Schema-nun Magdalene 8 years after death What a living soul this Magdalene was! Hold no. God gave her such grace! And everything comes from faith and decision... For having once decided, she did not turn back, not even with her thoughts. You feel exhausted and think that this is the door to the end. Weakness reminds one of death; but he does not prophesy about her hour. However, taking reminders is not obscene to prepare for it. Since you are constantly infirm, it is easy for you to become close to the thought of the outcome, following the example of St. Nikanor, and it will not catch you by accident. Blessed is the memory of the exodus; it, with the memory of the Lord, is a strong foundation for Christian well-being of the spirit. The dreams you described are all good. But why are they given? For consolation and strengthening of the spirit, do not be faint-hearted, and to affirm the thought of another world, as if it exists not far from us, and as proof of communication with it. This is the mercy of God! (No. 1435 letter 1043 issue 6 p. 18) It’s good that you love the memory of God... add reverent fear to it. The memory of death does not suppress or induce gloom, but only arouses guarded vigilance over oneself. She does not allow youthful gaiety to overflow uncontrollably... and she puts limits and restrictions on the entire expanse of sensuality. You want space. Remember that the word about the spacious path was not said in jest... (No. 1436 letter 969 issue 6 p. 20) What happens to the dead? – The body returns to the ground; and the soul receives from the Lord a special place according to its structure, where it remains until the end of the century, in joyful hope or in terrible hopelessness. That is a country closed to us. What is there is uncertain with precision... the state there is quite consistent with how a person will configure himself here on earth. How to tune is widely explained in the Gospels and Epistles. This is now the main thing for us. As a goal not on earth, but in another way of being; then it is reasonable to pay all your attention to being well prepared to go there. Let's not prepare... everything is lost. Ask why we remember the dead? Because this is what we are commanded to do. And what is commanded is clear from the fact that there was no time in the Church of God when this commemoration was not performed. This means this comes from the Apostles and the Lord Himself. “But our little mind pokes its nose everywhere, shouting: why and why? The best thing to do is give him a sincere click on the nose with faith, and he will sit down. After this, you can tell this brawler... Listen, fool; those who departed are alive, and our communication with them is not interrupted. We pray as for the living, without distinguishing whether someone follows the righteous path or another; So we pray for those who have departed, without searching to see whether they are numbered among the righteous or among the sinners. This is a duty of brotherly love. Until the last judgment separates the believers, all of them, living and dead, form one Church. And we should all relate to each other as members of one body, in the spirit of goodwill and loving communication, both the living and the dead, without being divided in half by dying. “Their fate is decided.” – The fate of those who have departed is not considered decided until the general judgment. Until then, we cannot consider anyone completely condemned, and on this basis we pray, strengthened by the hope of God’s mercy. The deceased do not suddenly get used to their new life. Even the Saints retain their earthiness for some time. While it is weathering, it takes more or less time, judging by the degree of earthiness and attachment to the earthly. Tretins, nines and sorochins indicate the degree of purification from earthiness. There is a guess that these 3, 9, 40 correspond to some turns in the formation of babies in the womb. There were visions... and they are more reliable in definition than our guesses. Guessing is a shaky business. I think that the visions only confirmed, but the matter was already in progress in the Church of God - and it was from the Apostles. You kindly say that you love to pray for the dead. And keep loving. We cannot help but remember our parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends. And no matter how much your little mind screams: “why”... the heart will do its own thing - remember. (No. 1474 letter 948 issue 6 p. 40) May the Lord rest in peace the soul of His departed servant N. - your mother! Unexpected death. Therefore, at least sadness is inevitable; but not alien to Christian consolations. Ripe fruit! Straight to the Lord's table. Let's pray for her. But won’t we get prayer help from her sooner! We Christians do not flow towards the unknown. Why, if mortal sins do not burden anyone, we undoubtedly believe that the doors of the Kingdom are open to him. If we add to this some good and some sacrifices for the Lord’s sake; then all the more doubt should not remain about the bliss of the fate of those departing. This is your mother! like father, like brother! N.N., of course, it will be quite difficult. But she has enough intelligence not to torment herself with vain sorrowful thoughts. Not seeing your father and mother leaving: it’s like something terrible. There is nothing here except consolation. God takes away for the sake of the fact that maybe in the face of those leaving, she would not be able to withstand grief. As if she was weak, the Guardian Angel took her aside. The blessing of those departing is precious. But it was undeniable, and, perhaps, for the sake of absence, it extended to her even more strongly than when she was present. The blessing is not strong because it is heard, but because it is diligently spoken. If she doesn’t suspect this zeal, why be embarrassed? Most of all, one should not guess in this case, as if both the previous and this absence meant something punitive or impressive. Everything is from the Lord and everything is for good. May the Lord comfort you all. I ask everyone for prayers for me, a great sinner. (No. 1468 letter 393 issue 3 p. 146) Lord rest the soul of the departed servant of God S. The path is perfect; the traveler joyfully enters his home. The voyage is over; the unnecessary boat was broken and abandoned, and the swimmer went with the purchased goods to the King of the great city to receive due honor and profits with interest. And we are sitting here. There is a fable that a peacock with its feathers was magnified over another bird without such feathers. And when the need to fly came, that bird flew away, but the peacock remained in place, only looking at its backside. It seems? S.S. flew to the sky, and we are sitting here. Well, what should we do now, cry or something else? I think I should be happy for S. S-cha. Glory to Thee, Lord! He will no longer toil on this boring and miserable earth. Maybe you need to cry for yourself? It’s not worth it... How much is left here? It’s another day and we’ll go there ourselves. I have always been of the opinion that we should not wear mourning for the dead, but festive attire, and not sing mournful songs, but serve a grateful prayer service. Everything has been turned upside down for us. That the remains of the body of the deceased should be given some respect is absolutely fair. But why do we treat this body as if it were a living person? You have to be surprised. And S. S-ch is alive... What a fine fellow he is, what a handsome man! How clean and bright! If you had looked, you would have been staring at it... And we, having looked at his body: bluish, sunken eyes, etc.... imagine him like that... This self-deception is what tears the heart apart. In order not to tear your heart apart, you need to dispel this deception... Then a damp, gloomy grave will come to your mind... Alas! Poor S.S.! And he is in a bright place, in a state of complete joy, free from all connections. Lovely, how good he feels... To complete the grief, we think: he died, he’s gone... But he didn’t even think of ceasing to be... And everything is the same as he was yesterday on the eve of his death, only he was worse, and now he’s better. Not seeing him is not a loss. He is right there... Those who have departed are as fast as thought. I think that S.S. is looking over my shoulder as I write and truly approves of everything... Then he will now flutter towards you... And if he sees that you are frowning, he will shake his head... So the wise men will say... They don’t see anything and don’t want to see anything. I am writing all this to console you and especially E.V. We need to rework our ideas and consolation will be with us. Well, it’s impossible not to cry a little and not be sad. But with the power of imagination you can overcome, calm down and completely drive away grief. Mother E-ta V-na and S.S. are with you, only in a different way. Please believe this and stop pushing hard. May the Lord comfort you all!.. I ask for prayers (No. 1469 letter 373 issue 3 p. 149) I hasten to tell you at least one word or another in order to catch you here. There is a lot of poetry in your thoughts about communicating with those who have departed. But since it so enlivens, softens and edifies your heart, I think that it is sinless to do so. Is anyone free from such dreams? That those who have departed are alive, only with a different life, live consciously, are in communication with each other according to the local conditions and orders, and they look at us and come to us, hear our prayers about them, and pray for us, and make suggestions to us, all according to the local laws and orders, and not as they please - this should be considered positively true, although we cannot say anything definite on all these points. There also happens here on earth a manifestation of the sympathy of souls, for which the soul, as the saying goes, gives a message to the soul. Similar interactions can be allowed between the living and the dead or departed. In letters about “What is spiritual life” the universal element is indicated - ether. Through it, the actions of souls on one another can pass like an electric current through a telegraph wire. Telegraph drug here there is a heart... (No. 1471 letter 975 issue 6 p. 30) The afterlife of a Christian woman Just this morning Fr. The archimandrite sent a note from N. about the death of N. N. May God rest her soul! You wrote that you would be very sad about her death. You can’t help but grieve, and you shouldn’t grieve too much at all. She wasn't the one who died. She is alive, she has just moved to another room and, presumably, she is already wearing different clothes. Just imagine her... that she is alive, only in a different place and in a different form. One could grieve if there were no reason to believe that she would find mercy from the Lord. What sins does she have?! I believed and worked for the Lord as much as I could. Just as there is no person without sin, she, of course, had her own. But the Lord sent a rather serious illness... and with it he took away all these sins, weaknesses and ignorance. Why, after this, will it remain to punish her with the truth of God? Without doubting that she will find God’s mercy, what is the point in crying and immeasurable contrition? Better pray and pray with a calm and God-devoted spirit... How long will the separation last?! After all, now - tomorrow we will go there too. May the Lord be merciful to all of us! (No. 1488 letter 429 issue 3 p. 153) The state of people after the death of the body God's mercy be with you! One cannot help but grieve: such is our soul; but in moderation, and a small one at that. What is most important to a person, body or soul? The soul is the main thing. When the soul is alive, the person is alive. And when they die, what dies, the soul or the body? Body; but the soul remains alive. Therefore, the dead are alive; your parents are also alive. They just left you and began to live in another place. You will also go there in due time, and you will see each other. Your separation is only temporary. That is why I say that it is impossible not to grieve; only a little, as they mourn when they leave home for school. It so happened with us that we imagine the dead as they were when they were lying on the table in the coffin... and then, as they are in the grave, and we even lament: how dark it is for you there, how damp it is for you there... And meanwhile, there are no people here at all for whom we are mourning. They are in a different place, and even near us, only in a completely different form. They continue to communicate with us, directly with their souls, but we don’t sense the troubles. So, instead of grief, which is useless for your parents and harmful to your health, please, imagining them alive, have a sincere conversation with them. And this will not always be a dream, but sometimes it will be accompanied by reality; for they are with you... (No. 1473 letter 730 issue 5 p. 13) Last time, being forced to write to you and not having any private subjects to write about, I thought of giving you an idea of what you will encounter as soon as you are separated from the body. But, thank God! “There is more pain in us than in the world” (1 John 4:4). Why, since this Boliy is in us, there is nothing to be afraid of. The deceased is given a cross in his hands. This makes a lot of sense... - Victorious power! But this hand will no longer rise to defeat... and the “other” cross is strong there. Whoever, in the course of his life, has imagined the cross within himself through exploits and deeds of self-sacrifice, he himself is a victorious cross. Whether there is a reason for you to be honored in this way - crucified with passions and lusts, or not, please decide for yourself. Lay out the archival records (memory), review everything, and decide with your conscience. If you think that you will get a favorable decision, then... And if not?! I think there is no place for this “no”. God is not oblivious to forget what you have gone through and endured. And what was not allowed by God is washed away with tears of repentance, and is no longer seen or read - in the books of animals. May the face of your soul be bright with hope, and may your mental gaze be trustworthy on the Lord, who looks favorably on you... and is ready to stretch out His omnipotent right hand to receive you... and transfer you in the twinkling of an eye, before Himself, and then to your place. Blessed is the path you are following today. For a resting place has been prepared for you. - Wake up! wake up! A zealous intercessor! intercede for all of us! Although I tell you everything about the afterlife, it seems to me that you are still creaking... another year; and maybe you’ll recover completely. But all God's will be done! (No. 1464 letter 1015 issue 6 p. 34) Standing before the gates of death, of course, you also think about the fact that your soul will immediately die behind them. I remember that someone said that there the soul is met by everyone for whom she prayed throughout her life. How comforting! How merciful the Lord is to our souls, that he commands the souls and spirits he knows to meet them, immediately upon entering a country still unknown to them!! But other encounters have also come to our attention... Enemies entice themselves here - and as if they do not lag behind the soul, confusing it in every possible way, from near or from afar... until it enters the gates of God... May the soul be strengthened by faith to courageously and not be afraid to look at them - the weak. Their soul scatters like dust, armed with faith and hope. Appeals to the Lord strike like lightning arrows... And disappear. They cannot approach a strong soul, and from afar they build monsters and raise noisy voices in order to shake faith and overshadow hope with despair. But they have no power. Here the Angels of God watch over the soul... Everything is decided by God’s merciful judgment. Warm up your faith in the Lord our Savior and trust in Him. Having donned these weapons, you will not be accessible to your enemies. Spiritual dispositions rooted in your heart are the same as gases in balloons... Your soul will immediately be carried away by grief, and your enemies will not be able to keep up with it. God bless your path! I am writing this about an incident. In fact, I have confidence that you will still live. And God bless you to live! (No. 1472 letter 993 issue 6 page 37) What do you write about P. A-ne, and I think so. God be merciful! Why be sad? Whenever there was no hope that she would find mercy, she would have to kill herself; and since there is, there is nothing to mourn. How far are we behind her? You won’t turn around when they call you. It became empty. Yes, after all, she is alive and sometimes visits you. It's no longer empty. She probably sees you sad and shakes her head. What a wise people, just think. It is a pity for them that God delivered me from this prison. We should rejoice, but they mourn. If she appeared to you and you began to ask her to enter the body again; She will never agree with either her hands or her feet. Get into this crappy kennel! God have mercy. (No. 1466 letter 408 issue 3 p. 145) About the afterlife foreshadowing of death You received warning from your mother that you will die. So what? Common path!.. Thank the Lord that such a reminder has been given and get ready. Although it may not happen very soon, it will still happen. Death never comes early to those who are ready. (No. 1448 letter 436 issue 3 p. 142) Thank you for hastening to inform me of the death of the Bishop of Kostroma. Before your letter, we did not know about this, but it seems that three days later we saw news about this in the newspapers. I do not know how to grieve for those who depart when I am sure that they are departing to the Lord. How can we grieve for them when they rejoice? If they see us (and they certainly do), then how unpleasant it is for them to see our tears! I would say that we are crying for ourselves, that we are losing them, and this is not okay. For they do not cease to be close to us, only invisibly, instead of visible... they become even closer to us. For visible existence is divided by space, and the invisible reduces the division... so remember the ruler (only with a heart-living memory), he is here. Understanding things this way, I never cry or grieve for the dead... This has been since the death of my father and mother. They died two weeks apart... When I found out about this... what a heavy and gloomy cloud fell!.. But at the same moment, non-gloomy thoughts came and dispersed all the darkness... I was comforted, and not a tear... I believe that the Guardian Angel inspired this to me. Since then, I have been sharing this faith with everyone. Pray to God for me, a sinner, your pilgrim Ep. Feofan May 27, 1887 (No. 1480a letter 424 issue 3 p. 155) You are still grieving for the Lord and do not hope to stop grieving. May the Lord satisfy your sorrow! Restore the confidence that the Lord is very happy there and that at the same time he is not deprived of the opportunity to have communication, characteristic of his mysterious state, with all those who love him and pray for him. If you believe this, then believe that it happens to you. If it happens, then you now receive something that you did not have during your life. You think that time will not heal your sorrow. This is wrong. What will finally remain is a quiet one - not sorrow, but a memory that brings comfort. The Lord himself will try to reward you with this for such love for him. You promised me a brochure about his death and funeral. I am waiting. Is this how you remember? Yes, yes. A bloodless sacrifice will take your tear and bring it before the Lord. Heartfelt remembrance is the main thing on our part, and on the part of God’s Church it is a bloodless sacrifice. Together they do the complete work of remembrance. (No. 1480 letter 424 issue 3 p. 157) (Written to Father Archimandrite St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery Demetrius) And regarding remembrance: once a week remember everyone by name, and on other days in parts, and sometimes even with a general prayerful remembrance: “Lord remember all whom I remember,” and do not repeat the names of those remembered, but only mentally review them. For God sees the thought, not the word. (No. 1482 letter 1 issue 1 p. 121) The thought that when someone vividly introduces himself and stands before the eye of the mind, it means that he is asking to pray, is a true thought... And it is good to do so. There is communication of souls; and the soul gives the message to the soul. Everything else is in order with you... (The only thing that is not in order is that the last letters were written illegibly). (No. 1501 letter 965 issue 6 p. 53) May God rest your husband. The people there feel when they are praying for them from the heart. And this serves as a great consolation for them... and joy. (No. 1481 letter 1365 issue 8 p. 122) Regarding the entry for commemoration, do this: choose from secular and non-secular whom the soul will choose until the number of names that you have been assigned is fulfilled, and write down about the others: both all relatives and known ones. God knows who these relatives and known ones are. And he will remember them - “if” He needs a reminder. (No. 1485 letter 507 issue 3 p. 162) That you tirelessly commemorate your acquaintances, living and deceased - behold, good! Spiritual alms - especially for those who have departed. (No. 1458 letter 510 issue 3 p. 162) Death in a shipwreck is equal martyrdom God's mercy be with you! You were struck by the fate of the “Rusalka” and those on it... Who wasn’t struck by it?! Everyone is amazed, and most of all the Emperor... But don’t we have the opportunity to find consolation in the promises of Christianity?! It seems we have. It is not the death of the ship that is terrifying, but the fate of those on it. Let us begin to measure this fate in relation to the eternal fate. This is the main thing. What was the situation of all these people? In the position of doing their duty. Is military duty in God's ranks? Determined by God and rewarded by God? Yes! Is naval warfare the same as land warfare? Yes! and I think he should be placed a little ahead and higher... Now judge - people who were doing their duty were suddenly captured by death and went to another life, how will they be met there? Of course, without reproach... and, moreover, as performers of their duty... The Lord says: whatever I find you in, that is what I will judge you in. So they will be judged, that is, as performers of their duty. - Those who do their duty will be given a good sentence... Now put this decision with the question... Why do we live? We live so that, having lived here, in the next world we will meet a good sentence and a corresponding fate. Don't you see that the exes who left us on "Rusalka" do not lose anything in relation to the main goal of our existence? - And be comforted! Add to this, was their death sweet or painful? I think that only great martyrs experienced such torment... Although it was short-lived, it is impossible to determine the extent of it... Why did they suffer this torment? For the fulfillment of duty. This is how all the martyrs endured... and therefore those who died due to the crash of the “Rusalka” should be counted among the host of martyrs. I do not hesitate to decide that just as the thief from the cross went straight to heaven, so did they. “I would like all the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and wives of those who died then to read these lines, believe their truth, and be comforted. I honor their death, in relation to eternal salvation, better than the death of all who died at that time, being surrounded by relatives and friends. – May the Lord rest their souls in the Kingdom of Heaven! (No. 1462 letter 202 issue 1 p. 113) What was your prayer when your brother died? “Lord, lift him up.” It turns out, according to your words, that life here is happiness upon happiness, and death is the door to suffering. In fact, death is the door to the fatherland for a blissful life. And we must ask: why stay here? or - thank God, I finally went home! Why was your brother taken? Because he deserves peace... and you will still be patient. (No. 1405 letter 941 issue 5 page 7) The power of posthumous commemoration by order In your last letter, you envied those who, after their death, have the opportunity to win over many to pray to God for themselves by richly distributing benefits to those in need. Are you seriously saying this and thinking so?! In fact, all that can be said about these orders is that they are “not nothing,” but have their own force, but not unconditional. This is a helping tool, and not the main thing, and only to the extent that the main thing is strong. The main thing is “deeds” of piety, truth and love with selflessness and sincere “repentance”, making up for everything that is lacking in these deeds and making amends for everything that is opposite to them, with full faith in the Lord the Savior and in the entire dispensation of salvation. When this main thing is there, the work of salvation is safe, but when not, it is in extreme danger, and what you envied will turn out to be a belated remedy. Now we need to stock up on such things, or it is better to acquire such a good mood, which is usually expressed in such things. It seems like this is how things are going for you. May God help you to be in such order until the end. I rejoice that everything is good with you and I take comfort in this, wishing you every good, both mental and physical. Be healthy and good-natured. My health is fine. There are old people's infirmities, but they are not worth talking about... Bless you, Lord, everyone and all your deeds. (No. 1484 letter 513 issue 3 p. 161) How to remember the dead in sectarianism? Where are the souls of sinners who did not have time to justify themselves here? I was slow in answering you. Please excuse me. You ask how to remember your parents who died in sectarianism! In your private prayer, remember them and pray for them, turning to the boundless mercy of God, and commit their fate to it. There is nothing to remember in the Church. The Church prays for her children, that they may preserve their faith and prosper in it, while they pray for those outside the Church to convert them to the faith and join them to the Church. Since this conversion must take place here on earth, the power of this prayer is limited by the presence on earth of those for whom the prayer is being made. The Church is a living union of all believers, all of whom, united into one under one head - Christ the Lord, form one body. It is made up of believers, both living and dead. Unbelievers - both living and dead - are outside it and outside the Lord the Savior of its head. The local unbelievers are called, and if they take advantage of this here and enter the Church, then they will be the same there too, that is, children of the Church. The Savior says: “He who has faith and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not have faith will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). And also, “whoever is not baptized with water and the Spirit will not enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5)! And this must be accomplished on earth. And in heaven only that which is permitted on earth will appear permitted. There were such experiences that when one of those worthy of the kingdom died with some unresolved sin, the Lord condemned him to return to earth to complete what was unfinished. Those who die outside the faith and the Church are like suicides... The Church does not pray for suicides, for they die in unresolved mortal sin - not purified by repentance... It is bitter for your love to hear about your parents... but you can apply to them what is required for infants who died without baptism. The latter surrender to the boundless mercy of God. And you commit to God the fate of your parents, and pray for them in your private prayer, to do with them according to this mercy and according to your faith in this mercy. Where are the souls of sinners who did not have time to justify themselves here? In some place designated for them by the Righteous Judge. After death there is a private trial at which the fate of sinners is determined... But the final decision of their fate will follow at the general Last Judgment. Until then, they are only waiting for this terrible moment... they are horrified and suffer from it. -What is purgatory? – Purgatory is an article of Catholic faith. This is the place where unrefined sinners are purified here. Purification is accomplished through torment corresponding to sins. Everyone who has any sinful impurity enters it. – In the Orthodox Church there is no such teaching, but there is a belief according to which those who died with repentance and communion, but did not have time to suffer corrective labors or penances, make up for this with the Church’s prayers for them and alms for them, and of course, with their own prayers there. They live in hope and do not suffer; they are not in torment. It's similar to purgatory, but not the same. What ordeal? – This is an image of a private court after death, at which the entire life of the dying person is reviewed with all sins and good deeds. Sins are recognized as atoned for by opposite good deeds or corresponding repentance. Find “Cheti-Minei month March”. There, on the 26th, the passage of the ordeal of St. Elder Theodora. – All unjustified sinners who die in life undergo ordeal. Only perfect Christians do not linger at ordeals, but ascend straight to heaven like a bright streak. May the Lord bless you to preserve your zeal for pleasing God and, according to its attraction, without self-pity, do everything that your conscience recognizes as necessary for your salvation. (No. 489–91–92–93–94 letter 479 issue 3 p. 163) Time is short. Another hour and death. Submit your report! And you can’t say that you forgot to keep notes: because all the things are already there. They are waiting for us to read and assault... that everything is so, and there are no objections or excuses. Immediately - they check with the law and the sentence... When would it be for so many years?! But there are summers without flights. Woe to us! But there is no desire to lament! And we don’t want to give up sin... How can this be?! Be it Thy will, Lord, save me through destinies. Be healthy and cheerful. Your pilgrim Ep. Feofan. December 10, 1874 (No. 1463 letter 779 issue 5 p. 12) There have been predictions so many times that the end of summer is just around the corner. And everything is out of place. – The Savior said that no one knows the time. Therefore, there is no point in guessing and being embarrassed by the fortune-telling of others. That there will be a second coming is certain. And it is certain that it will happen suddenly, with all the great omens. All that remains for us is to continually wait for the Lord and prepare for the meeting, without guessing about the time. (No. 1495 letter 1299 issue 8 p. 122) Lord help me to spend the coming year in the fear of God. – Isn’t that what your dream is for?! Nothing will support the fear of God as strongly as the memory of the Last Judgment. One should not succumb to the spirit of despondency because of this. But you just need to take a good look around, and whatever turns out to be displeasing to the Lord, then immediately eliminate it and, if necessary, cleanse it with repentance. Then, relying on God’s mercy in everything, all that remains is to be complacent. Even at the Last Judgment, the Lord will not only seek how to condemn, but how to justify everyone. And he will justify anyone, as long as there is even a small opportunity. (No. 1496 letter 392 issue 3 p. 169) How to justify yourself at the Last Judgment? “You have nothing to justify yourself in court... there are no cases.” There is no point in justifying yourself by deeds. Justification comes entirely from everyone by virtue of the Lord's death on the cross. But there are side effects that also stand as conditions... and although we cannot imagine them perfectly, we can sincerely desire them and look for them - to imagine some kind of success... feasible, but to the best of our strength... I asked Varvara Alexandrovna the task of deciding what constitutes a “good answer” at the judgment seat of Christ, for which we pray in a petitionary actenia... and writing the answer. You had to write the same thing. I'll wait for an answer. But I attributed to Varvara Alexandrovna: even if a whole century doesn’t decide... let... if only she thought about this every day and hour. What should you write? You “decide and write immediately.” (No. 1499 letter 1031 issue 6 p. 43) Like St. Father is grateful for Gehenna?! - According to our consciousness, what a great good it is for us in the fact that God revealed to us about Gehenna. Even if, knowing that there is Gehenna, we sin so carelessly, what would happen if we did not know about it? - Now, nevertheless, someone else sins - he sins - and begins to think about it. (No. 1496 letter 1342 issue 8 p. 123) Cemetery! What is the need to bother about him? Wherever they bury everyone, they will be the same. What help is there for the soul from the place where the body is buried?.. Remember the legend that they were leaving the church... Well, there you go! If something is wrong in the soul, you can’t spice it up with a funeral. 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