Беседа 1

1. Praise for the Gospel of John. Its superiority and benefits. - Who can understand him? – 2. The Exaltation of John. – How to listen to the Gospel. – The need for a certain disposition towards the Word of God. – 3. There is no need to throw holy things to the dogs. – 4. Description of the mood that is required to hear the Gospel. – One must avoid theatrical spectacles and stand firmly in unity with God and the church. - Must have attentive hearing. 1. Spectators of the feats of physical wrestling, as soon as they learn that a courageous and already crowned fighter has come from somewhere, everyone flocks to see his wrestling, art, and strength. Then you see how, at a spectacle filled with countless people, everyone directs their sensual and mental gaze, so as not to leave anything unattended. If some wonderful musician then arrives, then again the same people fill the spectacle, and, leaving everything that was in their hands, sometimes even some necessary and urgent task, they sit on a raised platform and listen with great attention to the singing and music, experiencing their euphony. This is what ordinary people usually do. And those knowledgeable in verbal sciences do the same in relation to the sophists. And they have their own spectacles and listeners, applause and sentences, and strict tests of speeches. If spectators of wrestlers, spectators and together listeners of rhetoricians and musicians sit at the spectacle with such attention, then how much diligence and attention should you rightly show when it is not some singer or sophist who goes out to perform a feat, but when a man speaks from heaven and utters a voice stronger than thunder? With His voice He embraced and filled the entire universe, not because He cried out too loudly, but because He moved His tongue with the power of divine grace. And it is surprising that such a strong voice is not at all rude or unpleasant, but more pleasant and desirable than any musical consonance, capable of even captivating, and, above all this, it is completely holy, worthy of reverent reverence, filled with such great secrets and delivers so many benefits that those who receive and preserve them with care and jealousy no longer seem to cease to be people and do not remain on earth, but, becoming above everything worldly and joining the choir of angels, they live on earth as if in heaven. Son of thunder. The beloved (disciple) of Christ, the pillar of the churches that exist throughout the universe, the one who has the keys of heaven, who drank the cup of Christ and was baptized with His baptism, who boldly reclined on the chest of the Lord - now he comes to us not in order to present some fictitious spectacle or to cover himself with a mask (he will not speak in this way); he does not ascend to an elevated place, does not kick to the music, does not adorn himself with gilded clothing. He enters in clothes that have artless beauty; he appears to us clothed in Christ, having shod his red feet in preparation for the gospel of peace; a belt - not on the chest, but on the loins, not of purple skin, not covered with gold on top, but woven and composed of truth itself. This is how he now appears to us, without any partiality; He has no pretense, no fiction, no fable, but with an open head he proclaims the open truth. Being like this in himself, he inspires nothing else in his listeners with his appearance, gaze, and voice. He does not need any tools for broadcasting. As, for example, in a zither, or a lyre, or something like that; he does everything with his tongue, uttering a voice more pleasant and much more useful than any playing on the zither and (any) music. The scene of action for him is the whole sky; the spectacle is the universe; the spectators and listeners are all angels and those of people who are like angels or want to become such. Only such people can clearly comprehend this euphony, discover it in (their) deeds, and be the kind of listeners they need to be. All others, like little children, although they listen, do not understand what they are listening to, but are carried away only by pleasures and children's games. So all people are cheerful, luxurious, living for wealth, for honor and belly, although sometimes they listen to what is said (to them), but in reality they do not show anything great and sublime, because once they forever clung to dirt and dust. This apostle is surrounded by heavenly powers, marveling at the beauty of his soul, the intelligence and beauty of his virtue, which he attracted (to himself) and Christ himself and received spiritual grace. Having tuned his soul like a euphonious lyre adorned with precious stones and having golden strings, he achieved that through it he proclaimed something great and sublime through the Spirit. 2. So, let us listen not to the fisherman, not to the son of Zebedee, but to the one who knows the depths of God, that is, to the Spirit who moves this lyre. He will not say anything human to us, but everything he says will be from the depths of the Spirit, from those secrets that even the angels did not know before they happened. And the angels, together with us, through the voice of John and through us, learned what we knew: “so that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known through the church to the principalities and powers in heaven” (Eph. 3:10). So, if the principalities, and the authorities, and the cherubim, and the seraphim, learned this through the Church, then it is obvious that they also dealt with this teaching with great care. Thus, we are no less honored that the angels learned with us what they did not know before. And what (they learned) through us, I won’t talk about that for now. So, let us, for our part, show silent reverence, not just now and not just for the day when we listen, but throughout our entire lives, because listening to him is always good. If it is desirable for us to know what is happening in the royal palaces, such as, for example, what the king does or undertakes regarding his subjects, although often this does not apply to us at all, then is it not much more desirable to hear what God has spoken, and especially when all this concerns us? And all this (John) will tell us with accuracy, as a friend of the (heavenly King) himself, or, better, as such a man who has Himself speaking within Himself, and from Him heard everything that He is from His Father. “I have called you friends,” He said, “because I told you everything that I heard from My Father” (John 15:15). So, just as if we suddenly saw someone descending from above, from the heights of heaven, and promising to tell us exactly what was happening there, and of course everyone would flock to him, we will do the same now. It is from heaven that this man will talk to us. He is not of the world, as Christ himself says: “you are not of this world” (John 15:19). In it the Comforter speaks, omnipresent and with the same accuracy leading the “God’s” with which the human soul knows “its own” within itself - the Spirit of holiness, the right, sovereign Spirit, guiding to heaven, giving other eyes capable of seeing the future as the present, and making us worthy to contemplate what is in heaven while still in the flesh. So, let us give him silent attention throughout our entire lives. Let no one remain here lazy, sleepy, or unclean. Let us move to heaven, because he speaks only there, and only to those who live there. And if we remain on earth, we will not receive any important benefit from here. John’s words do not apply to those who do not want to lag behind bestial life, just as the affairs here do not concern him. Thunder strikes our souls, even though it has an insignificant sound, and its voice does not frighten any of the faithful; on the contrary, it still frees you from fear and mental confusion, and strikes only demons and those who work for them. So, in order for us to see how he strikes them, let us maintain silence, both external and internal, especially internal. What, really, is the benefit when the lips are silent, and the soul is indignant and has a strong storm within itself? I seek silence in my soul, in my thoughts, since I also require attentive hearing. Let us not be carried away by the passion for wealth, nor the love of fame, nor the power of anger, nor the excitement of other passions. It is impossible for unpurified ears to comprehend as it should the height of the spoken verbs, to comprehend or know, as it should, the power of these terrible and inexpressible secrets and all the good contained in these divine sayings. If you cannot study flute and zither music well without directing your whole mind towards it, then how can a listener sitting with a carefree soul understand the mysterious voice? 3. So Christ teaches: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6). He calls these very sayings beads, although they are much more precious than beads, and he called them only because we have nothing more valuable than this thing. That is why the sweetness of the word of Scripture is often compared to honey, not because this was its only measure, but because we have nothing else sweeter than honey. And that it incomparably surpasses the preciousness of stones and the sweetness of all honey, listen to how the prophet speaks about it, showing its superiority. “more desirable,” he says, “than gold and precious stones, sweeter than honey from a honeycomb. But this is only for the healthy, which is why the prophet adds: “For Your servant keeps them” (Ps. 18:11-12). And again in another place, calling them sweet, he added: “my throat.” “How sweet,” he says, “Thy words are in my throat!” (Ps. 119:103). And also, expressing their superiority, he says: “My lips are sweeter than honey and drops of honey” (Ps. 18:11, 15) - because he had good mental health. So we will not approach them when we are sick, but, having first healed the soul, we will accept this food. This is why I say so much in advance, without yet touching on the very sayings of the Gospel, so that everyone will be freed from every kind of illness, and thus, as it were, ascended to heaven itself, ascended clean, putting aside anger, worries, worldly anxieties and all other passions. Without first purifying the soul in this way, it is impossible to obtain any important benefit from this. And no one tell me that there is not enough time for the future meeting. Not only in five days, but in one minute you can change your whole life. Tell me, is there anything worse than a robber and murderer? Isn't this the extreme degree of evil? And yet the robber suddenly ascended to the heights of virtue and moved to paradise itself, not having the need for many days, or even half of one day; One minute was enough for this. Consequently, one can suddenly change and become golden instead of mortal. Since virtue and vice do not come from nature, change is easy and not subject to any force. “If you are willing and obedient,” says God, “you will eat the good things of the land” (Is. 1:19). Do you see that all that is needed is desire? But the desire is not ordinary, common to many, but thorough. I know that now everyone wants to soar to heaven; but this desire must be proven in action itself. And the merchant, wanting to get rich, does not stop his desire with just one thought, but equips the ship, gathers the shipmen, invites the helmsman, supplies the ship with everything that is needed, borrows gold, sails across the sea, goes to a foreign land, endures many dangers, and does everything else that is known to seafarers. So we must prove our desire. And we are sailing, not from (one) earth to (another) earth, but from earth to heaven. Let us make our mind capable of control, so that it brings us to grief, and let us make the shipbuilders obedient to it; let us equip a strong ship, which could not be sunk by the misadventures and sorrows of life, which would not be lifted up by the spirit of arrogance, but would be light and quick in sailing. If we arrange the ship, the helmsman and the shipmen in this way, then we will sail safely, and we will bow to ourselves the true helmsman - the Son of God, who will not allow our ship to plunge into the abyss, but, even if thousands of winds blow, He will forbid the winds and the sea, and instead of the storm will create great silence. 4. Having prepared yourself in this way, come to the next meeting, if only you would like to hear something useful and keep the word in your soul. Let no one be like a passing path (Luke 8:5, 12), let no one be a stone, no one full of thorns. Let us make ourselves like uncultivated fields. Then we, if we see pure land in you, will sow seeds with zeal; if it’s rough and rocky, then forgive us if we don’t want to work in vain. And if, having left sowing, we begin to pull up thorns, then again it will be unwise to throw seeds into uncultivated ground. One who enjoys such hearing should not partake of the demonic table: “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). You stood here, listening to John and through him listening to the teaching of the Spirit, and after that you go to listen to prodigal women uttering shameful speeches, and presenting even more shameful deeds to the spectacle, also effeminate young men who beat and fight each other. How can you be completely cleansed when you are defiled by such filth? But why depict in parts all the shame that exists there. Everything there is laughter, everything is shame; there - swearing, ridicule, antics; everything is depravity, everything is destruction. So I’m talking about this in advance and announcing it to all of you. Let none of those enjoying the local meal corrupt their souls with those destructive spectacles. Everything that is said and done there is satanic pride. Do you know, having been vouchsafed the sacrament (of baptism), what vows are laid between us, or better yet, what covenant we entered into with Christ when He vouchsafed His Sacraments to you? What did you say before Him? What did you tell Him about satanic pride? How did you, having renounced Satan and his angels, renounced all his pride, and promised not to deviate towards it anymore? So, no little care must be taken not to forget such great vows, and not to make oneself unworthy of such sacraments. Don’t you see how at the royal court only people who have not stumbled in anything and are respected are called to participate in the royal council and are included among the king’s friends? A messenger from heaven has come to us, sent from God himself to tell us about some necessary items. And you, having left listening to what he wants to convey to us and for which he is authorized to come to us, sit listening to the actors. What a worthy lightning, what thunder! But just as one should not partake of a demonic meal, so one should not take part in demonic hearings, or come in unclean clothes to a bright meal, abundant in so many good things - a meal that God Himself has prepared. Such is its power that it can suddenly lift us to heaven itself, if only we listen with a pure heart. So, it is indecent for one who is often proclaimed by divine words to remain in a present low state, but it is necessary to immediately soar, fly up to the most mountainous country, and enjoy the treasures of countless blessings, which may we all be worthy to receive, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and with the Holy Spirit be glory, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: