Беседа X

An exhortation to those who are ashamed to come to the evening service after dinner, and a continuation of the explanation with the words: “Let us make man in our image and likeness”; also an explanation of the words: “And God created man, in the image of God created him: husband and wife created he them” (Gen. 1:27). 1. Our meeting today is smaller and the crowd of those who came is not large. Why and why is this? Perhaps others were ashamed to come to this spiritual feast after a sensual meal, and this became the reason for their absence. But let them listen to a certain sage who says: “There is shame in bringing sin, and there is shame in glory and grace” (Sir.4:25). It is not a shame to come to this spiritual feast after taking bodily food. Spiritual affairs are not confined, like human affairs, to specific times; Any time of the day is convenient for talking about spiritual things. And what am I talking about during the daytime! Let night come and it will not serve as an obstacle to spiritual teaching. That’s why Paul said, writing to Timothy: “Be present in time and without time, reprove, rebuke, entreat” (2 Tim. 4:2). Listen also to what blessed Luke says: “Paul went out from Troas in the morning, talked with them, and spread the word until midnight” (Acts 20:7). Tell me, did time hinder you in any way, or did it interrupt the word of teaching? An attentive listener can (with benefit) be in this spiritual meeting even after dinner, while a careless and careless listener, even if he remains without food, will not get any benefit from it. And I say this not in order to weaken the severity of fasting - let it not be! - on the contrary, I highly praise and approve of those who fast, I only want to inspire you to perform spiritual deeds with sound reasoning, and not just following custom. It is shameful not only to come to this spiritual teaching after eating, but (to come here) with a careless soul, to submit to passions and not to tame carnal lusts. Eating is not bad - let it not be! - but gluttony and satiety to the point of burdening the belly are harmful; through this, the pleasure of food is also destroyed. Likewise, it is not bad to drink wine in moderation, but to indulge in drunkenness and, due to excess, lose common sense. If you, beloved, cannot remain (the whole) day without food due to bodily weakness, none of the right-thinking will blame you for this: Our Lord is meek and humane, and does not require anything from us beyond strength. He requires fasting and abstinence from us not just so that we remain in a state of non-eating, but so that, moving away from everyday affairs, we use all the time free from them for spiritual pursuits. If we organized our lives carefully and devoted every free moment to spiritual pursuits, if we took food only to satisfy needs, and spent our whole lives in good deeds, then we would not need the benefit of fasting. But since human nature is careless and more prone to intemperance and luxury, therefore the humane Lord, like a loving father, invented for us healing in fasting, in order to distract us from (worldly) pleasures, and turn us from worldly worries to spiritual matters. So, if some of those who come here feel bodily weakness and cannot remain without food, I advise them to strengthen their bodily weakness and not deprive themselves of this spiritual teaching, but take even more care of it. 2. Besides abstaining from food, there are many ways that can open the doors of boldness before God for us. He who eats food and cannot fast, let him give abundant alms, let him pray fervently, let him show intense zeal for listening to the Word of God; here bodily weakness does not hinder us at all; пусть примиряется с врагами, пусть изгоняет из души своей всякое памятозлобие. If he does this, he will commit a true fast, the kind that the Lord requires of us. After all, He commands abstinence from food itself so that we, by curbing the lusts of the flesh, make it obedient in fulfilling the commandments. And if we decide not to accept help from fasting for the sake of bodily weakness and indulge in greater carelessness, then, without knowing it, we will cause ourselves the greatest harm. If even during fasting we find ourselves lacking the above-mentioned good deeds, then all the more will we show negligence (about them) when we do not use the medicine of fasting. Having learned this from us, you who are able to fast, strengthen yourselves as far as possible, I ask you, this good and praiseworthy zeal of yours. “Even though our outward man decays, yet his inward man is renewed” (2 Cor. 4:16). Fasting humbles the body and curbs disordered lusts, while it enlightens the soul, inspires it, and makes grief light and soaring. And as for your brethren who are not able to fast because of bodily weakness, exhort them not to abandon this spiritual food, teaching them, conveying to them what you have heard from us and showing that it is not the one who eats and drinks in moderation that is not worthy of heeding these instructions, but a careless person devoted to pleasures. Remind them of the apostolic saying: “He who is poisonous eats the Lord... and he who is not poisonous does not eat the Lord, and gives thanks to God” (Rom. 14:6). So, the fasting person also thanks God for having enough strength to carry out fasting work; and the eater also thanks God, because this will not harm him in the least in saving his soul if he wants. The man-loving God has revealed to us an innumerable number of ways in which, if we only want, we can achieve the highest boldness (before God). We have talked enough about this for the sake of those who are absent, taking away from them the reason for shame and showing that this 52 should not be ashamed, since it is not eating that exposes us to shame, but doing evil. Great shame is a sin! If we do it, we should not only be ashamed, but also hide our faces and call ourselves unhappy, as if we had sinned. Or rather, even then there is no need to be discouraged, but to rush to repentance and correction. Our Master is such that if we, through carelessness, commit a sin, He does not require anything else from us other than that we confess our sins, stop there and not fall into the same sins. If we eat food in moderation, we will not be ashamed, because the Lord has united us with a body that cannot exist except by taking food; just let there be no excess; This greatly contributes to the health and strength of our body. Don't you see every day that countless illnesses arise from luxurious tables and excessive saturation? Where do the diseases in the legs come from? Where do headaches come from? Where does the multiplication of spoiled phlegm come from? Where do countless other diseases come from? Is it not from immoderation, or from the fact that we pour more wine into ourselves than is proper? Just as an overcrowded ship soon sinks and sinks, so a person, having given himself over to gluttony and drunkenness, rushes into the abyss, drowns his mind and finally lies like a living corpse, often still capable of doing something bad, but no more capable of good than the dead. 3. Therefore, I pray, like blessed Paul, “Do not please the flesh through lust” (Rom. 13:14), but strengthen yourself and increase your zeal and care for doing spiritual things. Speaking about all this with your brothers, convince them not to deprive themselves of this spiritual food; Let them, even after dinner, come here with all their zeal, so that, having received instruction here, they can stand firmly against the wiles of the devil. Now we will offer you the usual meal and reward your love for your diligence in listening, as well as pay off the debt that we owe you. You, of course, know and remember that we, having begun to talk about the creation of man, due to the shortness of time, could not consider the entire reading, but ended the lesson with a discussion about animals, showing that man at first had power over them, but lost it for the sin of disobedience. Therefore, today we want to tell you the rest and let you go from here. And in order for our word to be clear to you, we need to remind you where we stopped the teaching then, so that, starting from that place, we can finish the rest in this way. Where did we stop then? When explaining the words: “Let us make man in our image and likeness: and let the fish of the sea and the birds of the air have possession,” since our conversation had spread significantly and a great sea of ​​thoughts was born in us, we could no longer go further, and, having stopped there, we did not touch on what followed. Therefore, you must now read to your love what follows, so that you can know what we intend to tell you. Divine Scripture, following the above words, adds: “And God created man, in the image of God created him: husband and wife created him. And God bless them, saying: grow and multiply, and fill the earth, and rule over it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and all the livestock, and all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen. 1:27-28). Not many words, but great treasure is contained in these short words. The blessed prophet, speaking at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, now wants to teach us something mysterious. Having said: “Let us create man,” and using, so to speak, consultation and reasoning, the Creator of all, with this way of speech, already indicated the dignity of the one whom He intended to create, and even before creating him, showed us what great power He wanted to entrust to this future creation. Having said: “Let us make man in our image and likeness,” (God) added: “and let them have possession of the fish of the sea.” See how the hidden treasure is revealed to us at the very beginning. Speaking by the Spirit of God, the prophet sees things that do not exist as existing and accomplished. Why, tell me, did God, having said: “let us create man,” now say: “and let them have”? He reveals to us some hidden mystery. Who are “and yes they have”? Is it not clear that He said this, hinting at the creation of a wife? You see that in the Divine Scripture nothing is said simply and in vain, but even an insignificant word contains hidden treasure. 4. And do not be amazed, beloved, at what was said. This is the custom of all prophets - to speak of things that have not yet happened as if they had already happened. With spiritual eyes they already saw what was to happen many years later; That’s why they talked about everything as if they were contemplating it before their eyes. And so that this is clear to you, listen to how blessed David, for so many generations, prophesies and cries out about the sufferings of Christ on the Cross: “I have dug up my hands and my nose” (Ps. 21:17), and again: “I have divided my garments for myself” (Ps. 21:19). Do you see how he predicted what was to happen after a long time, as if it had already come true? So this blessed prophet (Moses), already hinting to us about the creation of a wife, says mysteriously: “and let them have the fish of the sea.” Further then he says more clearly: “And God created man, in the image of God created him, husband and wife created he them.” Look at how carefully he uses it and repeats the same thing over and over again so that his words take root in the minds of his listeners. If this were not what he had in mind, then it would have been enough to say: “And God created man.” But he also adds: “Create him in the image of God.” He had already shown us what it means: “in the image,” and so now he repeats the same word and says: “in the image of God create him.” In order not to leave even the most insignificant pretext for justification to those who would want to contradict church dogmas, he, going a little further, again teaches the same thing, i.e. that the expression: “in the image” was used by him to mean power and dominion (of man) over all creatures. Now let's see what he says: “And God created man, in the image of God created him: husband and wife created he them.” What he hinted at above with the words: “and let them have,” is spoken of more clearly here. However, he has not yet fully revealed this to us, because he has not yet told us about the creation (of husband and wife), has not yet shown where the wife came from, but is already saying: “Create them husband and wife.” Do you see how he talks about things that have not yet happened as if they happened? Such are spiritual eyes! These bodily eyes cannot see the visible so much as the spiritual ones (see) the invisible and non-existent. So, having said: “Make them husband and wife” (Moses) already refers (God’s) blessing to both, and says: “God bless them, saying: grow and multiply, and fill the earth and rule over it, and have possession of the fish of the sea” (Gen. 1:28). What a great blessing! The words: “grow and multiply and fill the earth” are spoken, as everyone knows, both to dumb animals and to reptiles; and the words: “rule and possess her” only to husband and wife. Note God's love for mankind: even before the creation of a wife, God makes her a participant in dominion (over creatures) and honors her with blessings. “And have,” he says, “the fish of the sea 53 and the birds of the air, and all the livestock, and all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Do you see the power unspeakable? Do you see the great leadership? Do you see that all creatures are subordinate to man? Do not think lowly about this rational animal, but thinking about the greatness of his honor and the favor of the Lord towards him, marvel at His inexpressible love for mankind. 5. “And God said: Behold, I have given you every good herb that yields seed, which is on the top of the whole earth: and every tree that has seed in itself shall be for food: and for every beast of the earth, and for every bird of the air, and for every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, which has life in itself, and for every green herb for food. And so it came to pass” (Gen. 1:29–30). Pay attention, beloved, to the accuracy of expressions and the ineffable love of God, and do not let a single word pass without consideration. “And God said,” he says, “Behold, I have given you all seed-bearing herbs,” as if the speech was addressed to two people, and this was when the wife had not yet been created. Then, in order to understand the immeasurable goodness of the Lord, see how He shows His mercy and abundant generosity not only towards husband and wife, who has not yet been created, but also to the most dumb. Having said: “It will be food for you,” he added: “and for all the beasts of the earth.” And here is another abyss of mercy: He took care not only of the dumb, meek and fit for our food and service, but also of the animals. But who is able to fully comprehend this boundless goodness? “For you,” he says, “there will be food for you: for all the beasts of the earth, and for all the birds of the air, and for every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, which has a life in itself, and for food of every green grass.” Great is the providence of the Lord for the man he created! When He created him and gave him all power over the creatures, so that, seeing such a multitude of dumb people, he would not immediately and at the very beginning become burdened by the fact that he was not able to provide food for so many animals - the good Master, before man even came to such a thought, wanting, so to speak, to console him and show that both he himself and all dumb people will have complete contentment, because the earth, by the command of the Lord, will serve for food they, to the words: “Let it be for you as food,” he immediately added: “And to all the beasts of the earth and to all the birds of the air, and to every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, which has life in itself, and to every green grass for food. And so be it." Everything, that is, whatever the Creator commanded, came true, everything came into proper order. And therefore (Moses) immediately added: “And God saw everything that was created: and this was very good” (Gen. 1:31). 6. Who can worthily praise the accuracy of Divine Scripture? Here it is here with the words: “and God saw everything that was created”, stopping the lips of everyone who would only later decide to contradict. “And I saw,” he says, “God created everything, and everything was great. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.” Just as about each of the created things (Scripture) said: “And God saw that it was good,” so now, when everything was done and the work of the sixth day was completed, when the one who was to use all creatures had already been created, it says: “And God saw everything that was created: and this was great good.” Look how it, having embraced all creatures in this one word: “all,” conveys praise to each of them. He wasn’t even satisfied with the word “all”, but added: “create a tree”; and even here it has not stopped yet, but says: “and this is good,” and: “great good,” i.e. absolutely good. So, when the Lord, who brought from non-existence into existence, called His creatures good, then who would dare, even if he was filled with insane conceit, to open his mouth and contradict what God said? Since in visible nature there is created not only light, but also darkness, the opposite of light, not only day, but also night, the opposite of day, and among the growths of the earth, not only beneficial herbs, but also harmful ones, and trees not only fruitful, but also barren, and animals not only gentle, but also wild and fierce, and among the (animals) born of water, not only fish, but also whales and other sea creatures animals, and on earth not only inhabited places, but also uninhabited ones, not only flat fields, but mountains and wilds, and among birds not only tame and suitable for us as food, but predatory and unclean ones, for example, hawks and kites and many other similar ones, also among animals that came from the earth, not only meek ones, but snakes, vipers, dragons, lions and lynxes, and in the air not only winds and rains are beneficial, but hail and snow, and in general, if you look at everything in detail, in every kind of creature you will find not only what is useful to us, but also what seems harmful - so that later no one, looking at the creations of God, will be able to condemn them and say: why is that? what is this for? or: this is well done, but this is not good - the Holy Scripture, blocking, so to speak, the mouths of everyone who dares to judge unkindly, after the creation of everything on the sixth day, says: “And God saw everything that was created: behold, everything was good.” What can compare with such a certificate, when the Creator himself declares and says that everything created is good, very good? Therefore, when you see that someone, carried away by his own considerations, begins to contradict the Divine Scripture, avoid him as if he were insane, or better yet, do not avoid him, but, regretting his ignorance, bring what the Divine Scripture says, and say that “God saw everything that was created, and said: behold, this is good”; maybe you will have time to restrain his unbridled tongue. If in human affairs, when we see that people of high rank give their opinion about them, we do not disagree, but agree and prefer their verdict to our own judgment, then all the more must we do the same in relation to the God of all things, the Creator of everything visible: knowing His verdict, we must suppress our own thoughts and not dare to further research, but know and firmly believe that everything was created rationally and humanely and nothing was done without a purpose and in vain. Although we, due to the weakness of our mind, do not know the use of (some) creatures, nevertheless (we must believe that) God created everything according to His wisdom and high love for mankind. 7. “And it came to be,” says (Moses), “evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.” With the end of the sixth day He put an end to the creation of all creatures; That’s why he added: “And the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their adornment” (Gen. 2:1). See how Divine Scripture avoids the unnecessary and superfluous. Having mentioned the main elements, it no longer speaks in particular about the rest; having said: “and heaven and earth were completed,” he says: “and all their adornment,” and by this he means everything that is on earth and that is in heaven. The decoration of the earth is what came from it - the growth of herbs, the production of fruits, the fruits of trees and everything else with which the Creator decorated it. Equally, the decoration of the sky consists of: the sun, the moon, various stars and all the creatures among them. Therefore, the Divine Scripture, having mentioned heaven and earth, embraced all creation with these elements. “And God will do on the sixth day,” he says, “the works that He has done” (Gen. 2:2). Look how it repeats the same thing over and over again, so that we know that all the works of creation continued until the sixth day: “God finish on the sixth day the works that you have done: and rest on the 54th day from all your works that you have done.” What does it mean: “And rest on the seventh day from all Your works that You have done?” Notice how humanly and with what condescension the Divine Scripture speaks to us about everything: otherwise we would not understand a single word of it, if it did not honor us with such condescension. “And rest,” he says, “on the seventh day from all Your works that You have done,” i.e. stopped creating and bringing from non-existence into existence. Everything that was needed had already been produced; He also created one who could use these creatures. “And God bless,” he says, “the seventh day, and sanctify it: for in that rest from all His works which God began to do” (Gen. 2:3). Since He no longer began to create, and everything that He wanted, according to His love for mankind, produced by His command and on the sixth day put an end to creation, but on the seventh day He did not want to produce anything else, because everything that He wanted had already been accomplished, so that this day would have some advantage and would not seem less important due to the fact that nothing was created during it, (God) honors him with a blessing: “And bless,” he says, “ "God is the seventh day and sanctify it." So what? Were the other (days) not blessed? Of course he says; but for them, instead of any blessing, it was enough that creatures were created in each of them. That is why (Scripture) did not say about them: “bless”, but said this only about the seventh day, and added: “and sanctify it.” What does it mean: “and sanctify it”? Separated it. Then, in order to show us the reason why it is said: “and sanctify it,” Divine Scripture adds: “for in that rest from all His works, which God began to create.” Already here, at the very beginning (of the existence of the world), God divinely offers us the teaching that we should dedicate and set aside the entire one day in the circle of the week for spiritual matters. For this, the Lord, having completed all His works in six days, honored the seventh day with blessing and sanctified it, “as if He had rested that night from all His works before He began to do.” But here, I see, an endless sea of ​​thoughts again opens up for us, and I wish not to pass it without attention, but to make you participants in this spiritual wealth. What question arises here? (Here is what): Divine Scripture here shows that God rested from his works, and in the Gospel Christ says: “My Father works hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17) - when these sayings are taken down, does not there seem to be any contradiction in them? Let it not be: there is no contradiction in the words of Divine Scripture. When Scripture says here: “for God rested from His works,” it teaches us that on the seventh day He ceased to create and bring forth from non-existence into being; and when Christ says: “My Father is working hitherto, and I am working,” then this indicates to you His continuous providence, and by work he calls the preservation of what exists, the granting of its continuation (in being) and the management of it at all times. Otherwise, how could the universe exist unless a supreme hand governed and disposed of the entire visible and human race? And if anyone wants to well-intentionedly consider in detail everything that is done every day for your benefit by the Creator of the universe, he will discover the abyss of philanthropy. Indeed, what consideration, what mind is able to comprehend the ineffable goodness that (God) reveals to the human race, commanding the sun to shine “on the evil and on the good” and sending rain “on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), and giving us abundance in everything else? Perhaps we have extended the word beyond what is proper; However, they did this not in vain and not without purpose, but so that those who did not come here would learn through you what damage they caused themselves by depriving themselves of spiritual instruction because of bodily food. However, in order not to increase their sorrow, you will show brotherly love for them by conveying our words to them: this will truly serve as evidence of sincere love. If those who do this with sensual dishes and save for those they know what was served on the table do not thereby show very great love, much more such a course of action regarding spiritual objects will give us great praise; and this will benefit us. He who tries to teach his neighbor does not so much benefit him as prepare a great reward for himself and acquires a double fruit: he receives a greater reward from God, and he himself remembers and renews in his memory what was said when he tries to convey it to his neighbor. 8. Considering this benefit of yours, do not refuse your brothers, but let them now learn from you what we have said. And so that they will no longer be obliged to you for such instruction, draw them to us, instilling in them that taking bodily food does not in the least hinder spiritual instruction, that any time should be considered convenient for spiritual conversation. If we carefully consider, then we can, while staying at home, both after and before dinner, taking Divine books in our hands, receive benefit from them, and deliver spiritual food to the soul. Just as the body needs sensual food, so the soul requires daily instruction and spiritual food, so that, strengthened by it, it can resist the rebellions of the flesh and withstand the constant warfare that threatens us and makes our soul captive if we, even for a short time, want to indulge in carelessness. That is why the prophet David called blessed the one who “studies in the law” of the Lord “day and night” (Ps. 1:2). And blessed Moses, instructing the Jewish people, says: when you have eaten and drunk 55, and are satisfied, remember the Lord your God (Deut. 8:10). You see how special it was then, i.e. after eating, we must offer ourselves spiritual food, so that the soul, after being satiated with bodily food, does not become careless, fall into destruction and give room to the machinations of the devil, who at all times tries to deal us a mortal blow. The same prophet in another place said: “Lie and rise, remember the Lord your God” (Deut. 6:7). You see that at no time should we drive away this remembrance (of God) from our souls, but keep it firmly in our conscience, be in constant vigilance and never give ourselves rest, but, knowing the wrath of our enemy, be sober and watchful, block all entrances to him and never neglect spiritual food. This is your salvation, this is your spiritual wealth, this is your security. If we begin to protect ourselves in this way every time by reading, listening, and spiritual conversation, then we will be able to become invincible ourselves, and make the machinations of the evil demon unsuccessful, and receive the Kingdom of Heaven, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Those. eating during Lent before evening worship Here at Zlat. unreadable: καὶ τῶν θηρίων. Zlat. here reads: ἐν τῆἡμέρα ἐβδόμῆ according to Lucian. sp.; in other lists ἐν - “in” is absent, contrary to the Hebrew-Masoretic, where it is read. Meanwhile, the usual reading among the 70 is: φάγει καὶ ἐμπλησθήσει – “and eat You will be satisfied." You might be interested in: