Беседа 17

Eph.4:32. Be kind to each other, compassionate, forgive each other, just as God in Christ forgave you. Eph.5:1–2. So, imitate God, like beloved children, and live in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet aroma. Voluptuousness is a lesser evil than anger. 1. What has passed has greater power and seems more wondrous and probable than what is about to happen. That is why Paul makes an exhortation on the basis of what happened, since it has greater power because of Christ. To say: let go, and it will be forgiven to you, and: if you do not let go, it will not be forgiven to you either - such words can mean a lot to wise people and believers in the future. But Paul admonishes not only with these (futures), but also with what has already happened, because (to be convinced) by these means to escape punishment, and by this means to be a partaker of some good. Imitate, he says, Christ: this alone is enough to encourage you to virtue, that is, to imitate God. This is more convincing than those words: “He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). He did not simply tell us to imitate God, but expresses the desire that we should show fatherly affection towards one another in the things we enjoy. This disposition is called mercy and condolences. And since it is impossible for people not to grieve and not to be upset, he found another medicine - so that we forgive each other: “forgive,” he says, “each other.” But there is nothing similar in this (to God’s forgiveness), because if you forgive someone, then he will forgive you, but you cannot forgive anything to God. Moreover, you (forgive) your fellow servant, and God forgives the slave and the enemy and the one who hates Him. “Like God, “- he says, “in Christ I have forgiven you.” And these words are very mysterious; however, that's what he says. Not just, he says, he forgave without any danger, but with danger for the Son, because, to have mercy on you, he sacrificed the Son. And you, although you often imagine a safe and worthless pardon, do not do it. “Therefore, imitate God, as beloved children, and live in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet aroma.” So that you do not think that this was a matter of necessity, listen to what he did not just say, but: “gave himself,” as if saying: The Master loved you when you were an enemy; love your friend; and if you cannot do this, at least do what you can. Oh, what could be more blessed than these words? Whether you call it a kingdom or something else, nothing will compare with them. You imitate God, you become like God when you forgive with Him. Sins need to be forgiven sooner than monetary debts, because if you forgive money, you will not be imitating God, but if you forgive sins, you will be imitating God. In any case, how can you say: I am poor and cannot forgive, when you do not forgive even what you can? If you consider the forgiveness of sins to be a loss-making matter for yourself, then what will happen when it concerns your wealth, property, belongings? “Therefore, imitate God.” And here is another most beautiful admonition: “like beloved children,” he says. You have another need to imitate Him, not only because you have been blessed by Him, but also because you have become children. “like beloved children.” Since not all sons imitate their fathers, but only beloved ones, he says: “like beloved children, live in love.” This is the basis of everything: if there is love, then there will be no rage, no anger, no shouting, no scolding - all this will be destroyed. That is why he puts the most important thing at the end. Why have you become a child? Because you have been forgiven. On the same basis on which you were awarded such a high honor, you yourself forgive your neighbor. Tell me: if someone, a prisoner and guilty of countless atrocities, elevated you to the kingdom... Or better yet, let us leave you. this. If someone, when you were in a fever and struggling with death, helped you with some medicine, would you not exalt this person and even the very name of the medicine above everything? If we gravitate towards the times and places with which the receipt of benefit is associated as to our own soul, then even more so towards the actions themselves. Be committed to love, because through it you are saved, through it you have become a son (of God); and if you are able to save another, then will you not use the same medicine and exhort everyone: let them go, so that it may be released to you (Luke 6:37)? To do so is the work of grateful, free and noble souls. “Just as Christ,” he says, “loved us.” You have mercy on your friends, and He has mercy on your enemies; therefore, what the Lord did is much more important. And how else will the word “like and” retain its meaning? Isn’t it clear that (in this only case) if we do good to our enemies? “And He gave Himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet aroma.” Do you see that suffering for your enemies is a sweet aroma and an acceptable sacrifice? Even if you die, then there will be a sacrifice: this is what it means to imitate God. “But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints” (Eph. 5:3). Having spoken about coarse passion - about anger, (the apostle) moves on to a lesser evil. And that voluptuousness is a lesser evil, listen to how Moses in the law says first: “Thou shalt not kill,” which refers to anger, and then: “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” which refers to voluptuousness. Just as bitterness, and shouting, and all evil, and slander, and all the like come from anger, so fornication, impurity, covetousness come from (voluptuous) desire, because both the love of money and carnal love are one and the same passion. And just as there he destroyed the cry, this chariot of anger, so now he cuts off foul language and jokes, the chariot of debauchery. “Likewise, foul language,” he says, “and idle talk and ridicule are not becoming for you, but, on the contrary, thanksgiving” (Eph. 5:4). Do not utter words, neither humorous nor shameful, and do not put them into action, and you will extinguish the flame. “They should not even be called,” he says, “with you,” that is, so that it does not even seem (as if you have it). He said the same thing when writing to the Corinthians: “There is a true rumor that fornication has appeared among you” (1 Cor. 5:1), i.e., be pure, all of you, because words lead to deeds. Then, in order not to seem heavy and harsh, and stopping the inclination to jokes, he added a reason, saying: “not befitting for you,” that is, they are not at all (indecent) for us, “but, on the contrary, thanksgiving.” 2. What's the use of telling a joke? It will only make you laugh. Tell me, will a shoemaker take on any task that does not belong to his craft, or will he acquire any (inappropriate) tool? No way, because what we don’t use is worth nothing to us. Let there not be a single idle word, since from idle talk one can move on to indecent (conversation). Now is not the time for fun, but for crying, sorrow and sobs. Are you kidding? What kind of fighter, having entered the arena, leaves the fight with the enemy and makes jokes? The devil walks around near you, roaring to devour you, erects everything and turns everything on your head, plots how to drive you out of your refuge, grinds his teeth, howls, fans the fire against your salvation - and you sit and make jokes, talk idle talk and speak indecent speech? Can you successfully defeat him? We are having childish fun, beloved! Do you want to know the lifestyle of the saints? Listen to what Paul says: “For three years I taught each of you day and night without ceasing with tears” (Acts 20:31). If he showed such concern for the Milesians and Ephesians - he did not speak jokingly, but taught the doctrine with tears - then what can you say about others? Listen to what he says to the Corinthians: “Out of great sorrow and troubled heart I wrote to you with many tears” (2 Cor. 2:4); and again: “Who faints, with whom would I not faint? Who is tempted, for whom would I not be inflamed?” (2 Cor. 11:29). Listen to what he says in another place, every day, so to speak, wanting to move from the world: “For we, being in the church, groan” (2 Cor. 5:4). Do you laugh and have fun? It’s time of war, and you do what is typical for dancers? Don’t you see the faces of the people at war, how stern, how stern, how their eyebrows are terrible and full of horror? stern, a cheerful heart, a courageous mind, quick, restrained, cautious and restless, great decorum, great harmony and great silence in the ranks; not to say that they do not utter a shameful word; they do not say anything at all; If, fighting with sensual enemies and not being in danger of suffering any harm from words, they observe such great silence, then you, who must wage war for words, and even most of the war, how do you allow this part of you to remain naked? Don't you know that we are subject to many slander here? Do you joke and have fun, say witticisms, excite laughter, and not think at all about the matter? How many perjuries come from jokes, how much harm, how much foul language! But they say these jokes are not like that. However, listen, (the apostle) banishes all jokes. Now is the time of war and battle, vigil and wakefulness, armament and preparation for battle. In the present time there can be no place for laughter at all, because this is a time of peace. Listen to what Christ says: “The world will rejoice; you will be sad” (John 16:20). Christ was crucified on the cross because of your atrocities, and you laugh? He was strangled and suffered so much because of your disasters and the storm that surrounded you, and you are having fun? And don’t you irritate Him even more by this? But since to others this matter seems indifferent and something from which it is difficult to protect ourselves, let us think a little about this and show how great this evil is. It is the work of the devil to neglect indifferent (actions). And, firstly, even if it were indifferent, and in this case one should not neglect it, knowing that from this comes many evils, which increase and often end in fornication. And that this is not indifferent can be seen from the following. Let's see where (this vice) comes from. Or better yet, let's see what a saint should be like. He must be quiet, meek, grieving, crying, contrite. Consequently, whoever tells jokes is not a saint, even though he is a Hellenic, he is funny. This is only permissible for those playing on stage, where there is vileness, there are jokes; Where there is timeless laughter, there are witticisms. Listen to what the prophet says: “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice [before Him] with trembling” (Ps. 2:11). Joking makes the soul weak, lazy, lethargic; it often stirs up quarrels and gives rise to wars. 3. What then? Are you not one of the men? Leave what is characteristic of children. You don't like it if your slave says anything useless in the square; and you, calling yourself a servant of God, make jokes in the square? It’s great if the soul is sober, it cannot be carried away; and who will not captivate the absent-minded? She will be deceived by herself and will not need the intrigues and attacks of the devil. And in order for you to know (the matter) better, pay attention to the name itself. A joker (ευτράπελος) is a person who is fickle, ready for anything, unstable, changeable, and happens to everyone. But this is unusual for those who serve the Stone. Such a person easily twists and changes, because he must imitate the change of face, words, laughter, gait (of others) and everything; Moreover, he needs to invent witticisms, because this is necessary for him. But playing comedy is unusual for a Christian. Moreover, the joke hunter must endure strong hostility from those ridiculed by him, whether they are present at the same time, or heard from the outside. If this is a good thing, then why is it given to mimic actors? You become such an actor and are not ashamed? Why don’t you allow your (women) to do this freely? Do you not thereby testify that this is a dishonest custom and an unseemly practice? A lot of evil nests in a soul that is partial to jokes, there is great absent-mindedness and emptiness: order is upset, improvement is weakened, fear disappears, and piety is absent. You have a tongue not to imitate another, but to thank God. Don't you see the so-called laughers, the clowns? These are the jokers. Banish, I beg you, from your souls this unattractive pleasure: this is the work of parasites, mimic actors, dancers and public women. Let it be far from the free and noble soul, even from slaves. If someone is dishonest, if someone is vile, he is the one who likes to joke. To many, this deed even seems like a virtue, and it is worthy of tears. Just as lust little by little leads to fornication, so the inclination to jokes seems attractive, and yet is least attractive. Listen to what the Scripture says: “Thunder is preceded by lightning, but favor precedes the bashful” (Sir. 32:12). But there is nothing more shameless than a joker; therefore his lips are filled not with pleasantness, but with bitterness. Let's banish this custom from meals. There are some who teach this even to the poor. Oh, the absurdity! Those who are surrounded by sorrows are made jesters! Where is this disease not found? She entered the Church, she has already touched the Scriptures. Should I say something to show the excess of evil? I'm ashamed, but I'll say it anyway. I want to show to what extent evil has reached, so that you will not think that I am busy with trifles and discussing with you about something unimportant, so that, although in this way I can distract you from delusion. Let no one think that I am making things up: I will say what I heard. It happened to someone to be with one of those who are vain of learning - I know that I will arouse laughter, but still I will say; Having set the table, this one said: “Grab it, children, so that your stomach doesn’t burn.” Likewise, others say: “Woe to you, Mammon, and to him who does not have you.” And playfulness introduced many such absurdities, as, for example, when they say: “now there is no birth.” I say this to show the absurdity of a shameful custom, because such expressions (come from) a soul alien to piety. Are such (words) not worthy of lightning? One could find many other similar expressions. Therefore, I beg you, having banished this custom from everywhere, let us say what is appropriate for us, and let holy lips not utter words characteristic of dishonest and shameful lips. “What fellowship has righteousness with iniquity? What does light have in common with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:14)? It is better if, having removed ourselves from everything indecent, we are able to take advantage of the promised benefits than if, by doing this, we thereby destroy the sobriety of our minds. A playful person soon becomes a slanderer; and a slanderer is capable of countless other vices. So, having ordered these two mental states and subordinated them to the mind, like obedient horses - I mean lust and anger - let us place the mind over them as a charioteer in order to receive the reward of the highest calling, with which may we all be worthy in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: