Беседа 4

Matt. 1:17. So, all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the migration to Babylon to Christ there are fourteen generations. Why is the genealogy divided into three parts? – Why is the genealogy omitted in Mark, but is there in Luke? – Why does Matthew count the number of generations before Christ? – Why conception did not take place before betrothal – The incomprehensibility of birth. – Christ was truly born of a Virgin and has the same flesh as us. – Virtue and wisdom of Joseph. - Why does the angel not announce the conception to him from the very beginning, like to the Virgin? - How the Angel assures him of the truth of conception from the Holy Spirit. - The greatness of the gift of remission of sins brought by Christ encourages believers to live worthy of this gift. - A believer must differ from an unbeliever in his good life, as well as in all his external behavior. – The ugliness of the soul can be seen as in a mirror, studying the life of holy men. “A man who gives free rein to his passions is worse than a beast.” – He who seeks external glory dishonors himself. – Piety gives true glory. – The example of the three youths teaches us to prefer poverty to the delights of wealth. - An exhortation to give alms. 1. The Evangelist divided the entire genealogy into three parts, wanting to show that the Jews did not become better with the change of government; but even during the aristocracy, and under the kings, and during the oligarchy, they indulged in the same vices: under the control of judges, priests and kings, they showed no success in virtue. But why did the evangelist omit three kings in the middle part of the genealogy, and in the last, placing twelve genealogy, said that there were fourteen of them? I leave the first to your own research, not considering it necessary to decide everything for you, so that you do not become lazy; Let's talk about the second one. It seems to me that he counts among the generations the time of captivity, and Jesus Christ himself, coupling Him with us everywhere. And by the way, he mentions the captivity, showing that the Jews did not become more prudent even in captivity, so that from everything the necessity of the coming of Christ was visible. But they will say: Why doesn’t Mark do the same, and doesn’t set out the genealogy of Jesus, but speaks about everything briefly? I think that Matthew wrote the Gospel before others, which is why he sets out the genealogy with precision and dwells on the most important circumstances, and Mark wrote after him, why he observed brevity as narrating what had already been retold and became known. Why does Luke also set out his genealogy, and even more fully? Because he, meaning the Gospel of Matthew, wants to give us more information than Matthew. Moreover, each of them imitated the teacher - one Paul, who overflows like a river, and the other Peter, who loves brevity. Why didn’t Matthew, at the beginning of the Gospel, say, following the example of the prophets: “The vision that I saw” (Ezek. 11:24), or: “And the word of the Lord came to me” (Ezek. 37:15, 38:1)? Because he wrote to well-meaning people, and those who were very attentive to him. And the former miracles confirmed to them what was written, and the readers were filled with faith. During the time of the prophets, there were not so many miracles that would confirm their preaching; on the contrary, many false prophets appeared, to whom the Jewish people more willingly listened - which is why they needed to begin their prophecies in this way. And if miracles ever happened, they were for the pagans, so that they would turn to Judaism in greater numbers, and for the manifestation of the power of God, when the enemies, who subjugated the Jews to themselves, thought that they had defeated them by the power of their gods. This happened in Egypt, from where a multitude of people followed the Jews; These were the same later in Babylon - a miracle in the cave and dreams. However, there were miracles in the desert, when the Jews were there alone, as was the case with us; and many miracles were revealed to us when we emerged from error. But later, when piety was implanted everywhere, the miracles stopped. If the Jews had miracles even after, then they were not in large numbers and occasionally, such as when the sun stood still, and another time when it retreated back. Again, we can see the same thing: in our time, with Julian, who surpassed everyone in wickedness, many miraculous things happened. When the Jews undertook the restoration of the Jerusalem temple, fire came out from under the foundation and prevented the work; and when Julian madly attempted to scold the sacred vessels, the keeper of the treasures and Julian’s uncle, who was named after him, the first died - eaten by worms, and the other fell apart in half. And it was a very important miracle that during the sacrifices there the springs dried up, and that during the reign of Julian the cities were overcome by famine. 2. God usually performs signs when evil increases. When He sees that His servants are oppressed, and His opponents revel in tormenting them beyond measure, then He shows His own dominion. This is what He did with the Jews in Persia. So, from what has been said it is clear that the evangelist, not without reason and not by chance, divided the ancestors of Christ into three parts. Notice who he begins with and who he ends with. Starting with Abraham, he traces his genealogy to David; then from David to the Babylonian migration, and from the latter to Christ himself. Just as at the beginning of the entire genealogy I placed both David and Abraham side by side, so I precisely mentioned both at the end of the genealogy, because, as I said before, promises were given to them. Why, having mentioned the resettlement to Babylon, did he not mention the resettlement to Egypt? Because the Jews were no longer afraid of the Egyptians, but they were still in awe of the Babylonians, and because the first happened a long time ago, and the last recently; Moreover, they were taken to Egypt not for sins, but to Babylon for iniquities. If anyone wishes to delve into the meaning of the names themselves, then here too they will find many objects for contemplation, much that will serve to explain the new testament; These are the names of Abraham, Jacob, Solomon and Zerubbabel, since these names were not given to them without intention. But in order not to bore you with the duration, we will keep silent about this and get on with what is necessary. So, when the evangelist listed all the ancestors and ended with Joseph, he did not stop there, but added: “Joseph, the husband of Mary,” showing that for Mary he mentioned Joseph in the genealogy. Then, lest you, having heard about Mary’s husband, think that Jesus was born according to the general law of nature, see how he eliminates this thought with further words. You heard, he says, about the husband, you heard about the mother, you heard about the name given to the baby; Now listen to how He was born. Matthew 1:18. The birth of Jesus Christ was like this. Tell me, what birth are you talking about? You already told me about the ancestors. I want, says the evangelist, to talk about the image of birth. Do you see how he aroused the attention of the listener? As if intending to say something new, he promises to explain the image of birth. And notice what an excellent order there is in the story. He did not suddenly begin to talk about birth, but first reminds us who Christ was (in order of birth) from Abraham, who from David and from the migration to Babylon; and by this he encourages the listener to carefully examine the time, wanting to show that He is the very Christ who was foretold by the prophets. In fact, when you count the births and recognize by time that Jesus is definitely the Christ, then you will without difficulty believe the miracle that took place at the birth. since the evangelist needed to talk about a great matter, which is the birth of a virgin, then first, without proceeding to calculate the time, he deliberately obscures the speech, mentioning the husband of Mary, and even interrupts the narration of the birth, and then already counts the years, reminding the listener that the one born is the same one about whom the patriarch Jacob spoke, that He will appear when the princes are poor from Judah, and about whom the prophet Daniel foretold that He would come after many weeks. And if anyone wants to calculate the years that the angel determined for Daniel by the number of weeks from the building of the city until the birth of Jesus, he will see that the time of His birth agrees with the prediction. So tell me, how was Jesus born? Upon the betrothal of His Mother Mary. I didn’t say “Virgin”, but simply “Mother”, so that the speech would be clearer. But, having first led the listener into expecting to hear something ordinary and holding him in this expectation, he suddenly amazes him with the addition of the extraordinary, saying: Before they were united, it turned out that She was pregnant with the Holy Spirit. He did not say: before she was brought to the groom’s house, she was already living in his house, since the ancients were in the habit of keeping betrothed couples for the most part in their house, of which examples can still be seen today. And Lot's sons-in-law lived in Lot's house. And so Mary lived in the same house with Joseph. 3. But why did She not conceive in the womb before the betrothal? So that, as I said at the beginning, conception would remain a secret for some time, and the Virgin would avoid any evil suspicion. He, who should have been jealous more than anyone else, not only does not send her away from him and does not dishonor her, but accepts her and provides her with services during pregnancy. But it is clear that, without being firmly convinced of conception through the action of the Holy Spirit, he would not have kept her with him and served her in everything. Moreover, the evangelist said very expressively: “It turned out that She was with child,” as is usually said about special events that happen beyond all expectations and unexpected. So, do not extend further, do not demand anything more than what has been said, and do not ask: how did the Spirit form the Child in the Virgin? If it is impossible to explain the method of conception during natural action, then how can it be explained when the Spirit worked miraculously? So that you would not bother the evangelist and not bother him with frequent questions about this, he freed himself from everything, naming the One who performed the miracle. I don’t know anything else, he says, but I only know that the event was accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let those who try to comprehend supernatural birth be ashamed! If no one can explain that birth, about which there are thousands of witnesses, which was foretold for so many centuries, which was visible and tangible, then to what extent are those who are crazy who curiously explore and carefully try to comprehend the ineffable birth? Neither Gabriel nor Matthew could say anything more than that what is born is of the Spirit; but how and in what way it was born of the Spirit, none of them explained this, because it was impossible. Nor do you think that you have learned everything when you hear that Christ was born of the Spirit. Having learned about this, we still don’t know much, for example: how does the uncontainable fit in the womb? How does the all-containing one move in the womb of his wife? How does a virgin give birth and remain a virgin? Tell me, how did the Spirit arrange this church? How did he not receive all the flesh from the womb, but only part of it, which he then grew and formed? And what exactly came from the flesh of the Virgin, the evangelist clearly showed this with the words: “Of whom he was born” (Matthew 1:16); and Paul with the words: “Who was born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4). From the wife, he says, blocking the lips of those who claim that Christ passed through Mary, as if through some kind of pipe. If this is true, then was the virgin’s womb also necessary? If this is true, then Christ has nothing in common with us; on the contrary, His flesh is different from ours, not of the same composition. And how can we call Him then, having come from the root of Jesse? With a rod? Son of Man? How can we call Mary Mother? How can we say that Christ came from the seed of David? Did you take on the visage of a slave? That “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14)? Why did Paul say to the Romans: “From them is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all” (Rom. 9:5)? From these words and from many other places of Scripture it is clear that Christ came from us, from our composition, from a virgin’s womb; but how, that is not visible. So, do not seek, but believe what is revealed, and do not try to comprehend what is silent. Matt. 1:19. Joseph, Her husband, being righteous, says the evangelist, and not wanting to make Her public, wanted to secretly let Her go. Having said that (what is born of the Virgin) is from the Holy Spirit and without carnal copulation, he provides yet new evidence for this. Another might ask: how is this known? Who has seen or heard of anything like this ever happening? But so that you do not suspect the student that he invented this out of love for the Teacher, the evangelist introduces Joseph, who, by the very thing that happened in him, confirms your faith in what was said. The Evangelist seems to be saying this here: if you don’t believe me and suspect my testimony, then believe your husband. “Joseph,” he says, “is Her husband, being righteous.” Here he calls the one who has all the virtues righteous. Although to be righteous means not to appropriate someone else's property; but the totality of virtues is also called righteousness. It is in this special sense that Scripture uses the word “righteousness” when, for example, it says: “This man is blameless and just” (Job 1:1), and also: “They were both righteous” (Luke 1:6). 4. So Joseph, being righteous, that is, kind and meek, “wanted to secretly let Her go.” For this reason, the evangelist describes what happened while Joseph was unaware, so that you would not doubt what happened after learning. Although the suspect not only deserved to be disgraced, but the law even commanded Her to be punished, Joseph spared Her not only from more, but also from less, that is, from shame - he not only did not want to punish, but also to disgrace. Don't you recognize in him a wise man, and free from the most tormenting passion? You yourself know what jealousy is. That is why, fully knowing this passion, he said: “Jealousy is the wrath of a man, and he will not spare on the day of vengeance” (Proverbs 6:34). “Jealousy is as fierce as hell” (Song 8:6). And we know many who would rather lose their lives than be driven to suspicion and jealousy. And here there was no longer a simple suspicion: Mary was exposed to clear signs of pregnancy; and yet, Joseph was so alien to passion that he did not want to cause the Virgin even the slightest grief. Since it seemed contrary to the law to keep Her with him, and to discover the matter and present Her to court meant to betray Her to death, he does neither one nor the other, but acts above the law. Truly, after the coming of grace, many signs of high wisdom were to appear. Just as the sun, without yet showing its rays, illuminates most of the universe with light from afar, so Christ, rising from the virgin’s womb, illuminated the entire universe before He appeared. That is why, even before His birth, the prophets rejoiced, and the wives predicted the future, and John, not yet leaving the womb, leaped in the womb. And Joseph showed great wisdom here; he did not blame or blame the Virgin, but only intended to let Her go. When he was in such a difficult situation, an angel appears and resolves all perplexities. Here it is worthy of investigation why the angel did not come first, while the husband did not yet have such thoughts, but comes when he has already thought. “But when he thought this” (Matthew 1.20), says the evangelist, an angel comes; Meanwhile, the Virgin is preached the gospel even before conception, which again leads to new bewilderment. If the angel did not tell Joseph, then why did the Virgin, who heard from the angel, remain silent, and seeing her groom in confusion, did not resolve his bewilderment? So why didn't the angel tell Joseph before he was embarrassed? First we need to resolve the first question. Why didn't he say so? So that Joseph would not discover unbelief, and the same thing would not happen to him as to Zechariah. It is not difficult to believe a thing when it is already before your eyes; and when there is no beginning of it, then the words cannot be accepted so easily. That's why the angel didn't speak at first; For the same reason, Virgo was silent. She thought that she would not convince the groom by reporting an unusual case, but on the contrary, she would upset him by giving him the idea that she was covering up the crime that had been committed. If She herself, hearing about such grace given to Her, judges humanly: and says: “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” (Luke 1:34) - then Joseph would have doubted it much more, especially hearing this from his suspected wife. 5. This is why the Virgin does not speak to Joseph at all, but the angel appears when circumstances require. Why, they will say, was not the same done with the Virgin, why was it not announced to Her after conception? To protect Her from embarrassment and more confusion. Without knowing the matter clearly, She could naturally decide to do something bad to herself, and, unable to bear the shame, resort to a noose or a sword. Truly, the Virgin was worthy of wonder in everything; and the evangelist Luke, depicting Her virtue, says that when she heard the greeting, she did not suddenly surrender to joy and believe what was said, but was confused and thought: “What kind of greeting would this be” (Luke 1:29)? Being of such strict rules, the Virgin could lose her mind from sadness, imagining shame and not seeing any hope for anyone to believe Her words that Her pregnancy was not the result of adultery. So, to prevent this from happening, an angel came to her before conception. It was necessary that the one into whose womb the Creator of all things ascended should not know any confusion; so that the soul that is worthy of being a servant of such mysteries is free from all confusion. That is why the angel announces to the Virgin before conception, and to Joseph during Her pregnancy. Many, out of simplicity and misunderstanding, found disagreement in the fact that Ev. Luke mentions the gospel of Mary, and St. Matthew about the gospel to Joseph, not knowing that it was both. The same thing must be observed throughout the narrative; In this way we will resolve many apparent differences. So the angel comes to the confused Joseph. Until now, there had been no appearance, both for the reason stated above and in order for Joseph’s wisdom to be revealed. And when the matter is nearing completion, the angel finally appears. Matthew 1:20. But when he thought this, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Do you notice the meekness of this husband? Not only did he not punish, but he also did not tell anyone, not even the suspect himself, but thought only with himself, and tried to hide the cause of embarrassment from the Virgin herself. The evangelist did not say that Joseph wanted to drive Her out, but to let Her go: he was so meek and modest! “But when he thought this,” the angel appears in a dream. Why not in reality, as he appears to the shepherds, Zechariah and the Virgin? Joseph had a lot of faith; he did not need such a phenomenon. For the Virgin, an extraordinary phenomenon was needed before the event, because what was preached was very important, more important than what was preached to Zechariah; and for the shepherds a manifestation was needed, because these were simple people. Joseph receives a revelation upon conception, when his soul was already seized with evil suspicion, and is ready to move on to good hopes, if only someone would appear and show a convenient path to that. For this reason, the gospel is preached after suspicion has arisen, so that this itself will serve as proof of what was said to him. What he didn’t tell anyone about, but only thought in his mind, hearing about from an angel served as an undoubted sign that the angel had come and was speaking from God, because it is only God who knows the secrets of the heart. See how many goals are achieved! Joseph's wisdom is revealed; the timing of what was said helps him in faith; the narrative itself becomes certain, since it shows that Joseph was exactly in the position in which he should have been. 6. How then does the angel assure him? Listen and marvel at the wisdom of what is said. Having arrived, the angel said to him: “Joseph, son of David! Do not be afraid to accept Mary your wife” (Matthew 1:20). He immediately brings to his memory David, from whom Christ was supposed to come, and does not allow him to remain in confusion, reminding him of the promise given to the whole family by the name of his ancestors. Otherwise, why would he be called the son of David? "Don't be afraid" . Other times God does things wrong; and when someone plotted against Abraham’s wife, which should not have happened, God used the strongest expressions and threats, although even there the cause was ignorance. Pharaoh took Sarah to him unknowingly, but God brought him into fear. But here God acts more leniently because a very important matter was being accomplished, and there was a big difference between Pharaoh and Joseph, which is why there was no need for threats. Having said: “Do not be afraid,” he shows that Joseph was afraid to offend God by keeping a woman suspected of adultery in the house, because if this had not happened, he would not have thought of letting her go. So, from everything it is revealed that an angel came from God, discovering and retelling everything that Joseph was thinking about and what was disturbing his mind. Having spoken the name of the Virgin, the angel did not stop there, but added: “your wife,” by what name he would not have called if Her virginity had been corrupted. Here he calls a betrothed woman a wife: this is how Scripture usually calls betrothed people sons-in-law even before marriage. What does it mean to “accept”? To keep her in his house, because Joseph had already mentally let go of the Virgin. This one that has been released, says the angel, keep with you; God entrusts it to you, not your parents. He entrusts her not for marriage, but to live together; hands it over, announcing it through me. Just as Christ later entrusted Her to his disciple, so now She is entrusted to Joseph. Then the angel, hinting at the reason for his appearance, kept silent about Joseph’s evil suspicion; and meanwhile he destroyed it more modestly and decently, explaining the reason for the conception and showing that for the very reason why Joseph was afraid and wanted to let Her go, he should accept and keep Her with him, and thus completely freed him from anxiety. Not only is she pure from unholy confusion, says the angel, but she has also conceived in her womb supernaturally. Therefore, not only put aside fear, but also rejoice: “For that which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). A strange thing, beyond human understanding and beyond the laws of nature! How can Joseph, who has not heard of such events, be convinced of this? The revelation of the past, says the angel. For this reason, he discovered everything that was happening in Joseph’s mind, what he was outraged by, what he was afraid of and what he decided to do, so that through this he could assure him of that. It’s fairer to say that the angel assures Joseph not only of the past, but also of the future. “She will give birth,” he says, “to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus” (Matthew 1:21). Although what is born is from the Holy Spirit, do not think of yourself that you are excluded from service during the incarnation. Although you do not contribute to the birth, and the Virgin remained inviolable, however, what belongs to the father, then, without harming the dignity of virginity, I give to you, that is, you will give a name to the one being born - you will “call His name.” Although He is not your son, you should be His father instead. So, starting with the naming of the name, I assimilate you to the one being born. Then, so that no one from here concludes that Joseph is the father, listen with what caution the angel speaks further. “She will give birth,” he says, “to a Son.” He did not say: he will give birth to you, but he expressed it vaguely: he will give birth, since Mary gave birth not to him, but to the whole universe. 7. This is why the name was brought by an angel from heaven, to show that it is miraculously born, because God himself from above sends the name through an angel to Joseph. Truly, it was not just a name, but a treasure of countless blessings. That’s why the angel explains it, inspires good hopes, and thereby leads Joseph to faith. We are usually more inclined to have good hopes, and therefore believe them more willingly. So, having confirmed Joseph in the faith to everyone - both the past, and the future, and the present, and the honor shown to him - the angel, by the way, quotes the words of the prophet, who confirms all this. But, without yet citing his words, he announces the blessings that will be given to the world through the one born. What are these benefits? Liberation from sins and their destruction. “He,” says the angel, “will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). And here something wonderful is announced; the gospel preaches liberation not from sensual warfare, not from barbarians, but - what is much more important - liberation from sins, from which no one could liberate before. Why, they will ask, did he say: “His people”, and did not add the pagans? So as not to suddenly surprise the listener. He gave the intelligent listener to understand about the pagans, because His people are not only Jews, but also all who come and receive knowledge from Him. See how He revealed His dignity to us, calling the Jewish people His people. By this the angel shows precisely that the one who is being born is the Son of God, and that he is talking about the King on high, since, besides this single Being, no other power can forgive sins. So, having received such a gift, let us take all measures so as not to disgrace such a great benefit. If our sins were worthy of punishment even before such an honor, then they are even more worthy after such an indescribable benefit. And I say this now not without reason. I see that many, after baptism, live more carelessly than those who have not been baptized, and do not even have any sign of Christian life. That is why, neither in the market place nor in the Church, you can quickly discern who is a believer and who is an unbeliever; unless, when performing the sacraments, you can see that some are expelled, while others remain in the church. Meanwhile, one should differ not in place, but in character. External virtues are usually recognized by external signs, but our virtues must be recognized by our soul. The believer must be seen not only by the gift, but also by the new life. A believer must be a lamp to the world and salt. And if you don’t shine for yourself, don’t prevent your own rottenness, then why should we recognize you? Is it because you immersed yourself in sacred waters? But this may get you punished. The greatness of the honor for those who do not want to live according to this honor increases the execution. A believer should shine not only with what he received from God, but also with what actually belongs to him; it is necessary that he be visible in everything - both in his step, and in his gaze, and in his appearance, and in his voice. I am talking about this so that we can observe decency, not for show, but for the benefit of those who look at us. And now, no matter how I try to recognize you, everywhere I find you in the opposite state. If I want to make a conclusion about you locally, I see you on horse trails, at shows, I see that you spend your days in lawlessness, in bad gatherings, in the market, in company with depraved people. Do I want to conclude about you from the look of your face? I see that you are constantly laughing and absent-minded, like a depraved harlot whose mouth never shuts. Should I judge you by your clothes, I see that you are dressed no better than a comedian. Should I judge you by your companions? I see that you are leading parasites and flatterers with you. Should I judge you by your words, I hear that you do not say anything sensible, practical, useful for our lives. Will I judge you by your table - here even more reasons for condemnation are revealed. 8. So, tell me, how can I know that you are faithful, when everything I have calculated assures otherwise? And what do I say - faithful? I can’t even find out for sure whether you’re a human being. When you kick like a donkey; you gallop like an ox; you neigh at women like a horse; you overeat like a bear; you make your flesh fat like a mule; vindictive as a camel; predatory like a wolf; angry like a snake; sarcastic like a scorpion; cunning like a fox; you keep the poison of malice within yourself, like an asp and a viper; You are at enmity with your brothers like a crafty demon - how can I consider you a human being without seeing in you signs of human nature? Looking for the difference between the catechumen and the faithful, I run the risk of not finding the difference even between man and beast. How can I really call you a beast? After all, every animal has one of these defects. And you, having accumulated all the vices in yourself, far surpass them with your foolishness. Shall I call you a demon? But the demon does not serve the torment of the womb, and does not love money. And when you have more vices than animals and demons, tell me, how can you be called a man? If we cannot call you a man, then how can we call you faithful? And what is saddest of all is that, being in such a bad state, we do not even think about the ugliness of our soul, we have no idea about its vileness. When you sit at the barber's and cut your hair, then, taking a mirror, examine the hairstyle with all attention, ask those standing nearby and the one who cut your hair, do they lie well on your forehead? Being an old man, you are often not ashamed to indulge in youthful dreams to the point of fury. And we do not feel at all that our soul is not only ugly, but even beast-like, and has become a scylla or chimera, mentioned in pagan fables, although here too there is a spiritual mirror, which is much better and more useful than a material one, because it not only shows the ugliness, but even, if we want, transforms it into incomparable beauty. Such a mirror is the memory of good men, and the story of their blessed life, the reading of Scripture, the laws given by God. If you once want to look at the images of those saints, you will see the vileness of your heart; and having seen it, you will no longer need anything else to get rid of your ugliness. This is why this mirror is useful to us; it makes conversion convenient. So, let no one remain in the form of the dumb. If a slave does not enter his father's house, how can you enter the threshold of the house, being a beast? And what do I say - a beast? Such a person is worse than any beast. The beast, although wild by nature, is often made meek through human art. And you, who transform their natural brutality into meekness unusual for them by nature, what excuse will you have when you transform your natural meekness into unnatural brutality? You make someone who is wild by nature tame; and you, who are by nature meek, turn against nature into a savage one? You tame the lion and make it tame; and you allow your anger to be more indomitable than a lion? In the first case, two difficulties arise: the fact that the beast is devoid of reason, and the fact that he is the angrier of all; and yet, due to the abundance of wisdom given to you by God, you overcome nature. How then do you, who conquer nature in animals, betray both nature and the perfection of the will in yourself? If I told you to make another person meek, you would not consider my order impossible, although you could object to me that you are not the master of someone else’s will, and that not everything depends on you. But now I command you to tame your own beast, over which you are complete master. 9. So, what is your excuse for not mastering nature? What plausible excuse can you imagine for turning a lion into a man, but not caring about yourself when you turn a man into a lion? Do you impart to him properties higher than his nature, but do not preserve the natural ones in yourself? You try to bring wild animals to the same nobility as us, but you overthrow yourself from the royal throne and reach the point of brutal fury? Imagine, if you want, that anger is a beast, and how much others try to train lions, show as much effort on yourself, and make your unbridled mind quiet and meek; After all, anger has such terrible teeth and claws that it will destroy everything if you do not tame it. Even a lion and a viper cannot torment the entrails with such cruelty as anger constantly torments with iron claws. It not only harms the body, but upsets the very health of the soul, eating, tormenting, crushing all its strength, and making it incapable of anything. Anyone who has worms inside cannot breathe, because all his insides are eaten away. How can we give birth to anything noble while carrying within us such a serpent—I mean anger—that devours our insides? How can we get rid of this ulcer? If we consume a drink that can kill internal worms and snakes. But what drink, you ask, has such power? The honest blood of Christ, if accepted with hope. She can heal any disease. Then attentive listening to the Divine Scriptures and almsgiving added to this. By all these means the passions that weaken our soul can be killed. And only then will we live, and now we are no better than the dead. When passions are alive, it is impossible for us to live, but we must die. If we don’t have time to kill them here, they will kill us there. Or rather, even here, before that death, we will be subjected to the most severe punishment. Each of these passions is cruel, painful, insatiable, and, eating us every day, is not satisfied with anything. Their teeth are like lion teeth, and even more terrible than lions. When the lion is full, he immediately leaves the body he comes across. But passions are never satisfied and do not lag behind, until the person caught by them is drawn to the devil. Such is the power of the passions that they demand from their captives the same slavery into which Paul surrendered to Christ, despising both Gehenna and the kingdom for Him. Anyone who falls into carnal love, or love of money, or ambition, begins to laugh at Gehenna and despise the kingdom, if only to fulfill the will of those passions. So, let us believe Paul that he loved Christ so much. When there are people who are equally subservient to passions, what is incredible about Pavlova’s love? That is why our love for Christ is weaker, because all our strength is exhausted by vicious love, and we are predators, lovers of money, slaves of vain glory. And what could be more insignificant than this glory? Even if you become a thousand times more noble, you will be no better than unknown people. On the contrary, through this you will become even more dishonest. When those who glorify you and make you famous laugh at you for the very reason that you want glory from them, will your zeal not produce the opposite of your desire? 10. These people act like accusers. Whoever praises and flatters one who is devoted to adultery or fornication, thereby denounces rather than praises the lust. In the same way, if we all praise someone who is partial to glory, then we reprove rather than praise the glory-loving one. So, why do you care so much about such a matter, the consequences of which are always contrary to your goal? If you want to become famous, despise fame, and you will be more famous than everyone else. Why should you undergo the same thing that happened to Nebuchadnezzar? He erected the statue, thinking to receive even greater glory from the tree and the insensible image; he who has life wanted to be glorified through something that does not have life. Do you see extreme madness? Thinking to honor himself, he dishonored himself more, showing that he trusted more in a soulless thing than in himself and his living soul - which is why he gave such preference to wood. Isn't he worthy of ridicule because he seeks praise for himself not in morals, but in boards? It’s the same as if someone decided to boast more about the floor in a house, or a beautiful staircase, than about the fact that he is a man. Meanwhile, many of us are now imitating Nebuchadnezzar. Just as he is with his image, so some of us think to surprise with clothes, others with houses, horses, chariots, columns located in their houses. Having destroyed the dignity of a person in themselves, they go around looking for completely ridiculous glory in other subjects. The famous and great servants of God did not shine with this, but with what they should have. They were captives, and slaves, and youths, and strangers; They had nothing of their own, but they turned out to be much more honorable than the one who abounds in everything. Neither the huge statue, nor the nobles, nor the leaders, nor the countless troops, nor the abundance of gold, nor all the pomp could satisfy Nebuchadnezzar’s passion to show himself great. But for the servants of God, deprived of everything, wisdom alone was enough. Having nothing, they turned out to be just as brilliant than the one who wears a diadem and purple and has everything, as the sun is more brilliant than pearls. Young men, captive slaves, were brought to the shame of the whole world, and as soon as they appeared, the princess’s eyes sparkled with fire, and they were surrounded by leaders, rulers, officials and the entire host of demons; from everywhere the sound of flutes, trumpets and all kinds of musical instruments, rushing to heaven, filled their ears. The cave burned to immeasurable heights, and its flame touched the very clouds; everything was filled with fear and horror. But nothing frightened the young men. On the contrary, laughing as if at a child’s game, they showed courage and meekness, and cried out louder than those trumpets: “Let it be known to you, O king” (Dan. 3:18)! They did not even want to insult the tormentor with a word, but only wanted to show their piety. Therefore, they did not expand in words, but expressed everything briefly: “Our God,” they say, “Whom we serve, is able to save us from the furnace” (Dan. 3:17). Why are you putting so many people before us? What do we need? Why sharp swords, terrible spearmen? Our Lord is higher and stronger than all this. Then, thinking that it might be so pleasing to God, He allowed them to be burned, so that in this case they would not be called liars, they added in conclusion: “If this does not happen, then let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods.” 11. If they, having assumed that God really would not deliver them, had said that He does not deliver for sins, they would not have been believed. Therefore, they keep silent about their sins before the king, but talk about them in the cave; there they remember all their sins. They do not say anything like that before the king, but only that they will not betray their piety, even if they were to burn. Not for rewards and rewards, but out of love alone they did everything they did; despite the fact that they were in captivity and slavery, did not enjoy any benefits, and were deprived of their fatherland, freedom and all property. Don't tell me about the honors given to them at the royal court. Saints and righteous young men would be a thousand times more willing to agree to collect alms in their homeland and enjoy the beauty of the church, as David says: “I would rather be at the threshold of the house of God than to live in the tents of wickedness”; and “one day in Your courts is better than a thousand” (Ps. 83:11). A thousand times more willingly they would agree to be the last in their fatherland than to reign in Babylon. This is evident from what they say in the cave about the hardships of staying in Babylon. Although they themselves enjoyed great honors, when they saw the misfortunes of others, they were cruelly tormented. This is the primary property of saints - to prefer neither glory, nor honor, or anything else to the salvation of their neighbors. Look how they prayed for all the people in the cave. And even in our late life we ​​do not remember the brothers. Likewise, when they tried to explain dreams, they did not have in mind their own benefit, but the benefit of many. That they despised death, they subsequently proved by many experiments. They are ready to do anything just to appease God. Since they recognize themselves as incapable of this, they resort to the fathers and say that they themselves cannot bring anything except a contrite spirit. Let us also imitate them. After all, before us stands a golden image, the tormenting power of mammon. But let us not listen to tympanums, trumpets, harps and other delights of wealth; and even though we had to fall into the cave of poverty, we would prefer this poverty rather than worship the idol - and there will be dew in the middle of the cave, noisy. Therefore, let us not be afraid when we hear about the cave of poverty. And then those cast into the cave became resplendent, and those who worshiped the idol were killed. But then everything happened at one time, and now one thing is fulfilled here, and another in the future life, and another both here and there. Those who chose poverty, so as not to bow to mammon, will shine both here and there; and those who unjustly enrich themselves here will suffer the most severe punishment there. Lazarus also came out of this cave, shining with at least three youths; and the rich man, belonging to the number of those who worshiped the idol, was condemned to torment in Gehenna. One serves as an image of the other. Just as here those thrown into the cave suffered nothing, and those standing outside were instantly burned, so it will be then. The saints, crossing the fiery river, will not feel anything unpleasant, but will seem to rejoice; and those who worshiped the idol will see that fire attacks them more fiercely than any beast and drags them into Gehenna. If anyone does not believe that there is Gehenna, let him, seeing the Chaldean cave, be assured of the future through the present, and fear not the cave of poverty, but the cave of sin. Sin is fire and torment, and poverty is dew and coolness. In the cave of sin there is the devil, and in the cave of poverty there are angels reflecting the flame. 12. Let the rich, who kindle the flames of poverty, listen to this! They will not do any harm to the poor, because the dew falls on them; and they will make themselves victims of the flame that they lit with their own hands. Then the angel came down to the three youths, and now we will come down to those who are in the cave of poverty, and with alms we will produce dew, we will repel the flame, so that we too may receive crowns with them, so that for us the fire of Gehenna will be scattered from the voice of Christ: you saw Me thirsty and gave me something to drink (Matthew 25:35). This voice will then be like dew for us, rustling in the midst of the flame. So, let us go with alms into the cave of poverty, let us look at the wise men walking in it and trampling on the coals; Let's look at a new and strange miracle, at a man singing in a cave, at a man giving thanks in fire, bound by extreme poverty and giving great praise to Christ. He who endures poverty with thanksgiving is equal to the three youths, because poverty is worse than fire, and usually burns more intensely. However, the flames did not burn the youths, and their bonds were resolved instantly, as soon as they brought thanks to the Lord. So it is now: if you, having fallen into poverty, give thanks, then the bonds will be resolved and the flame will go out. And if it does not go out, then an even greater miracle will happen - the flame will become a source, as happened then. In the middle of the cave they cooled themselves with clean dew, which, although it did not extinguish the flame, prevented the fire from burning those thrown there. The same can be seen in the wise: even in poverty they are freer from fear than the rich. So, let us not stand outside the cave, that is, without mercy towards the poor, lest we suffer the same thing that happened then to those who were near the cave. If you go down to the youths and stand with them, then the fire will not cause you any harm; and if you stand above and look at those who are in the fire of poverty, the flame will burn you. So, go down into the fire, so that you will not be burned by the fire. Do not stand outside the fire, lest you be carried away by the flames. If the fire catches you along with the poor, it will move away from you; and if he sees you shunning them, at that very moment he will attack you and drag you away. So, do not depart from those who are thrown, and when the devil orders those who do not worship gold to be thrown into the cave of poverty, then be not among those who are cast in, but among those who are thrown in, so that you may be among those who are saved and not those who are burned. Not to submit to the passion of the love of money and to live in community with the poor is the most abundant dew. He who has trampled the passion for wealth is richer than everyone else. Just as the youths, who then despised the king, became more brilliant than the king, so you, if you despise everything worldly, will be more precious than the whole world, like those saints “of whom the whole world was not worthy” (Heb. 11:38). So, in order to become worthy of heavenly things, despise the present. Then here too you will receive great glory, and you will enjoy future blessings, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 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