Беседа 18

Conversation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Rom 10.14–15. Why will they call you, you don’t have faith in Negozha? How can they believe without hearing it? How can they hear without someone preaching? How can they preach if there are no messages? As it is written. The apostle again deprives the Jews of an excuse. Having said: “I testify... to them that they have the zeal of God, but not according to understanding”, and also: “not understanding... God’s righteousness,... not obeying” (Rom. 10: 2-3), he further shows that for their very ignorance they must be punished by God. However, he does not say this directly, but reveals it by presenting the speech in questions, and, for greater clarity of evidence, this entire passage is composed of objections and answers. Look: above, he said in the words of the prophet that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). But perhaps someone will say: how could they call on Him in whom they did not believe? Then his objection is followed by a question: why didn’t they believe? And again an objection - because, undoubtedly, someone could ask: how could they believe without hearing? They heard (the apostle) answer. Then again another objection: how could they hear without a preacher? And again the answer: many preached and many were sent precisely for this purpose. From what is it clear that they were sent to preach? Here, finally, (the apostle) quotes the words of the prophet: “since they are red... feet of those who bring good tidings of peace, those who bring good tidings" (Isaiah 52.7). You see how by the very method of preaching he proves that they were preachers. The apostles, going around the universe, proclaimed nothing less than the unspeakable blessings and the accomplished peace of God with people. Therefore, you unbelievers do not believe us, says (Paul), but Isaiah, who foretold for many years that we would be sent, we will begin to preach and we will begin to say the same thing that we said. So, if salvation depends on the calling, the calling on faith, faith on hearing, hearing on preaching, preaching on the message, and the apostles were sent and preached, even a prophet walked with them, pointed to them, proclaimed and said: these are the very ones about whom for a long time I proclaimed from above and whose feet I praised for the way of preaching, then it is clear that unbelief is the own fault of the Jews, but on the part of God everything is done. Rom.10:16–17. But not everyone listened to the gospel: for Isaiah says: Lord, who believes our hearing? Moreover, faith comes from hearing, but hearing is by the word of God. But the Jews again made a new objection, saying: “if these (the apostles) were sent and sent from God, then everyone should obey them.” And notice the prudence of Paul, how he proves that the very thing that caused confusion should destroy worry and anxiety. Why, he says, after such a numerous and important testimony and after confirming it with works, are you, a Jew, tempted by the fact that not everyone obeyed the gospel? But this very thing, that not everyone obeys, with other evidence is enough to assure you of the truth of what is being preached. And the prophet predicted this from ancient times. Notice the ineffable wisdom (of the apostle), as he proves, moreover, how much the Jews expected and hoped to contradict him. What are you saying, he asks? Is it that “not everyone listened to the gospel?” But Isaiah predicted this long ago, or rather, he predicted not just this one thing, but much more. You blame it on the fact that not everyone obeyed, but Isaiah says even more than that. What exactly? “Lord, who believes our hearing?” Then, having destroyed this confusion with the words of the prophet, (the apostle) again clings to the former connection. Since he said that a calling is necessary first, and those who are called must first believe, and those who believe must first hear, and those who are ready to hear must have preachers, and preachers must be sent, and since he proved that they were sent and preached, then, intending to offer another new objection, he took the basis for this from another prophetic testimony, with which he had recently decided the objection, and thus connects it and connects it with the previous one. After citing the words of the prophet: “Lord, who believes our hearing?” He, having taken other evidence in good time, says: “Then faith comes from hearing.” And he said this not without a purpose, since the Jews were constantly looking for miracles and wanted to see the resurrection; and since there were many who sought this, the apostle says that the prophet also proclaimed that our faith should come from hearing. That’s why he proves this in advance, saying: “Besides, faith comes from hearing.” And since this, apparently, was insignificant, look at how he strengthens his speech. I did not speak about simple hearing, he continues, not about hearing human speech and believing it, but I am talking about high hearing: “hearing is the word of God.” The preachers did not speak their own, but proclaimed what they learned from God; this is much higher than miracles. God, when He speaks and performs miracles, must be equally believed and obeyed, because works and miracles are wrought by His word; That’s exactly how heaven and everything else appeared. So, having proven that one must believe the prophets, who always speak not their own, but God’s, and that one does not need to seek anything more than hearing, (the apostle) already sets out the objection that I mentioned and says: Rom.10:18. but I say: food without hearing? (The Apostle) asks: what does it matter if preachers were sent and preached what they were commanded, because the Jews did not hear? Then a solution to the objection is proposed in full. In the same way, their message went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. What are you saying, asks (Paul), haven’t they heard? But the universe heard, all the ends of the earth heard, but you, with whom the preachers spent so much time and from whom they originated, didn’t you really hear? Is this possible? If you have heard the limits of the universe, especially you. Then again a new objection. Rom.10:19. But I say: food is not in the mind of Israel? And if the Jews, although they heard, did not understand what was said, did not recognize that those sent were the same preachers, then do they not deserve an apology for such ignorance? Not at all. After all, Isaiah indicated the signs of preachers, saying: “How red are the feet of those who bring good news of peace” (Rom. 10:15). And before Isaiah, the Lawgiver Himself depicted them, which is why (the apostle) added: The first Moses says: I will provoke you to anger because of the foolish people, and because of the foolish people I will anger you. In this way, the preachers should have been recognized not only because the Jews did not believe that the preachers preached peace and proclaimed good things and that the word was sown everywhere in the universe, but also because those who were lower than the Jews, that is, the pagans, were awarded greater honor. The pagans suddenly began to philosophize about things that neither they themselves nor their ancestors had ever heard. This was a sign of high honor, which should offend the Jews, encourage them to compete and bring to mind the prophecy of Moses - “I will provoke you, O non-Gentile.” Not only the greatness of the honor was enough to motivate the Jews to compete, but also the fact that the people who were awarded it were so low that they were not even worthy of the name of a people. “I will anger you because of a non-pagan,” it is said, “I will anger you because of a foolish pagan.” What was more unreasonable and lower than the pagans? See how God gave the Jews in advance signs and clear signs of all these times in order to reveal their blindness. Moreover, this did not happen in a tight corner, but on land and sea, and everywhere in the universe; those whom the Jews had previously despised, they saw as the owners of countless blessings. So, it was necessary to understand that this is the same people about which Moses speaks: “I will anger you because of the non-pagan, and because of the foolish pagan I will anger you.” But was Moses the only one who said this? No way, but after him Isaiah confirmed the same. That is why Paul said: “the first Moses,” showing that there is a second one who speaks about the same thing more clearly and distinctly. And as he said above: “Isaiah cries out” (Rom. 9:27), so here: Rom.10:20. Isaiah dares and speaks. This means that Isaiah tried and used all measures to ensure that he did not express himself in darkness, but rather presented the matter before our eyes in all its nakedness, preferring to be in danger for what he said clearly, rather than, caring about his own salvation, to leave you some excuse for an apology; and although the prophet was not obliged to speak about this so clearly, yet, in order to completely stop your mouth, he predicts everything quite clearly and definitely. About what - about everything? And about your fall, and about the introduction of the pagans, saying this: found to those who did not seek Me, was revealed to those who did not ask about Me. Who are these who did not seek and inquire? Obviously, not Jews, but pagans who never knew God. Just as Moses expressed their distinctive feature with the words: “about the non-pagan”, and: “about the foolish pagan” (Rom. 10:19), so Isaiah depicts here the same property of them - ignorance to the extreme. This was the most important accusation for the Jews, that those who did not seek found, but those who sought lost. Rom.10:21. To Israel he says: All day long I have lifted up my hands to a people who are disobedient and quarrelsome. Do you notice that what was difficult and about which many were perplexed was known before and was clearly resolved in the prophetic writings? What is this? You heard what Paul said above: “What are we saying? For the Gentiles, who do not persecute righteousness, comprehend righteousness: ... But Israel, persecuting the law of righteousness, did not comprehend the law of righteousness” (Rom. 9:30-31). Isaiah says the same thing here - the words: “I was found to those who did not seek Me, I was revealed to those who did not inquire about Me” (Rom. 10:20) - mean the same as what the apostle said: “the Gentiles, who do not persecute righteousness, have learned righteousness.” Then, having shown that what happened was a work not only of God’s grace, but also of the own disposition of those who came, just as the fall of the Jews was a consequence of the stubbornness of the disobedient, listen to what (the apostle) added: “And to Israel he says: All day long I have lifted up my hand to a disobedient and discordant people.” By the word “day” he means here the entire past time, and “raise the hand” means for him to call, attract and summon. Then, showing that the Jews themselves were guilty of all this, he says: “to people who are disobedient and quarrelsome.” Do you notice how strong the accusation is? The Jews not only did not obey (God) even when he called them, but they also contradicted them, and moreover, not once, not twice, not three times, but all the time when they saw that (God) was calling them. And the pagans, who had never known God, had the power to attract Him to themselves. However, (the apostle) does not say that they themselves were able to attract God to themselves, but, casting down the pride of the pagans and showing that everything was accomplished by the grace of God, he expresses himself: “he was revealed, ... and ... found.” So, are the pagans free from everything, you ask? No way, but their job was to take what was found and learn what was revealed. After the Jews did not say: why did He not appear to us? - (the apostle) points to something more, saying that He not only appeared to them, but also did not cease to stretch out His hands and call, showing the care of a child-loving father and a compassionate mother. Look what a clear solution (the apostle) gave to all the misunderstandings that arose above, proving that the Jews died of their own free will and in all respects do not deserve an apology. Although they heard and understood what was said, they did not want to come. And what is much more important, God not only allowed them to hear and understand this, but also added stronger measures to motivate and attract the stubborn and resisting. Which ones exactly? Encouraging them and exciting the competition. You yourself know the power of this passion, you know what power competition has in overcoming any obstacle and in restoring the fallen. And is it necessary to say this about people, when competition has a great influence both on the dumb and on children at an immature age? Often a child, when his father calls him, does not listen and continues to be stubborn, but when he sees that another child is being cared for, he runs to the parent’s breast without any invitation, and what the request could not do is easily produced by competition. This is what God did with the Jews. He not only called them, stretched out his hands to them, but also aroused in them the passion of competition, endowing benefits to those who were much lower than them (and this especially arouses competition), and, moreover, not those benefits that were given to the Jews, but - which is much more important and makes the passion more painful - benefits that were much greater and more necessary, such as the Jews could not even imagine in their dreams. But despite all this, they did not listen. So, what apology are worthy of those who have shown their stubbornness to such a great degree? None. However, (the apostle) himself does not say this, but leaves the conscience of his listeners to conclude this on the basis of what was said, and in the following words, with his characteristic wisdom, he again proves the same thing. As he did above, introducing into discussions about the law and the people objections that contained a stronger accusation than was necessary, then in the decision where the accusation was refuted, he conceded to the extent that circumstances allowed, so as not to upset with his word, so he does here, saying: Rom.11:1–5. I say, therefore, God will reject food from His people, ...whose understanding was first? ...It won't happen. (The Apostle), as if having taken a basis in what was said, presents himself as doubtful and, having uttered these formidable words, through their negations makes acceptable what he tried to prove everywhere above and what he reveals here too. What is it? That although the number of those saved is small, the promise is certain. Therefore, he didn’t just say “people,” but added: “whose understanding was before.” Further, to prove that the Jews are not rejected, he says: for I am also an Israelite, from the seed of Abraham, the tribe of Benjamin. I am, he says, a teacher, a preacher. And since this apparently contradicted what was said above, namely: “Who believes our hearing”? and: “All day long I lifted up my hands to the disobedient and discordant people,” and again: “I will provoke you to anger because of the heathen” (Rom. 10:16, 19, 21) - then (the apostle) did not limit himself to denial and the word: “Let it not be,” but repeats the same thing in the affirmative and says: God will not reject His people. But, you say, this is not confirmation, but denial. So here’s first one confirmation for you, and then another. The first is when (the apostle) declares that he himself is a Jew; If God had determined to reject the Jews, he would not have chosen Paul from among them, to whom he entrusted all the preaching, the affairs of the whole world, all the mysteries, the entire dispensation of human salvation. This is the first argument, and the second, following it, lies in the words: people and, ...who previously understood, that is, about whom He clearly knew that they were capable of accepting faith and would accept it, since among the Jews three thousand and five thousand, and a great multitude, believed. And lest anyone object: do you constitute a people, and from the fact that you are called, does it follow that a whole people is called? - (the apostle) added: “I will not reject my people, whom I knew before.” He seems to say this: with me there are three thousand, there are five thousand, there is a great multitude. So what? Is it really possible that in three, five thousand, and in a great multitude of people there lies the seed that was likened to the multitude of heavenly stars and the sand of the sea? Are you not clearly deceiving us and misleading us when you present yourself and the few with you as an entire people? Are you not deceiving us with empty hopes, saying that the promise was fulfilled, while everyone perished, and salvation was the inheritance of a few? This is boasting and arrogance, and we will not tolerate such false conclusions. But so that the Jews cannot say this, look at the answer (the apostle) gives in the following words: without expressing an objection, but warning it, he offers a solution based on Old Testament history. What is this solution? Or do you not know about Elijah, he says, that the Scripture says that He preaches God against Israel, saying: Lord, Thy prophets have been destroyed and Thy altars have been dug up, and I am the only remnant, and they seek my soul. But what does the Divine answer say to him? I left for myself seven thousand men who did not bow the knee to Baal. So even in the present time there is a remnant of the election of grace. The meaning of these words is this: God did not reject the people, because if he had rejected them, he would not have accepted anyone, and if he had accepted some, he would not have rejected them. But if you didn’t reject, you say, then that means you accepted everyone? Not at all. And under Elijah no more than seven thousand were saved, and now there are probably many who believed. It is not at all surprising if you do not know them, since the prophet Elijah, such a great man, did not know them either; but God arranged His affairs, although the prophet did not know. Notice the prudence (of the apostle), how he, proving what he proposed to prove, imperceptibly increases the guilt of the Jews. He remembered all this evidence in order to more clearly reveal their ingratitude and prove that they had been like that since ancient times. And if he did not have this intention, but wanted to prove one thing: that the people consist of a few, he would only say that seven thousand remained under Elijah. But now he brings all the evidence from the beginning, since he tried by all means to prove that the actions of the Jews with Christ and the apostles do not represent anything strange, but are common among them and have become a habit. And so that they do not say: we killed Christ as a deceiver, and we persecute the apostles as seducers, - (the apostle) gives evidence that says: “Lord, Your prophets have been destroyed, and Your altars have been dug up.” Then, in order not to upset too much with this word, he presents another reason for bringing this evidence. He brings it in as if not with the main purpose of accusing them, but with the intention of proving something else; and, meanwhile, deprives them of any excuse in previous cases. See how the accusation receives special force depending on the person denouncing it. The accuser is not Paul, not Peter, not James, not John, but the one whom the Jews marveled at most, the head of the prophets, the friend of God, such a zealot for the Jews that he decided to endure hunger, the one who has not yet died. What is he saying? “Lord, Thy prophets have been destroyed, and Thy altars have been dug up, but I am left alone, and they seek my soul.” What could be more terrible than such atrocity? While they should have prayed for the sins they had already committed, they intended to kill him too. All this deprives them of any apology. After all, not during the famine, but with the onset of fertility, when the shame had already been destroyed, the demons had been put to shame, the power of God had been revealed and the king himself had humbled himself - they dared to commit such an atrocity, moving from murder to murder and killing teachers and those who corrected their lives. And what could they say about this? Were they really deceivers too? Did they really not even know where they came from? Did they upset you? But they also said useful things. What about the altars? Were they really upset too? Did they really insult you? These are the examples of tenacity and arrogance that the Jews have always shown. That is why Paul, in another place, in his letter to the Thessalonians, says: “You also will suffer from your own people, just as you also suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and His prophets, and drove us out, and did not please God, and resisted all men” (1 Thess. 2.14-15). He says something similar here, that the Jews destroyed the altars and killed the prophets. But what does the Divine sentence tell him? “I left for myself seven thousand men who did not bow the knee to Baal.” You ask, does this apply to the present time? This is entirely true - this proves that God usually always saves the worthy, although the promise is given to an entire people. The apostle proves the same thing above when he says: “If the number of the children of Israel were like the sand of the sea, the remnant would be saved,” and: “If the Lord of hosts had not left us a seed, as Sodom would have been” (Rom. 9:27, 29). He proves the same thing here, which is why he adds: “so... and at the present time there was a remnant according to the election of grace.” See how every word (of the apostle) retains its power, expressing both the grace of God and the prudence of those being saved. With the word “by election” (the apostle) he showed the dignity of those being saved, and with the word “grace” he meant the gift of God. Rom.11:6. If it is by grace, then it is not by works; grace no longer exists without grace. If it is by works that no one brings grace, then the work is no longer a work. The Apostle again, according to the above, attacks the stubbornness of the Jews, and here he rebels against them, and here he deprives them of an excuse. You cannot say, he says, that although the prophets exhorted, God called, the works themselves cried out and the competition was enough to attract us, but the commands were difficult, and therefore we could not come, since they demanded of us to show deeds and difficult merits, which cannot even be said. But how could God demand from you something that should darken His grace? He said this, wanting to show how much he wanted their salvation. Not only could their salvation be accomplished conveniently, but it would also be the greatest glory for God to reveal His love for mankind. So, why were you afraid to start when they don’t ask you to do anything? Why do you argue and persist when they offer you grace, and you unnecessarily and profitably refer to the law? After all, you will not save yourself with the law, but you will humiliate this gift. If you stubbornly want to be saved by the law, then you destroy the grace of God. Then, so that this would not be recognized as a new teaching, (the apostle) says in advance that those seven thousand were saved by grace. With the words: “so... even at this time there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom. 11:5), he precisely shows that they too were saved by grace. The same thing is clear from the words: “I left it to myself” (Rom. 11:4), with which God shows that he himself did most of the work. And if by grace, you say, then why are we not all saved? Because you yourself don’t want to. Grace, although it is precisely grace, saves those who wish, and not those who do not want and turn away from it, who constantly rebel against it and resist it. Do you see how (the apostle) everywhere reveals the truth that it is impossible for the word of God not to come true, and proves that the promise was fulfilled on the worthy and that the worthy, although they are few, can constitute the people of God (Rom. 9.6)? At the beginning of the message, he expressed the same thought with greater force, saying: “What if you do not believe?”, and, without stopping there, he added: “Let God be true, but every man is a lie” (Rom. 3.3–4); and now he again reveals this thought with other arguments, proving the power of grace and the fact that some are always saved, while others perish. So, let us thank God that we were among those being saved and, not being able to be saved by works, were saved by the gift of God. We will testify to our gratitude not only with words, but also with deeds and deeds. Gratitude is then perfect when we do what serves for the glory of God, and when we avoid what we have freed ourselves from. After all, if we, having insulted the king, instead of being punished, were awarded a reward, then insulted him again, then justice demands that we, as guilty of extreme ingratitude, also suffer extreme punishment, and much more than the previous one, because the previous insult did not prove our ingratitude as much as the one committed after the honor and many services rendered to us. Therefore, let us avoid what we have freed ourselves from, and let us give thanks not only with our lips, so that it will not be said about us: “This people... with their lips... honor Me, but their heart is far from Me” (Isaiah 29.13). Isn’t it strange that the heavens proclaim the glory of God, and you, for whom the heavens glorify God, do such things that through you God who created you is blasphemed? Of course, for this it is not the only one who blasphemes, but you yourself are subject to punishment. The heavens do not glorify God by making a sound, but by contemplation they incite others to praise; however, it is also said about them that they proclaim the glory of God. Likewise, those who lead an amazing life, although they are silent, glorify God when others glorify Him through them. And it is not so much the sky as pure life that arouses surprise. Therefore, when we talk with pagans, we refer not to heaven, but to people who were formerly worse than beasts and whom God made like angels, and, pointing to this change, we stop their mouths. Man is much better than heaven and can acquire a soul superior to the beauty of heaven. Heaven, being visible for such a long time, convinced little, but Paul, who preached for a short time, attracted the whole universe, because he had a soul that was no less than heaven and could attract everyone. After all, our soul is not worthy of even earth; and his (soul) is equal to heaven. Heaven stands, preserving its limit and law, and the height of Paul’s soul surpassed all heaven and converses with Christ Himself; her beauty is so great that God Himself bears witness to it. At the creation of the stars, the angels marveled, and Christ also marveled at Paul, saying: “This vessel has been chosen by Me” (Acts 9.15). The sky is often covered with clouds, but Paul’s soul was not darkened by any temptation, but even among the storms it appeared more brilliant than a clear noon and shone as much as before the darkness. The sun that shone in it did not shed such rays that could be darkened by a confluence of temptations, but under temptation it shone even more. That is why Christ said: “My grace is sufficient for you; for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12.9). So, let us imitate him, and if we wish, then in comparison with us neither the sky, nor the sun, nor the whole world will mean anything, because all this is for us, and not we for it. Let us show that we are worthy of having all this created for us. If we find ourselves unworthy of this, then how will we be worthy of the Kingdom? And if those who live to blaspheme God are unworthy to look at the sun, then those who blaspheme are unworthy to enjoy the creatures that glorify God, just as a son who insults his father is not worthy to enjoy the services of honest slaves. Therefore, God’s creations will receive great glory, and we will be subjected to punishment and torment. And what a misfortune it will be if the creation, called into being for you, is transformed into the freedom of the glory of the children of God, and we, who were the children of God, through whose fault the creation will enjoy that great bliss, will be sent for great negligence to destruction and to Gehenna. Therefore, to prevent this from happening, we, having acquired a pure soul, will begin to preserve it as such, or better yet, we will increase its brilliance; and if we have desecrated the soul, let us not despair. “Though your sins be,” says (God), “though they be as scarlet, I will make them as white as snow; and if they be like scarlet, I will be as white as wool” (Isaiah 1.18). And if God promises, do not doubt, but do what you can to attract these promises. Have you committed many bad deeds and crimes? So what? You have not yet descended into hell, where no one confesses, the lists have not yet been destroyed, but you are standing in the middle of the field and can even compensate for all defeats with the last struggle. You are not yet where the rich man is, and it has not yet been said to you: “between... you and us... a great chasm has established itself” (Luke 16.26). The bridegroom has not yet come, and no one is afraid to give oil; You can still buy it and keep it as a reserve. No one will yet say: “there will not be enough food for us and for you” (Matthew 25.9), but there are many who sell, there are naked, hungry, sick, imprisoned. Feed some, clothe others, visit those who are lying down, and you will have more sources of oil. The reporting day has not yet arrived. Use the time as you should, reduce your debts, and to the one who owes a hundred measures of oil, say: “Take your scripture, and... write fifty” (Luke 16.6). Do the same in relation to money, words and everything else, imitating that steward; convince yourself and your relatives of this. You still have the right to say this, you are not yet in the need to ask someone else about it, but you have the power to give advice to yourself and others. And when you move there, it will be impossible for you to do either one or the other as you should. And fair enough. You were given so much time, but you brought no benefit to yourself or anyone else: how can you receive such mercy when you are already in the hands of the Judge? Having realized all this, let us begin to take care of our salvation and will not ruin the timing of our present life. It is possible, quite possible, even with your last breath, to please God; It is also possible to obtain approval through a will, although it is not as convenient as during life, but it is still possible. How exactly? If you include Christ among your heirs and give Him a portion of the entire inheritance. Didn't you feed Him during your lifetime? At least after death, when you are no longer the master of your property, hand it over to Christ: He is philanthropic and does not strictly exact from you. Of course, the love is greater and the reward is greater if you nourish Him during your life, but if you did not do this, then at least do the second thing, leave Him as a joint heir of your property along with your children. And if you do not dare to do this, then remember that His Father made you a joint heir with Him, and cast out your inhumanity. Indeed, what excuse will you have if, together with your children, you do not make Him a participant who made you a participant in heaven and was killed for your sake? Of course, whatever He Himself did, He did not do to pay off a debt, but to reveal grace, and even after so many good deeds, you still remained His debtor. However, with all this, He crowns you as if He receives mercy from you, and not exacts a debt, whereas in reality He receives from you only His own. So, give Him money, which is already useless to you, over which you are not the master, but Christ will give you the Kingdom, which is always useful for you, and with it he will give you the blessings here. If He is a joint heir with your children, He will ease their orphanhood, deliver them from insults, repel evil intentions, stop the mouths of slanderers; if your children are not able to protect the will, then He Himself will do it and will not allow it to be violated. And if he allows it, then He Himself will fulfill everything written with greater generosity, because you deigned to write Him down along with the children. Therefore, leave Him as your heir, because you must go to Him and He will judge you in everything perfect here. But there are also such unfortunate and pitiful people who, not having children, do not agree to do this, but prefer to share their property with table mates and flatterers, more willingly to give to one or the other than to Christ, who has benefited them so much. What could be more unreasonable than such people? If you compare them to donkeys or stones, then even then you will not fully express their foolishness and insensibility, you will not even find an example that could sufficiently depict their madness and unreasonableness. And what excuse will they find for themselves who not only did not feed Christ during their lifetime, but, when preparing to go to Him, from the very property that they no longer own, do not want to give Him even a small share, but have such hostile and hostile feelings towards Him that they do not give Him even what has become useless for them? Don't you see how many people were not worthy to have such an end, but were suddenly kidnapped? God made you a master so that you would look after what belongs to you, say your word and dispose of all your property. What excuse will you have when, having received such great mercy from Him, you neglect His good deeds and behave completely opposite to how your forefathers behaved in faith? Even during their lifetime, they sold everything and brought it to the feet of the apostles, but even at death you do not give any share to those in need. Although it is better to free others from poverty during your life, and gives a lot of courage, but if you didn’t want to, at least do something valiant when you die. True, this does not mean much love for Christ, but it is still love. After all, even if you do not have primacy with the lambs, it is important to be behind them, and not stand with the goats and the sheep. And if you do not do this, then what can you say in your defense, since neither the fear of death, nor the fact that money becomes useless for you, nor the fact that you will bring safety to your children, nor the fact that you will gain great leniency there, make you philanthropic? Therefore, I advise you to give away most of your property to those in need during your lifetime. And if some are so cowardly that they cannot decide to do this, let them, at least out of necessity, become philanthropic. During your life, you were so addicted to money, as if you were immortal, but now, when you yourself see that you are mortal, although now abandon such a thought and dispose of your goods as a mortal, or, better to say, as one destined to constantly enjoy an immortal life. No matter how hard, no matter how terrible what I intend to say, it is nevertheless necessary to say it: Number the Master among your servants. After all, you release slaves? Free Christ too from hunger, want, bonds and nakedness. Were you horrified to hear this? It will be much worse if you don't do this. Here one word makes you tremble, but what will you say there when you move there, hear words much more terrible and when you see the instruments of unbearable torment? Who will you turn to? Whom will you call as your ally and assistant? Is it Abraham? But he won't hear. Or wise maidens? But they will not give you oil. Father or grandfather? But none of them, no matter how holy, has the power to cancel the terrible sentence. Having thought about all this, ask and pray to the One who alone has the power to blot out your handwriting and extinguish the eternal fire, bow to His mercy, always feeding and clothing, so that you can depart from here with good hope, and, having appeared there, enjoy the eternal blessings, which may it be given to all of us to achieve by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit, power, honor, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: