Беседа 13

Phil.3:18–21. For many, about whom I have often told you, and now even speak with tears, act as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their womb, and their glory is in shame, they think about earthly things. Our residence is in heaven, from where we await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body so that it will be consistent with His glorious body, by the power with which He acts and subdues all things to Himself. The sign of the cross in baptism and ordination. 1. The most indecent and uncharacteristic thing for a Christian is to seek idleness and peace; nothing is so contrary to our calling and warfare as a strong attachment to real life. Your Lord was crucified, and you are looking for peace? Your Lord has been nailed, and you indulge in pleasure? Is this the work of a noble warrior? That is why Paul says: “For many, of whom I have often told you, and now even speak with tears, act as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Since there were people who hypocritically adhered to Christianity, but lived in idleness and bliss - which is contrary to the cross - that is why (the apostle) speaks in this way. The cross belongs to a soul that has come out to fight, is ready to die, and is not at all looking for peace; and they live completely opposite. So, although they call themselves Christ’s, they are enemies of the cross: otherwise, if they loved the cross, they would try to lead a life characteristic of the Crucified One. Was not your Lord crucified? If you cannot be crucified in the same way, you can imitate him in another way: crucify yourself, even if no one crucifies you; crucify, I say, yourself, not in order to kill yourself - far from it, this is lawless - but according to the words of Paul: “The world is crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). If you love your Master, die His death: know how great the power of the cross is, what beneficial effects it has produced and is producing, what a refuge it is in life. Everything is accomplished by him: baptism - with a cross (since it must receive a seal), ordination - with a cross, and in general, whether we are on the road, or at home, or in some other place - the cross is a great blessing, a saving weapon, an insurmountable shield, hostile to the devil. So, when you fight against him, you are already bearing the cross, not just imprinting (on yourself the sign of the cross), but enduring the suffering of the cross. Christ usually calls suffering by the cross when he says: “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24), that is, if someone is not ready to die. But sensual people who love life and flesh are the enemies of the cross; and everyone devoted to pleasures and earthly tranquility is an enemy of the cross, which Paul boasts of, which he embraces and with which he tries to be closely united, as can be seen from his words: “The world is crucified to me, and I to the world.” “Now I even say,” he says, “with tears.” Why? Because evil has intensified, because such (people) are worthy of tears. In fact, those who spend their lives in pleasures, who fatten the clothing of their soul, that is, their body, and do not at all think about punishments in the future life, are worthy of tears. Here you live in pleasure, here you revel today and tomorrow, and for ten, and twenty, and thirty, and fifty, and a hundred years - this is impossible, but let’s do it, if you like. What's the end? What's the use? No. Therefore, isn’t such a life worthy of tears and crying? God put us in this field to crown us, but we leave it without having done anything valiant. So, Paul cries about what others laugh at, what others delight in: that is how compassionate he is, that is how much he cares about all people! “Their God,” he says, “is their belly.” Therefore their God is “Let us eat and drink” (1 Cor. 15:32). Do you see how bad pleasure is? Some have God money, and others have a belly. Aren’t these idolaters, even worse than them? “And their glory,” he says, “is in shame.” Some say that these words refer to circumcision; but I say something completely different, this is exactly what these words mean: they are proud of what they should be ashamed of. The apostle says the same thing in another place: “What fruit did you have then? Such are the things of which you yourselves are now ashamed” (Rom. 6:21)? Doing something shameful is a grave sin; sin is reduced by half if the doer is ashamed; and when someone else boasts about something shameful, this is the height of insensibility. But is this said about them alone? Is anyone present here with us subject to the same accusation? Or do none of you deserve it? Doesn't anyone consider wombs to be God? Do you not place your glory in the cold? I wish, I strongly wish, that nothing like this could be applied to us, I would even like to know no one to whom what was said could be reproached, but I am afraid that it is not to us more than to his contemporaries, says (the apostle). After all, if someone spends his whole life drinking and eating, gives little to the poor, and spends more on his stomach, then isn’t it fitting to include what was said? 2. Nothing can more induce shame, and be more reproachful than this saying: “Their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame.” Who are they? Those who “think about earthly things”, who say: we will build houses. Where? On the ground. He says: let's buy the fields - again on the ground; we will receive power - again on earth; we will achieve glory, also on earth; Let's get rich - everyone on earth. Here are those, “their god is the womb”! Those who do not think about the spiritual, whose all worries and thoughts are limited to the earth, truly have a belly with God, saying: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die!” (1 Cor. 15:32). And after that you still complain that your body is made of earth, although this does not harm you in the least in relation to virtue; meanwhile, tell me, do you laugh and amuse yourself, reducing your soul to dust with pleasures, and not thinking about it at all? What kind of forgiveness will you receive if you plunge yourself into such insensibility, while your body itself must be made spiritual? And this is possible if you wish. You were given the womb to nourish it, not to expand it; to control it, not to obey it; so that it serves you to feed other parts, and not you serve it - not so that you go beyond the boundaries. It is not so much evil that the sea overflowing its shores causes, but rather the stomach that harms our body and, at the same time, our soul. The sea drowns the whole earth, and the stomach (burdens) the whole body. Put contentment as a limit to him, just as God fenced the sea with sand. And if he is worried, if he is angry, forbid him with the power given to you. See how God has honored you with intelligence so that you imitate Him; but you don’t want to, but seeing your stomach full and upsetting your whole nature, and turning into a swamp, you don’t dare restrain it and make it moderate. “Their god,” he says, “is the womb.” Let's see how Paul served God; Let's see how gluttons (serve) the stomach. Are they subject to countless deaths? Aren't they afraid to refuse him any request? Are they not subservient to him even in the impossible? Aren't they worse than slaves? But Paul is not like that, which is why he said: “Our citizenship is in heaven.” Let us not seek peace here (on earth); Let us wish to become glorious where our life is. “From where,” he says, “we wait for the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body so that it will be consistent with His glorious body.” He gradually lifts us up: from heaven, he says, our Savior, proving greatness in place and face. “Who will transform our lowly body,” he says, “our body now endures a lot; it is knitted, they beat it, it endures countless troubles. But the body of Christ suffered just as much. He hints at this, saying: “that it will be like His glorious body.” Therefore, although the body is the same, it will “transform,” he says. Therefore (it will have) a different image; humiliated, subject to decay, disease; now it seems insignificant and no better than other (bodies). “That it will be consistent,” he says, “with His glorious body.” Alas! This body will be consistent with the body that sits at the right hand of the Father, which is worshiped by angels, which stands before the ethereal powers, which is above all principality, power and strength - this is what it will be consistent with. So, if the whole universe will tearfully mourn (people) who have lost this hope, will it mourn with dignity that even with the promise given to us - “that it will be consistent”, our body departs along with the demons? I no longer mention Gehenna; no matter what you say, I consider everything as nothing in comparison with such a loss. What are you saying, Pavel? Will this be appropriate? Yes, he says. And for confirmation he also gives proof: “By the power,” he says, “with which He acts and subdues everything to Himself.” Christ has the power, says (the apostle), to subdue everything to Himself, therefore, corruption and death, and primarily with the same power He will do this too. And for what, tell me, is more power needed: to subdue angels, and archangels, and cherubim, and seraphim, and demons, or to make a body incorruptible and immortal? Without a doubt, much more for the former than for the latter. He showed great works of His power, so that you may believe in the latter. So, although you see (the peace lovers) in joy, although you see them in glory, stand, do not be tempted by their example, and do not be afraid. The hope (of glorifying the body) is powerful to excite the most lazy and sleepy. “Therefore, my brethren, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand steadfast in the Lord, beloved” (Phil. 4:1). “So” – how? How you stood steadfast. Look how, after admonition, he adds praise: “my joy and crown.” Not only joy, but also glory; not only glory, but also a crown. There is nothing equal to that glory - when they constitute Paul's crown. “Stand ye thus in the Lord, beloved,” that is, in hope in God. “I beg Euodia, I beg Syntyche to think the same about the Lord. Therefore, I ask you also, sincere fellow worker, help them” (Phil. 4:2, 3). 3. Some say that (the apostle) with these words, a “sincere fellow worker,” asks for his wife; but this is unfair: he asks for some wife, or the husband of one of them. “Help them,” he says, “who labored in the gospel together with me and with Clement and with my other co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.” Do you see how he testifies to their virtue? What Christ said (to the apostles): “However, do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the book of life” (Luke 10:20), he gives the same testimony to them (Philippians) with the words: “whose names are in the book of life.” It seems to me that these wives were important in the church (Philippians), and he entrusts them to their husband, of course - worthy of admiration, whom he calls a co-worker - to whom, perhaps, he usually entrusted them as an associate, companion, partner and brother. He does this in his letter to the Romans, saying: “I present to you Phoebe our sister, a deaconess of the church of Cenchrea” (Rom. 16:1). "Employee" . This is what he calls either their brother or the husband of one of them; as if he said: now you are a sincere brother, now you are a true husband, because you have become a member. “To those who labored together with me in the gospel.” Your honor is in you, not in friendship, but in good deeds. “To those who labored with me.” What are you saying? Have your wives labored with you? Yes, he says; a lot and they helped. Although he had many employees, many of them also contributed to his wives. Consequently, the churches then grew quite a lot, and the fact that respectable men and wives enjoyed such honor from others produced a lot of good, firstly, because others were aroused to equal zeal, secondly, through honor they received benefits, thirdly, they themselves became more zealous and zealous. Therefore you see that (Paul) tries to do this everywhere, and puts such people in sight; He speaks about this in his letter to the Corinthians: “That it is the firstfruits of Achaia” (1 Cor. 16:15). And some say that the name “employee” is a proper one. But whatever this name may be, there is no need to search for it with all precision; but one should be surprised that he commands to give them great respect. 4. Everything is in heaven for us, and the Savior, and the city, and - no matter what anyone says. “From where,” he says, “we wait for the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.” And this is a matter of His love for mankind. He himself comes to us again, and does not draw us there, and thus, having taken us, he departs: and this is a great honor for us. If He came to us when we were His enemies, then much more (will He come) when we have become (His) friends. He does not entrust this to either angels or servants; but He Himself is coming on the clouds, to call us into His kingdom. And perhaps those who honor Him will be caught up in the clouds: and “we,” it is said, “will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Who will be the faithful and wise servant? We have always mourned those who lost their kingdom; shall we mourn (their fate) worthily? If you were to punish thousands of Gehennas, you would not say anything equal to the torment that the soul will endure when the whole universe is shaken and the trumpets sound - when the angels of the first rank, then the second, then the third, will appear, after that countless hosts will descend to the earth, then the cherubim, which are also numerous and endless, then the seraphim - when finally Christ himself (Christ) comes in that indescribable glory - when those who came forward will hastily lead the elect into the middle - when then Paul and all those who were glorified like him, in the face of the whole heavenly army, will be crowned by the King, proclaimed and honored. Even if there were no Gehenna, what would it be like for some to receive honor and dishonor for others? Gehenna is unbearable, I confess, very unbearable; but the deprivation of the kingdom is more unbearable than that. Tell me, if any king, or the son of a king, set out, having finished many wars and earned himself amazement, accompanied by his entire army, entered a city on chariots with trophies, with countless regiments (of warriors) covered in gold, with bodyguards having golden shields, and the whole city would be decorated, and with him would be all the rulers of the universe, and foreigners of all ages would follow him, imprisoned in chains, with eparchs, satraps, ipatas, tyrants and archons - if, with all this glory, he had received and greeted some of the citizens who met him, and gave them his hand, and allowed them to speak with complete frankness, or even spoke to everyone standing as if they were friends, said that he had made this whole journey for them, but then brought some into his royal palace, and left others - then no matter what punishment there would be is this equivalent, at least (those left behind) were not punished? If it is so bitter to lose such glory from man, then how much more from God, when all the powers on high will be with the King, and the demons are bound and humiliated, and when the devil himself and all the power of the enemy are led in chains, when the powers of heaven, when (Christ) himself comes on the clouds. Believe me, because of the grief oppressing my soul at this story, I cannot finish the words. Let's think about what great glory we are losing, when we could not lose it. The painful thing is that, despite every opportunity on our part not to tolerate this, we tolerate it. When (Christ) accepts some and leads them to the Father in heaven, and leaves others; and when some angels take these latter against their will, weeping and bowing down, and drag them into the fire of Gehenna, exposing them before the whole universe, what kind of sorrow do you think there will be then? So, let us try while there is time, and with great zeal let us take care of our salvation. How many things can we say that the rich man said? If someone would allow us now, we would give useful advice; but no one allows it. And what we would say (a lot) is known not from one (rich) one, but also from many others. Or don’t you know how many there were who were in a fever and said: if we get well, we will no longer be subjected to such (torment)? We'll say a lot of things then; but like that rich man, we will hear that there is an abyss, that here we “have also received... good...” (Luke 16:25). So, I beg you, let us sigh bitterly; or better, not only sigh, but also live virtuously. Let us now cry for salvation, so as not to cry then in vain, weep now, and not then weep for wickedness. The present mourning (comes) from virtue, and the future from useless repentance - let us mourn now, so as not to mourn then. It is not the same to grieve here or there: here you grieve for a short time, or better yet, you do not feel sorrow at all, knowing that you are grieving for a good thing; and there the most terrible sorrow, because it is hopeless, continuous, endless and eternal. Oh, that all of us, having escaped such sorrow, would receive peace! But since in order not to lose this, great effort and unceasing prayers are required, I ask you, let us try. If we try and pray, we achieve; If we pray diligently, God will provide. If we do not ask Him and do not do anything like that, and remain completely inactive, then how can we ever do good to those sleeping? No way. It is enough that those who flow, strive, and are conformed to His death, as Paul said, can receive, but those who sleep cannot at all. “In order,” he says, “to achieve” (Phil. 3:11). If Paul said: “in order to achieve,” then what do we say? Those who sleep cannot do worldly things at all, much less spiritual ones; those who sleep can never receive anything from friends, nor can they from God; even fathers do not honor those who sleep, and neither does God. Let us work a little to always enjoy peace. It is absolutely necessary to mourn, and if we do not mourn here, we will mourn there. Why do we not dare to grieve here in order to calm down there? Oh, that all of us, who have lived worthy of Christ and have been conformed to His death, may be made worthy of unspeakable blessings in Christ Jesus, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: