Letters to Monastics: Letters to Individuals

Contents 239. ABOUT THE DEVIL'S TEMPTATIONS AND ABOUT THE FIGHT WITH THEM 240. THERE IS NO NEED TO POSTPONE THE TIME OF HUMILITY AND REPENTANCE UNTIL REMOVING TO YOUR FAVORITE PLACE 241. YOU SHOULD NOT, UNDER THE PRECUSE OF FEAR OF BEING ELECTED AS A MANAGER, THINK ABOUT TRANSITION TO ANOTHER PLACE 242. THE MAIN CAUSE OF TEMPTATIONS IS HIGH MIND. LISTS TEMPTATIONS WHICH CAUSE SELF-DECLUSION 243. A LOT OF REASONING IS REQUIRED TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE OF GOOD FROM EVIL. ABOUT "LOVELY JOY". SIT IN YOUR CELL, AND SHE WILL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING 244. THE DEVIL CAN DO NOTHING TO A MAN UNLESS HE HIMSELF VOLUNTARILY AGREES FIRST TO ANY SIN 245. IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF PRIDE AND CONCEPT, THEN FIRST ALL THAT IS REQUIRED IS SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD 246. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU HAVE ACQUIRED SOMETHING SPIRITUAL. DO NOT BELIEVE SENSUAL VISIONS 247. EVERYONE’S PRAYER SHOULD BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS MEASURE 248. THE DEVIL TENSES US TO SIN WITH GOOD SUGGESTIONS 249. I FELT A FRAGMENT FROM AN ICON: I SAW FROM IT FIRE FLAME. LEAVE SUCH THINGS WITHOUT SIGNIFICANCE 250. THE DEMONIC TRUTH IS MORE HARMFUL THAN A LIE, FOR IT IS INSPECTED WITH DEVILITY TO CONFUSE THE CHRISTIAN 251. Evil THOUGHTS SHOULD NOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ONESELF 252. ABOUT THE VISIBLE APPEARANCE OF A DANCER DEMONS AND ABOUT THE REASONS FOR THIS APPARENTION 253. THE ENEMY INSPIRES ANGER TO MAKE PEOPLE UNABLE TO PRAYER AND TO EVERY GOOD DEED 254. WHEN THE FEAR OF THE ENEMY ATTACKS, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO READ THE WORDS OF PSALM 27 AND OTHER SIMILAR 255. THE ENEMY WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY REASONING, BUT BY HUMBLE PRAYER. ABOUT THE ORDER OF SPIRITUAL LIFE AND ABOUT LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR 256. ENEMIES WITH NOISE AND HUMM INTERFERING WITH INNER PRAYER - WE MUST PRAY GOD TO DELIVER FROM THIS 257. A MONK, HAVING ONLY THE THINGS NECESSARY FOR HIMSELF, DOES NOT SINK, REFUSING SOMEONE ASKING 258. HOW TO WRITE ABOUT EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS 259. PRAYER FIRST REQUIRES HUMILITY 260. THE ROOT OF Blasphemy IS PRIDE 261. TALK TO A GIRL FIRST IN CHURCH 262. LET’S GIVE A GIRL FIRST PATRISTIC BOOKS AND AVOID DISPUTES 263. DO NOT EXPECT ANY USE IN SPIRITUAL LIFE FROM AN ARGUMENTAL CHARACTER 264. A GIRL CAN COME TO OPTina, BUT DO NOT PLACE IT IN YOUR CELL 265. THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE ENEMY – NOT FROM THE SECRET OR INVISIBLE SINS? PRAY WITH HUMILITY FOR CLEANSING FROM THEM 266. WHEN PRAYING, THERE SHOULD BE HUMILITY 267. EXPLAINS THE APOSTOLIC WORDS: AS CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT WALK 268. WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTATION FROM THE DEVIL, RESULT TO THE STRENGTH OF HUMILITY 269. DO NOT succumb to the FEAR OF THE ENEMY 270. IT IS A SINNER TO SAY THAT THERE WILL BE NO REJOICE NEITHER IN THIS LIFE OR IN THE FUTURE 271. ABOUT THE FEAR OF SUDDEN DEATH AND ABOUT FREQUENT COMMUNION OF THE HOLY MYSTERIES 272. ABOUT THE THOUGHT OF HAVING YOUR OWN CELL 273. YOU CANNOT BE LEADED BY DESIRE ONE, WITHOUT REASONING 274. ABOUT SPIRITUAL WANDERING. THE ENEMY CONFUSES THROUGH CARE OF HIS OWN CELL 275. THE DEATH OF A voluptuous MAN IS HEAVY, BUT A HARDWORKING PERSON IS EASY 276. THE ENEMY TRY TO INflict SOME SINFUL ON THE ASCETS, AT LEAST BEFORE DEATH WOUND IN ORDER TO PREVENT THEM IN THE TRANSITION TO THE FUTURE LIFE 277. ADVICE FOR LOSING WARMTH AND CONSOLIATION OF PRAYER AND OVERWHELMED BY STILL THOUGHTS 278. SHOULD NOT TAKE ON THE VERY WORK OF TREATING FROM SPIRITUAL ILLNESSES 279. DESPONSIBILITY COMES FROM BOTH VANITY AND FROM UNSUFFICIENT ZEAL 280. LIFE AS A MONONIC IS IN PATIENCE AND HUMILITY 281. THE SOUL IS CLEANSED BY EXTERNAL INCONVENIENCES. PREMATURE SOLITUDE IS HARMFUL 282. FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD STOMACH AND DEATH 283. DON'T TRUST DREAMS. PITY AND DILIGENCE DO NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT HARDNESS AND GRIEF 284. BETTER IS A SINNER THAT REPEANTS THAN A RIGHTEOUS MAN THAT ASCENDS 285. IF OUR REQUEST TO GOD IS NOT FULFILLED, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERYTHING IN THE GOSPEL IS NOT SAID TRUE; THERE ARE REASONS FOR THIS 286. GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE 287. THOSE WHO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER MONASTERY ALWAYS EXPERIENCE MEANING 288. THE ENEMY MOST OF ALL RISES AGAINST PRAYER. THE QUALITY OF A PRAYER IS DETERMINED BY ITS END 289. DON’T THINK ABOUT CHANGING PLACE 290. KEEP UP TO THE FEAR OF GOD, KEEPING YOUR CONSCIENCE AND KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS 291. CONSIDE ALL OBEDIENCE AS ORDERED FROM THE LORD THROUGH MEN 292. ON HOLIDAYS DO NOT WORK, DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THE DEAD 293. THE PRAYER RULE MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE SICK 294. AGREEMENT AND HIGH MIND LEADS TO TEMPTATIONS 295. ABOUT PRUDENT SILENCE 296. NOT SO LIVE AS YOU WANT, AND AS GOD COMMANDS. TROUBLESHOOTING FROM OTHERS AT THE INSPIRATION OF THE DEVIL, WHO DOES NOT TOLERATE ATTENTIVE PRAYERS 297. GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ALWAYS HINDER EVERYONE BEING SAVED. THERE IS A SECRET GOOD IN MAN, VISIBLE TO GOD ALONE. HOW TO SPEAK TO INSINCERE PEOPLE 298. SPIRITUAL PURITY IS IN TRYING NOT TO SEE THE EVIL OF A PERSON 299. YOU WILL NOT LEAVE FROM YOURSELF AND FROM DEMONS TO ANOTHER MONASTERY 300. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO CARRY SORRY, DON'T ATTEMPT TO CAST OUT DEMONS. BE ANGER NOT AT PEOPLE, BUT AT THE DEMONS WHO TEMPTE PEOPLE 301. THE CELL IS HIGH, PEOPLE TEMPTE, AND THE ONE NOT TEMPTED IS UNSKILLED. A FORMER NON'S VISION CONCERNING NON-JUDGEMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD. ABOUT MARTHA AND MARY 302. PAY ATTENTION TO YOURSELF AND YOUR SALVATION 303. WHAT DO THE WORDS MEAN: “THE TERMS OF A FRIEND OF THE LORD” 304. THE PASSION IN US FOR OUR HUMILITY. WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THE GIVING OF “THE EYE OF GOOD”. EXPLANATION OF THE VISION. ABOUT CONVERSATION IN CHURCH AND HOW TO STOP IT 305. EXPLANATION OF THE DREAM 306. LIVING TOGETHER WITH OTHERS, BE DIFFERENT FROM THEM NOT OUTWARDLY, BUT WITH HUMILITY 307. WHEN FEELING SPIRITUAL JOY, YOU SHOULD BE BEWARE OF NOT FALLING IN PRETTY THE ENEMY 308. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE OFFENSIVE 309. EVERY THING NEEDS GRADUALITY. THE WORDS OF OTHERS AND OWN FEELINGS SHOULD BE CHECKED BY CONSIDERATION AND PRAYER 310. A BOSS SHOULD NOT BELIEVE EVERY WORD. PALANCE SHOULD NOT BE IN THE COMMUNITY 311. WHERE THEY ACT ACCORDING TO GOD, THERE GOD GIVES HIS HELP 312. IN TRIVILESS – READ THE FIRST PSALM OF THE 2ND KATHISMA. PRAYER IS ALWAYS STRONGER THAN PSALM WORDS 313. IN ONE PLACE A STONE OVERGrows 314. WHO WISHES TO HAVE REST IN THE LORD MUST FOLLOW HIS COMMANDMENTS 315. IN SERIOUS ILLNESS ANOINTING SHOULD NOT BE DELAYED 316. WE THE NEW MONKS HAVE COMPLETELY CHANGED THE ANCIENT ORDER CONCERNING DATINGS WITH RELATIVES 317. TO PEACE, YOU NEED TO HUMILITY AT HOME, AND NOT GO ON A FAR JOURNEY 318. INSTRUCTION TO THE COLLECTOR 319. GATHERERS AND COLLECTERS WHAT THEY NEED CAN BE PURCHASED FROM THE COLLECTED MONEY 320. BODILY ILLNESS IS SENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SOUND 321. PRAY FOR YOUR SISTER 322. EVERYONE SHOULD ANSWER TO GOD FOR HIMSELF 323. NOT OTHERS SHOULD BE CORRECTED, BUT THEMSELVES 324. CHIMA IS THE SECOND BAPTISM 325. BODILY ILLNESS INVOLUTIONALLY TURN US TO THE FUTURE LIFE 326. IT IS POSSIBLE TO TAKE TENSION DIRECTLY INTO THE LORD, AND NOT FIRST INTO THE MANTLE 327. IN ILLNESS, DEVOTION TO THE WILL OF GOD IS ESPECIALLY NECESSARY 328. NOT EVERYTHING IS VISIBLE GOOD DESIRE FROM THE LORD 329. ABOUT SOLITUDE AND COMMON LIFE 330. ADVISES NOT TO REFUSE TO TAKE CELL TONSURE 331. SUBMIT TO THE NECESSITY IN UNCONVENIENT CIRCUMSTANCES 332. ABOUT CARNAL WARFARE 333. B ILLNESS REQUIRES PATIENCE WITH HUMILITY 334. DON’T THINK THAT I’M NOT SORRY FOR YOU 335. DON’T BLAME OTHERS – SEEK PEACE IN A CLEAR CONSCIENCE 336. EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIMSELF 337. LEARN TO UNDERSTAND MONASTICAL LIFE. IN THE DISEASES OF THE INVOLVED, THE MERCY OF GOD IS HIDDEN 338. THERE IS NO NEED TO BE COOL-MINDED, BUT FOR ALL THANKS TO GOD THERE IS SALVATION OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY, BUT WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY 340. THE ENEMY CANNOT GIVE PEACE OF SPIRIT 341. MANY THE DIFFICULTIES OF OUR LIFE FROM OURSELVES 342. DO NOT BE SURPRISED AND DO NOT BE TERRIFIED BY PERSECUTION 343. READ THE PSALMS OFTEN: LIVING IN THE HELP OF THE HIGH, AND OTHERS 344. HE WHO LEAVES THE MONASTERY IS NOT RELIABLE FOR FAMILY LIFE 345. LEAD YOURSELF WITH YOUR FAMILY SO THAT THEY WILL VOLUNTARILY LET YOU GO TO THE MONASTERY 346. Blasphemous THOUGHTS FIGHT FOR APPRECIATION AND CONDEMNATION 347. DON’T HESITATE TO FULFILL YOUR DESIRE ABOUT ENTERING A MONASTERY 348. LIVE LIKE A MONASTERY IT IS NECESSARY TO BE IN MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY 349. THE PLANS OF THE INEXPERIENCED IN MONASTICAL LIFE 350. CHILDREN ARE OBLIGATED TO HONOR THEIR PARENTS 351. COWWIND AND DESPERATION ARE FROM PRIDE, ACCORDING TO THE SLAMS OF THE ENEMY 352. CORRECTION IS NOT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY 353. BODILY SILENCE AND SPIRITUAL SILENCE, AND HOW THEY ARE ACQUIRED 354. BY JUDGING EACH OTHER, WE ARE DEprived OF MUTUAL PEACE 355. THOSE LEAVE MONACHISM ARE LIKE JUDAS THE TRAITOR 356. WE NEED TO BE STRONGER 357. IN THE NEW CELL WISHES SOUL AND BODILY RENEWAL 358. CONFESSION OF SINS WITH IDNATION AT OTHERS IS NOT USEFUL 359. MATERIAL MEANS DO NOT PROVIDE PEACE 360. TIME TO TAKE UP YOUR INNER PEACE, WHICH DOES NOT DEPEND ON MATERIAL EXCESS 361. TOLERANCE INCONVENIENCE 362. HE WHO HAS RECEIVED THE FORGIVENESS OF HIS SINS AND HAS INHERITED THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN CAN REMEMBER THEM WITH GRATITUDE TO THE MERCY OF GOD 363. THE SON OF GOD LIVED IN Poverty, AND WE SHOULD NOT BE DESPERATE FROM POVERTY 364. EVERYTHING SIMPLE IS CLOSER TO GOD 365. A CHANGE OF PLACE WILL NOT SAVE FROM MEANING. YOU WILL BE SAVED BY HUMILITY 366. GREAT TORMENT AWAITS US IF WE REJECT THE PROMISES 367. OUR WORKS ARE NOT DONE WITHOUT GOD’S PROVIDENCE 368. THEORY IS LIKE A COURT LADY, AND PRACTICE IS LIKE A BEAR IN THE FOREST 369. TO AVOID GRIEF, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE OFFENDING. READ THE GOSPEL 370. SHOULD A MANDATORY SISTER BE TUNED? 371. WE SHOULD SEEK NOT OUR OWN GLORY, BUT GOD’S. ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE MOTHER TREASURER TO THE ABBES, AND ABOUT BISMARCK 372. ABOUT CARNAL MOVEMENTS AT PRAYER. ABOUT MENTAL AND ORAL PRAYER 373. ABOUT TEMPTATIONS WHEN THE JESUS ​​PRAYER 374. SHOULD YOU WRITE TO YOUR FAMILY? 375. UNBLESSED WORK IS NOT USEFUL. ABOUT RELATIONS WITH FAMILY. YOU MUST DO NOT YOUR OWN WILL, BUT THE WILL OF GOD 376. YOU MUST PLEASE GOD FIRST OF ALL REPENTANCE. FOR SINS YOU MUST ENDURE AND SORRY. HOW TO SPEND THE TIME PREPARING FOR COMMUNION 377. ABOUT blasphemous THOUGHTS, AND ABOUT HOW TO BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO THEM. ABOUT EATING FOOD. ABOUT SETUP IN A MONASTERY AND ABOUT THE PRAYER RULE 378. BEWARE OF LOOKING FOR THE MIRACULOUS IN YOUR SOUL 379. WHEN YOU ARE BUSY IN WORK, THERE IS LESS MENTAL CONFUSION. ADVISES TO PROVIDE HELP TO TWO POOR GIRLS IN THE CITY 380. ABOUT THE CONVERSATION WITH MOTHER ABBENS. ABOUT SELF-AUTHORIZED OBEDIENCE. ABOUT THE CORRECT HANDLING OF MONEY 381. IT IS NOT USEFUL TO BLINDLY IMITATE OTHERS, FOR EVERYONE HAS HIS OWN WAY 382. ABOUT PATIENCE OF SORINGS AND ABOUT PRAYING FOR THOSE WHO OFFEND 383. NARROW IS THE PATH THAT LEADS INTO ETERNAL LIFE. MONACHISM IS A MYSTERY 384. ABOUT CONSUMPTION, ABOUT THE merciful GOD, AND ABOUT THE CARE OF THE BABY NUNS 385. DO NOT SEEK FOR GIFTS, BUT ADOPTER THE MOTHER OF GIFTS - HUMILITY 386. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF Slander 387. DO NOT BE AFRAID GETTING CAUGHT IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH AN ELDER 388. YOU CAN PRAY FOR A SUICIDE CAREFULLY 389. ABOUT A NOBICE WHO WISHES TO BE A SISTERS OF MERCY 390. HE IS ADVISED TO TAKE A BROTHER SUFFERING WITH MANIA OF PERSECUTION TO THE CHERNIGOV MOTHER OF GOD IN THE TRINITY-SERGIUS LAVRA 391. ABOUT THE HORRIBLE DEATH OF A MERCHANT'S WIDOW. ABOUT DISEASE, AND THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE SEEING OF CHRIST, AND ETERNAL TORMENT IS EXCUSION FROM CHRIST. ABOUT THE WORDS OF SIMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIST. ABOUT TEARS 392. ABOUT ILLNESS AND NURSING PRAYERS 393. ABOUT FREQUENT COMMUNION OF THE HOLY MYSTERIES. ABOUT TEARS IN THE CHURCH. ABOUT BREAKING FAST DUE TO ILLNESS 394. ORTHODOX VIEW ON “SATISFACTION” FOR SINS. EXPLANATION OF DREAM 395. ILLNESS CLEANSES OUR SINNINESS. THE THOUGHT THAT YOU BURDEN YOUR SISTERS WITH ILLNESS – FROM THE ENEMY. ABOUT THE ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF MOTHER ABBES. WHEN PRAYING THE JESUS ​​PRAYER, THERE SHOULD NOT BE AN EXCESSIVE FEAR OF FALLING INTO DEPRESSION. CHARMS SHOULD BE MOST FEARED WITH TEARS AND JOY. EXPLANATION OF THE DREAM. WHY DO PASSIONS RETURN? 396. ABOUT THE VISION OF MOTHER ABBES. ABOUT THE WORKS OF BISHOP IGNATIY BRYANCHANINOV AND ABOUT THE REVIEW OF BISHOP FEOFAN ABOUT THEM. ABOUT ELDER Klimchenko 397. ABOUT ACCEPTING A GOVERNMENT 398. CONSUMPTION TURNES MANY TO GOD. REPORTS ABOUT HIS HEALTH 399. ABOUT THE “STANDERER” MANUSCRIPT ABOUT THE JESUS ​​PRAYER. ABOUT THE PART OF THE KILLED N. 400. ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE OF THE WALKER AND ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE OF THE TREASURER 401. WHAT SHOULD A BROTHER OF LITTLE FAITH READ? 402. ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST AND HIS FORECASTERS 403. DON’T BE CONFUSED ABOUT THE ABBEA 404. ABOUT THEFTING IN THE MONASTERY AND ABOUT KEPTING OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY 405. DON’T NEED TO REGRET ABOUT ENTERING THE MONASTERY. AGAIN ABOUT THE FEAR OF THE BABEST 406. IT IS INDEMONY FOR A MONK TO GO TO THE CRIMEA FOR BATHING, BUT IT IS ALLOWED TO GO TO Kyiv ON A PILOT 407. BROCHURE ABOUT THE ATHONS MONAS. ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF PRAYER FOR THE DEAD. ABOUT THIS VOW AND ABOUT THE DREAM 408. ABOUT THE PRAYER OF JESUS ​​- VERBAL, MENTAL AND HEART 409. ABOUT MARRIAGE BETWEEN RELATIVES 410. ABOUT THE Evil EYE AND ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS 411. ABOUT COMMUNION OF THE SICK IN THE CELL. ABOUT PRAYER TO SAINT SPYRIDON 239. ABOUT THE DEVIL’S TEMPTATIONS AND ABOUT THE FIGHT WITH THEM Sister in the Lord! You describe what enemy temptations you experienced: first, melancholy and fear; then grief to the point of frenzy that she did not find her brother; then a thought of arrogance that has reached the level of dispassion; then again insatiable love for family, and again the thought of arrogance with arrogance that without God’s help, with your own strength, you can resist; and when she rejected this thought with disgust, she immediately heard the enemy’s praise, that is, the proud and vain thought began to suggest that you had already become like the saints. After that, you felt some kind of peace, and although a secret voice warned you that under this silence lies the seduction of the enemy, it began to seem to you more and more that you had reached the measure of perfection, and that the nature of your soul was as white as snow; and when I remembered that, according to the words of Peter of Damascus, a soul that comes to prosperity sees its sins as the sand of the sea, and when, in bewilderment, I began to pray to the Lord and the Queen of Heaven to enlighten you about what kind of power is acting in you, then I saw that this power is in the form of an ugly disheveled man lying around. Now you yourself see that all this contradictory confusion is the action of an enemy who fights with both his gums and his back, now with melancholy and fear, now with arrogance and arrogance; and when his suggestions are rejected, he whispers again: “He has done good, he has done good, he has conquered, he has become great.” It seemed to you that you had truly arrived at the level of perfection, but you yourself write that your head is empty, your soul is like a plundered church, that you have difficulty getting used to oral prayer, and you have never followed the rosary rule, because as soon as you take it up, it begins to break you greatly. Where did your perfection come from? We see that there is an obvious contradiction here, which, first of all, can be healed by sincere repentance and sincere confession “to whom it should be.” Saint John of the Climacus says that thoughts that are not revealed to the spiritual father turn into deeds (v. 26, section 21), and that, on the contrary, opened ulcers do not extend to the worst, but are rather healed. From our own experience we see that man is extremely weak and powerless in spiritual struggle without God’s help. In this struggle, says St. Mark the Ascetic, we have one helper, mysterious, hidden in us since the time of Baptism - Christ, Who is invincible. He will assist us in this struggle if we not only call on Him for help, but fulfill, according to our strength, His life-giving commandments. Throw yourself into the arms of His great mercy. Also, constantly resort to our Intercessor, the Lady Ever-Virgin Mary, often singing the church hymn: “There are no imams of other help, no imams of other hope, unless You, Lady, help us, we rely on You and we boast in You, for we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.” Contrast proud and arrogant thoughts of perfection with extreme humility before God and people, making it clear to yourself that you have not yet learned oral prayer and do not follow the cell rule. Where did perfection suddenly come from? The fact that you didn’t see your brother, obviously it wasn’t God’s will, because it wouldn’t be useful to you. If, without seeing him, she grieved to the point of madness, then what would have happened if she had met? And such attachment, of course, does not agree with the vows given during tonsure. And the fact that it seems to you that the boss will send you out of the monastery and that you are captivated by this thought - and this is the seduction of the enemy, because no one is persecuting you yet; but only this thought takes you away from the real monastic work. When they drive, then we will see. 240. THERE IS NO NEED TO DEFER THE TIME OF HUMILITY AND REPENTANCE UNTIL REMOVING TO YOUR FAVORITE PLACE The enemy’s machinations against you are not diminished, but only changed into other forms. The insidious enemy manages to either lift you to heaven or bring you down to the abyss. But may the All-Good Lord abolish his machinations through the intercession and intercession of His Most Pure Mother and all the saints who have pleased Him. For a long time you have longed for sorrow and trampling and humiliation from people in a distant, well-known place, where your thoughts never cease to pull you with various messages. But instead, you are allowed to endure annoyances and temptations from demons in the very place where you live. I think that this happened to you because you acted contrary to what was said in the Lord’s Prayer, in which, firstly, we pray like this: “Thy will be done,” and then, at the end: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” I don’t know if you understood the meaning of these words? Saint Isaac the Syrian in the 5th word explains them this way: visible sorrows from people, from circumstances and from illnesses of the body must be endured and endured with humility and gratitude, submitting to the All-Holy will of God. One must pray to the Lord about spiritual temptations, “so as not to be subjected to them.” “Let us pray,” says this saint, “not to fall into temptation about faith. Let us pray that you do not fall into the opinion of your mind, into temptations with the demon of blasphemy and pride. Let us pray, by God’s permission, not to enter into the obvious temptation of the devil, evil thoughts for the sake of thoughts that you have thought in your mind, for whose sake you were allowed (into this temptation). Let us pray that the Angel of your chastity will not depart from you, so that you will not fight the burning battle of sin, and be separated from him (that is, from the Angel). Pray not to fall into the temptation of irritation with anyone, or into the temptation of double-mindedness and doubt, in which the soul is led to great difficulty. Prepare to overcome (sorrowful) bodily temptations with all your heart, and pass through them with all your destinies, and fill your eyes with tears, so that the Angel who protects you does not depart from you. Apart from these temptations, the Providence of God is not visible, and it is impossible to acquire boldness towards God, and it is impossible to learn the wisdom of the spirit, and it is impossible to establish divine desire in your soul.” And this saint also adds, saying: “And again let us pray not to fall into the obvious temptation of the devil for your arrogance, but to love God for you, so that His power may prosper you, and through you you will defeat your enemies, so that your love for God may be tempted, and His power may be glorified in your patience. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen". According to Saint Isaac the Syrian, consider your position, and disposition, and spiritual structure, and bring to mind this: when Anthony the Great in a vision saw the networks of the enemy spread out everywhere and exclaimed with surprise and horror: “Who can pass and avoid all these networks?”, he heard the Divine answer: “Humility will avoid them, and they will not touch him.” Give up the deceptive thought that you will humble yourself in a distant place and endure all trampling and humiliation; but rather, humble yourself at the present time and in the present place where we live, and consider yourself mentally under the feet of everyone, that is, consider yourself worthy of all trampling and humiliation and annoyance. Equally despise the intimidation of the enemy, as if he is able to bring you into such a misfortune that you will deny the Crucified Lord. All these weavings of hostility, even if allowed to him, could end in some absurd opinions and unfair rumors from a person. But remember the psalm’s word in advance: prepare yourself and not be embarrassed, and, calling on God’s help and the intercession of our Lady, the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos, prepare to suffer all sorts of temptations and annoyances, and any kind of oppression from superiors or inferiors, through the cunning of the enemy. Humility and patience are a victory in everything, with the assistance of God. I repeat: do not put off suffering trampling and humiliation in a distant place, but begin to endure everything here and now, according to what was said: now you have begun. Consider the many different suggestions of the enemy on a par with blasphemous thoughts, and try to despise them, praying the psalm word: God, attend to my help, Lord of help, that those who seek my soul may be ashamed and put to shame, that those who wish (think) evil against me may turn back and be ashamed. When the enemies inspire praise and proud exaltation, then continue the next verse, saying: let the abis return ashamed of those who say to us: good, good (Ps. 69:4). Also, in a decent way and at a decent time, recite from the 39th Psalm, which begins like this: I have endured the Lord, and listened to me, and heard my prayer, and so on, according to election, to the end. Sometimes, against proud thoughts, pray, as one of the ancient fathers prayed, saying: “Lord, I am alien to all good, and I am filled with all evil: have mercy on me, by Thy mercy alone.” And repeat this many times, if possible, with earthly worship. The main thing is to try to maintain the faith and hope of salvation, that the Lord wants to save everyone and bring the truth into the mind. The enemy of the weak only tries to remove a person from the path of salvation with various absurd suggestions and intimidations and possible temptations in order to somehow shake a person and turn him away from the true path, and although he sometimes walks like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour, the holy Apostle Peter exhorts us to resist him with firm faith and trust in the Lord, that He will not abandon us and is able to abolish us. and destroy all the machinations of the enemy, as we often hear in the troparion of the martyrs, who, having strength from the Lord, overthrew the tormentors and crushed the weak insolence of demons. Also despise the crafty suggestions of the enemy: “Do not write about this to the elder, lest you appear vain, and he may say that you are great and will set you up as an example to others.” What example? Is this an example of confusion? He who is confused has nothing to boast about, and it is especially inappropriate to think that he who is confused stands firm and has the skill to do great things. Great confusion - doing is not great. That's enough for now. May the Lord Himself enlighten you to everything that is beneficial and saving, and may His Most Pure Mother protect you from the evil and insidious machinations of the enemy. 241. YOU SHOULD NOT THINK ABOUT GOING TO ANOTHER PLACE FOR FEAR OF BEING SELECTED AS A BOARD You write that you have again revived your desire to move to Arzamas. Consider this desire as a temptation from the enemy, since it is instilled in you as if with violence. If this were (or will be) the will of God, then this could work out by itself. The Lord God has a lot of all kinds of means. The will of the enemy must not be acted upon in any case, under any plausible pretexts. The enemy is intimidating you with the idea that they might make you a boss in K. The ancient people responded to such suggestions like this: “Grandmother said two things: either they will do it or they won’t.” And most likely the latter, because you and I have no leadership qualities. And this suggestion is simply an enemy’s scolding, with which he, at the same time, confuses you. Although there are such cases that people who get confused in prayer or in the feat of prayer, the Providence of God sometimes arranges for the authorities in order to bring them to the correct and unpretentious position; but by the work of God's Providence, Who arranges everything for the good and benefit of our spiritual, we should not frighten ourselves, but leave it to the all-good will of the Lord, submitting with faith and devotion to the beck of Divine Providence for us and, by the way, strictly examining our thoughts and the tricks of the enemy - is there any subtle vainglorious thought hidden here, which should in every possible way reject, because vanity, gross and subtle, harms a person in every possible way. The enemy seems to be intimidating you with his superiors; but if we look closely at this intimidation, then it turns out to be clearly an enemy trick, with which he subtly confuses you in order to generate in your soul a desire for the authorities. So consider it: this is intimidation, and try to despise it. You should not leave handicrafts, but only should do them at a decent time, without leaving the rosary rule and other prayer readings, from which the enemy distracts you, because everything blessed constitutes the essential benefit of a monk; That’s why it can be difficult to do it, and it’s kind of inconvenient, and it’s like everyone and everything interferes with it. The causes and severity of such inconveniences are the enemy’s trick and distraction, since he does not like everything blessed. You, knowing this, are compelled to fulfill what is prescribed with blessing; Likewise, do not abandon the oral Jesus Prayer. You write that at times you become very weak, to the point of cowardice, and sometimes even to despair. Know that the main machinations of the enemy are two: to fight a Christian either with arrogance and conceit, or with cowardice and despair. Saint Climacus writes that one skilled ascetic repelled the machinations of the enemy with their own weapons. When they brought him to despair, he said to himself and to his enemies: “How you praised me not so long ago and brought me into arrogance,” and through this he reflected the evil intent of the enemy. If the enemies again switched to the other side and began to praise and give reasons for arrogance and conceit, then the elder would answer: “How you brought me to despair not so long ago; after all, one thing contradicts the other.” And thus this ascetic, with the help of God, repelled the machinations of the enemy with their own weapons, using one against the other in good time. Also, sometimes you have the thought of rebelling courageously against your enemies, and you ask: “Is this fair?” The opposite of this, cowardice, shows that it is unfair. It is not our measure to rebel against evil enemies, but rather, most likely, with humility, always resort to the help and intercession of the Divine, calling on the Lord Himself and His Most Pure Mother for help, as the holy Climacus advises: “In the name of Jesus, repel the warriors.” Peace be with you. 242. THE MAIN CAUSE OF TEMPTATIONS IS HIGH MIND. LISTS TEMPTATIONS, WHICH CAUSES SELF-DECLUSION You say that if God and the Queen of Heaven want you to go there, then the opportunity will be given to you, and I will bless you. And I’ll tell you that if it is God’s will, then you will be transferred there without any effort on your part. The Lord God has many means to arrange this, if it is useful to you, but in no way should you, in this or in any other way, fulfill the will of your spiritual enemies, who confuse you with all sorts of suggestions and assumptions, which you trust on the basis that it “seems to you.” All the mental warfare or confusion that plagues you comes from this trust in enemy suggestions, to which you attribute some meaning or credibility, or which you want to catch, instead of despising them, calling on God’s help against them. The main reason for your mental warfare is your great arrogance, which is visible in everything. Isn’t it arrogance that, having received some temporary calm from the battle, you believed that this was keeping your mind. Saint John of the Climacus says: “How far are the east from the west, so far is keeping the mind higher than keeping thoughts, and incomparably more difficult.” But you and I don’t even know how to preserve our thoughts as we should, then where will we get the preservation of our minds? Your calmness was not keeping your mind, but an obvious planting of the enemy. It seemed to you that you were surrounded by a solid wall, that from a distance a whole regiment of the enemy wanted to break through this wall, that he then roared and ran away. And all this was just one demonic abuse, because after that, without any wall and without any effort, it left the stench right under your nose and left. And you also asked yourself the question: “What could his goal be? And what does this mean? It’s very simple: demonic abuse, allowed for the sake of your arrogance; and its always goal is to confuse and distract a person from a humble state of prayer. And sometimes there is a fragrance, and sometimes there is a stench - all this is the charm of the enemy, according to the word of St. Simeon the New Theologian. The enemy raises you to heaven and brings you down to the abyss - both for the sake of your arrogance. You write: “I cannot accommodate the care of temporary life, it has bound my spirit like a chain.” Isn't this terrible arrogance? It is said: God gave evil care to the son of man, lest they turn aside into worse things. Remember from the life of the Monk Macarius what the demon told him: that he does not drink, and does not eat, and does not sleep at all - he lacks only humility. You also write that it is painful for you to be with your cellmates. Why did you pick them up? If you can live alone, without cells, then you can let them go in the summer. You have a desire for solitude. If N it is harmful, then why will it be useful to you? You, living among people, do not know where to escape from mental warfare; What would happen to you in solitude? Again - that you had a strong desire to die, and were not afraid of death; All this is the deception of the enemy. You also write that you have been entrusted with a great dignity. No rank was assigned to you. San - priesthood, abbess; and that you made strict vows of repentance and humility - there is no dignity in this. You say: “I wish to constantly glorify the Lord with a pure mind and heart.” In other words, the unclean would like to be clean. All this is very high, and what you want is achieved through repentance, and fulfillment of God’s commandments, and humility. If, according to the words of Saint Climacus, and having climbed the entire ladder of virtues, a person must pray for mercy, then all the more we, sinners and weaklings, realizing that passions and sins are pulling us to the earth, must repent and humble ourselves; and above all, do not take on high things, because they fall from a height, and the one who ascends will inevitably humble himself. 243. A LOT OF REASONING IS REQUIRED TO KNOW THE DISTINGUISHMENT OF GOOD FROM EVIL. ABOUT "LOVELY JOY". STAY IN YOUR CELL, AND IT WILL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING Glory and thanksgiving to the Lord that, through the omnipotent intercession and prayerful intercession of our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, your dark thoughts have at least become somewhat clearer. Although the desire to move to Arz. does not leave you, but sometimes a thought contradicts you, and a secret suggestion in the heart says that this intention and desire is empty. You yourself write that the suggestion is very quiet and calm; but on the contrary, when the desire to leave the monastery flares up in you, you feel bitterness, darkness, memory malice, and hatred of your neighbors, and laziness towards prayer. Understand from this that this desire is from the spiritual side, and is the suggestion of enemies and haters of the human race, seeking our eternal destruction. Saint Gregory of Sinaite writes: “A lot of reasoning is required to recognize the difference between good and evil... The essence of the actions of grace is revealed, which the demon, although transformed, cannot give: neither meekness, nor quietness, nor humility, nor hatred of the world, nor quenches sweetness and passion - this is the essence of the actions of grace. The action of demons is arrogance, and arrogance, and insurance, and all kinds of evil.” You have partly experienced this yourself, through your own experience, so be careful and prudent: retain the good, and sweep away the evil. You yourself write that sometimes some kind of painful, unbridled, disheveled, ferocious devilish joy comes over you, which tires you terribly, and that any spiritual sorrow is more joyful than this ugly joy. Now you yourself see that this joy is from the opposite side: but at the same time know that this disheveled joy is found not without a reason, and, apparently, it was sometime that you, out of inexperience and carelessness, mistook deceptive and charming joy for real. I also advise you to sit at home, in the monastery, and in your cell this year, and not go anywhere. God knows how much longer your life will last, and therefore, especially in recent times, we should not despise the secret suggestions of our conscience, aroused by the Guardian Angel given to us at Baptism. It is not in vain that the ancient fathers say: “Sit in your cell, and it will teach you everything.” This sitting is especially appropriate for a person who is weak in strength, both physical and mental. Here, wanderings and bodily labors are inappropriate and at the wrong time. Old men and women no longer go to children's school, since it is indecent and untimely, for the sake of their weakened memory and bodily strength. It is fitting for the old and weak to humble themselves and prepare themselves with sincere repentance for their departure into eternity. 244. THE DEVIL CAN DO NOTHING TO A MAN UNLESS HE HIMSELF VOLUNTARILY AGREES TO SOME SIN FIRST Take courage, and let your heart be strong. In the midst of the annoying and sometimes frightening temptations of the enemy, console yourself with the apostolic words: God is faithful... He will not leave you to be tempted more than you can, but will create an abundance with temptation (1 Cor. 10:13), and repeat this word often to strengthen yourself. Also despise the vain but evil suggestions of the enemy who threatens you with destruction. His very threats show you hope that he cannot do anything to you, covered by the mercy of God. If he could do anything, he would not threaten. The Angel of Repentance told Saint Hermas that the enemy, the devil, is completely powerless and cannot do anything to a person unless he voluntarily agrees first to some sin. Therefore, when the enemy bothers you with cold and nasty thoughts, run to the Lord, praying with the psalm words: Lord! Those who cast me out have now destroyed me (Ps. 16:11). My joy! Deliver me from those who have passed me by (Ps. 31:7). Especially do not be disturbed by blasphemous thoughts, which clearly arise from the envy of the enemy. On the part of a person, the reason for them is either proud conceit or condemnation of others. Therefore, in the invasion of blasphemous thoughts, first of all, reproach yourself for judging others and proud opinions, for the present or the past, without being at all worried that we hear the unspeakable blasphemies of the enemy. And at the right time, sometimes pronounce against them the words of Saint John of the Climacus: “Follow me, Satan! I will worship the Lord my God and serve Him alone, and let your illness and this word turn on your head, and let your blasphemy rise on top of you in this and in the future.” Finally, you need to keep in mind at this time and firmly remember the advice of Isaac the Syrian; he writes in the 56th word: “When a person, caring about inner cleansing, by the grace of God approaches the first degree of spiritual intelligence, that is, the understanding of the creature, then the enemy, out of envy, strongly arms himself with blasphemous thoughts. And you,” he says, “don’t stand in this country without weapons, lest you soon die from those who seduce you and deceive you.” Let your weapons be tears and frequent polishing. And be careful not to read heretical dogmas: this is what arms the spirit of blasphemy against you. Whenever you have satisfied your belly, do not let yourself be satisfied with experiencing what is from divine things and understandings, and do not repent. In the womb there is no filling of the mind with the mysteries of God.” Heeding these words of this great father, try to have feasible abstinence in food and drink, and a contrite and humble heart before everyone, in order to acquire saving crying for past and present sins, and through this preserve yourself harmlessly in your present temptation from the spirit of blasphemy. Know that the enemy, if he cannot harm anyone, then out of his malice tries, at least, to confuse him, to annoy him with various thoughts and evil suggestions. When at work, out of obedience, evil thoughts creep in, leave work and bow down, humbly calling on God’s mercy and help. 245. IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF PRIDE AND CONCERN, THEN FIRST OF ALL YOU REQUIRE SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD You write that on the eve of the day of St. Michael the Archangel, an enemy’s thought promised you that on this very holiday you would receive all spiritual gifts, but instead, on that day, a gloomy melancholy came over you, and the thought of suicide began to weigh heavily on you. These are the gifts of demons, the charm of the enemy! The thought whispers to you that none of the saints and those wishing to be saved were overcome by this thought. It’s not true: even the great elders were fought by it; in Moldova there was a very active and silent old man who suffered from this thought all his life. In this evil enemy battle, we must repeat more often: “God’s will be done with me. As the Lord willed, so be it.” The Lord’s will is to save and have mercy on all believers. We can also sometimes answer the enemy like this: “Follow me, Satan! I will work for the Lord my God all the days of my life. For to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His beginningless Father and the all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit forever and ever. Amen". Glory and thanksgiving to the Lord, who soon gave you some peace in this battle. But then again you began to be confused by various confused thoughts. You ask me to ask you for that grace from the Lord so that in full consciousness you consider yourself worse and more sinful than everyone else in the monastery; and then you write that if they give you a cell room, you will leave, and that you prayed to the Queen of Heaven, if She wants, that you end your life here, so that they don’t give you a cell room. But it was you yourself who made this condition; I decided myself. If you want to get rid of pride and conceit, then first of all you need to submit to the will of God. If you want everything to be according to the will of God, then endure everything, and do not invent enemy conditions, do not climb into the enemy’s network yourself. And look for yourself - what recklessness: to run away from one cell and retire to a monastery crowded with sisters, where there are less than four and do not live in the same cell. I wrote and told you before, and now I repeat, that complete solitude is not only not useful for you, but also dangerous. You see for yourself what fierce battles of the enemy you experience in your solitude! What's the harm if they give you a cell room? Through her, perhaps, you will get even more relief from your battles. Don’t take responsibility for her, but take it so that she lives at her own expense, and sits in the hallway and is silent; take it on these terms; but don’t take a young girl for whom you need to be responsible. If they give you one that is not for you, then you are not voiceless, you can tell them to give you another one. Don't believe any visions. Saint Gregory of Sinaite says: “Never accept anything, if you see something sensually, or intellectually, or from the outside, or inside, or even the image of Christ, or Angels, or the holy image, or the light is dreamed by the mind, or imagined, since the mind itself has a dreamy nature, and it is convenient to create the images, as it wishes, not in the mind.” It is more dangerous for those who listen to this, who also cause harm to themselves: and the very same memory of good or evil is usually imagined by the mind and is usually raised to dreaming, where the dreamer is such about himself, and not silent. For this reason, pay attention, and do not believe anything... but remain indignant at this, always keeping your mind sightless, unimaginative. A beginner must pay attention to the action of the heart, as if it is not charming, but not to accept everything else until the time of the world of passions. God is not indignant at someone who dangerously listens to delusion for the sake of himself, even if he does not accept it from Him except for questioning and many trials, but rather praises him for being wise... The need is not small to achieve the truth more clearly, and to be pure from those who oppose grace, as in the image of truth the devil usually shows his charm in beginners, transforming his evil one as spiritual.” This is what Saint Gregory of Sinai says; remember this, and hold fast to it. You write that you somehow felt that a light flashed from above, that there was a shine from the words of the Jesus Prayer, and so on. Don't believe any of this; all this is dreaminess that must be rejected. In all your temptations, try to maintain prayer. If you cannot say the full, that is, all the words of the Jesus Prayer, then you can repeat: “Jesus, Jesus,” this is not forbidden, and is not rejected by the Holy Fathers. “In the name of Jesus, kill the warriors,” says Climacus. Great is the power of this name. 246. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU HAVE ACQUIRED SOMETHING SPIRITUAL. DON'T BELIEVE SENSUAL VISIONS What we need most of all is sincere humility before God and before all people; and be more afraid and beware of conceit and vanity, and the most subtle thing, that we have acquired something spiritual. Be especially afraid of believing in the outer and inner light and tempting shines. The slightest doubt in us already shows that it is from the opposite side. And other signs, rougher ones, clearly already prove that this is not spiritual wine, but the vinegar of the enemy, which soon after shows its effect in various passions. 247. EVERYONE’S PRAYER SHOULD BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS MEASURE ...You write that you prayed in psalm words: Tempt me, O Lord, and try me... (Ps. 25:27), and after that you experienced a strong attack from the enemy. Don’t pray ahead like that; these words of David will not come to you. Everyone's prayer should be in accordance with his measure; must be humble and reasonable. And you yourself didn’t understand what you were praying for; I asked the Lord to test you, and when, after your thoughtless prayer, the Lord allowed the test, it turned out that you were still unfit for anything and weak. You write that, having lost your heartfelt prayer, you were left as if disarmed. I have already written to you that in all your temptations, and in all the extraordinary actions that happen to you, you should not give up prayer. If you cannot pray with your heart, pray with your mind or with your lips; No matter how you pray, do not give up just prayer. During tonsure, the tonsured person is told that he must always have the name of the Lord Jesus in his mind, in his heart, in his thoughts and in his mouth. Notice, not only in the heart, but also in the mind, in thoughts and in the mouth. And you notice an inappropriate insistence on your own, so that you certainly have heartfelt prayer, and when you don’t have it, you are left without prayer at all. You write that when you struggled to find a place in your heart, you began to struggle with the condemnation of your neighbors. This shows that your prayer is still incorrect, because the fruit of true prayer is humility and love for your neighbor. You write that the enemy whispers to you that you are better than everyone else... Take similar suggestions from him to him: your very deeds show how good you are... In conclusion, I will say that in temptation, especially when you are alone, the most useful thing for you is to pray with verbal prayer, as the holy Apostle commands: I will bring forth praise to God, that is, the fruit of the lips of those who confess the Lord. 248. THE DEVIL TENSES US TO SIN WITH GOOD Suggestions ...You write about the death of your mother, and then you write that your thoughts keep pulling you away. Do you really want to die, like her, somewhere on the road? They say that she was attacked by robbers. But Saint Barsanuphius the Great says that sensual robbers are slaves of mental robbers. The attack of the first shows that the person was robbed by the second. And those who accept evil suggestions, mixing their will with them, are robbed by mental robbers; the suggestions of these mental thieves are always disorderly and inconsistent with the case, according to the word of the Gospel, that if you do not enter through the doors into the courtyard, but enter elsewhere, that thief is also a robber... The thief does not come unless he steals and kills and destroys. Saint Abba Dorotheos, explaining the machinations of the devil, writes: “He is not so much unskilled in doing evil, and knows that a person does not want to sin, and therefore does not instill in him any obvious sins, and does not tell him: “Go, commit fornication,” or: “Go, steal”; but he finds in us one ostensibly good desire, or one self-justification, and thereby, under the guise of good, harms.” So, with plausible suggestions, he removed mother from the monastery, and he confuses you in the same way, and generally confuses you with the wishes of his will. You describe in your letter how a thought forced you to pray that the Lord would bring your mind into your heart. But we don’t see any of the holy fathers praying a similar prayer. It is more useful to pray with humility, like this: “Lord! as you weigh, have mercy on me! Let your destinies arrange something useful for me!” We are commanded by the Lord to pray: “Our Father! Thy will be done." But nowhere does it say that you can pray like this: “Our will be done!” And in everything, even in prayer, you see that you absolutely want it to be your way, or at the suggestion of the enemy. May the Lord protect us from all evil and especially from the deception of the enemy, the obvious sign of which is disorderly confusion and instilling conceit, followed by cold thoughts, or worldly desires, or feelings of anger and irritability. 249. I FELT A FRAGMENT FROM THE ICON: I SAW A FIRE FLAME FROM IT. LEAVE SUCH THINGS WITHOUT MEANING ...You write that you again experienced enemy warfare, and when you venerated the church icon of the Mother of God, you felt a fragrance from it; and in the past, one day I felt a fiery flame come out of this icon. According to the advice of the Venerable Mark the Ascetic, such things should be left without meaning, not trusting them, because, as the Venerable Simeon the New Theologian writes, they can also be the enemy’s delusion. Moreover, you heard the word that the Queen of Heaven delivers you from blasphemous thoughts, and then the same thoughts nevertheless attacked you. Be careful and do not agree with any suggestions that are supposedly good. 250. THE DEMONIC TRUTH IS MORE HARMFUL THAN A LIE, FOR IT IS INSPECTED WITH DEVILITY TO CONFUSE A CHRISTIAN Although the enemy, apparently, is telling you the truth that I have not experienced anything, and I explain things only according to what I read in spiritual books, you need to reject this imaginary demonic truth, firstly, because the Lord Himself commands us to test the Scriptures, saying in the Gospel (John 5:39) Test the Scriptures, for you think in them to have eternal life. And the Monk Nil of Sorsky advises not to do anything for which we do not find evidence in the Holy Scriptures, nor in the writings of the patristic people, even if it seems very useful to us. Secondly, demonic verisimilitude must be rejected because demonic truth, apparently, is more harmful than the lie itself, just as the best drink, dissolved with poison, is more harmful than spoiled water. The demon, no matter how plausible he suggests, suggests it with cunning in order to confuse and confuse a Christian person; and the demonic plausible suggestion is always dissolved by the poison of malice and envy. For this reason, the Apostle Paul rejected the apparently just words of the inquisitive spirit, as indicated in the Acts of the Holy Apostles (Acts 16:16). Thirdly, one must reject demonic suggestions regarding one’s spiritual attitude because nothing can quench enemy thoughts more than by confessing them to one’s spiritual father. And that the worst sometimes correct the best themselves, we see an example of this in the Prologue, how an ordinary deacon corrected the mistakes out of ignorance of such a holy presbyter, who apparently had an Angel of God in his service, for his purity. To tell the truth, I should not have taught my betters for the sake of my spiritual lewdness; but I feel sorry for you when I see that the enemy is very annoying to you with his evil machinations; and with this pity I am overcome and convinced to explain to you such things as are beyond me. You write that you cannot look at Mother Abbess with indifference, and therefore you withdraw in every possible way so as not to appear before her eyes. This is not good and not good for you; It is better to pray to the Lord God for her with zeal and faith, as best you can; Then, perhaps, the Lord will change her wrong concept about you, if necessary, because, according to the word of the Apostle, everyone who wants to live piously will be persecuted. Finally, you write that pride and arrogance sometimes bother you very much. Beware of these evil passions. From the example of the holy king, prophet David, it is clear that pride and arrogance are more harmful than adultery and murder. The latter led the prophet to humility and repentance, the former brought him to his fall, as he explains in one psalm, saying: reh, I will not move forever. After his fall, he said something completely different: I am a worm, and not a man, the reproach of men and the humiliation of people (Ps. 21:7). Read the chapter in the 1st book of Peter Damascene: “How can someone acquire the true faith.” 251. Evil THOUGHTS SHOULD NOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO YOURSELF I directed you to read in the 3rd part of the Philokalia (1st book) of St. Peter of Damascus the chapter: “How can anyone acquire the true faith.” There it is said about the evil ones: “no one can understand anything below, say anything about them or find anything, but the inventor of evil is the devil.” And below: “if the thought is exhausted and allows little, let it not be afraid, below it despairs, below let it attribute to its soul the words from the evildoer”... Read the whole chapter again with attention, and be at peace... What I wrote to you in the last letter, it was impossible not to tell you, for your confirmation for the future, and so that you understand the machinations of the enemy; but one should not be embarrassed and worried, but understand the malice of the enemy, and attribute enemy thoughts to it, and not to oneself. I repeat: be calm. I will briefly tell you something about the content of your first letter. You wrote that sometimes it seems to you that everything in you has died, and that you cannot understand yourself. In this case, read in the 1st part of the “Philokalia”, from the seven chapters of St. Gregory of Sinaite, (at the end), the last (7th): “About delusion, ideas and many other subjects,” and especially pay attention at the very end to the question and answer: “What will someone do, food is transformed into a bright angel?”, and in the middle of this chapter you will notice what is said that advice is then verified when it is based on the word of God and on patristic scripture. You also wrote that at times proud and arrogant thoughts attack you; but in the same letter, describing your state of mind, you say that you are like a broken building, without windows and without doors, and so on. Remember this very thing when proud thoughts come, and say to yourself: plundered, ruined, what is there to be proud of? 252. ABOUT THE VISIBLE APPEARANCE OF A DANCING DEMONS AND ABOUT THE REASONS FOR THIS PHENOMENON You describe a new temptation, wanting to know the reason why you gave such a reason to the enemy that he appeared before you visibly and danced for some time, boasting that he had invented a new and powerful trick for you to trick you. I think that this new trick consists in the fact that he managed to rob you with a lack of patience and love for your neighbor, arousing in you anger and discontent against others, starting with the elder person, with the sister living with you, so that towards everyone else a feeling appeared in you not only not of love, but, as it were, of remembrance and hatred. Such enmity by hostility and not entirely peaceful feelings towards others was the reason that for the last time you partook of such scattered and distracted feelings as, according to you, you never partook; because the Orthodox Church commands us to approach communion with peaceful feelings, alien to any complaint or dissatisfaction with others, as we read at the beginning of the prayers for Holy Communion: “... first reconcile yourself to those who have grieved you, even (that is, later) daring the mysterious evil of eating.” The angry siege, I think, was preceded by another imperceptible siege, but at the same time quite harmful. In general, I’ll tell you that the reason for allowing us to be tempted by the enemy’s temptations was clearly stated by the holy apostle with these words: let me not be arrogant, for I have become a foul of the flesh. The body of the apostle was annoyed by the beatings of the stick - three times fourty perhaps alone, but the enemy annoys us with his various insidious tricks. This, it seems, began in our monastery, and, as it seemed to me, for the reason that you paid attention to the wrong place in the place indicated to you (on page 93) from the book “Enraptured Classes”, where Mark the Ascetic writes that whoever begins the internal action of prayer should not pay attention either to bodily sorrows, or even to the wondrous creations of God, as the apostle says: Whoever separates us from the love of Christ; whether it be tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or trouble, or sword. And, continuing, he says: for neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities... neither the present nor the future (Rom. 8:35, 38). And Saint Isaac the Syrian says: “He who truly adheres to prayer and tries to observe its effect, even if the whole world were cursing, he does not and should not pay attention to it.” Lord, help our weakness as if we were weighed. Intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace. 253. THE ENEMY INSPIRES ANGER TO MAKE PEOPLE INCAPTABLE FOR PRAYER AND EVERY GOOD DEED In your letter dated December 7, you write that you and N have some kind of problem; it seems to you that she has changed a lot from before, and it seems to her that you have changed in your behavior; further, you yourself say that at least occasionally, you feel strong indignation and irritation. This is a temptation for both of you from the enemy, who does not tolerate if peace and mutual love are established; especially where people are concerned primarily with the feat of prayer, it is here that the enemy tries to create anger on both sides, which makes a person incapable not only of prayer, but also of any good deed. So, take care of yourself, calling on God’s all-powerful help; arm yourself against the machinations of the enemy, who seeks to inflict spiritual ruin on you, and try in every possible way to refrain from an angry disposition, remembering the apostolic word: Have peace and holiness with everyone, for whom no one else will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). 254. WHEN THE FEAR OF THE ENEMY ATTACKS, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO READ THE WORDS OF PSALM 26 AND OTHERS SIMILAR ...You complain about the fear of the enemy, which you had on some days, starting in the evening, and throughout the night it ended in absurd and very unpleasant dreams for you. When you feel such fear and an enemy attack, then it is useful for you, following the example of the ancient fathers, to pronounce (so that only your ears hear) with your lips the psalm words appropriate to this, for example: The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom I will fear... and the entire 26th psalm. Also: ... they cheated me, and in the name of the Lord they resisted them; I was like bees on a honeycomb, and I burned like fire among thorns: and in the name of the Lord I resisted them (Ps. 118:11-12). Also: Judge, O Lord, those who offend me, overcome those who fight me... (Ps. 34:1). Also: God, attend to my help, Lord, strive for my help (Ps. 69:2), and the like. From your own experience you will see how great the power of God-inspired psalm words is, which scorch and drive away mental enemies like fire. 255. YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT THE ENEMY BY REASONING, BUT BY HUMBLE PRAYER. ABOUT THE ORDER OF SPIRITUAL LIFE AND ABOUT LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR You write that sometimes you are occupied with the thought of how the Lucifer turned from a luminous Angel into Satan. You yourself know that from pride. But remember that you must now hold on to prayer more tightly, and not get carried away by any thoughts or reasoning, even if they happen on the sternal side, even, apparently, on the gums. Prayer with humility is an invincible weapon against the enemy, but you cannot defeat him with reasoning. The words heard by N., so as not to look into the abyss, so as not to make your head spin, this very thing can mean that you should not listen to any suggestions and ideas of the enemy, even plausible, even unseemly; do they mean a deep abyss that wouldn’t make anyone dizzy? Therefore, it is best to despise all the inspired nonsense of the enemy and adhere to the only one prayer of Jesus, with faith, and with humility, and with the hope that the Lord Himself will better cover and protect us and is able to give us everything we need. Saint Climacus says: “In the name of Jesus Christ, defeat the warriors; there is no stronger weapon against them, neither in heaven nor on earth.” And in the Acts of the Holy Apostles it is said (Acts 4:12): for there is no other name under heaven given... by which it is fitting that we should be saved. The enemy encourages you to seek high talents. You accept this suggestion in your own way, that is, with a useful thought, according to the testimony of Holy Scripture, from which it is clear that there is no higher gift than the gift of humility, as the Lord Himself says: he who humbles himself will be exalted. Seek this talent, strive for this talent. After humility, the second gift is cleansing from passions, especially from the main ones, from the love of glory, from extreme voluptuousness, and subtle lust. The cleansing of the soul from passions, by the grace of God, will be followed by its resurrection and union with the Lord, if only the soul, having left everyone and everything, cleaves with all its heart and with all its love to the One Lord. But, having experienced this love, John the Theologian clearly shows the main damage to love and its lack, the correction of which must be taken care of in every possible way. He says in his First Epistle: If anyone says that I love God but hates his brother, it is a lie (1 John 4:20). Although the grossest lack of love is exposed here, those who wish to draw closer to God must take care to eradicate even the slightest dislike for their neighbor, for which reason we were given the commandment: to bless those who persecute us. And the apostle added: bless, and do not curse. And finally, he concluded: If it is possible, from you, have peace with all people... not repaying a single person evil for evil. To achieve such a state of mind, pray more often for the main person with whom you complacently cannot meet, and he runs away from you. By God's permission, this is a temptation for both of you to be tested, to recognize your weakness, and to humility, so that we understand what the apostolic words mean: not high-minded, but humble-led (Rom. 12:14-19). 256. ENEMIES WITH NOISE AND HUMM INTERFERING WITH INNER PRAYER - WE MUST PRAY GOD TO DELIVER FROM THIS You write that your spiritual enemies have raised such a battle against you that they usually prevent you from performing your inner prayer, making noise and noise around you, like the dancing of a whole round dance; Why do you ask me, weak-minded, what should you do and what should you do in this case? We must imitate the saints of God, as they acted in similar cases. We read in the life of Arseny the Great that he sometimes, rising from inner prayer, publicly prayed with raised hands: “Lord my God! Do not forsake me, for I have done no good before You: but help me and make me worthy to make a beginning!” This short prayer of the saint of God expresses, firstly, great humility and self-reproach and self-abasement. Secondly, it is shown that the saint of God did not pray like that without a reason, but, apparently, he was fighting for a strict life with thoughts of exaltation from mental enemies who never leave alone, but fight everyone with whatever they can. Especially for us, the weak, we need to keep an eye on the thoughts of exaltation, which are the most harmful for us in spiritual warfare, as St. Mark the Ascetic explains: “Even if we were diligent about humility, we would not demand punishment: for all the evil and cruel things that happen to us happen because of our exaltation. Even if the apostle did not become arrogant, the angel Satan was quickly allowed to play dirty tricks on him; If we, who have been exalted, will be allowed to trample upon us even more than we, who have been exalted, will be allowed to trample upon us” (“Enraptured Classes.” A Word on Fasting and Humility). The Holy Climacus, on the other hand, protecting us from harm from the warfare of the enemy, sets up for us, like a certain stronghold, blessed humility, speaking about this in the 25th word like this: “Why at that time our mind, having enclosed itself in the ark of humility, does not stealthily stay away from the soul-tatters, and hears only the trampling and games of these thieves, but cannot do any of them be tempted. Because humility is such a treasure repository that is inaccessible to predators” (Section 4). I don’t think it’s superfluous to add to this another passage from this God-wise father: what it means to ascend, and what it means not to ascend, and what it means to humble yourself. “The first judges all the day; Although the second does not judge, he does not condemn himself either, while the third, not deserving condemnation, always condemns himself” (Article 25, Section 19). And again he says: “I saw true humility, and did not notice in it even a shadow of slander,” that is, mental reproach of others, much less anger at others; because you cannot be angry with your neighbor if someone does not first rise in thought above him, as one of the God-bearing fathers explains this. According to these testimonies of the saints of God, believing our humility, or the lack of it, or noticing the theft of the ascension, sincerely and with humility of mind, let us repeat before the Lord the aforementioned prayer of Blessed Arseny, rising to it when we are restless from our mental enemies that plague us. If, however, this prayer does not calm us down at all, then let us imitate Blessed Arseny in another action. He sometimes seated his disciples near him, complaining about the abuse of the enemy. You can sometimes place Sister P. near you, if necessary. Let him sit next to you in prayer, or stand and read some of the Gospel. That's how much the Lord put into my darkened mind and how much my feeble-mindedness allowed, I wrote to you. I consider it not superfluous to add this to what has been said: one brother came to the Monk Sisoes the Great and said: “Father! I constantly keep the memory of God behind your prayers,” that is, prayer. The elder answered: “It is not great; But it’s amazing if someone, with God’s help, can sincerely consider himself worse than any person, worse than any creature.” Read with attention the degrees 24 and 25 in the Ladder, and in the last degree, especially notice sections 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Yes, everything is fine here. 257. A MONK, HAVING ONLY NECESSARY FOR HIMSELF, DOES NOT SINK BY REFUSING SOMEONE ASKING You write about a worker who has died and ask whether this is not a temptation for you, that a thought instills in you pity for her and compels you to take care of her commemoration, so that out of the five rubles that you had, you gave two to the priests so that she could be remembered? I answer: of course, this is a temptation. The Holy Scripture says: do good to your neighbor as your hand can. And the Monk Barsanuphius the Great says that if a monk, having only what is necessary for himself, refuses the one who asks, he will not sin. Do you really live above the teachings of Barsanuphius the Great? You are constantly in need yourself; Should you think about monetary charity to your neighbors? If you give away the last thing that you yourself need, then the enemy, who always fights you with concern for your insufficient funds, will hurt you even more with this. Is it good for you, through unbearable charity, to plunge yourself into confusion, and care, and worries, when we have the Gospel commandment: do not worry! (Matthew 6:25). Reasoning, according to the teachings of the holy fathers, is higher than everything. If you feel pity for the deceased, then, given your position, it is more appropriate for you not to do monetary charity for her, but, if you want, to privately pray for her yourself, so that the Lord, as if He Himself, would have mercy on her soul. And I think that if you do this, then your pity and zeal, all this, will soon disappear. Moreover, above all, I will say that it is indecent and unhelpful for both of you to find out who lived and how they died. Why do you need to dust other people's rubbish and darken your eyes of soul and heart? The Lord says in the Gospel: Blessed are the pure in heart; that they will see God (Matthew 5:8). And whoever litters the eyes of his heart with other people’s rubbish, even under the pretext of pity, and for this reason cannot see God, who will approve of him? Wouldn't you rather regret it? 258. HOW TO WRITE ABOUT CONFORMING ISSUES ...You have a question, but you don’t know how to write it. If, with this question, you have a simple and calm desire to write, then you can write interrogatively: does such and such a state exist in a person? And is it right or wrong? And for what reason to the latter? If the desire to write this is mixed with a thought that is compulsory and confusing to the point of anxiety, then it is better to leave it, in every state, directing yourself to the commandments of God and preserving yourself from exaltation and the charms of the enemy always and in everything. If someone gets confused in the feat of prayer, then, in order to avoid ultimate harm, God’s Providence arranges them for leadership, and not the weak and emptyly boasting power of the enemy. Their business and occupation is only to confuse, confuse, and harm those who, out of cowardice or pride, succumb to their malicious suggestions. But, Lord, intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us with Your grace. 259. PRAYER FIRST OF ALL REQUIRES HUMILITY Read for yourself in the 4th part of the “Philokalia” a short story about the manner of attention to the prayer of Saint Callistus, Patriarch of Constantinople. The action you explained is not contrary to this legend. And in the description of the various prayer actions of the Siberian elder Basilisk, there is a chapter in which it is said that the elder felt the prayer cry in all his members and, as it were, some kind of ringing, as the simple-hearted elder put it. But just as with many prayer books the prayerful action of the heart varies, St. Mark the Ascetic gives the following advice and precaution to the ignorant: “one action is of grace, unknown to a child, and another of malice, likened to the truth. Do not look at such goodness, for the sake of charm, nor curse, for the sake of truth, but bring all your hope to God: for that is good news for both of you” (“About those who think that they will be justified by works,” chapter 28). You too adhere to this rule, shielding yourself from ignorance, and leaving everything to time and consideration according to the will of God, trusting that the Lord is strong to save you from the deception of the enemy, unless you yourself give a reason for this through conceit, presumption and self-reliance from theft, through which you were subjected to spiritual trouble, as you yourself notice, and you write that you could not recognize yourself as a sinner and worse than all creation, when I was preparing for Confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries. Be afraid of this misfortune, that is, from conceit, presumption and arrogance, through which the charm of the enemy comes and possesses a person. The Monk Isaiah the hermit writes: “If a person has ever been subjected to any sin, then until his death he cannot be without care regarding this sin, even if he raises the dead.” Saint Simeon the New Theologian, after lofty visions and revelations, always recounted his sins, not only committed in deed, but also in thought, saying this: “I am a sinner (in this) by will, I am a sinner accursed (in this) by will,” and the like. And you write that your heart persisted in recognizing yourself as a sinner. It is obvious that this was preceded by an imperceptible enemy attack by self-conceit and exaltation. In this case, with a contrite heart, one must fall to the Lord and pray for His goodness to deliver and heal the soul and heart from such darkness and blindness. And the most powerful demonic warfare, perhaps, is based on hidden or concealed conceit and conceit; or is tolerated in order not to ascend. If every virtue cannot take place without humility, then how much more prayer first of all requires humility, since those who pray deal with proud demons who, being themselves poor and having nothing, promise others wealth by showing other people’s banknotes. Their leader, Satan, was not ashamed to offer the Lord Himself the kingdom of peace. To which the Lord said to him in response: follow Me, Satan; For it is written: You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone (Matthew 4:10). Repeat the same in due time. Also know that prayer requires freedom from anger. The aforementioned Patriarch Callistus says: “Prayer, of course, replaces confusion. It is a sign that if I touch someone, he will not be embarrassed, even if the whole world warns him.” You ask if you did well by borrowing 5 rubles for the wanderer and giving her P.’s new boots, which she herself needed. I answer: not good, very bad, and very unfounded. Don't do this for any reason. It is not written anywhere to borrow money for alms, and to do such charity, which will inevitably be followed by embarrassment - for you or for others. It seems that I wrote to you the word and advice of Pimen the Great that a monk will not lie if he refuses to a person who asks for what he does not have when he does not have excess, beyond his needs; otherwise, he must, with embarrassment, obtain for himself what he foolishly gave to another. Your position requires great caution and sound discussion. 260. THE ROOT OF Blasphemy IS PRIDE To your last letter, I briefly answer that the state you are asking about is beyond doubt, because the name of the Lord Jesus is pronounced before other Divine names. But the only thing that is very doubtful is that you cannot recognize yourself as more sinful and worse than others. This feeling is clearly proud, from which blasphemous thoughts and blasphemous verbs are born and strengthened, as Saint Climacus testifies, saying: “The root of blasphemy is pride.” If you want to humble yourself, then always remember the word of one saint, who says that the most correct life of a Christian man is like only a font, and the commandments of God are like an immeasurable sea, as the psalmist says to the Lord (Ps. 119:96): Thy commandment is very broad. If you compare the great sea with a small tub of water, then there will be nothing for the ascendant to ascend with. The apostle does not say in vain: we have all sinned and are justified by the grace of Christ. To humble yourself, take help from the words of St. Gregory of Sinaite, written in the 115th chapter, and repeat them to yourself more often. Know that apart from humility and tears, it is impossible to get rid of blasphemy. You also wrote that some man came from whom you could smell the stench and stench, and then a strong scolding arose at you, and you carelessly let him into your cell; and you ask me who this is? Just a man obsessed with various passions, but, I think, sent to you by the encouragement of the enemy. You have experienced this abuse; and Sister N. experienced strong and prolonged abuse after a worldly woman sat on her bed. Forward, both of you, be careful in receiving worldly people, despising all plausible excuses for this, as I told you personally! “There is a time for every thing,” says the wise Sirach. There is a time to accept people and a time not to accept them. The Holy Fathers teach those who choose prayer to do other things, that such a person must leave the usual friendship of his former visitors, otherwise he cannot have success in his work, leaving a conversation with God and talking with people about vain things and objects, and sometimes unhelpful and harmful. It is not in vain that the Apostle and Saint Climacus say the same word: let him understand. Don’t worry about reading your father’s books when your inner feeling is not inclined towards it. Someone says: acquire God within yourself, and you will not need books. 261. TALK TO THE GIRL FIRST IN THE CHURCH ...You can first talk to the girl you are asking me about in church, after the service; if, after questioning her, you see that she lives according to God and according to her conscience, and is a solid girl, then you can receive her in her cell, no matter what. If you see it as unfounded, then you should not accept it. 262. GIVE A GIRL THE PATRIST BOOKS AND AVOID DISPUTES ...To the girl you are asking about, you can best read your father’s books, and interpret less. First you can give her Abba Dorotheus, and then Mark the Ascetic. You can accept it on condition, just don’t say that if he listens to you. And say this: “If you want to accept the teachings of the fathers, then you can come,” but if you don’t want to accept the teachings of the holy fathers and if you continue to argue, then don’t come, because such empty arguments waste your time, upset you, and are useless to her... More about the girl coming to you. When dealing with her, adhere to the experienced patristic advice: do not give a hand to a drowning man, but only give him a staff; if you are able to extract it from the depths, then good; If your strength is not enough, then leave your staff in his hands, and save yourself from drowning. Understand the verb. If you get upset from talking to her, then move away as much as possible, refraining from controversial conversation in every possible way. Anyone who does not want to listen to the words of the Holy Scriptures cannot be convinced by argument, but will only harm and upset themselves. The Apostle says (1 Cor. 11:16): If anyone wants to be contentious, we are not imams of such a custom, we are lower than the Church of God. Peace be with you. 263. DO NOT EXPECT ANY USE IN SPIRITUAL LIFE FROM AN ARGUMENTAL CHARACTER ...When you asked me about the famous girl, you didn’t write me a word about her mother, which also asks you to, meanwhile, if you had previously written to me what you are writing now, then the matter would have been clearer. However, even without knowing all the circumstances, I wrote to you to talk to this girl first in church, to get to know her; and the whole point of my letters was more inclined to not receive her in the cell. Now, since the confusion from the mother has been discovered, it turns out that you should not accept either the mother or the daughter; if your mother speaks against you to Mother Abbess, then you need to endure it: let it be what will be, and whatever God wills. You write that you feel sorry for the girl herself, because she “longs for salvation”; but with an argumentative character one can hardly expect that there will be any sense. In spiritual life there is nothing worse and more harmful than contentiousness. It sometimes hides for a while, and then again appears in its former strength; and if the matter drags on, then it can be more difficult to untie it. Let this girl read Abba Dorotheus; and if he wishes, then, as this reverend and God-bearing father teaches, let him hold on. 264. A GIRL CAN COME TO OPTina, BUT DO NOT PLACE IT IN YOUR CELL ...A famous girl, if she wishes, can be with us in Optina. And regarding her desire to enter a monastery so that you would take her into your cell, you yourself know that she has no place to stay with you; and if you take her to you, then your life should be upset. 265. TEMPTATIONS OF THE ENEMY – DO NOT FROM SECRET AND INVISIBLE SINS? PRAY WITH HUMILITY FOR CLEANSING FROM THEM The enemy's noise continues to annoy you, and enemies manage in every possible way to hurt your soul with arrows of pride and exaltation. And you, understanding the cunning of the enemy, and at the same time the destruction and harm of these passions, that is, pride and exaltation, try to humble yourself before God and people, and with self-reproach confess your weakness to the Lord, so that He will give you His all-powerful help and deliverance. The Lord Himself said: without Me you cannot do anything. And through the prophet he says: unless the Lord preserves the city, it will be in vain. And Saint Climacus, on behalf of the passions, that is, pride and exaltation, says: “If a person reproaches himself sincerely and sincerely before the face of God, he will despise us like a spider’s web.” Are there, or are there not, any hidden infirmities in your soul, for the sake of which your enemies are still strengthening themselves and boring you to the point of exhaustion? If you can’t find anything like that, then still pray with humility to God with the psalm words: who understands the Fall? Cleanse me from my secrets, and have mercy on Thy servant from alien ones. All the holy fathers have a unanimous answer and advice in such cases: in every temptation, victory is humility, self-reproach and patience, of course, while asking for help from above. Pray for this to the Queen of Heaven and to all the saints of God in whom you have special faith, so that they will help you get rid of the delusion of demons. First of all, consider your spiritual disposition, whether you are peaceful with everyone, whether you condemn anyone. 266. WHEN PRAYING THERE SHOULD BE HUMILITY ...The enemy is attacking you heavily. This is obviously because you both love to pray, but you probably haven’t acquired the humility necessary for this. And it turns out that with prayer you only provoked the enemy; and not having the necessary humility, you do not have the necessary weapons against him. St. Philotheus of Sinai, in the 13th chapter, says: “We need a lot of humility in order to keep our minds about the Lord, first before God and before people... lest imams scold the proud with demons.” And the monk Hesychius the presbyter, in the 20th chapter, says that at every moment of time it is fitting for the ascetic to have attention and humility during prayer: for he has a war with proud and opposing demons, but to have the help of Christ in the hand of his heart, for the Lord hates the proud. Read the indicated two chapters for yourself in the 2nd part of the Philokalia. First of all, consider your heart - is there not a thought and opinion lurking in your soul that, at least a little, you live better than others. Such a thought clearly reveals in us a proud conceit, for which, according to the word of Saint Isaac the Syrian, prodigal warfare and torment from demons with this warfare are allowed. St. Mark the Ascetic, in his “Sermon on Fasting and Humility,” says: “If we tried to practice humility, then there would be no need to punish us; for all the evil and sorrowful things that happen to us happen to us for our reward. If an angel of Satan was allowed to attack the apostle, so that he would not become arrogant, and play dirty tricks on him, how much more on us, when we become arrogant, Satan himself is allowed to trample on us until we humble ourselves.” Mothers and sisters, strive for salvation through common strength, especially remember that the wrath of God does not accomplish the righteousness of God. 267. EXPLAINS THE APOSTOLIC WORDS: WALK AS CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT It is useful for all of us to remember the apostolic word (Eph. 5:8): walk as children of light; For there is spiritual fruit in all goodness and righteousness and truth. And the same word, in another place, the apostle repeats on the other hand (Eph. 6:14): Therefore gird your loins with truth, and put on the breastplate of righteousness, and put on your shoes, for the preparation of the gospel of peace. The word “truth” should mean the commandment of love for God; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The word “truth” means the commandment to love your neighbor: love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:37–39). And since this commandment is not always easy to fulfill, the apostle commands us to put on “the armor of righteousness,” that is, not to be angry, not to condemn, not to envy, to endure insults, reproaches and humiliation, to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to pray for those who create evil and drive us out. The words “the fruit of goodness” and “the gospel of peace” mean kindness, simplicity in relation to one’s neighbor, and all benevolence and friendliness, according to what was said: have peace and holiness with everyone. Seek peace and marriage. Or, as the Church now sings: “We will forgive everything through the Resurrection.” 268. WHEN TEMPTATION FROM THE DEVIL, RESULT TO THE STRONGTH OF HUMILITY You also write that the hum continues. What to do?.. We must endure. Saint John Climacus writes that even humble people hear the trampling of spiritual thieves, but cannot be tempted by any of them, because their mind, having enclosed itself in the ark of humility, does not steal away from the thieves. In this temptation, you too should resort to the stronghold of humility, which is inaccessible to predators. Peace be with you. 269. DO NOT GIVE IN TO THE FEAR OF THE ENEMY You write about your worries, and fears, and assumptions about the future... Rely on the will of God, repeat to yourself that what God wills will happen, and that the all-good Lord, through His Divine Providence, will arrange for us in every possible way good, useful and saving things. Try not to succumb to the fear of the enemy; and when anxious thoughts intensify, answer them like this: “God is with us,” and so on. “Even if you are able again, and again you will be victorious: for God is with us. And even if you hold counsel, the Lord will destroy you: for God is with us. And the word that ye say, shall not abide in you: For God is with us. We will not be afraid of your fear, nor will we be troubled: for God is with us... Let us sanctify the Lord our God, and He will be our fear: for God is with us... And if I trust in Him, it will be for my sanctification: for God is with us. And I will trust in Him, and I will be saved by Him: for God is with us” (see Isa. 8:9-17). 270. IT IS A SINITY TO SAY THAT THERE WILL BE NO CONJUNCTION NEITHER IN THIS LIFE OR IN THE FUTURE ...You write about the upset situation of N-..us. What to do?.. She is wrong in that she cares too much about the external. But when a person is in temptation, you need to be patient with him, just as he inspires a good thought in you. You yourself see that it would be better, for the sake of love, to interrupt the slumber and listen to N, because love is not only higher than our peace, but also prayer itself; for which she was soon punished with a demonic cold. You write that it is true that we will not find joy and mercy either in this life or in the future... It is not good to think and speak like that, especially for you, who have experienced a lot of obvious mercy from the Lord. Whoever does not have joy here and endures it patiently can fully hope that there, that is, in the future life, he will receive joy, great and unspeakable. Take courage and strength, and trust in the help and mercy of God. Convey N... greetings about the Lord and good wishes - not to worry beyond measure about external needs, but to seek first the Kingdom of God, and all this will be added to us, according to the false promise of the Lord Himself. Peace be with you! 271. ABOUT THE FEAR OF SUDDEN DEATH AND ABOUT FREQUENT COMMUNION OF THE HOLY MYSTERIES You write that you are afraid of sudden death. Trust in God to save you from this. You also write that you would like to partake of the Holy Mysteries more often, but this will not be allowed to you. You can do this: when you become unwell, you can pretend that your illness is the reason and ask to be admitted to the cell. Peace to you and your spirit. 272. ABOUT THE THOUGHT OF HAVING YOUR OWN CELL ...Concerning the cell: “to have it or not to have it”...consider the thoughts that disturb you about this as a fierce enemy temptation to confuse you and distract you from the real matter. It will be the will of God, and it will be useful for you to have your own cell, the Lord is strong to arrange this, but you should not achieve what is not useful. The omniscient God knows better than we do what is useful, useful and convenient for us. We, for our part, must firmly remember the apostolic word: everything will work for the good of those who love God. And try in every situation and place, and under every circumstance, to adhere to the good, and, above all, to the good hope, believing the word of the Climacus, that sometimes God benefits a person even in the opposite. It is said in the Psalms: There is peace for many who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them (Ps. 119:165). Therefore, if something confuses or tempts us, then we must reproach ourselves for our lack of love for the law of God, and humble ourselves, and ask for mercy and help from the Lord. Peace be with you and pray for me, a sinner. 273. YOU CAN’T BE LEADED BY DESIRE ALONE, WITHOUT REASONING ...The tempters and their leader brought a great temptation upon you, and this is clear from the fact that your far-flung relatives moved to console you and calm you down. From now on, most of all, beware of being cowardly and do not rush, but be careful, as you recently made a mistake. Not having found a comfortable cell, she announced to everyone that you were moving. It is not without reason that it is said in the “Fatherland” that reasoning is higher than all virtues, and you are led by desire alone, without reasoning, without considering ahead whether the fulfillment of this desire will be convenient, and forgetting the Gospel word of the Lord Himself, who says (Matthew 16:24): if anyone wants to walk after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and come after Me. The cross signifies the sorrows and inconveniences of present life. Peace be with you! Be smart for your salvation. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the power of darkness! But darkness will remain darkness. And let us look to the light. 274. ABOUT SPIRITUAL WANDERING. THE ENEMY CONFUSES WITH CARE OF HIS OWN CELL You write that in the enemy’s temptation you became convinced of the idea of ​​traveling. But this statement is not firm. You are not able to travel - due to your poor health and your rank, it is indecent and incongruous for you, and even inconvenient and impracticable. And, besides, spiritual pilgrimage does not consist in wandering around the world, but in living in one place and spending a wandering life, not having your own corner, as the Lord Himself testifies to His wandering, saying: foxes have wounds, and birds of the sky have nests; But the Son of Man has no place to bow his head (Matthew 8:20). The leader of our spiritual enemies tempts you, confuses you, and confuses you with concerns about acquiring your own cell. But we must wait for the will of God for everything; Likewise, regarding the cell, one must rely on the will of God: the Lord deigns for us to have our own cell - good and good; does not favor you - you need to be patient and submit to His all-holy will. The all-good Providence of God always arranges for us what is more useful for us. We, out of ignorance, often strive for the opposite. From time immemorial the killer threatened to kill, but it is said that this hour has not come. The Lord alone knows whether he will be allowed to carry out this crime, or whether he will not be allowed to do so at all. The martyrs, surrendering to the will of God, some died a martyr's death, while others, according to the will of God, simply died in prison. Let us also surrender to the will of God and the all-good Providence of the Lord, so that good and saving things will be arranged for us, as is the news, and as will be pleasing to Him. 275. THE DEATH OF A voluptuous MAN IS HEAVY, BUT A HARDWORKING MAN IS EASY You grieve over the premature death of your nephew and the painful death of your sister. You write that you cannot forget the grave sufferings of your sister, who, in your opinion, lived well in the world. To this end, I’ll give you an example that I think is best known to you. One Palestinian monk, returning from Jerusalem, saw the glorious burial of one mayor; and when he came to his cell, he found his holy elder torn to pieces by a lion... And the Monk Mark the Ascetic writes that if a person is inclined to a joyful life, then his outcome is not easy, but difficult, due to the inclination to a voluptuous life, as it is said in the 20th chapter about the spiritual law: a voluptuous heart is a prison and bonds for the soul during the outcome; A hardworking heart has an open door. No matter how you receive the mercy of God - whether it is difficult or easy, just to receive it, but only the humble receive it easily, as the Lord Himself testifies to this in the Holy Gospel, saying (Matthew 11:29-30): learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls: for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Our late elder, Father Macarius, recently appeared in a dream to his disciple, tormented by bewilderment, and said: “Be patient, fight and be forced to walk the narrow path.” The word is short, but significant and necessary for all of us until the end of our lives. While doing this, pray for yourself and for me, a sinner. Peace be with you. 276. THE ENEMY TRY TO INflict SOME SINNLY WOUND ON THE ASCETS, AT LEAST BEFORE DEATH, IN ORDER TO PREVENT THEM IN THE TRANSITION TO THE FUTURE LIFE Recently, in the midst of a lack of leisure, I opened the interpretation of the psalms of Basil the Great and the passage opened: God, my God... save me... from those who persecute me, and deliver me: lest, like a lion, snatch away my soul, I am not the one who delivers, but the one who saves (Ps. 7:2-3). Saint Basil the Great writes that these words refer to ascetics whom the enemy tempts in every possible way, especially before death, in order to inflict some kind of wound on them, or at least put some kind of stain on them, so that when they leave, it will have its own sign to hold back and hinder the transition to the future blessed life. It is useful for us to pray these psalm words: God, my God, save me from those who persecute me, and deliver me. 277. ADVICE TO THOSE WHO LOST WARMTH AND CONSOLIATION OF PRAYER AND OVERWHELMED BY STILLY THOUGHTS I received your letter. You write that you are attacked by lustful thoughts, but from prayer you do not have the consolation that you had before, and you do not feel warmth. Continue to force yourself to pray, do not become discouraged and do not grow cold. Although you are sometimes defeated in your thoughts, again, with a new fervor of jealousy and zeal, turn to God, and in humility of spirit and hope in His mercy, continue the usual prayers at home and in church, surrendering all of yourself to the will of God. Take care of your conscience and eyes; have the fear of God; think more often about death, about the Last Judgment, and about the fact that if now you do not control yourself in a God-pleasing good life, then later you will completely weaken towards goodness. Arm yourself against lustful thoughts by abstinence in food and sleep; try to always be at work and busy, and most of all, always have humility and self-reproach in everything, do not judge anyone. Humility consists in not judging or reproaching anyone and having simple clothes and furnishings in the cell. Asking for you the peace and blessing of God, I remain with sincere goodwill. 278. YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE ON THE BACKGROUND WORK OF TREATING FROM SPIRITUAL ILLNESSES You are still worrying about some letter of yours, which seems to have not been received by me, in which something necessary for you was written. To calm down, write about it again. Yesterday I sorted through your letters; and I have a whole bunch of them, important and unimportant. And most important of all is the letter in which you write that, out of pity and imaginary love, you took on something other than your job - to treat your sister, who is sick with a non-physical illness. I told you personally, and now I repeat: do not take on such matters in the future. If Pimen the Great, out of humility and self-protection, avoided such matters, having a gift for this from the Lord, who are you that you dare to do these things unsolicited. Again, I repeat: do not dare to do such things if you do not want to be subjected to strong temptations and bring upon yourself, firstly, unbearable carnal abuse, secondly, attack and persecution from mental enemies, and thirdly, persecution from people. What is the need to bring such terrible temptations upon oneself? The Monk Simeon of Euchaite advises to evade those possessed by evil spirits, since there have been cases when the enemy confused spiritual people through them. Despite the imaginary pity and imaginary love, under which conceit and arrogance are subtly hidden, you yourself should know what bitter fruits come from these passions. Listen to the Scripture that says: “Everyone who is high-hearted is an abomination to the Lord.” Look at the Apostle Paul, what he says. Does he not command that such a one be handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ? Here is an example of true philanthropy. And you are concerned to save a person from the exhaustion of the flesh in order to give him temporary peace of mind, perhaps hiding behind imaginary spiritual benefits. But this matter is beyond you. You are not a priest or priest who, through skillful confession, has the spiritual power to help such people; but even in this case, perfect healing will not always follow. This depends only on the will of God, and on the beck of the Lord Himself, Who provides for everyone and arranges what is useful, and beneficial for the soul, and saving. People are not only not strong enough to do anything on their own, but they also do not always understand what is beneficial for a person. Although sometimes we imagine ourselves being zealous and showing pity for our neighbors, we very often do not understand either others or ourselves; but we are only drawn into this by subtle conceit and arrogance. Let this sick woman be forced to confess to your new confessor what she announced to you; and then it will be seen whether there will be a need to come to us. If you want to have real pity for such people, then you can advise them to sincerely confess their sins to their spiritual father, and not be ashamed to hide anything, since a person is punished not only for sins, but more for unworthy Communion of the Holy Mysteries. On your own, due to your zeal, it is very, very unhelpful for you to listen to such sins, for the sake of the temptations mentioned above. Until your new boss gets settled in, live, albeit with difficulty, wherever you have to; and there, perhaps, the Lord will help you get better if you try to refrain from arbitrary, unsolicited zeal towards your neighbors. Forgive and leave. 279. DESPONDERNESS COME BOTH FROM VANITY AND FROM BACKGROUND zeal You write that you are worried about two thoughts: one says to go to Troekurovo, and the other says not to go anywhere from your cell and teach yourself inner vigil. You ask which thoughts you should adhere to. Neither one nor the other. Live in Sevsk, and teach yourself for now external vigil, having the fear of God and, perhaps, all possible internal attention. Don't trust your dreams. You notice that you feel despondent from a lot of fuss, and from missing the rules, as well as from a lot of compulsion and labor. Let me add to this: despondency can also come from vanity, when something is not done our way, or others interpret us differently than we would like. There is also despondency from unbearable zeal. Measure is good in everything. There is a spiritual age, as well as an external age. Just as nine-year-olds cannot undertake things that are appropriate for twenty-year-olds, so it happens in spiritual life: with unbearable and unreasonable zeal you can tear your own spiritual stomach. And if the Lord saves someone from this, then at least He will take the labor and sorrow in vain. “The slower you go, the further you will go,” said the experienced ones. It is harmful to neglect what is due, but it is unsafe to go beyond one’s limits. Hold on to three things above all: the fear of God, humility and constant repentance. 280. LIFE AS A MONK – IN PATIENCE AND HUMILITY Congratulations on your tonsure into the ryassophore - this is the first degree of monasticism. I sincerely wish you to live from here on as a monk, in patience, and humility, and in the fear of God, and guarding your conscience, as required by the commandments of God, starting with sincere repentance before God and your spiritual father. The beginning of beginnings is patience with the coming sorrows - to endure reproaches not only from elders, but also from younger ones, recognizing our faults, for which we must endure, with humility and gratitude, so that the Lord makes amends and forgives our sins. I repeat, force yourself to humility and patience in front of your boss, recognizing your guilt, and if it’s innocent, then it’s even more useful to be patient. 281. THE SOUL IS CLEANSED BY EXTERNAL INCONVENIENCES. PREMATURE SOLITUDE IS HARMFUL I received your letter, in which you explain your grief regarding not having your own cell and regarding the inconvenience of living in other people’s cells in a crowded environment. On the one hand, it’s fair: it’s really uncomfortable to live in such cramped conditions as you live, but on the other hand, your grief, to the point of mental exhaustion, can neither be approved nor called right. If we wish to inherit the Kingdom of Him Who during earthly life had no place to lay our head, then are we doing the right thing by being cowardly to the point of exhaustion regarding external inconveniences? Whereas through them and through them our sinful soul is cleansed as in a crucible. Although I personally told you how much you have damaged yourself with an unreasonable desire, even now I notice that you still trust the guidance of an enticing desire, apparently ostensibly good, but still unreasonable and contrary to the fatherly writings, which say that anyone who wants a solitary life must first learn among people patience, humility, kindness and long-suffering from reproach and humiliation and inconvenience, and it is added that it cannot be otherwise. Saint Climacus says that the silence of the body is the orderliness of external feelings, and the silence of the soul is the orderliness of thoughts. Try to learn this silence. To the sisters where you live, you can say this: if you want me to live with you, then remain silent and, unless absolutely necessary, do not tell different stories, and do not make inappropriate questions. Let us better live in silence, each listening to our own conscience with the fear of God. If otherwise, then I cannot stay with you for long. Be respectful to your mother-treasurer, but on occasion, say frankly that you are clueless and can only confuse yourself in front of your superiors. Just take your leave. Finally, you write that you want to pray and pray: pray silently, seeking only the mercy and will of God, whether you are in church, whether outside the church, whether you are walking, sitting, or lying down, pray: “Lord, have mercy, as you weigh, as you will.” 282. FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD STOMACH AND DEATH How should you be in your present cell, with an illiterate schema-monastic woman, with a collector who has no will to become a monk, and with a blind woman - how you should behave in this society, I cannot give you specific instructions about this, but look for yourself, and judge, and look only for your own spiritual benefit, and take care not to suffer any mental harm. Manage in the midst of your present inconveniences. They tell you to read something, read something, even Abba Dorotheos, but without any interpretations or teachings. “This is what Abba Dorotheos writes,” and read; and don’t add anything from yourself. Remember the words spoken in old age: from your neighbor belly and death. There is no need to publicly announce my letters; You can remain silent when you can. But I will say briefly: manage to gain life and avoid death by living with those with whom you live, trying to have what is commanded by the Apostle, that is, goodness, mercy, compassion and love, which is the fulfillment of the law; but how?.. - listen to the same apostle (Gal. 6:2): Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. 283. DON'T TRUST DREAMS. PITY AND DILIGENCE DO NOT EXIST WITHOUT HARDNESS AND SORRY After the holiday I received two letters from you. I am sending you ten rubles for your needs. You can use the cloth at your discretion; but remember only, during the reading of the Psalter and in cell and church prayers, John and Sophia from your children. Because of their diligence, money is sent to you. If you are diligent, you can add the names of their children: maidens N., O., youths I., Dm., M., babies S, Ek., N. And most importantly, remember their parents, as much as you are mentally inclined to do so. Don't believe your dreams; this is an obvious temptation from the enemy, since it makes you stand out above all others. Also, don’t believe that it’s like you grabbed it with both hands. You never know what you can rake with your hands. Regarding the incomprehensible temptation, I will tell you that it was allowed because, out of your zeal, you took part in sister Anna; for this she must bear the burden of her temptation. There would be many people who would show pity and zeal for nothing. But since through such zeal one has to bear burdens, sorrow, and temptation, not many people continue such zeal. For deliverance, pray like this: “Lord! for the prayers of a relative... Venerable Ioannikis, help me, the accursed.” To sisters K... and E... you can answer: since now the circumstances in our monastery are complicated, and you are cowardly and fickle, and go to many cells, then I cannot take close part in you, so as not to bring sorrow and trouble upon myself. When M.N. comes, then you can look for another cell, more convenient. Forward, know and know how to show pity and to whom. 284. BETTER IS A SINNER THAT REPENTS THAN A RIGHTEOUS ASSISTANT You write that it is better not to sin than to repent. It is good not to sin, but it is commendable for the one who has sinned to repent. If you stay on the first one, good; and if you cannot resist, there is no other way to appease God than to repent. And what you explained, you shouldn’t have stammered about it, and your stammering indicates false shame. I will also say: God is more pleased with a sinner who repents than a person who has not sinned but is exalted. It is better to repent having sinned than to be proud of it without sinning. The Pharisee refrained from sin, but for exalting and condemning the publican, he lost his righteousness before God, and the publican, who had sinned a lot, through a humble consciousness and bearing reproach from the Pharisee, received not only forgiveness of sins, but also delighted in the justification of the Pharisee. Go you too on the path of publican humility; this is the safest way. 285. IF OUR REQUEST TO GOD IS NOT FULFILLED, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERYTHING IN THE GOSPEL IS NOT SAID TRUE; THERE ARE REASONS FOR THIS I was very upset by your reckless self-thinking regarding the Gospel, as if something could be said in the Gospel teaching that is not true. You present the reason that your long-standing desire and request is not being fulfilled, contrary to what is supposedly said in the Gospel (Matthew 7:7): Ask, and it will be given to you. Therefore, you are the fool of fools, and your reckless opinion is nothing more than a charm from the charms of the enemy, the beginning of which was your own pride, which, although it was covered for a time with the guise of external humility, but finally showed its great trouble. Think for yourself how great pride is: if our request is not fulfilled, then it turns out that there may be something wrong in the Gospel teaching. This saddens me all the more because, I remember, I already wrote to you about this the word of Saint Climacus, degree 26, department 60, where he says: “Everyone who asks God for something and does not accept it, of course, for one of these reasons does not receive it: either that they ask ahead of time, or not according to dignity and with vanity; either because, having received what they asked, they would have become proud, or because, having received their desire, they would have fallen into negligence.” And Saint Isaac the Syrian, in the 33rd word, says: “Not every desire is good, from God flows into the heart, but one that is useful (that is, only truly useful). Sometimes a person desires good, and God does not help him; moreover, a certain desire like this also comes from the devil; and then it is not expected to be of help (but erroneously), and the multiplicity of his faith is not, and the devil himself contrives harm to him, and forces a person to seek this, having not yet achieved the habitation of that one, or his image is alien, or there is no time, and it is not powerful to fulfill this, or to move forward, or he is not satisfied with the thing, or the mind, or the body, or time does not give us a hand, and in every way, through the guise of this good thing, it either confuses him, or harms his body, or hides a snare in his mind.” After everything, I will say: humble yourself, leave your madness, and for this sin, for 40 days, make 15 bows with the prayer: “Lord, forgive my madness and sin!” 286. GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE You ask that you be notified soon whether the promised benefactors will give you anything to pay off your debt for the cell, otherwise you and your sister must give up half of the cell to someone and accept a friend. We answer this: there were and are such benefactors who can pay up to one and a half hundred rubles, which I already informed you about in one letter, saying this: if you can come to us on foot with your sister, you will receive more, and if you come on a horse (or two) with your sister, or with someone else, you will receive less, because from the same money you need to pay for transportation. But you answered my letter proudly that you couldn’t come on foot because you were weak, and you didn’t write anything else. I advise you to look around and look at yourself from all sides with the lamp of the Gospel teaching, otherwise considerable pride is visible in you. You yourself should know that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Mother Abbess forbids you to give advice to the sisters in any cases; and you discuss this prohibition with proud indignation. It is better to humble yourself and submit in the simplicity of your heart to the prohibition of your mother abbess, as it is said: there is no... power unless it is from God... you who resist the power of God resist the command (Rom. 13:1). I will also remind you that you have been sufficiently punished for your untimely and inappropriate jealousy, and therefore you need to humble yourself and submit to the will of God, expressed through the lips of those in authority. I repeat: humble yourself, and then you can receive the indicated money through the mail, or in person, at the end of August, if you decide to come to us. 287. THOSE WHO MOVE TO ANOTHER MONASTERY ALWAYS EXPERIENCE MEANING Living in the monastery there, do not be surprised that sometimes melancholy weighs down your soul. Everyone who moves to another monastery feels this, no matter where they go. Especially beware of murmuring against anyone. Murmuring is the worst and most harmful of all. It’s healthier and calmer to blame yourself for everything and everything, rather than others. We must especially beware of murmuring against the Providence of God, who through the Mother of God arranges for us all that is good and beneficial for our souls. Only we humans, due to our cowardice, are often madly agitated and recklessly grieving for the spiritual benefit provided to us. 288. THE ENEMY RISES AGAINST PRAYER MOST OF ALL. THE QUALITY OF A PRAYER IS DETERMINED BY ITS END Regarding mental and heartfelt prayer, to which you are so inclined, I will say that our spiritual enemy does not rebel against any virtue as much as against prayer, especially mental and heartfelt prayer; By all means, he incites a person to anger and unpeace against others, who, through their own foolishness, and together at the instigation of the enemy, prevent us from living an attentive life. Blessed Elijah Ekdik writes: “Whenever you pray as you should, expect one as you should not, that is, angry indignation (“Philokalia”, part 4). Patriarch Callistus, in the 14th chapter “On Prayer,” writes: “If you want to understand how to pray, look at the end of attention, or prayer, and do not be deceived. Sowing the end, beloved, there is everlasting tenderness, contrition of the heart, love for one’s neighbor. The opposite is obvious: the thought of lust, the whispering of slander, hatred of one’s neighbor, and the like is similar” (“Philokalia”, part 2). The Venerable Hesychius presbyter writes in chapter 20: “It is fitting for one who strives inwards to have these four things at every moment of time: humility, extreme attention, contradiction and prayer. Humility, because it fights with the proud and opposing demons, so as to have the help of Christ in the hand of the heart, the Lord hates the proud. Pay attention, let your heart always create not a single thought, even if it were good. The contradiction, and when the one who comes quickly understands, Abiye with anger contradicts the evil one (in psalm words): I answer, he says, the word of those who reproach me: Does not my soul obey God? Due to the contradiction, let Abiy cry out to Christ with silent groaning. And then strive to see the enemy being destroyed, or driven away by the worshiped name: “Jesus,” like dust from the wind, or like smoke disappearing with his dreams.” And in chapter 31: “It is fitting for us, who stay in the community, to voluntarily and with a good heart, cut off all our will before the abbot, and thus help God, we are well-bridled and we ourselves are not as if we are involuntary. It is proper to have cunning in this, so that we are not embarrassed by bile, and we are driven by our rage wordlessly and supernaturally, and so we are not daring to face the invisible battle of those who find themselves. It is our custom, which we do not voluntarily cut off, to be angry at those who are beginning to force us to cut it off: and because of this, angry rage, stirred up, destroys the understanding of warfare, which is barely possible to acquire with much difficulty. Vegetatively, rage is natural, if demonic thoughts are inspired, it corrupts and destroys them; if it becomes indignant against people, it corrupts the good thoughts in us. Fury, if it happens, I see, corrupts all thoughts, whether evil or right. For the weapon is from God, and the bow has been given to us, if we do not hold it in both. Although the difference is effective, it is destructive. I am as impudent as a dog in corrupting sheep” (“Philokalia”, part 2). Those who are zealous about prayer should always remember the words of the Lord Himself (Matthew 7:21): Not everyone who says to Me: Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of God, but do the will of My Father who is in heaven. The will of the Heavenly Father is declared in the Gospel commandments, the fulfillment of which is the only unforgettable path of salvation. On this path there must be three signs: humility, mercy and love, which differ only in their names; their properties are the same. The entire demonic regiment below can look at this trinity of virtues (“Philokalia”, part 2. Callista and Ignatius, chapter 73). The Monk Mark the Ascetic in his “Word on Repentance” says: “The right thing for beginners, intermediate and perfect people is: prayer, purification of thoughts and patience with the sorrows that befall us. Without these three, other virtues cannot be performed. And prayer itself cannot be performed without purifying thoughts and enduring sorrows. In this triple-woven rope, if one thread is broken somewhere, other threads are also broken there.” The Apostle Paul expresses the same thing in his First Epistle to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 5:14–18): be patient with everyone... Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything: this is the will of God. And the Apostle James explains when we should rejoice, that is, when we fall into various sorrowful temptations by which our faith is tested, and together our sins are cleansed. Due to extreme lack of time, I wanted to write to you briefly, but due to the importance of the subject it was impossible to write briefly. Help you, Lord, to strengthen yourself, sister, in the feat of prayer, and to acquire true prayer, and not some tempting prayer, as John the Theologian denounces us in his Epistles: if anyone says that he loves God, but hates his brother, that is a lie. And this is the commandment of the imams, that he who loves God, loves his brother. 289. DON’T THINK ABOUT CHANGING LOCATION Don’t think about changing your place, unless you grieve, but rather thank the Queen of Heaven for allowing you to spend the rest of your days in such a place. When you are bothered by inconveniences, or painful sufferings, or something similar, then try not to lose from your memory the word of the Holy Scripture (Acts 14:22): through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 290. HOLD TO THE FEAR OF GOD, KEEPING YOUR CONSCIENCE AND KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS Maintain the fear of God, guard your conscience, and keep God’s commandments; then you will see how you need to act in unimportant cases, taking into account local circumstances. Whatever you find yourself guilty of before God and before people, repent of it and humble yourself, do not dare to judge or condemn anyone, but in any unpleasant case, try to place the blame on yourself and not on others, either for your sins, or for the fact that you gave rise to grief through your carelessness and lack of skill. 291. CONSIDE ALL OBEDIENCE AS ORDERED FROM THE LORD THROUGH PEOPLE In your letter you describe your weaknesses and ask for my sinful advice so that you can improve. Try to act in everything according to God’s commandments, and remember that the Lord is present and sees your disposition of heart. When fulfilling obedience, consider that it has been entrusted to you from the Lord through a person, and your salvation depends on the diligence of its fulfillment. Consider everyone better than yourself, but reproach yourself and despise yourself in every possible way, and do not be ashamed to bow down and ask forgiveness from your neighbor for your weaknesses when you have something against someone. Honor every day as if it were your last, and with your thoughts often place yourself at the judgment of God. Say a prayer unceasingly in your heart: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the Mother of God have mercy on me, a sinner.” 292. DON’T WORK ON HOLIDAYS, DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DEAD You should not work on holidays; Enough weekdays. Don't be afraid of the dead, because not one of them got up. This fear is from the enemy of the soul; constantly say the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” and do not be afraid, overcome your fear, and God will help you. 293. PRAYER RULE IS EASIER FOR THE SICK You write to me about your painful condition, that you are extremely exhausted, and yet the common meal cannot satisfy you, as a result of which you often grumble. And, despite such exhaustion, you have imposed on yourself the feat of going to all church services and, in addition, you read the Akathist, Gospel and Psalter in your cell every day, chapter by chapter, as a result of which you have no time to rest and no zeal for obedience. If you are sick, you may not go to church services on weekdays at all, because you can only remain healthy until the Six Psalms if you are obedient. I advise you to completely abandon the cell rule that you have imposed on yourself and use this time for rest, then you will be more willing to obey, and your spirit will be calmer. Do not forget that obedience is higher than fasting and prayer, and try to refrain from grumbling to the best of your ability. Continue to fulfill the commandments of Father P. and do not work on holidays. Cast your sorrow upon the Lord and He will nourish you. 294. UNWILLIFIED AGE AND HIGH MIND LEADS TO TEMPTATIONS In the letter sent by the treasurer with your mother, and in another, you write something about lofty things, about inner teaching, about mental prayer, that your prayer works by itself and on time! This is somehow unlike real work, and portends more danger than spiritual success. Our spiritual measure with you is still very small; you rush to the high, and write to me about the high, but keep silent about the low, saying only, as if in passing, that sometimes sorrows happen to you, but you don’t explain which ones. To put it more directly: you sometimes want to serve as an elder and teach your cellmates, and here you sometimes experience annoyances and reproaches, which you, in your own way, without further explanation, call the sorrows that happen, keeping silent about your unblessed teaching, for which, not only are there reproaches and annoyances from the outside, but sometimes strong carnal abuse is tolerated. Therefore, you must first admonish yourself and teach yourself what is due, without doubt and blindness, because you fled from M.P., as if avoiding the praise attributed to you, and then you yourself began to solicit this from the unsolicited teaching of the cell, although you had not noticed this until now. The passion of love of fame and curiosity is subtle and varied, elusive and difficult to notice. The Monk Mark the Ascetic writes that some sometimes visibly humble themselves in order to catch praise. You are your way out of M.P.’s cell. You call it art, but in fact it turns out to be a great non-art. You are a small person, no one needs to understand your goals, and everyone older and younger now understands and interprets you in their own way. Although O... rightly says about your spiritual father that he is a man of many sins, you should not listen to this in silence. Theodore of Edessa writes: “Whoever blasphemes your spiritual father, speak your lips,” that is, stop everyone’s mouth; let him interpret this wherever he wants, and with whomever he wants, but don’t allow it to be interpreted in front of you, repeating: “Talk about this wherever you want, but it’s indecent to say this to you in front of me, and it won’t cost you yourself without mental harm and responsibility.” If they don’t listen, ask your mother abbess for another cell for this reason. You want to build yourself a cell. If you have money, then line up and ask the mother abbess for a position directly, when the treasurer’s mother does not cooperate. You don’t want to have a place for a cell far from the church, while you climb into the ranks of the active, forgetting that all the ancient ascetics chose some inconvenience for themselves in order to strain their compulsion. Wherever the place is designated, it should be built if there is money. You ask me a lot, but you forget what I told you personally. I remember that I did not advise you to go through mental prayer, but to do this prayer according to your measure orally, as the holy Apostle Paul writes (Heb. 13:15): I will offer a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess the Lord; to call on God’s help with your mind only when you find bad thoughts, and it can be inconvenient to say a prayer verbally, due to the close presence of others, or a church service is going on. You were so carried away by your own reasoning and self-indulgence that, despising advice and acting in your own way, you allegedly reached the point of self-motivated prayer of the heart during sleep. This happens to rare and holy people who have achieved extreme purification from passions. People are still passionate, as someone who experienced this himself told us, listening in half-sleep to an internal movement similar to yours, they heard - what? .. They heard: “meow,” - a cat’s, cunningly pronounced like the words of a prayer. Sister! We need to come to terms with it. Our measure is still very small. How not to fall into the enemy’s snare, and especially into subtle delusion, because those who are susceptible to the enemy’s delusion are intractable. It is more likely that any sinner can be converted to repentance than a charming one can be brought to reason. And you already write that you don’t understand what repentance consists of. Read in the book of Mark the Ascetic, in the Russian translation, first the 5th word: “Advice of the mind to your soul”, then the 3rd word: “On repentance, decent equally for beginners and intermediate, and perfect”; and then there is a place where it is said that repentance does not take place (does not end) until the grave, and has three properties, or parts: purification of thoughts, patience with sorrows that occur, and prayer, that is, calling on God’s help against the evil excuses of the enemy. These three things cannot be accomplished without the other. If one part is interrupted somewhere, then the other two parts there are not solid. 295. ABOUT PRUDENT SILENCE You yourself wrote that you grieve over your excessive verbiage, and are jealous of your prudent silence; and with your companion you will inevitably have to talk too much. Of course, you only need to take someone simpler, so that she can serve your weak honor. However, I don’t know M.G. well. ... Therefore, see for yourself what is better and more useful. There is an old proverb: “A mind is good, but two is better, but three is better.” But this is a human observation. The Lord says in the Holy Gospel (Matthew 18:20): where there are two or three congregations in My name, I am in the midst of them. Look at your inner feeling more carefully: whatever will be calmer and closer to your dispensation, do so. One wise holy fool explains: “A goose and a loon are a bad pair.” However, here in our farmyard, a hundred-year-old elder Pachomius died, who knew how to maintain deep silence even among many people. It happened that some would pester him with various questions, he would stand up and sing to them: “The angel cries with more grace,” and again he would sit silently, scratching his head, or rummaging in his bag, as if he was looking for something. If you ever say something to someone, then remember and don’t forget. His words came true for many. I saw all this, and in no way learned prudent silence - under various plausible pretexts, carried away by a lot of verbiage, in which, as they say, there is no salvation. I want to fix everything, but my old habit doesn’t allow it. Pray for me, a sinner, to make a start. 296. DO NOT LIVE AS YOU WANT, BUT AS GOD TELLS. UNPLEASANTNESS FROM OTHERS BY THE INSPIRATION OF THE DEVIL, WHO DOES NOT TOLERATE ATtentive PRAYERS Better imitate the example of ancient people who used to say: “Don’t live as you want, but live as God leads.” In your first letter you wrote that you felt very good; and soon, in the second, you write that you feel very unwell. It was not in vain that the holy Apostle Paul wrote that everyone who wants to live godly will be persecuted. And the Lord Himself says in the Gospel: be... wise like a serpent, and your goals like doves (Matthew 10:16). A snake, when beaten, tries in every possible way to keep its head. And a Christian, when he is struck, must preserve the main thing - faith and kindness. One of the saints said: “If someone truly loves God, he will not be indignant, even if the whole world annoys him.” And you, from the need of sorrows and a cramped position, began to bow down to the fact that, perhaps, even if you were appointed somewhere to the leadership, for example, even in N... In K... you are cramped from sorrows and humiliations; but in N... it will not be easy and not free from the worries of everyday life. Willingly or unwillingly, one cannot help but take care of the affairs of the monastery and the behavior of the sisters. However, let it be done for us according to the will of the all-good Lord, who wants to save everyone and come into the mind of truth. It is not in vain that we hear the repeated word: another is the judgment of man, and another is the judgment of God. The omniscient Lord knows better than we do what is more useful, beneficial and satisfying for us. In the Lord's Prayer we are commanded to pray like this: “Our Father... Thy will be done.” It is true that your position in your abode is cramped, and unpleasant, and inconvenient. But there is a simple proverb: “If you run from a wolf, you will attack a bear.” There is only one thing left to do - to be patient and wait, paying attention to yourself and not judging others, and praying to the Lord and the Queen of Heaven, may they arrange for you something useful, as They please. I wrote before, and now I repeat the same thing again, that all these attacks on you, from others, occur through the tricks of the enemy, in order to prevent you from being attentive to prayer. The late abbot Father Anthony, brother of Archimandrite Father Moses, used to say: “The attentive prayer of the one praying is a knife in the throat of the enemy.” You yourself noticed this in your cell, which for no apparent reason finds fault with you, and does not want to do what is needed, despite the fact that it loves you. How much more should you understand this in relation to others, that not everyone and not all of them do this out of malice, but more so at the suggestion and instigation of the primordial enemy, who wants to separate you from attentive prayer, and at the same time from love for your neighbors. And this love, according to the apostolic word, is long-suffering, merciful, and in no way falls away from goodwill towards our brothers who are tempted by our common enemy, and partly because of our own weakness. If you remember this firmly, you will not be needlessly embarrassed. Several years ago we had a prince who studied prayer from an experienced prayer book. She told him this: “When you are peaceful and calm, pray: “Lord! have mercy on me, a sinner"; when thoughts are transferred to others, for any reason, then pray like this: “Lord! have mercy on us,” and you will calm down.” Do the same. Then you will worry less; and you will understand that we are all subject to mistakes and delusions, and often under plausible pretexts, as it is said in the Gospel (John 16:2): the hour will come when everyone who kills you will decide to offer service to God. It’s no wonder that those who annoy you are so wise. Therefore, it is necessary for us to be condescending to our neighbors according to the Gospel commandment about love. If we love someone, we forgive him a lot and forgive him a lot. On the other hand, and for another reason, we forgive, as Abba Dorotheos testifies, when we are in a good dispensation, as you yourself noticed with surprise that you were not angry with your cell when it opposed you. At the same time, remember the Gospel word (Matthew 5:11): Blessed are you when they revile you and destroy you and say all kinds of evil things against you who lie, for my sake. 297. GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ALWAYS HINDER EVERYONE TO BE SAVED. THERE IS A SECRET GOOD IN MAN, VISIBLE TO GOD ALONE. HOW TO TALK TO INSINCERE PEOPLE In accordance with your spiritual dispensation and spiritual mood, it was written to you that the authorities, voluntarily accepted, can interfere with your silent mood and efforts to maintain unremitting prayer. You were also told in the vision not to be carried away by earthly and vain concerns. And you, in your letter, simply expressed that the authorities are interfering with the work of salvation, while you yourself know that many people in authority have received not only salvation, but also the glory of God. Yes, and it was written to you that if someone gets confused during a feat of prayer, then by the Providence of God he gets a position in leadership, so that he will not be subjected to the complete delusion of the enemy. Correct your mistake, and henceforth understand what is said to someone in particular, and what is said to everyone in general. Also, there is something else that happens according to the will of God, and something completely different that happens according to the choice of our own will. And in a dream vision you were told that it was time for you to understand. It is advisable for you, following the example of the Kyiv elder Parthenius, to read 300 times daily: “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” You can do this. Just don’t be embarrassed if for some reason you fail to fulfill this destiny. Self-reproach for one's fault is more useful than specious embarrassment. You write that on the day of the Angel, Mother Superior was visiting you, and surprised you with her initial prayer. Here is a lesson for you to understand, according to the words of Abba Dorotheus, that someone else has such a secret good that before God is more valuable than our whole life. Man can only see what is visible, but the Lord sees the very depths of the heart. The Monk Macarius of Egypt, seeing a man sinning, said to himself: “Although he has sinned, he will be able to repent; and if you sin, you will not be able to repent.” And with this understanding he placed himself lower than the sinner. This is how the ancient holy fathers managed to humble themselves and restrain themselves from judgment and condemnation. You ask how you should deal with people who are insincere, and who often have second thoughts during a conversation... Knowing this, answer, taking into account the mood of the one who is speaking to you. The Monk Isaac the Syrian writes: “Speak with caution to those who are ill with envy,” so that the envious person, according to his nature, does not interpret good words for the worse. Come up with a few general expressions in advance, and use them to get rid of insincere talkers. For the most part, say: “I don’t know,” but to avoid lying, say: “I don’t know how to tell you; I didn’t listen, I didn’t understand well.” And sometimes: “This is not my part, this is beyond me; I don’t get involved in such matters.” And if from a distance you see that you have to meet such a person, double your steps and answer: “I have no time for it.” If you are careful, God will teach and enlighten you how to deal with such people. Preface elders and equals with a decent bow; and answer the younger ones with a decent bow. The fear of God and walking in the presence of the Lord will enlighten and teach us how to properly treat others. It is useful for us to always remember how blessed Theodora thought, who, despite the negative treatment of others, said to herself: “You are unworthy of the love of your neighbors.” In conclusion of the letter, I will tell you about what you saw in a dream, what a crowd of tempting enemies surrounded you, and it was said that it is time for you to understand that these tempters also surround and tempt others, and that by their temptation and suggestion there are various confusions, and troubles, and insults to each other. When you know this, and comprehend, and understand, then you will be irrationally upset at others, and look condescendingly at all human confusion. It is not without reason that Saint Climacus wrote that the Lord expects the end of those entering the monastery to be whatever it will be. May the Lord grant us, the weak, a prosperous end. 298. PURITY OF MIND IS IN TRYING NOT TO SEE THE EVIL OF A PERSON You ask how you should be and behave, because everywhere you see the same person?.. You yourself explain that moderation of speech helps you a lot in such cases. Answer briefly, prudently and carefully, in expressions like: “I don’t know what to tell you”; sometimes: “It’s not my part”; sometimes: “It doesn’t concern me”; or: “This is above me,” and sometimes answer silently, with just a bow, and walk away as if she didn’t hear or didn’t understand. And above all this, it is necessary to adhere to the advice of Saint Isaac the Syrian: “Try not to see a person’s malice.” This is what spiritual purity consists of. We will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and we do not know what end anyone will receive, and at the eleventh hour of those who come, the Lord accepts repentance, and commands those to be the first to distribute rewards; and he reproaches those who came first that there is an evil eye in them, for I am good. The Lord wants to save, enlighten and correct everyone, so that they have humility and love, and do not show off their merits, because we are all saved by the grace of Christ. We all need to remember and not forget the Gospel word of the Lord Himself (Lk. 17:10): Whenever you have done all that is commanded you, say, for we are servants who are innocent. If it will be very inconvenient to live in a newly placed cell due to the crowd of people living nearby and making noise, then wait; Having prayed to God, you can ask Mother Abbess for a more comfortable cell. If he gives, it’s good, but if he doesn’t give, you must be patient, humble yourself and consider yourself unworthy of a better cell. At the same time, it is good to remember that Lot, when he lived in Sodom with a large crowd, was righteous; in Zoar, having secured himself to be removed from everyone, he sinned gravely. Again, I will say about your money from your relatives that it would be good to arrange it in such a way that you can receive it for maintenance serenely and without thinking much, and without worrying about it. Complete non-acquisitiveness is currently impossible. With God's help, manage to arrange for yourself in such a way that it is possible to maintain your inner struggle, which, according to the apostolic word, consists of four parts: be patient with everyone... always rejoice, pray unceasingly and give thanks in everything: this is the will of God (1 Thess. 5:14-16). We must begin with the latter, that is, with thanksgiving for everything. The beginning of joy is to be content with your situation. 299. YOU CAN’T LEAVE FROM YOURSELF AND FROM DEMONS TO ANOTHER MONASTERY You wrote that you were suffering sorrows in your monastery, and would like to move to another monastery... But where can you get away from yourself and from demons? You grieve that you were dismissed from your positions... But in this case, you must see God’s Providence for you, which through this gives you freedom and the opportunity to practice more and more in prayer. Therefore, you should not grieve over your dismissal from your positions, but thank the benefactor God for this. And that you feel sorrow from the difficult circumstances you encounter, this should show you that the inner man in you has not yet been purified. And this very thing should incline you towards humility, which is extremely necessary when praying. Sorrows must meet a person everywhere; and the more our spiritual enemies inflict them on people, the more they notice their desire to please God, and especially those who want to practice prayer, which is unbearable for them. May the merciful Lord enlighten you and strengthen you in the sorrows that have befallen you, and if His holy will be done, may He ease them to the extent that it is useful and necessary for you. 300. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO CARRY SORRY, DON’T ATTEMPT TO CAST OUT DEMONS. BE ANGER NOT AT PEOPLE, BUT AT THE DEMONS WHO TEMPT PEOPLE In your last letter you write that you forcibly brought one demon-possessed woman to the relics that are in pieces in your church, and the demon, through the lips of this woman, threatened to bring you sorrow and annoyance for this. And after that you wonder why the mother abbess and sisters treat you poorly. Obviously, due to enemy temptations. Therefore, be angry with the enemy as much as you please, and not with the sisters and mother abbess, who are tempted by the enemy. Go ahead, if you do not want to bear sorrow, do not undertake to help those possessed by demons; but try to live in the monastery as a pilgrim, paying attention to yourself and keeping silent, and not getting involved in any business. Then you will understand in action the apostolic word (Rom. 13:28): all things work together for good to those who love God. It is said in the psalms (Ps. 33:20; 31:10): many are the sorrows of the righteous: many are the wounds of the sinner. No matter what position a Christian is in, he cannot avoid sorrows and illnesses. What tempts you is that, perhaps due to the machinations of the enemy, Mother Abbess does not force the lamp to light in front of the relics. The Apostle Paul was higher than the mother abbess, and even he writes about himself: I desired to come to you once and twice, and Satan forbid me. Therefore, do not be surprised at anything, but consider it God’s permission. And don’t be offended by anything, but rather follow the advice of the Holy Climacus, who writes: “If you want to have anger and resentment, then have them not against people, but against the demons who tempt people.” Also, give up inappropriate jealousy, why this or that is not done in order, as you think; but better, as was said above, pay attention to yourself, and this will be enough for you, according to what has been said: Kijo will either be glorified or ashamed by his deeds. 301. THE CELL IS HIGH, PEOPLE ARE TEMPTED, AND THE ONE NOT TEMPTED IS UNSKILLED. A FORMER NON'S VISION CONCERNING NON-JUDGEMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD. ABOUT MARTHA AND MARY By the way, regarding others you express yourself like this: “It’s sad for me to see and realize that around me I rarely hear talk about God, but all is some kind of empty or deliberate cunning, or flattery combined with betrayal and man-pleasing.” To this I will tell you that it is more useful to live among such people than to live alone and at a distance, considering it safe. Lot, when he lived in Sodom, was righteous; and when he retired to Zoar, considering this place to be safe, he sinned gravely. It is not in vain that it is written in the Fatherland: “The cell rises, but people tempt.” Through enduring temptations a person becomes skilled. But the apostle writes about the opposite: if he is not tempted, he is unskillful. And, in addition, we have the Gospel commandment - not to rush to judge, to reason unsoundly and to condemn wrongly. Recently a zealous nun came to Optina from outside Kyiv, strict in life, but inclined to judge and condemn, under plausible pretexts, others, especially those living with her. She told me what her vision was. “I saw,” he says, “in a dream, as if many different birds, very pleasant in appearance, sat on my right shoulder and on my arms and all over my right side, and even climbed under the duckweed. I was very pleased to see them. But at the same time, on the other side, birds began to land on me, black in appearance, the color of jackdaws, rooks or crows, and it was unpleasant for me to see them. And suddenly I hear a voice saying: “These are dear to God, just like the first. And they can correct themselves and be like the first. Therefore, do not judge or condemn.” With these words I woke up and it seemed to me that I still felt some birds under my dress, so I didn’t suddenly stop feeling myself.” Let everything that has been said teach you and me not to rush to judge and condemn, because the people we see on the inside are not always what they seem on the outside. Often a person will begin to speak out of ordinary human weakness, and, before finishing the conversation, he already begins to realize that he is not saying what he should; and upon arriving in the cell, he bitterly repents of what he said or did. St. Mark the Ascetic writes: “From deeds and words and thoughts the righteous man is one, but from the repentance of the righteous woman there are many.” Staying with yourself and God is good, if it really is so. In the psalm at every Vespers we read: I am one, until I pass away, that is, living among many, it is useful to isolate yourself and remain alone with yourself. This helps us avoid many enemy snares, if at the same time we do not misunderstand our neighbor. You spoke harshly about your sister, for whom, in your opinion, there is only the ritual part of religion. We cannot completely condemn this part, because, as we read in the troparia of many saints, action is an ascent to vision; and even more so because different gifts are given to people, as it says in the Gospel (Matthew 25:15): to one... five talents were given, to one two, to one one, to each one against his strength. And those who aggravated five and two entered equally into the joy of their Lord. Martha and Mary, the Lazarev sisters, were sisters, but had different talents. Mary sat at the foot of Jesus, listening to His Divine words, and Martha prepared dinner to establish Christ who had come. And if they both sat at the foot of Jesus, who would prepare dinner for the institution of Christ? And besides, it is not written anywhere that Mary alone entered the Kingdom of Heaven, while Martha remained outside. Saint Abba Dorotheos, keeping us from strictly judging others, says this: “Perhaps in the brother or sister whom our thoughts force us to condemn, there is one good thing that is more valuable before God than our whole life.” Finally, you write that it is sad and painful for you to realize that the Lord is, as it were, in the background of everyone... To this I will tell you: if the opinion of the prophet Elijah was not justified, who cried out to the Lord (1 Kings 19:14, 18): Thy altars have been dug up, and Thy prophets have been beaten down... I am the only remnant, and they seek my soul; and it was said to him from the Lord: I have left seven thousand men... who have not bowed the knee to Baal, then our opinion with you may turn out to be even more erroneous. And the apostle warns: be determined to stand and be careful, lest you fall (1 Cor. 10:12). 302. PAY ATTENTION TO YOURSELF AND YOUR SALVATION The vision that was given to you means that in your difficult situation you should not be discouraged or faint-hearted. White clothing means that one must always adhere to true and sincere repentance, dissolved by unfeigned humility. Oil and anointing with oil signify the mercy of God. And where God’s mercy is, there is His omnipotent help. Be encouraged by the former vision, and do not be faint-hearted amid the surrounding inconveniences, adhering to the good advice of your inner voice: “Don’t be concerned with anyone’s business here; let everyone do what they want.” And you pay attention to yourself and your salvation, waiting for a decision about yourself from the All-Good Providence of God. As the Lord pleases, so may He arrange something beneficial for us. Never forget the following Gospel commandment of God: Do not judge, and you will not be judged... do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Love your enemies... do good to those who hate you and pray for those who harm you and drive you out (Luke 6:37; Matt. 5:44). 303. WHAT DO THE WORDS MEAN: “THE TERMS OF ANOTHER OF THE LORD” In your last letter you ask what the words mean: “Get a friend of the Lord.” These words mean to try to be a true disciple of Christ, in order to be worthy to hear what His true disciples were worthy to hear from the Lord: You are my friends, and if you do, I command you: I command you not to anyone, for a servant does not know what his Lord is doing. Yes, love one another... greater love than anyone else has, so that whoever lays down his life for his friends (John 15:14–15, 17,13). The commandment of the Lord to lay down one’s soul for one’s neighbor, according to the Gospel word, is to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who attack us and drive us out; also in protecting our neighbor, according to our strength and opportunity, from enemies visible and invisible, and in what way we can and how we can help him. The Apostle Paul explains in more detail the properties of love for neighbors: Love is long-suffering, is merciful, does not envy love, is not proud of love, is not proud, does not act outrageously, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil (and does not remember evil), does not rejoice in unrighteousness (of neighbors), but rejoices in the truth (them): everything loves (that is, covers everything with love), has faith in everything, everything hopes, everything (sad) endures. Love no longer exists (1 Cor. 13:4–8). Add to this the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount in the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. Remember also what was said in the psalm: All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth (Ps. 24:10), that is, we must show mercy and all condescension to our neighbors, and demand from ourselves all the truth - the fulfillment of the commandments of the Lord. Try to imitate that reverend mother who, seeing envy and hatred in herself, and hearing various slander, said to herself: “I am unworthy of their love.” And when confusion comes over you for these reasons, repeat the psalm word: Peace is there for many who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them (Ps. 119:165). You write that you don’t get along with your cell attendant. Know and remember that through it the enemy is trying to tempt you. Blessed Ekdik writes: “Whenever you pray as you should, wait for those as you should not.” The enemy then tries to incite someone who has prayed well to anger under plausible pretexts. Remember this and be careful. About the leadership's election - leave it to the will of God. And whoever begins to speak slyly to you about this, answer: “There is a proverb: grandmother said in two, either it will happen or it won’t.” And to those who sincerely talk about this, answer: “What will be, will be; but what God wills will happen.” Zealous about prayer, read “Seven Words of Macarius of Egypt” more often, according to previous translations. There you will see and learn that prayer without love and humility and patience is not durable. Although prayer actions are given in time, due to a lack of love and humility and patience, they are soon taken away. 304. PASSIONS IN US FOR OUR HUMILITY. WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THE GIVING OF “THE EYE OF GOOD”. EXPLANATION OF THE VISION. ABOUT CONVERSATION IN CHURCH AND HOW TO STOP IT You write about your spiritual weaknesses. Saint Isaac the Syrian writes in the 58th word that the Lord leaves passions in a person for the benefit of his soul, so that he does not become exalted, but humble himself. And St. John the Theologian writes in his First Epistle: If we say that there is no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, and may he forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8–9). In my previous letter I also wrote that many people treat you politically. Although this may be true, it is more useful for us to look at everything not with suspicion, but with simplicity, imitating Saint David, who says about himself: he who turns away from Me has not known the evil one. In order to acquire such saving ignorance, we must earnestly pray to the Lord to help and grant us to have the good eye, about which the Holy Scripture says: the good eye will not see the evil one. Among the nine fruits of the spirit is kindness, that is, treating others with condescension and non-suspiciousness. One of the saints writes that we are all under penance, that is, for our weakness and for our sinful infirmities, we are all under the prohibition of God. All flesh will not boast before God. In your last letter you write that one novice inflicted an unfair and not at all deserved insult on you, and you cried in the grief of your heart, and an inner voice tells you: “Keep your mind on grief, and say unremitting prayer, everything will pass.” Do so in such cases. Then everything that is deplorable and offensive will pass away. You also wrote that you had a dream in which you imagined that you were on Mount Athos; and picked a whole bouquet of fragrant pink flowers. By such flowers one can understand the patristic writings of those reverend men who, living on Athos and in other places, fulfilled the Divine commandments and words with deeds, and out of spiritual love for us left their saving instructions, so that we, the weak, would draw from them and collect them like fragrant flowers, and delight our spiritual throat with them from grief, with which our opponent gave us to drink. The young monk you saw in a dream, coming out of one of the Athos churches, may mean your Guardian Angel. Therefore, the words spoken to him: “Walk here, but know, do not dare to engage in the vain thoughts of this world, say a prayer in your mind,” must be remembered and not forgotten, and actually fulfilled. Mount Athos is called the lot of the Mother of God. Therefore, the dream you saw may also mean that if you want to be numbered among the lot of the Mother of God, then you must imitate the life and rules of those who received salvation on Mount Athos, under the protection of the Mother of God, as shown by the very words spoken to you by those who left the Athos Church: “Walk here, and do not dare to engage in vain thoughts, say a prayer in your mind.” You can also add it during psalmody and in other prayers read. You also explain that you, overcome by human weakness, are talking in church with the nun you love, who loves you too. Outside the church, explain to this nun that your conscience really reproaches you for talking in church, and ask her not to start conversations in advance, and to stop you when you, having forgotten yourself, start talking about something. Then the word of Scripture will be fulfilled for you: brother from brother we help, like a city that is strong and fenced. 305. EXPLANATION OF THE DREAM I received two of your letters. In the first, dated November 28, you write that you saw yourself in a church in front of the large Cross of Christ. On your chest there was an icon of the Mother of God, similar to the one of Vladimir, and you stood in a mantle, barefoot and with weak legs, and having bowed to the Cross, and with a light gait, you went to the right side. You ask what this means. Firstly, it may mean that we, according to the apostolic word, must always carry Christ in our souls, as he writes: for you do not judge what is in you, but rather Jesus Christ and Him who was crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). Secondly, with all our inner disposition and fervent prayer we must always resort to the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, as the first and main Intercessor for us before Her Son and God. Thirdly, the fact that you stood in a mantle, with bare and weak feet, and having bowed to the Cross, walked lightly to the right side, may mean that it is not enough to wear out the boots of earthly addiction, but it is necessary to acquire spiritual shoes, in which those shod can harmlessly step on the snake and scorpion and on all the power of the enemy. What these spiritual shoes consist of, the apostle testifies, saying: he put on his shoes in preparation for the gospel of peace. And even earlier, the prophet David wrote: There is peace for many who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them. If we are troubled by a little unworldliness towards someone, or are tempted by something in some, then this shows that we have not yet acquired the said spiritual shoes and, moreover, we do not yet love the law of God as we should. The expression - it’s disgusting for me to now see the low bows of my haters, their grimaces and indignation are ridiculous - shows the impoverishment in us of spiritual love, which covers everything, shows mercy and condescension to everyone in their shortcomings. Those who have acquired spiritual shoes firmly remember the apostolic word: rejoice when you fall into various temptations, and also the word of the Gospel: Blessed are you when you are reproached. Let us add to this: The Athos monks, in addition to being constantly prayerful, following cell rules according to strength, and expecting every moment of temptation, had humility and self-reproach. Their humility consisted in the fact that they considered themselves worse than everyone and worse than all creation, and their self-reproach was that in every unpleasant and regrettable case they placed the blame on themselves, and not on others, that they did not know how to act as they should, and that is why trouble and sorrow resulted, or temptation was allowed for their sins, or to test their humility and patience and love for God; reasoning this way, they did not allow themselves to judge anyone, much less to humiliate and despise them. 306. LIVING TOGETHER WITH OTHERS, BE DIFFERENT FROM THEM NOT OUTWARDLY, BUT BY HUMILITY You write that you have become more indifferent to the troubles surrounding you and the neglect of others, and by the way you add that it is extremely offensive when you hear that those who are, apparently, those who are most kind to you, secretly armed your very mother against you. The offensive and the indifferent do not quite agree. What to do when we are still imperfect, and somehow still weak. So that offensive things do not disturb us much, we must remember and not forget, as it was already written to you, that the original tempter angers some against others, and especially against those who hold on to prayer. If you firmly remember this, then it will be less offensive for you to be treated by strangers, even with disdain. You write that your Guardian Angel, in my person, in some church, led you to the faces of the ancient saints and, forcing you to venerate them, said: “Imitate them, but walk quietly in their footsteps, so that others do not know.” Saint John Climacus writes: “When living in common with others, do not differ from them outwardly, but only be distinguished by humility.” And Saint Isaac the Syrian, in the 56th word, on page 316, writes: “It is better for you to be reproached by an ignoramus, for the smallness of your mind, to be contradicted, and not from the wise, for lack of learning. Become poor for humility, and do not be rich for lack of study. Convict those who teach you against you by the power of your virtues, and not by the argument of your words; and with the meekness and silence of your lips, stop your lips and keep silent, and create insubordination into insubordination. Reprove the intemperate with the nobility of your life: and with cold-free feelings - with restraint in your eyes.” You write that on simple days you don’t go to meals, so as not to see disorder and quarrels there; Also, in order not to force the cell to cook in the common kitchen, and to avoid a collision, you ate tea and bread for two weeks, and you seemed to feel a little stronger. But it’s always inconvenient to do this - you may end up with a stomach blockage, which can cause headaches. It is necessary, at least mixed in, to eat at least a cold lunch or dinner: potatoes or cucumbers with kvass, if you can, strained peas with peeled cucumbers, and sometimes hot potato soup or hot porridge. At your discretion, come up with something like this. You write that the abbess forbade you to cook food in the fireplace with wood because of the fire. On our side, one wise man came up with the idea of ​​cooking soup and porridge with coals in an iron stove under a samovar pipe. This stove is less than a samovar; it only contains one saucepan; and is very cheap. If you want, you can probably send it by mail. Those who know how to cook cook soup in half an hour. 307. WHEN FEELING SPIRITUAL JOY, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF NOT FALLING INTO THE CHARM OF THE ENEMY Regarding the joy you felt and the dream you saw (you didn’t write whether you saw an image of a cross on something) and the words spoken then that those who love the Lord should speak only about spiritual and necessary things, and not about human things, while in prayer, I will give you a psalm word: Work for the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling (Ps. 2:11). What does it mean to work for the Lord with fear, explained the Monk Agathon the Great before his death, when they asked him: “Are you really afraid, father?” To which he replied: “I tried to fulfill every commandment of God according to my strength; but I am a man, so I can know whether my work is pleasing to God or not. Another is the judgment of man, and another is the judgment of God.” With these words, Saint Agathon clearly showed that those who work for the Lord must have both humility and caution, so as not to somehow make any mistake, which in the next century cannot be corrected. And what the words mean - and rejoice in Him with trepidation - St. John Climacus explains in the 7th degree: “Reject with the hand of humility, as unworthy, the joy that comes, so that, without being deceived by it, you will receive a wolf instead of a shepherd.” Simply put, when you feel joy, you must be careful not to fall into the delusion of the enemy. How to maintain the holy middle in this, we must always remember the advice of St. Mark the Ascetic: “It is good not to look at such delusions for the sake of delusion, nor to curse for the sake of truth, but bring everything to God with hope: for this is news that is useful to both” (in “Philokalia”, chapter 28. About those who think that they will be justified by their deeds). Also remember the warning of Gregory of Sinaite in the last (or 7th) chapter about silence, in the Philokalia: “What can anyone do when a demon is transformed into an angel of light.” You write that at one time it seemed to you that you loved the Lord very much. And the Lord says in the Gospel (Matthew 5:44): love your enemies... do good to those who hate you... bless those who curse you... and pray for those who harm you and those who drive you out, and so on. Always try to check your feelings to see if they agree with the Gospel teaching and the teaching of the Holy Fathers. The Monk Nilus of Sorsky writes about himself that he never accepted that opinion or thought, even if they seemed very clear and understandable, until he found evidence for them in the teachings of the Gospel, or the Apostles, or the Patristic teachings. You also write that you have always had and still have a need for servants. Just in case, it would be good to get used to doing what you need around yourself. It would also not hurt to learn to be able to cook something for yourself, so that you don’t always need the help of others. Everyone talks to you about the boss; but think that this can only happen for two reasons: either because of the special will of God, or because you do not settle down correctly and do not stay on the path of prayer, as the humble Nikita Stifat writes about the last reason in the Philokalia. According to your spiritual mood, a more silent life is appropriate for you, for which servants are suitable, but not always - sometimes they can interfere. But the all-good Providence of God knows better than ours what is more useful, beneficial and satisfying for us. The Lord prayed for those who were crucifying, and the first martyr Stephen prayed for those who killed, so that sin would not be counted against them, saying: they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). Do the same, and you will receive God’s mercy and help, and you will calm down. You wrote more than once to rid you of your B... personality. But I think you sing Lazarus by heart. When you were in Optina, this person was not here, and therefore you could not see her, but saw some other person. When you arrive and see, then the deliverance can begin. Through your own experience, you have experienced and are experiencing how difficult it is to bear oppression based on one suspicion. Remember this, and do not forget, and beware of acting without testing and examination. I repeat: take heart, and stop being cowardly, and especially beware of anger, which does not fulfill the righteousness of God. Pray and re-read my letters, in which you have been told more than once: if we do not fulfill God’s commandments - love your enemies, do good to those who hate you... bless those who curse you... and pray for those who harm you and drive you out, then how do we differentiate ourselves from the pagans, who only love those who love! If you want to be angry, then be angry and indignant at the invisible arsonists with whom you were surrounded (as you saw in the vision). They try to confuse and confuse everyone under plausible pretexts, like predatory and evil wolves in sheep's clothing. Therefore, be prudent and prudent and careful not to rush to get upset, which will be followed by soul-harming anger and indignation, and so on and so forth. 309. IN EVERY BUSINESS YOU NEED GRADUALITY. THE WORDS OF OTHERS AND OWN FEELINGS SHOULD BE CHECKED BY CONSIDERATION AND PRAYER You are prematurely concerned with getting rid of the B... person. There is an old Russian proverb: “If you hurry, you will make people laugh.” Suddenly there is no need or need to remove her; and it will be very awkward, and the executors won’t like it. And the action itself will better indicate what needs to be done. It will be difficult for you to suddenly take on the whole matter alone, and a lot of worries will interfere with your prayerful mood. In every matter, gradualism and following the example of the holy fathers is needed. In the monastery, the treasurer, dean, celliarch, and steward were appointed by the Monk Theodore the Studite. We cannot be wiser than this holy father, who was able to rule over a thousand brethren. I repeat, let’s stick to gradualism and consideration in reality. The point is this: Cain was born before Abel, and Esau before Jacob, and Ham was not abandoned, but transported through the flood waters. And the Gospel word of the Lord Himself (Matthew 13:30): will you leave both to grow? until the harvest. And I’ll say it again. Your own experience should teach you that you should not quickly trust what people say, as well as a suddenly born feeling, for this or another reason; but this should be verified, firstly, by examination, and secondly, by prayer. Representing that person, one should pray: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us, and arrange for us something useful and saving.” Afterwards it will be clear what and how. Your young cell attendant, how you write! And I always advise the abbess to come to the clergy alone, with some modest older sister who would not convey the boss’s conversations. However, whatever is convenient. 310. A BOSS SHOULD NOT BELIEVE EVERY WORD. FANSHIP SHOULD NOT BE IN THE COMMUNITY By the way, you will also learn that the boss should not believe every rumor, and especially those persons in whom envy and jealousy and ill will are noticeable, or seeking, or searching for one’s own. First of all, the boss must have a pure intention, act in everything according to God and according to God, and diligently pray to the Lord and the Queen of Heaven to enlighten and help in this. You also need to remember and not forget that not only inexperienced people come to the monastery, but also the weak, and with old habits, to correct which they enter the monastery. The boss needs to consider all this, and know, and remember, and, taking stock, act according to the need. I kept forgetting to write to you that my desire is that there should be no ostentation in the Community, to avoid which all sisters should wear at least an outer dress made of thin cloth, called mukhoyar. For example, the boss herself can wear a fly robe. The late Metropolitan of Kiev Filaret throughout his life wore a fly cassock and a cassock, of course, made from a good fly jacket. 311. WHERE THEY ACT ACCORDING TO GOD, THERE GOD PROVIDES HIS HELP There are very few passionless people on earth; and where human passions are active, and especially in the main persons, it is impossible to see the correct order there. However, where the main persons, as far as possible, are orderly and act according to God, there may be order in the subordinates, even if they are passionate, in fulfillment of the psalm words (Psalm 31:9): You shall bind their jaws with a rod and a bridle, those who do not approach You, that is, those who move away from the Lord. But where they act according to God, there God gives His help. You write that you will have many elders. No matter how senior they are, the boss is above all. Give decent honor to whomever is due, but demand proper order, and do not let go of the reins of government; as she herself wrote to me before, so that nothing would be done without the knowledge and without the blessing of the boss. Of course, first you need to ask about any matter, how it was done and is being done, and affirm the good, and change the bad, if you know better. In fact, everything will be clearer. 312. IN TRIBULATION – READ THE FIRST PSALM OF THE 2ND KATHISMA. PRAYER IS ALWAYS STRONGER THAN PSALM WORDS Yesterday a nun told me the following. An elder, the late abbot Anthony, appeared to her in a dream and said: “Read the psalm of the second kathisma” (must be the first psalm). She asked: “Why read?” The elder answered: “It must be read during the onslaught of sorrows.” Indeed, this nun is suspected by the abbess that she is going against the boss and is looking for the abbess, and this opinion was formed from simple rumors. I think that it is useful for you to read this psalm now. It contains a very significant meaning. And prayer is always stronger with psalm words than with our own. 313. IN ONE PLACE AND A STONE Grows In your previous letter, you wrote that you were going to leave the monastery somewhere in the spring. One trip failed. I would advise you not to make any other attempts, so that this does not happen. Then there will be even more complaints and more troubles you will have to endure. It’s safer and better to endure in one place. There is a Russian proverb: “In one place a stone grows overgrown.” And in the eldership it is said: “Sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” 314. HE WHO WANTS TO HAVE PEACE IN THE LORD MUST ACT ACCORDING TO HIS COMMANDMENTS You wrote that you were prompted by an inner voice: “Rest in the Lord.” You ask what these words could mean. I think that, firstly, they mean that anyone who wants to have peace in the Lord must try to fulfill all the commandments of the Lord, according to what was said by the holy prophet David: We were guided by all Your commandments, and hated every way of unrighteousness (Ps. 119:128). With this direction, anyone who wants to have peace in the Lord must be forced to love his enemies, bless those who curse, do good to those who hate him, and pray for those who create mischief and persecute him. If we are not compelled to do this, then we cannot have perfect peace in the Lord. And to the extent that we allow ourselves to justify ourselves and accuse others, we will be deprived of spiritual peace, according to what is said in the psalms: There is peace for many who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them (Ps. 119:165). You write that your mother abbess told you: “You yourself don’t know why the Lord or God’s Providence is keeping you.” And there is no need to test, but to surrender to the will of God in everything - as the Lord wills, so let him arrange for us. 315. IN A SERIOUS ILLNESS ANOINTING SHOULD NOT BE DELAYED I hear that you are seriously ill, and on the advice of doctors you are postponing the Sacrament of Anointing, while this Sacrament is necessary in serious illnesses. The Holy Apostle James writes in his Epistle: Is anyone in you sick? let the elders of the church call, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith... will raise him up... and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him (James 5:14-15). Through the Sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing, forgotten and bewildered sins are forgiven. I hear the doctors telling you that you can confuse the sisters of the monastery if you take unction, but on the contrary, the sisters all want you to take unction, and I, a sinner, advise you to receive holy oil without delay. As I hear, as I think, I write to you, and you will do the most useful. 316. WE, THE NEW MONKS, COMPLETELY CHANGED THE ANCIENT ORDER REGARDING DATING WITH FAMILY In your last letter you write that your brother is sick and you would like to see him. It would be nice to see, but it is not always useful, and this is associated with many inconveniences. Already we, the new monks, have completely changed the ancient order. Pimen the Great and his brothers did not want to see their mother who came to them. The word of the Lord is not false: whoever leaves... father, or mother... or brethren and others - he will receive a hundredfold in this world, and in the age to come he will inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29-30; Mark 10:30). However, leave this matter until Fomina’s week, then it will be clearer from the circumstances what you need to decide on. Pray to God that the Lord will arrange something useful for your brother, according to His holy will. 317. TO PEACE, YOU NEED TO HUMILATE YOURSELF AT HOME, AND NOT GO ON A FAR JOURNEY To find peace, there is no need to go on a long journey, but it is better to reconcile yourself at home - it will be stronger. Some royalty, for the sake of peace, leave for a distant place. It is necessary to force oneself to humility and self-reproach; The prudent robber had his legs broken, but he, for the sake of receiving the Kingdom of Heaven promised by the Lord, endured everything, but how do you and I want to receive God’s mercy? Look around, sister! People go to Kiev on pilgrimage, and not because of domestic complaints. 318. INSTRUCTION TO THE GATHERER Don’t be discouraged, sister, but try in every possible way to raise yourself to cheerfulness, so that you can carry out your obedience as much as possible. Collect as much as you can; Now is a tricky time, and not for collectors. It’s more pleasant to collect more, but vanity is also mixed in; and how little there is, there is nothing to boast about. The reason why you became stupefied and weak before the gathering partly lies in your previous confusion, and partly in your old age. Elevate yourself through self-reproach, and at the same time ask for God’s help with humility, confessing your previous error, so that you can, as far as possible, carry out your obedience in the monastic spirit. 319. GATHERERS AND GATHERERS CAN PURCHASE WHAT THEY NEED FROM THE COLLECTED MONEY You ask me, through Poliksena Vasilievna, if you shouldn’t sew Dunyasha a cassock and buy her a scarf. It is said: those who serve the altar eat from the altar. The same is true for collectors and collectors: they do not have to take money, but what they need can be purchased from the collected money. The main collector - as she wants, and the assistant must take care in every possible way, that is, what she wears and what she needs - she should make from clothes, shoes, and even linen. Peace to you and Dunyasha, your helper. 320. BODILY ILLNESS IS SENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE MIND And if your health has become rotten, there is nothing to do, you have to be patient; This is sent to our humility and, in general, to the benefit of our soul. Whoever accepts a physical illness and endures it as it should, it is said that while the outer man decays, only the inner man is renewed. And we are spiritually renewed only on the day when we do not labor. The Apostle says about himself (2 Cor. 12:10): when... I am weak, then I am strong; But with us it happens more like this: when the body is weak, the soul is also weak. But even in our weakness the Lord will remember us, if we are forced, as much as possible, to humble ourselves. Leave all human opinions and bewilderments, and pray for your sister, on the advice of Abba Dorotheus: “Help, Lord, as you weigh, your servant (such and such), and have mercy on me, a sinner. You want everyone to be saved and come to the understanding of truth.” Let it not bother you that your mother suffered some insult before her death. This can serve her to cleanse her sins. 322. EVERYONE WILL ANSWER TO GOD FOR HIMSELF May the Lord forgive you for the past and confirm in the future to look more closely at your weaknesses and your faults, and not worry about the external behavior of others. Everyone will give an answer about himself to God. It is unreasonable for a sick person, both in body and soul, to be jealous of others. 323. YOU SHOULD NOT CORRECT OTHERS, BUT YOURSELF I’ll tell you briefly that you took it at the wrong time to correct the morals of others and defend your imaginary rights. You cannot fix others, but you can harm yourself unspeakably. If we want to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness of our sins, and then inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, then we must listen to what the Lord says to us, and not what our spiritual enemies instill in us and what our proud pride prompts us to do. The Lord speaks to us in the Gospel (Matthew 11:29): learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. The yoke of the enemy, as you yourself experience, is difficult, very fierce, and very painful. Therefore, leave this evil path and follow the right path. Greetings to your sisters. 324. XIMA IS THE SECOND BAPTISM You did not want to accept the secret mantle in Optina, now I advise you, on the day of your Angel, to secretly accept the schema. Look, don’t refuse again - the schema is the second Baptism, cleansing and forgiving sins. If you stand up, which, however, is unreliable, then we will respect you, and you will humble yourself. Although you are invigorated, your illness shows and proves itself; Therefore, do not hesitate to directly accept the secret schema, which will be covered with an obvious mantle. 325. BODY ILLNESS INVOLUTIONALLY TURN US TO THE FUTURE LIFE I hear that you have been apparently clothed with the robe of salvation and the robe of gladness. Strengthen yourself in the Lord and in the power of His strength with trust and hope in the ineffable mercy of God. He who came to save sinners, may He also save us, weak and sinful and defective. The apostle does not say in vain (1 Cor. 1:29): all flesh will not boast before God. And again: no one will be justified by works; For we are saved by faith and trust in the ineffable mercy of the Son of God who was crucified for us. Let us always remember his main commandment (Luke 21:19): in your patience gain your souls. The fulfillment of this commandment is especially required in a painful situation, when both physical weakness and inner cowardice worry and burden a person. We must thank the Lord for His good providence for us, sinners, through bodily illness, in which a person, willingly or unwillingly, is forced to think about the future life, and about how to appear before God’s judgment. The All-Good Lord does not require anything from us other than sincere repentance, and through it he leads those who repent into His Heavenly and Eternal Kingdom, according to what is said in the Gospel (Matthew 3:2): Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near. May we all receive God's ineffable love for mankind. 326. YOU CAN DIRECTLY TAKE HAIR TO THE 19TH, AND NOT FIRST TO THE MANTLE I advise you to reject and despise the thought that confuses you, that you have directly accepted the schema. I am sending you a book by St. Theodore the Studite. In the will of the monk, on page 337, you can see for yourself that in ancient times the holy fathers usually tonsured directly into the schema; and the later fathers first began to tonsure the mantle. May the Lord forgive you your sins - just do not refuse to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ more often; This is the great help and mercy of God. 327. IN ILLNESS, DEVOTION TO THE WILL OF GOD IS ESPECIALLY NECESSARY Strengthen yourself in the Lord and in the power of His strength. Devotion to the will of God is always necessary and useful for us, but in illness it is even more necessary. Then only we can be calm and can maintain faith and trust in the mercy of God, which saves sinners who repent and humble themselves together, like the tax collector who was not angry with the Pharisee who humiliated him. Anger never brings about the truth of God, since an angry disposition is even more harmful to the sick person. It is always useful to remember and say the psalm word to the Lord: it is good for me, for you have humbled me. And at another time: it is worthy and righteous that all this suffering is for my sin. 328. NOT EVERY GOOD DESIRE FROM THE LORD IS VISIBLE Solitude will not only not be useful to you, but it can also increase your mental harm from the charms of the enemy. Saint Isaac the Syrian writes in the 30th word: “Not every good desire comes from God, but a similar desire comes from the devil, and this is not beneficial, but the enemy supplies a snare.” All your life you have been carried away by an imaginary good and unreasonable desire, and therefore you have damaged yourself mentally and physically. Saint Simeon the New Theologian speaks of the first type of prayer, that those who have been damaged by the charms of the enemy, for the sake of cohabitation with others, do not fall into the insanity of the mind to which those who are solitary are subjected. Saint Climacus writes that silence is the improvement of character and the orderliness of feelings and thoughts. Let us take care of this silence while living with others, according to the word of the Apostle, not with lofty wisdom, but with humble conduct. 329. ABOUT SOLICITY AND COMMON LIFE In the old days, intelligent people lived in caves: they knew and firmly remembered why they lived there, that is, to keep not only their tongues from evil, but also their minds from evil and stingy thoughts. The words of experienced people are thrown around everywhere: what you don’t see, you don’t dream about. The former intelligent cave dwellers lived in cave places in order to acquire true love for God and sincere love for their neighbors, always remembering the apostolic word: pretend to love God, but hate your neighbor - that is a lie. We also see in the writings of the fathers that the solitary people of that time - perfect ones - lived alone, and those who had not yet achieved perfection lived in twos and threes, in order to know their weakness and to gain meekness and patience and humility. Although sometimes cohabitation with others seems difficult for untamed pride, it is very useful for revealing our weaknesses, otherwise it often seems to a solitary person that he is living well and regularly, and through this he conveniently falls into conceit and seduction. It is better to see your weaknesses and shortcomings, and through this acquire the habit of humility and self-reproach, than to be deceived by imaginary correction, and through this fall into pride, for which even the angels were expelled from heaven. However, mothers, the ancient ascetics did not live together to reproach and annoy each other with intent, but to endure it and endure it wisely with humility, if any of them, due to human weakness and the slander of the enemy, ever deviated into indecent treatment and insulting those living with him. So you, mothers, try to live wisely, each look for her own spiritual benefit, and let the other take care of herself. However, take this word wisely, without misinterpreting it: “You take care of yourself, what do you care about me?” The Gospel says briefly and clearly (Matthew 5:39): if someone hits you on the right side of the cheek, turn to him the other too. May God help us to fulfill these words. 330. ADVISES NOT TO REFUSE TO TAKE CELL TONSURE Despite the fact that you are seriously ill, you do not agree to take secret tonsure, as other seriously ill people do, for fear of not going into eternity without tonsure, having lived quite a few years in the monastery; but you want to receive a visible mantle, that is, a long, church robe. I don't know if you can wait for this. From the life of the Kiev-Pechersk Venerable Moses Ugrin, it is clear that he was secretly tonsured in prison by a passing hieromonk. Are you taller than this reverend? I advise you to pray to this saint of God, so that through his intercession with the Lord, he will help you get rid of mental infirmities, for the sake of which bodily illnesses are also sent. Know that desiring a visible robe for a sick person is obvious vanity. However, I do not urge you to take secret tonsure, since this work is and must be done according to the voluntary desire of those who understand it. For the monastic image is an image of repentance and humility, and not a reason for vanity and arrogance. At ordeals they will torture you greatly for simple vanity, and even more so for vainly wearing a long robe. It is good for the one who has great humility, and not for the one who has a long robe. The mantle, long and short, both have no sleeves, which means that the one wearing them should not do anything according to the old man, who is smoldering in delightful lusts, from which may the all-good Lord deliver us all with His mercy. 331. SUBMIT TO NECESSITY IN UNCONVENIENT CIRCUMSTANCES Don’t be too upset that for the sake of cramped conditions they removed you from the Russian throne. Perhaps this happened because the path that leads into eternal and blessed life is narrow. Submit to necessity, surrendering to the will of God. The Lord is able to nourish us and arrange for us what is useful and beneficial for our souls. Live as long as possible at M. N, and then you will see what and how. The Lord also feeds the birds of the air, which neither sow nor reap, but build their nest where they find it most convenient. Don’t pay too much attention to people’s talk, just try to speak more carefully yourself. You are worried about inappropriate carnal abuse. Where there should be spiritual benefit for you, here the enemy manages to create a temptation for you. Despise this, because the absurdity of absurdities is such a suggestion of the enemy. You write that in this struggle, it seems to you that someone is standing next to you. Similar things happen when a person, during confession, either completely forgot some important sin, or did not know how to confess something as he should have. Pray to the Queen of Heaven and the Guardian Angel to help you remember and confess this. Then the worthwhile dreaming will pass. You also need to humble yourself before God and people, considering yourself worse than everyone else. Due to carnal warfare, I find it inappropriate for you to go to Moscow for treatment. This will intensify this struggle even more. It is better to suffer from illness in order to atone for your sins. This is more correct. 333. ILLNESS NEEDS PATIENCE WITH HUMILITY Chronic illnesses, both physical and mental, are difficult to treat, but with God everything is possible, only patience and humility are required. Moreover, you must explain your weaknesses and actions definitely, so explain it; if you felt something else, pass it on; then healing will better proceed with God’s help, but one should not be cowardly, but patiently await betrayal from the right hand of the Most High. 334. DON’T THINK THAT I’M NOT SORRY FOR YOU You keep interpreting the absurdity that I don’t feel sorry for you. If that were the case, why would I scold you so many times? Why don't you bother about money when you thought you could live on air? But now things have come to great bewilderment, even to tears; and your self-reproach again tells you that I don’t feel sorry for you. After all, it’s so evasive; does not quickly admit his mistake, but always finds something to say, even if it is incidental. However, do not be discouraged, but rather hope in the all-good Providence of God; The Lord is able to saturate us. 335. DON’T BLAME OTHERS – SEEK COMFORT IN A CLEAR CONSCIENCE Nobody accuses you of anything, just stop blaming others and you will calm down. There is no use in blaming others; If you are absolutely right, then be at peace. A clear conscience is its own peace of mind, why should we look for righteousness or guilt in others. Each one will either become famous or be ashamed by his own deeds. 336. EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIMSELF We have read everything, and we will leave everything to God’s judgment and consign it to oblivion, caring only about our salvation; By doing this, we can find peace of mind, leaving our claims to others. If they act differently, they will be held accountable for their actions. We will take care of ourselves - and that is enough for us. 337. LEARN TO UNDERSTAND MONASTICAL LIFE. GOD'S MERCY IS HIDDEN IN THE DISEASES OF THE INVOLVED Learn to understand monastic life; When you understand, then you can be compelled to do the very thing, from which peace takes root in the soul, overcoming all sorts of inconveniences. “In involuntary illnesses the mercy of God is hidden,” says St. Mark the Ascetic. 338. DON’T BE LOW-MINDED, BUT THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING Peace and God's blessing to you, and every affirmation in the good and saving, and, above all, in peace of mind and all courage and long-suffering and distance from all cowardice, which greatly aggravates the weak in soul and body, for whom there is nothing more useful than to thank God for everything pleasant and unpleasant that happens, and not to blame anyone except ourselves, for many things and in many ways guilty; blaming others will not calm us down at all, but will confuse us even more. THERE IS SALVATION OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY, BUT WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY There is salvation besides the monastery, but it’s difficult. Although salvation in a monastery is not without difficulty, but besides salvation, in a monastery a person can also achieve Christian perfection, if only he works hard to humble himself and submit not only to the will of God, but to the will of those in authority according to God and even less, in which there is no violation of the commandments of God. 340. THE ENEMY CANNOT GIVE PEACE OF SPIRIT The enemy does not give a calm spirit, but can only remain silent for a while and become quiet for the sake of bait, in order to instill vain and self-important thoughts, as if a person has already begun to acquire spiritual success or spiritual feelings; This is where you need to remember your sins. 341. MANY DIFFICULTIES IN OUR LIFE FROM OURSELVES You complain about your difficult life. But the Scripture says consolation (1 Cor. 3:8): Every man will receive his reward according to his labor. But we have many difficulties from our wise self-love, which cowardly loves joy and space and peace, and would like to easily inherit the Kingdom of Christ, Who even on the cross prayed for His crucifiers. We forget all this, which is why we often become faint-hearted. Try to be patient, sister, and God will not leave you. 342. DO NOT BE SURPRISED OR HORROR AT THE PERSECUTION Peace to the sick and grieving child, and God's blessing and every affirmation in good and good. Don't be surprised or horrified. The Apostle writes (2 Tim. 3:12): ecu... whoever wants to live godly... will be persecuted, if not from people, then from demons; and the Lord says: A man's enemies are his own household. Be patient and humble, then everything will be good and calm. 343. READ THE PSALMS OFTEN: LIVING IN THE HELP OF THE HIGH, AND OTHERS Memorize these psalms and read them more often: 1) Alive in the help of the Most High (Ps. 90); 2) I endured the Lord, and listened to me and heard my prayer (Ps. 39); 3) God, come to my help (Ps. 69). Read them, learn to surrender to God’s Providence and learn to be patient with those you meet. 344. HE WHO LEAVES THE MONASTERY IS NOT RELIABLE FOR FAMILY LIFE You write that you received a letter from Varvara I., in which she writes that a man who lived for some time in Kinovia, near the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and now has left there and taken off his monastic dress, is wooing a girl who once served Soph. Nick. V.I. instructs you to convey this to me, and wants to know my sinful opinion: should this girl marry the said person or not. You can go out, but will it do any good? In the Gospel, the Lord Himself says that he who looks back is not guided into the Kingdom of God. And although there were examples of people leaving the monastery and getting married, there was no example of such people being prosperous in their lives. Therefore, it is very unreliable to connect your fate with the fate of such a person; and I, for my part, cannot give my advice to anyone on this, since good consequences and prosperity cannot be expected from such a marriage. However, in the letter to me, which I received through you, V. Il. herself. He doesn’t write anything to me about this or mention this circumstance. 345. BEHAVIOR WITH YOUR FAMILY SO THAT THEY WILL VOLUNTARILY LET YOU GO TO THE MONASTERY Most Honorable N. of the Lord. I was going to answer your letter many times, but I never got around to it, either due to weakness or lack of time; and now I can’t write myself, but I write from dictation, although I wanted to write it by hand. Do not indulge in sadness in your upcoming situation. Christian life requires complacency and patience, as the Lord Himself said: in your patience gain your souls. Try to argue less with your mother, you will be less irritated and annoy her less. By this you will fulfill the proverb meaning of the words of Father Macarius: behave in such a way that you will be released freely into the monastery; and the second proverb of his words will be this: if you treat strangers and visitors more skillfully and carefully. If we keep the fear of God in our hearts, it will protect us from all spiritual harm. Fasting is inconvenient for you, but eat food in moderation for the glory of God. Irritability is not tamed by fasting, but by humility and self-reproach and the consciousness that we are worthy of such an unpleasant situation. Likewise, praying at every hour, according to a specific purpose, is inconvenient for you, but pray at whatever time and convenience God gives, and again with humility, without anger and indignation at others; and if this happened due to weakness, then first of all pray, so that the Lord will tame your heart, asking, at the same time, for every good to those people with whom, due to weakness, you are embarrassed. Are you asking if you should reveal your desire to your brothers? In this case, try to act according to the circumstances, taking into account what the brothers will say about your structure. When the opportunity arises, you can tell them that you need to arrange your life in accordance with your desires and mood. If they assign you a piece of land, refuse. And in general, surrender to the Providence of God, and pray to His goodness, so that the message of fate will arrange you on the path of salvation. If you are carried away by weakness, do not be cowardly or embarrassed, but try to correct it by self-reproach and confession first to God, who knows the heart, and, in time, to your spiritual father. May the infatuation that happens teach you to avoid and be cautious and to protect yourself through the fear of God. Surrender to the will of God and wait patiently for the decision of your fate. 346. Blasphemous THOUGHTS FIGHT FOR APPRECIATION AND CONDEMNATION I congratulate you on the upcoming holiday of the Nativity of Christ and the New Year. They wish you to meet and celebrate the triumph of the Church in all prosperity and joy in the Lord, and that with the New Year He will create for you a new saving path of life, despite obstacles and your unfounded fear, and all the slander of the enemy. As for the inconveniences that arise during my brother’s wedding, it would be better to step away and leave for this time. And blasphemous thoughts know what they fight for: firstly, for exaltation, and secondly, for condemnation. Humble yourself, do not think about yourself that you are better than others, do not despise anyone, but reproach yourself for sins and attempts, then blasphemous thoughts will subside. However, in any case, don’t be embarrassed; The Holy Fathers do not consider involuntary blasphemous thoughts a sin, and their causes are a sin. Don't worry too much about the arrangement of your destiny. Have only an unwavering desire for salvation and, leaving it to God, wait for His help until the time comes. Asking for God's blessing on you and entrusting His protection, I remain the sinful hieroschemamonk Ambrose. 347. DON’T HESITATE TO FULFILL YOUR DESIRE ABOUT ENTERING A MONASTERY I received your letter dated June 20 and in response to it I can only tell you that you contradict yourself. When they didn’t let you in, you were eager and languishing, but now they’re letting you go, and you’re coming up with various tricks to stay. If now you stay and hesitate, then you won’t regret it later. But, however, judge for yourself and try in the way that you recognize as the best. Pray to God that He will direct your path. Father Pimen, thank God, is healthy now, but after the death of his father, the archimandrite, he was a little sick. Give my regards to your mother N from me. Asking for you the peace and blessing of God, I remain with sincere goodwill. 348. YOU SHOULD LIVE LIKE A MONASTERY IN MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY I congratulate you on putting on the monastic dress and wish you to live like a monastery - in meekness and humility, so as to look at your weaknesses and shortcomings, and not judge others. He who judges and condemns will do the same thing later - from which God save us. 349. PLANS OF AN INEXPERIENCED IN MONASTERY LIFE You write that you don’t want anything, but only to be always alone, to see your sins, never to be distracted by your thoughts, to cut off your will in everything, and so on. Yes, you want some. In other words, you suddenly want to become passionless. And don’t worry too much about the future, no matter how much temptation comes your way. Live well in the present. 350. CHILDREN ARE OBLIGED TO HONOR THEIR PARENTS In general, the Scripture says about respect for elders: don’t do dirty tricks to an old man. Moreover, children are obliged to honor their parents in every possible way, trying to reassure them with everything that is not contrary to the commandments of God. Cell, wherever you live in the monastery, it doesn’t matter to me; Only for you it would be calm and comfortable, if possible. By winter - and due to the cramped conditions or lack of cells in the monastery - one should not stand behind the price; and after spending the winter, it will be visible there, since it is warm in the summer. The old woman is weak, it would be necessary to take care of her spiritual will; ask someone for the forms for this, and write a copy if you have to. 351. COWWIND AND DESPAIR – FROM Pride, ACCORDING TO THE SLAMS OF THE ENEMY Confusion and bewilderment - to the point of cowardice and despair. The reason for all this is your pride, and your foolishness, and ignorance of spiritual warfare. The enemy always does this: where a person can have spiritual benefit through a spiritual attitude, here he tries to create an obstacle, instilling in the foolish one bad thoughts and similar movements, and he does all this out of his evil envy of human benefit. You should have understood the machinations of the enemy and repentantly explained it with humility, and sometimes despised it, striving for the task at hand, and you are embarrassed to the point of cowardice, thereby comforting the enemy. Take courage in the Lord. 352. CORRECTION IS NOT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY I barely bothered to read your long and sincere confession. From now on, let us begin a good correction, which does not happen without labor and compulsion through patience and humility. But one should not be discouraged, and one should not think that one can suddenly recover from evil habits, but gradually, with God’s help. 353. BODILY SILENCE AND SPIRITUAL SILENCE, AND HOW THEY ARE ACQUIRED In your last letter you write about extreme silence and solitude. To this I will tell you that every thing is not done suddenly, but gradually, since silence and solitude cannot be learned suddenly, but great gradualness is needed. First of all, know that, according to the word of Saint Climacus, bodily silence means the orderliness of the bodily senses, that is, the eyes, hearing and tongue, as well as the belly, and internal silence consists of the orderliness of thoughts, in order to reject not only passionate thoughts, but also angry and judgmental ones, equally vain and suspicious. We need to start, with God’s help, with prudent silence. Answer questions briefly and meekly, as needed; do not walk around cells unnecessarily and do not talk about unnecessary things; where you have to be, especially beware of judging and condemning, if only not to annoy anyone in any way. And if, out of weakness, out of old habit, you sin in some way and make a mistake, repent of this first before God, and then before your spiritual father. 354. BY JUDGING EACH OTHER WE DESERVE MUTUAL PEACE I congratulate you on the day of the Angel and sincerely wish that, through the prayers of St. Eumenius, the All-Good Lord will grant you to have a strong mind and not be embarrassed by different opinions. Common human weaknesses: the younger ones talk about the older ones, and the older ones talk about the younger ones; and we all forget the apostolic advice or, rather, the commandment (Col. 3:12-15): Put on your clothes... as God's election, being holy and beloved, in the womb of generosity, kindness, humility, meekness and long-suffering, forgiving one another... if anyone gives reproach to anyone... and let the peace of God rest in your hearts. We, blaming each other for our foolishness, are deprived of this blessed world. And in the psalms it is said that His place is in the world, that is, God’s, and the apostle writes (1 John 4:16): they abided in love in God. This love is long-suffering, merciful, does not envy, does not exalt itself, is not proud (that is, does not humiliate anyone), does not act unruly, does not seek its own, does not think or remember evil, loves everyone, that is, covers all weaknesses and shortcomings, trusts everything, endures everything, love falls away in no way. If we only apply everything that has been said to ourselves, contemplating ourselves in our shortcomings, then we will receive great benefit from this and will delight our Guardian Angel and Saint Eumenius. 355. THOSE LEAVE MONACHISM ARE LIKE JUDAS THE TRAITOR My child is ungrateful and unreasonable. Yes, your cowardice knows that none of the people has the right to allow anyone to leave the path of pious life that he has adopted. Because those who took up monasticism and left it are likened to Judas the traitor, who did not ask anyone for permission to do so, but willingly betrayed him, and himself suffers his bitter fate in hell. Anyone who still has any sense should not decide to imitate such a pitiful and ill-fated person, but rather let him endure temporary inconveniences and temporary minor sorrow in order to receive the great eternal mercy of God. It’s in vain that you take everything so to heart. To be firmer is both calmer and more useful. Now it is no longer possible to turn back, but it is better to endure everything that happens and receive God’s mercy. May the Lord forgive you! 357. IN THE NEW CELL WISHES SOUL AND BODILY RENEWAL Congratulations on your housewarming. I sincerely wish you, if possible, a calming life, as much as possible to eat in this deplorable vale, in it, through a deplorable life with humility, we achieve unchangeable and endless joy, even if the All-Good Lord grants us to receive patience and long-suffering; since the righteous have many sorrows, and the sinners have many wounds and wounds, it is inconvenient to endure all this apart from humble endurance. Let us pray to the Lord, may He give us His help and faith, and courage, and good will to fulfill the Divine commandments, and the prayer cell rule, and, first of all, going to church services, with the fear of God, and attention, and reverence, in meeting sisters and mothers with humble and decent treatment, and appropriate worship, remembering the Gospel word: as Whatever men will, do to you, so do you to them (Matthew 7:12). Simply - in your new cell I wish you spiritual renewal and peace of mind. If this will be so, let me know. 358. CONFESSION OF SINS WITH INVASION AT OTHERS IS NOT USEFUL The Kingdom of Heaven is given to everyone by the grace of God, not without sorrow and to the righteous, then how come we, sinners, do not want to endure anything sorrowful, wanting to receive it? It is useful to confess everything with self-reproach, but with indignation at others - what is the use of full explanations? Without humility and virtue they are of no use. Buy firewood and live here for now without explanation, when there is no other place in sight that is quieter, as I personally told you: maybe we’ll pay. Try with all your might to live peacefully. God knows what two months means. May the Lord forgive you, and may He establish our future according to His holy will. Children! submit to the will of God, and the enemy will flee from you, confusing you with ... his service. Stand where you can, in the church and say the Jesus Prayer, like a publican, and the Lord will help you. Know that blasphemy inspired by the enemy against someone can be completely sinful, harmful, and offensive to repeat. God will forgive. 359. MATERIAL ROOMS DO NOT PROVIDE PEACE You are wrong to think that material means would give you peace of mind. No, this idea is false. There are people with means, in your eyes, but they are more worried than you. Try better to humble yourself, and then you will find peace, as the Lord Himself promised through the Gospel word. If anyone sends you anything, accept it as from the hand of God, and do not be ashamed of poverty. Poverty is not a vice, but the main means to humility and salvation. The incarnate Son of God himself deigned to live in poverty on earth. Remember this and don't be ashamed. God will forgive you and forgive me for warmly accepting your words. I don’t care: the poor and the rich - you leave them, and I won’t interpret. Calm down and call on God's help. 360. TIME TO ENGAGE IN YOUR INNER PEACE, WHICH DOES NOT DEPEND ON MATERIAL EXCESS How are you and what things are you in? What do you do, what do you say and what do you think: is it useful or not? In the first, may God’s help strengthen you, and from the last, may He deliver you. It’s time to leave cowardice behind, and it’s time to take care of your soul properly, trying to acquire everything that saves through patience and peace of your inner disposition. It is in vain that you think that wealth, or abundance, or at least sufficiency would be useful or calming for you. The rich are even more anxious than the poor and lacking. Poverty and insufficiency are closer to both humility and salvation, unless a person is faint-hearted, but places his faith and trust in the All-Good Providence of God. Hitherto the Lord has nourished us, and He is able to do this in the future. Therefore let us cast our sorrow upon the Lord. When a bad smell hits you, say to yourself: the smell is worse in hell, and with various torments without end; and for enduring this smell, the Lord is able to deliver me from hell, with its endless torments. 362. HE WHO HAS RECEIVED FORGIVENESS OF HIS SINS AND HAS INHERITED THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN CAN REMEMBER THEM WITH GRATITUDE TO THE MERCY OF GOD May the Lord forgive you your cowardice and other things. When the patient recovers completely from his illness, then he cannot remember his illness with unpleasantness. Likewise, a sinner, having received forgiveness of sins and inherited the Kingdom of Heaven, can no longer remember his sins with discomfort, but, on the contrary, with gratitude to God’s mercy. 363. THE SON OF GOD LIVED IN POVERTY, AND WE SHOULD NOT GET WORSE FROM POVERTY The incarnate Son of God, for the sake of our salvation, did not deign to live on earth, in the house of the rich and glorious, but was born in a wretched den and raised in the house of a simple woodcutter. But we, having entered the monastery for the sake of receiving salvation, through the forgiveness of our sins, how are we thinking?.., is it not contrary to the image of the Son of God? For this reason, let us reproach ourselves and humble ourselves, and then we will find peace. 364. EVERYTHING SIMPLE IS CLOSER TO GOD Peace to you and God's blessing and every affirmation in everything good, beneficial and saving! Consider first my letter written to you regarding your insult for inviting you to tea with the common people. In it you will see that everything simple is closer to God, but sophisticated and lofty things move us away from God. I wrote to you with the intention of showing you a spiritual remedy, how to calm yourself when our offended pride rebels. May the Lord forgive you everything that has passed and strengthen you for the future. I know that life is not easy for you, but this work and inconvenience are temporary; bliss in the Kingdom of God for this is eternal and endless. Be patient, child, trusting in the mercy and help of God. Your name is N, and it is said that hope does not put you to shame. 365. A CHANGE OF LOCATION WILL NOT SAVE FROM MEANING. YOU WILL BE SAVED BY HUMILITY It’s better not to take someone else’s handicrafts, but go to church, and read and pray at home; Out of despondency, you can take up your handicraft, not for a while, and then you can sell it for something. The Lord has hitherto provided for you, and will continue to be able to do this, providing you with the necessities of life. Move to another place - get this thought out of your head; Wherever you go, you will be the same in another place, with your usual disposition of your spirit prone to melancholy. This is the first; secondly, no matter where you live, it is impossible to get rid of this vow and the responsibility for it; The Angels are witnesses of this. It is best to be forced by force to do what is required and, in the event of a malfunction, try to repent of it, with humility, without self-justification. Then the Lord is strong for us, the weak, to show His mercy and grant us an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven, according to what is said in the Gospel (Matthew 11:12): The Kingdom of Heaven is in need, and the needy women delight in it. Especially in front of Mother Abbess, be forced to humble yourself, and do not interpret her actions and treatment of you so wrongly or proudly that it is as if she is treating you out of spite; I think it’s simple, firstly, as a boss, and secondly, in consideration of the many sisters who want to go to Optina. It’s healthier and more peaceful to think this way, and at the same time more humble, and more pleasing to God. The sleepy dreams that frighten you O-goi come more from your dissatisfaction and angry mood, and not from why you think. Closest of all, vainglorious jealousy nestles in her, so that you deal with her more than with others. This kind of stupidity occurs most often. And you try to despise such things; Accept the service you need, but don’t pay attention to anything else. However, we will see better, and maybe there will be changes anyway. 366. GREAT TORMENT AWAITS US IF WE REJECT THE VOWS WE GAVE Now we do not want to endure small and short-lived sorrow, but how, after death, will we endure endless sorrow, inexpressible torment, if we reject the vows we recently made! I believe everything that is difficult for you, very difficult - both from illness and from bad servants, but suddenly everything cannot be corrected; Be patient for a while, and in the meantime we’ll look for opportunities to get rid of the annoying N. You can send her away now, but with whom will you be left alone in the big house? For now, tell her that you won’t keep her if she acts weird. 367. OUR WORKS ARE NOT DONE WITHOUT GOD’S PROVIDENCE I received your letter, in which you explain your bleak situation due to those who were tonsured before you, and in your opinion, less worthy. On the one hand, I feel sorry for you that you are grieving so much, but on the other hand, I consider this matter to be providential for you, so that you would later think condescendingly about those who are in a similar position, and know from experience how bitter such a situation is, and judge and reason about it sensibly. The supreme apostles were allowed temptation: Peter - the renunciation of Christ, and Paul - the persecution of Christians, so that later they would be merciful to those who sin. It is in vain and unfair that you think that things are done only through people alone, without the participation of God’s Providence. In addition to the earthly authorities, there is also the Heavenly King on earth, the Holy Spirit, who governs everything, arranges what is useful for our benefit, and removes what is not useful. Hold on to this thought and you will find peace in praying for those you grieve and despise. However, one should not despise anyone. We don't know what ending anyone will get. About those who despise others it is read in the proverbs: “they sigh and say: how are these, despised by us, found in the sons of God.” You have the secret, but you can receive the obvious in due time; therefore, leaving everything external, take care of internal salvation. 368. THEORY IS LIKE A LADY OF THE COURT, AND PRACTICE IS LIKE A BEAR IN THE FOREST Your main concern came from the fact that your mothers did not want to fulfill one of your wishes: to add two years to get you a clear tonsure into the mantle. It seems to you that it is a shame against others when the youngest and worst are tonsured. And this circumstance does not in the least hinder salvation, but even more contributes to it. And in the Shamorda community, everyone is junior, and all affairs are managed by the juniors. In addition, can you carry communal food, common with everyone at the meal, which is often quite coarse. His Eminence Theophan not long ago wrote to his spiritual daughter, who has many plans and assumptions, and she forwarded this letter to me. This letter says: theory is like a court lady, and practice is like a bear from the forest. But to avoid unnecessary interpretation, let’s actually test your assumption. Wait until spring, and in the spring come for a month or more and live in Shamordin, going to meals with others, and then we’ll talk. Then you will see for yourself whether you can or cannot live in a young community without meaning and on rough food. 369. TO AVOID GRIEF, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE OFFENDING. READ THE GOSPEL To avoid the grief that burdens you, it is necessary and necessary to pray for the person for whom you are grieving. And pray like this: “Save, Lord, and have mercy on my beloved mother (name), and through her prayers, help me, accursed and sinful.” To pray in this way you have the Gospel commandment from the Lord Himself, who says (Matthew 5:44): love your enemies... do good to those who hate you... bless those who curse you... and pray for those who attack you and drive you out. Without such prayer it is impossible to get rid of grief and calm down. And when you pray like this, with faith and zeal, then this person towards you may change for the better. I advise you to read the Gospel more often and for a long time, especially from John. Read so that only your ears can hear; If you understand, if you don’t understand, read. The gracious word of the Gospel will greatly drive away boredom and despondency, and will calm you; just read more and longer, recognizing such a temptation as God’s permission to test you and to discover the inner hidden deposit in order to try to heal the hidden illness of the soul with the Gospel remedy indicated by the Lord Himself, who says (Matthew 11:29): learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. The Lord speaks through the Apostle (Rom. 12:19): Vengeance is mine, I will repay, that is, leave everything to the Lord, and the Lord will reward, since you are not able to repay, even if you wanted to. 370. SHOULD A GUARDING SISTER ACCEPT FROM TONSURE? Sister in the Lord and spiritual child, mother N! I received your letter dated February 28 on March 7 and am answering you right away. You write that I’m angry with you for not answering for a long time. I am not at all angry with you, but illness and extreme lack of time did not allow me to write to you. And now I’m writing briefly, for the same reasons. I congratulate you on putting on the mantle and wish you God’s mercy. Are you asking whether you should accept sisters from tonsure? Tell them that if you are not afraid of grief, then I do not refuse; but I’m just saying in advance that you will be suspected of slandering me and will be hated; Here’s an example for you, I took one willingly, and now everyone is chasing it. You also ask whether to install water or wind ovens in the church. Water ones are inconvenient and need to be heated twice a day; but it would be better to arrange wind instruments of a new invention, but not Amosov’s, from which the iconostasis deteriorates. I greet Mother Abbess N. with kindness in the Lord. Calling upon both of you, and on your monastery, the peace and blessing of God, I remain with sincere goodwill. 371. WE SHOULD SEEK NOT OUR OWN GLORY, BUT GOD’S. ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE MOTHER TREASURER TO THE ABBES, AND ABOUT BISMARCK Stick to a more mid-tone tone; it will be more trustworthy and true. I received your letter, in which you describe your struggle with thoughts that upset you. You work harder than anyone else, but others do not want to appreciate it, and the first is Mother Abbess, who, for her part, writes to me that she is ready to reassure you in every possible way and sympathizes with you in your struggle, but does not have the opportunity to force others to appreciate your work and efforts at the monastery. I offer you two means to calm you down. 1) Mother N, due to her illness, would not have agreed to accept the abbotship, but decided to accept it only in order to get you out of the difficult situation in which you were in the N monastery, as you yourself explained all this to me. Remember this, and don't forget. When you remember this, you will have less claim to the abbess when, according to her position and responsibility, she casts her vote; since it is impossible for the abbess to always remain silent. And the mother treasurer should sometimes remain silent in front of others, until the time when the mother abbess asks questions about something, at least after these matters the mother treasurer had to finish. This is what spiritual order requires. In private, everything can be said to the mother abbess, but in front of others, one must declare one’s knowledge and importance with caution, so as not to seduce outsiders who may say that the treasurer is taking precedence over the abbess. There is a wise proverb: “The slower you go, the further you will go.” 2) The example of Bismarck should calm you down in your struggle. Bismarck was only a chancellor, but he had more significance than an emperor, not only in Prussia, but throughout Europe, and as long as he kept himself within the limits of moderation, this significance continued, and as Bismarck began to make immoderate claims, this significance lost its power. If a person himself does not value his labors, then not only God, but also people evaluate them; otherwise, the opposite happens. It is better to always and in everything work for God’s sake, and for the sake of God’s glory, and not for the sake of one’s own glory. Glory on earth is short-lived and fleeting, but glory from God is eternal and endless. We must adhere to the latter, so as not to work in vain and uselessly. 372. ABOUT CARNAL MOVEMENTS IN PRAYER. ABOUT MENTAL AND ORAL PRAYER I received your letter. You write that the elders have completely abandoned you. We didn’t think of leaving you, but lack of time does not allow you to write often. You write that during prayer you have carnal movements and nasty blasphemous thoughts. You must be keeping your mind's attention very low within during prayer. A person’s heart is located under the left nipple, and if a praying person keeps the attention of the mind lower, then there is a movement of the flesh. Keep up your oral prayer, and then you will get rid of such movements; no one fell into delusion from oral prayer; and it is dangerous to undergo smart heartfelt prayer without instructions. Such prayer requires instruction, lack of anger, silence and humble self-reproach in any unpleasant case. Therefore, it is safer to always stick to oral prayer, since we are poor in patience, humility and lack of anger; That is why prayer is required, especially during times of embarrassment - both for oneself and for those who have offended: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners.” There is no time to write more. Maintain humility and self-reproach, and the Lord will help you. 373. ABOUT TEMPTATIONS DURING THE JESUS PRAYER The enemy confuses you with various bewilderments. The Holy Fathers advise not to be afraid when calling on the name of God, especially since you began this work not on your own, but with blessing. And what you don’t understand, leave without any special significance, neither rejecting nor accepting, as St. Mark the Ascetic advises spiritual infants, such as, for example, the fact that you saw Christ crucified inside your heart, and the Savior sitting in prison in red clothes, and some incomprehensible light. This, and similar things, leave everything to the will of God, saying to yourself: “God alone gives useful and saving news.” Read all the passages in the Philokalia about delusion and beware of the indicated signs of delusion. Leave the rest to the will of God. You write that when you say a prayer, you look at your heart. The Holy Fathers advise, during prayer, to look inside the heart, and not from above, and not from the side, and especially if the attention of the mind descends below the heart, then carnal passion is aroused. You write that on the feast of St. John the Theologian, out of exhaustion, you left the church for your cell and, lying on your bed, saw the enemy running, in all its ugliness. Go ahead, if you get exhausted in church, sit or lie down, but don’t leave. In general, know, as you yourself have read in the books of the fathers, that the enemy does not rebel against anything so much as against the Jesus Prayer. Therefore, once you have begun to hold on to the Jesus Prayer, do not abandon it, but continue, trusting in the mercy and help of God. The Lord and the Queen of Heaven are strong to protect us from evils and troubles inflicted by spiritual enemies. You also write that some of your sisters belong to the Athonite elders. But you don’t know them, and they don’t know you. Therefore, such an attitude cannot be convenient. Your letter also says that you had strong carnal excitement for three days... Probably she condemned someone, or was allowed to submit to humility and testing. You ask how you should deal with your family: you received advice to leave them, but yet you have no help from anyone and don’t know whether to write to them or not? I told you to give up excessive concern for your relatives and close connections with them, and not to say not to write to them at all. You can write to them in time. In your current circumstances, you can’t ask directly, but ask them that five months have passed since you’ve been living somehow; How do they live there themselves - do they eat air or something, and do they pay for anything, or do they have everything without money. If you had received what you needed from others, you might not have to remind them; and now - why not ask such a question. You are all concerned about the minute precision of the rule. Care more about the quality of prayer and spiritual peace; and for the rest, patients should be more humble. Peace to you, and to your spirit, and to your being. 375. UNBLESSED WORK IS NOT USEFUL. ABOUT RELATIONS WITH FAMILY. YOU MUST DO NOT YOUR WILL, BUT THE WILL OF GOD In your letter you write that during cheese week you were in such, in your opinion, pleasing to the Lord that even for half an hour it was difficult for you to do anything other than remember the Lord and read the holy books. In the very first week of Lent, after such spiritual consolation of yours, strong carnal warfare set in, and then spiritual anguish. You ask me why this could happen. You yourself set out the reasons for this in your letter. First: unreasonable doubt and embarrassment that you cannot endure fasting as you should, and then - murmuring against the Lord. Saint Isaac the Syrian writes that God endures all human infirmities; He does not tolerate a person who grumbles, so as not to punish him. The second reason for this attack against you is an unauthorized fast. While you lived on your own, no matter what you did, you got away with it out of necessity: the Lord was lenient with your senseless zeal and recklessness. If you have a spiritual relationship with someone, then you should no longer go through voluntarily or take on reckless feats, contrary to the blessing or advice received; and this not only cannot please God, but such arbitrariness does not go unpunished, but brings temptation to a person. You describe how fasting helped you before, in a similar case, and ask for your blessing to take up the same thing again if the abuse does not go away. Saint John of the Climacus writes: “Whoever tries to tame this battle through abstinence alone is like someone swimming with one hand and wanting to swim out of the sea”; but in another place he indicated the real remedy: “if you couple yourself with obedience, then you will thereby be freed from it (that is, from the battle of the flesh); if you acquire humility, then you will cut off its head.” But for you, fasting is combined with arrogance and disobedience; what benefit could there be from this? With your poor health, reckless and arbitrary exploits can only completely upset you and make you useless for anything; and you can get relief from battle only by humble repentance, and a humble invocation of God’s help, with obedience and moderate abstinence. I repeat: what I could get away with before when I lived on my own, now I can no longer get away with it. A spiritual attitude towards someone cannot be combined with one’s will - but choose any one, one of two. Vinegar and milk are good separately, and useful in their place; and merging them together will result in a mess that is good for nothing. Likewise, self-rule and self-will are not compatible with spiritual attitude and obedience, but one must adhere to one of the two. Further: after everything that was written to you by me, you stubbornly stand your ground - you don’t want to write to your family; and meanwhile, because of your silence, they are not only upset with you, but they also don’t send you money, and they can’t finish things between themselves, so a general nuisance comes out through you. Well, aren't you reckless, and aren't you stubborn? You wrote to me more than once about some kind of power of attorney; but she never really explained what kind of power of attorney is required from you. As I wrote to you before, I repeat again that a sensible and thorough power of attorney should be sent if your family circumstances require it. You justify yourself by saying that you promised not to write to your family. The ancient fathers renounced all kinship, but did not ask anyone for anything, but ate herbs and potions, or from the labor of their hands. If you cannot imitate them, not ask anyone for anything, work and eat from the labor of your own hands, or, perhaps, if you can feed on the air, and at the same time be peaceful, not grumble, and not reproach or blame anyone, if you can do all this, then hold on to your promise. And if you can’t, then admit your weakness, and your unreasonable promise, and humbly ask the Lord for forgiveness: “Lord, I lied, damned one, I promised something I cannot fulfill! Forgive me, a sinner! You ask who is better to please - God or people. But you, stubbornly holding on to your reckless promise, will annoy people, but you will not please God. Herod not only promised recklessly, but also swore, but having fulfilled his oath, he is still called lawless. And if he had repented that he had sworn recklessly, then by breaking his foolish oath he would have been justified before the Lord through repentance and humility. If a reckless promise, when fulfilled, will not save anyone, then even more so those who are spiritually inclined, if they persistently violate the well-intentioned advice given to them, cannot justify themselves in this by saying that they foolishly promised this and that. You also write that your constant thought is how to please the Lord. You yourself don’t see what kind of temptation you are in, and how everything is perverted for you. People who have sinned a lot should not think about pleasing the Lord, but first about repentance and receiving forgiveness and mercy. If you want to please the Lord, then know that you cannot please Him with recklessness, and stubbornness, and grumbling against everyone, even against the Lord Himself, but you must please Him with humility, and humble repentance, and obedience, and reasoning - or, if someone himself cannot judge sensibly, then by obedience to the one to whom he relates. You have your own will in everything ahead. You read the Lord’s Prayer daily: “Thy will be done”; and meanwhile, I am determined like this: my will be done. And you grumble against the Lord because He does not do according to you, about which the holy Apostle writes (James 4:3): you ask, and do not receive, you ask evilly. Don’t you notice that you are striving to fulfill the will of our common enemy, who through reckless exploits wants to destroy your last health, to beat you, and at the same time put you in such a position that you have no help from either your relatives or strangers, so that you cannot live in a monastery - and thus making you useless for anything, plunging you into murmur and despair. This is what the enemy of the human race wants. Think and try so that instead of your imaginary pleasing to the Lord, you do not please the enemy who seeks your destruction. I repeat, you are in great temptation. You are allowed to fulfill the double cell rule only in such a case when, after everything has been done, there is still strength and time left; but if you are weak, it is enough to do it once. In general, I will note to you that you are always branching the path of piety. This path is simple; and everything turns out to be somehow complicated and petty; you worry about all the little details and rules. I have already spoken and written to you, and I repeat again that, according to St. John of Damascus, the sick and weak, regarding external labors and exploits, should work as much as they can, considering both their weakness and their strengths, and then the main rule for them is gratitude and humility, that is, to endure the illnesses and infirmities sent to them not only without grumbling, but also to thank God for everything, and to humble themselves in their inadequacy before the Lord and people. 376. TO PLEASE GOD FIRST OF ALL REPENTANCE. FOR SINS YOU MUST ENDURE AND SORRY. HOW TO SPEND YOUR TIME PREPARING FOR COMMUNION Everyone not only can, but should, take care of pleasing the Lord. But how can we please Him? First of all, repentance and humility. But that's not enough for you. You want the Lord to be your debtor. You write: “The Lord did everything for me, but I did nothing for Him. Is it easy? If someone owes someone, then without paying the debt, one cannot make gifts. So we, first of all, must take care of paying off the sinful debt through humble repentance, which is carried out until the grave. But you ask: “Aren’t all previous sins forgiven during confession and tonsure? and is it necessary, before death, to repent in prayer of previous sins and remember them, or to consign them to oblivion and not confuse thoughts with previous deeds? You have already been told that you should never remember carnal sins in detail, and especially in prayer you should not count such sins by type; but one must generally consider oneself a sinner and an unpaid debtor to the Lord. The Holy Apostle Paul was honored to receive not only forgiveness of sins, but also apostolic dignity, and yet he counted himself among sinners, saying (1 Tim. 1:15): of whom am I first. Moreover, one must know that sins are forgiven not just by confessing them, but satisfaction is also required. The Lord Himself said to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43): today you will be with Me in paradise. But even after this promise, the robber did not immediately and not without difficulty pass into heavenly pleasure, but first had to endure the breaking of his legs. So we, although our previous sins were forgiven during the Sacrament of Confession and upon accepting the monastic form, but through God’s penance for them we must bear, that is, endure, illness, and sorrow, and inconvenience, and everything that the Lord sends us to cleanse our sins. We must also remember the Gospel word of the Lord Himself: I want mercy, not sacrifice, that is, in order to please the Lord, we must take care most of all not to judge others, and in general to have a condescending disposition towards our neighbors. Now, as much as I can, I will write to answer your questions. When preparing for Communion, one should eat (except for illness) food without oil; on the eve of Communion, after Compline, nothing is eaten. On other days, after the All-Night Vigil, the healthy and strong should also not eat anything, but the weak and infirm should consider their weakness; if they can, let them endure, and if they cannot, let them eat little and humble themselves for it, and consider themselves weak and faulty. Before the All-Night Vigil, whether to go to Compline, when it happens separately, consider this according to your strength. After the All-Night Vigil, when it departs late, you can read the end of the prayers for sleep for those coming (“Master, Lover of Mankind, is this not a bed for me”...). You can read the canons before the All-Night Vigil, as long as you have time. I think that tonsure and the treasury are unlikely to be offered to you soon, and therefore you shouldn’t worry much about it. You can directly ask for money to contribute to the monastery and to pay off debts. You write that my words, that you are striving to fulfill the will of our common enemy, greatly struck you. But these words were not just spoken; read again what they were referring to. I would like to write something else, but I have no time; but I don’t want to put it off until another post. I ask God's blessing for you. Peace be with you. 377. ABOUT Blasphemous THOUGHTS, AND ABOUT HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN RELATION TO THEM. ABOUT EATING FOOD. ABOUT THE SETUP IN THE MONASTERY AND ABOUT THE PRAYER RULE You write: “Forgive me that I don’t write anything joyful to you: all sins and infirmities; I will never console you for any correction.” Write about your weaknesses, this will comfort me most of all. Any high corrections are not your measure; repentance is the highest and most necessary for every person, and more comforting for others than stories about one’s own imaginary virtues. You describe the abuse that you have been experiencing for six months, and you wonder why such strong abuse was allowed to you. You ask whether you have now angered God again with something, mortally sinned? Now at least she hasn’t sinned, but she must endure for old sins. Mary of Egypt in the desert struggled for 17 years with passions, as with beasts... You say, maybe this is the common path of people who have sinned a lot. Indeed, this is a common path, but on this common path each person experiences more or less, this or that, according to his own structure and his feelings. I'll tell you an example. In damp, cold weather, several people walk along the same road. A healthy person will get cold, and that’s all. Those who are in weaker health will catch a cold, a runny nose, and a headache. But a sick person will become completely ill because for a healthy person it is harmless. So understand what you are asking about: the kind of abuse you describe (for example, what you experience while standing in church) is a sign of deep weakness. This warfare is made easier by humility; and intensifies - from arrogance and pride. The blasphemous thoughts that trouble you come from arrogance and pride. Arrogance can also be seen in the fact that you think that you love God, but you only think that you love Him. He who loves God also has love for his neighbor; But love, according to the apostolic word, is long-suffering, merciful, does not envy love, is not proud of love, is not proud, does not act outrageously, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth, loves everything, has faith in everything, trusts everything, endures everything (1 Cor. 13:4-7). He who loves God, even if he is insulted a thousand times a day, does not become irritated or angry, and does not lose inner peace; It doesn’t happen to him that suddenly everything inside will flare up, so that out of embarrassment he can’t even pray, as happens with you. Also, from the very battle of thoughts that you experience, you can be convinced that it only seems to you that you love God. The Holy Fathers present the following example: when a cauldron is boiling, then no reptile, not even a small insect, can approach it, being scorched by the heat of the cauldron; if the fire goes out and the cauldron cools down, then not only insects sit comfortably on it, but also various reptiles boldly climb in and calmly lie in it. So the fire of true Divine love drives away all unclean thoughts; and when such thoughts greatly chill a person, this is a clear sign that he has not yet achieved the measure of God’s love. You write that you drink holy water and smoke cherub incense, but you do not find peace. Holy water should be drunk less frequently; and don’t smoke cherub incense. No incense will help you, since the whole point is arrogance, from which all your spiritual battles intensify, and you are deprived of peace. You ask what is better, to grieve over thoughts, or not to pay attention to them? Both are not your measure, that is, you should not grieve senselessly, and you cannot yet despise your thoughts, but you should humbly turn to God and pray. Only during prayer should one try to reject all thoughts and, without paying attention to them, continue the prayer; if the constriction of thoughts becomes very strong, then again we must ask for God’s help against them. You also write that for a long time it did not occur to you and there was no desire to ask the Queen of Heaven to intercede in your battles, and it seems to you that asking for deliverance from the struggle means giving up the monastic cross. Here you should be reproached. You grieve that you rarely receive letters from me, but how do you read them? Do you do what is written to you? How many times was it written to you that in your battle you should prayerfully turn to the Lord, ask for His omnipotent help, and the intercession of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, but you write that you had no desire to ask the Queen of Heaven. They tell you to ask for God’s help, but you talk about getting rid of the struggle. Don’t ask the Lord for deliverance from the struggle, but for help and courageous patience. Appeal to the Lord and Mother of God with humility, with a deep consciousness of your weakness, your rotten dispensation, leaving behind high-minded thoughts about your imaginary love for God; then the Lord is strong to help you and give you relief according to your humility. You also write that sometimes you cannot look at the icon because of the abuse of blasphemous thoughts. To make your thoughts less painful, you can only occasionally look at the icons; but she must know that icons are only for external eyes, and therefore, while standing in prayer, we must remember that we are standing before God. Under no circumstances should you imagine an icon in your mind. You also write about food that it is difficult for you to get used to eating little by little, so that after lunch you are still hungry. The Holy Fathers established three degrees regarding food: abstinence, in order to be somewhat hungry after eating; contentment, so as not to be either full or hungry; and satiety, so that you can eat your fill, not without some burden. Of these three degrees, everyone can choose any one, according to their strengths and according to their structure - healthy and sick. For the latter, it is difficult to eat once a day. You write that your mother promises to give you everything you need, but not earlier than winter, and now she cannot send you money except little by little, and says that it is your own fault for slowing down the completion of things. This remark of hers is fair: you conducted your affairs clumsily, you wanted to drive away an ethereal life. You're afraid that if you ask for a contribution, you won't get anything. Winter is not far away; but in any case, you can now write to your mother how much you need to get rid of it: don’t ask for a contribution, but write that you have the necessary need for such and such an amount for some payment. She can intercept it somewhere to send it to you. Regarding which monastery you should enter, the city one or the Trans-Dnieper one, you told me, and again you write, what you heard from the Metropolitan; What has been decided to change?.. Whether to live in the abbot's building, or in a new wooden house - live with patience wherever you have to, and it will be done for you. It’s difficult for me to find and look through your old letters; and when you are completely settled in the monastery, write or repeat to me what services there are, and what is read in the church, and how much free time you will have, and how much strength you have; Then, perhaps, I’ll write something to you. And now I can’t prescribe anything for you. They do not enter someone else’s monastery with their own charter; They don’t even come to the monastery with their own charter. The main thing for you is to obey, wisely according to God, the monastery authorities and adapt to the general order; privately - do what you can in simplicity, and the Lord will accept even a small rule, performed with humility. The importance is not what rules we follow, but how we fulfill them. You are still grieving in bewilderment that maybe you are doing something wrong. Saint Climacus says that to doubt and remain perplexed about something for a long time is a sign of a proud and love-loving soul. You write: “even the healthy are attacked by laziness and weakness.” But a healthy person can be forced; the patient, if forced beyond his strength, experiences embarrassment upon embarrassment, according to St. Isaac the Syrian. For a patient to set different rules for himself means never wanting to get out of an embarrassed state... You often ask me, but you don’t listen to my words, and you still hold on to your wisdom. How many times have I told and written to you that the frail and weak, as St. John of Damascus says, need humility and thanksgiving most of all. And Saint John Climacus writes: “If anyone is weak in body and has committed many sins, let him walk the path of humility and its qualities. Otherwise he will not find the means to save himself.” 378. BEWARE OF FINDING THE MIRACULOUS IN YOUR SOUL In your letter dated September 29, you wrote that on the ninth day, after sending your previous letter, you, standing in the Lavra at mass, felt that your letter had reached me. Your feelings deceived you: I received your letters dated August 5 on the 13th, and those from August 23 on the 29th; that means not on the ninth day. You keep looking for the miraculous in your life, and you are very guilty of this... You wrote that, being in anguish, you prayed to the Mother of God to send you from afar one of Her servants from some distant desert. Although later it turned out as if your prayer had been fulfilled, such a prayer is very sinful, reckless and daring, and leads to self-delusion. In advance, do not pray in this way, but simply pray that the Lord and the Mother of God will help you, as they guide your destinies. Most of all, beware of believing your dreams and dreams, try to forget them, and do not attribute any meaning to them. In ancient times, the great elder (whom we read in the paraklis), through trusting dreams, fell into the deception of the enemy; and now I have before my eyes a certain example of how a person can be damaged by trusting dreams. For you, this requires extreme caution, since you are already prone to self-delusion and the charms of the enemy, and can easily get confused. The Monk Mark the Ascetic writes: “there is another action of grace, unknown to the (spiritual) child, and another action of malice, likened to the truth. Do not look at such goodness for the sake of charm, nor curse it, for the sake of truth, but bring it all to God with hope: for that is news that is useful to both.” In the letter dated September 26, you again ask why you were given such strong abuse - for sins or for cleansing, etc., that is, you make various twists: is it possible to accept this abuse in such a way that you do not have to mentally reconcile yourself. Meanwhile, all this is allowed, by the way, precisely for the humility of our sublime wisdom; It’s simpler and shorter to say – for pride and for sins. If you have letters to the lay people of the elder Father Macarius, read letter 55 (on pages 123–128) and letters 72 and 73 (on page 147 et seq.). 379. WHEN YOU ARE BUSY, THERE IS LESS MENTAL CONFUSION. ADVISES TO HELP TWO POOR GIRLS IN THE CITY You write that you have been entrusted with writing in the monastery, and that as a result of this you have fallen behind in prayer, but you would like to be always in prayer or in the thought of God. You take it high, very high! There is a proverb: “Sit lower, otherwise you will get angry.” I already wrote to you that when you are busy with something, there will be less mental confusion. You agree with this that this is true, and then you contradict yourself that you need the privacy and silence of your cell. But I forgot what kind of abuse I felt in your solitude at the Lavra. However, what should I advise you when you have many advisors besides me? You ask about little things, but you hide important matters and decide for yourself, so I can only guess. So you kept looking for benefactors; how much she insisted on this. They sent you 100 rubles, and now it turns out that you yourself are making donations of 3,000 rubles. In this case, why did you look for philanthropists? The money sent to you could be assigned to others who are truly in need and in need of charitable assistance. Do as you please; but I think that it is not useful for you to keep this money (100 rubles), but you should give it to those in need. If you agree to this, then I will send you the address of two girls in Mtsensk, who have elderly parents and who are in extremity and suffer bitter need; if you want, you can send them the money (100 rubles) you received from benefactors. I advise you to send this money to these girls immediately and without delay, or all at once, or at least twice, in order to free your soul from the reckless burden. 380. ABOUT THE CONVERSATION WITH MOTHER ABBES. ABOUT SELF-AUTHORIZED OBEDIENCE. ABOUT CORRECT HANDLING OF MONEY You write that you are beginning to gradually experience the sorrows of monastic life, and have been subjected to persecution, albeit a small one. What kind of persecution this is, and what your sorrows are, you do not explain, but you mentioned it in previous letters. That it would please Mother Abbess and, as it were, a consolation for her to judge and condemn those with whom she had displeasure. But the Gospel says (Matthew 7:1–2): Judge not, lest ye be judged. And again: measure according to measure, it will be measured to you. Therefore, beware of judging or condemning anyone; and in conversations with Mother Abbess, be careful: express to her your sympathy that you regret her sorrowful life; and sometimes you can remain silent about others, or answer like this: “I don’t know what to say about this”; or express it in such a way that it would be harmless for everyone, but harmless for you. Be smart yourself, and figure out for yourself how to respond to Mother Abbess in any case, so as not to offend her, and not to sin yourself... Did you ask me if you could go into the kitchen to peel potatoes or wash dishes, secretly, in defiance of the abbess? I don't recommend doing this at all. The Monk Barsanuphius, in his answers to Abba Dorotheos, says: “One should not be called upon oneself to perform low deeds, for this leads to vanity, interferes with success, and does more harm than good. But when something is commanded, do not contradict, but carry out with obedience - this is what leads to success.” You write: “I don’t like money so much that I never have it for long; That’s why I’m always without money, and then I borrow.” But this is nonsense, and you should not make excuses for this, but rather reproach yourself and try to improve. If a person could eat and clothe himself with air, then he would rightly neglect money, which, as it seems, sometimes bothers him. And just as in times of cold and hunger one cannot neglect the necessary clothing and food, so one cannot neglect the means through which food and clothing are acquired. The Holy Fathers say that “the edges of demons are the essence,” that is, that extremes come from the suppression of spiritual enemies. It is foolish to be addicted to money, and it is foolish to neglect it; both are bad, and lead not only to embarrassment, but even to mental harm through various confusions from improper neglect. Money, in itself, or rather, for the purpose assigned by God, is a very useful thing. They replace the lack of simplicity and love between people. Without money, who would count people? There would be eternal disputes and quarrels and even fights to the point of murder; and with small coins and even insignificant pieces of paper people get rid of all this, without realizing it. The harm comes not from money, but from reckless greed, or stinginess, or from abuse, perhaps, let’s say - and from wrongful neglect. Use money correctly and you will be at peace. Peace to you and God's blessing. 381. IT IS NOT USEFUL TO BLINDLY IMITATE OTHERS, FOR EVERYONE HAS HIS OWN PATH You ask whether you should live with an old nun, so that you can ask her what to do and read the rule with her; and you think that then you will calm down. But this is a misconception. Human ways are different; and if we look at others, how they live, and imitate them, then only confusion will come out of this, leading to condemnation, and everyone must ask his spiritual father about himself, to whom to relate, and act in accordance with this. The nun with whom you would live does not know me, but you treated and still treat my thinness; What would come out of your purchased life? She would confuse you, and you would annoy her. We need to be with others not in order to consult with everyone and imitate them, but in order to recognize our spiritual weaknesses in consideration of them and humble ourselves before our neighbors. And you can do this without living with the old woman; and without this you can learn from different cases and from different people your weaknesses, and learn meekness, humility, and patience. I am sending you a piece of paper with the meaning of the canons, as they are read in our monastery. If you listen to any of the above in church, you no longer need to read it in your cell, and if you don’t read it in church, you can read it in your cell if you have the time and energy. And if when you don’t have time to subtract something, due to weakness and other circumstances, then do not be embarrassed, but replace it with humble self-reproach. But first of all, you should always remember the words of the Monk Macarius of Egypt: “If someone forces himself to prayer until he receives gifts from God, and does not force himself to humility, love, meekness, and other virtues to the same extent, then sometimes God’s grace comes to him, through his prayer and petition, because God is good and merciful, and gives to those who ask Him what they ask. But without preparing and accustoming himself to the virtues listed above, he either loses the mercy of God, or accepts and falls, or does not succeed from arrogance, because he does not devote himself wholeheartedly to the commandments of the Lord” (From the 7 words. 1st word. Section 14). You describe that your relationship with Mother Abbess has changed somewhat, which, to be honest, you have suffered. Go ahead, be more skillful: when asked for your opinion, you can answer: “I don’t know what to say to that,” or something like that. Or if you ever express your opinion about something, you should not speak very affirmatively, but express it moderately, that you think so and so, but positively and probably don’t know. Peace be with you! 382. ABOUT PATIENCE OF SORINGS AND ABOUT PRAYER FOR THOSE OFFENDING Most honorable mother of Treasurer N.! Strengthen yourself in the Lord and in the power of His strength! I’m sorry that I haven’t responded to your letter of April 15th yet. You write about your shy and unfortunate situation. What to do? It is not in vain that it was announced to us in the Gospel and Apostolic teaching that the path is narrow and sorrowful, leading into the stomach, and that through many sorrows we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and that everyone who wants to live piously will be persecuted. Thinking about all this, firmly keep in mind the words of the Lord Himself (Luke 21:19): in your patience gain your souls, and often reread in your mind the Gospel beatitudes (Matthew 5:11-12), and pay special attention to the last: Blessed are you, when they reproach you and destroy you and say all kinds of evil words against you, a liar. for the sake of: rejoice and be glad, for your reward is many in heaven. And in order not to sin by accusing others, we need to remember the following commandments of the Lord: “not to be angry in vain, not to judge or condemn, to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us and to pray for those who harm us and drive us out.” Most of all and first of all, we should pray for those who create misfortune for us, as Saint Dorotheus teaches us: “Help, Lord, as you weigh (such and such) and for their prayers to me, the accursed.” This short prayer, as experience shows, is very powerful and helps us and changes the opposite disposition of others. If, after all that has been said, due to our weakness, our thoughts somehow began to bother us or outrage us by remembering evil, then let us turn to the strong verb of the Lord Himself, speaking through the Apostle: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord (Rom. 12:19). Not only this, but it is also increasingly useful for us to submit to the judgment of God, and in everything to be guided by the all-good Providence of God. In the Orthodox Church there is a wise saying: “Man proposes, but God disposes.” We assume so, and may the Lord arrange something useful for us, as it pleases His all-good and all-holy will. Only in the present situation, for our reassurance, let us firmly hold on to the comforting word of the psalm: Open your way to the Lord and trust in Him, and He will do: and He will bring forth your righteousness like light and your destiny like noonday. Submit yourself to the Lord and beg Him: do not be jealous of a man who sleeps on his way, who commits a crime... and the entire Psalm 36 to the end. Even if the dream you saw actually came true in reality, it will not harm you at all, but will only provide an opportunity for patience and the acquisition of spiritual art, as the brother of God, the holy Apostle James, writes: an unskilled man is unskilled. I greet in the Lord the sisters and mothers who favor my thinness. Calling upon you the peace and blessing of God, I remain with sincere goodwill. 383. NARROW IS THE PATH THAT LEADS INTO ETERNAL LIFE. MONACY IS A MYSTERY Sister in the Lord, grieving mother N.! On June 17th I wrote to you, and then I received from you on August 7th, August 25th and September 14th. From your first letter it is clear that during the summer there was also a letter in which you described to me the visit of the bishop to you, but I did not receive this letter. And in your last letter you express your surprise and even bewilderment at how difficult the path of salvation is. This was declared long ago by the Lord Himself in the Gospel: the path leading to eternal life is narrow and sorrowful. That is why the Lord pleases those who walk this path unswervingly, saying (Matthew 11:28–29): Come to Me, you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. (And then My yoke will be good for you, and My burden will be light.) According to this, all the saints affirm that patience and humility are victory for all. You point to two persons (not to mention the 3rd, highest), who especially hinder your path, incited by envy. What to do when this has been going on since the beginning of the world, and continues in all seasons. Some people express this difficulty very simply: Cain was born before Abel, and Esau before Jacob. But those who adhere to good subsequently receive success, although they suffer a lot from those who adhere to evil. It is not in vain that the apostle says (2 Tim. 3:12): those who want to live godly... will be persecuted. Now there are no Diocletians and Maximians, but the enemy finds it convenient to annoy those who adhere to piety through the weak and careless. October 16th. This letter, begun long ago, lay idle for two weeks because we lost your sister’s address. Yesterday I received your letter dated October 11th. You express your surprise at what great power is hidden in the confession of struggling thoughts. Don't be surprised by this. And monasticism itself is a mystery, and the revelation of thoughts to spiritual fathers, both monastics and other persons, constitutes an essential part of the Sacrament of Repentance. From time to time you can threaten envious sisters that you will remove them from yourself, that is, from your cell, if they do not stop playing tricks and confusing themselves and others. My health has been weak and tired all summer from the many visitors... Asking for you the peace and blessing of God, I remain with sincere goodwill. 384. ABOUT CONSUMPTION, ABOUT THE merciful GOD, AND ABOUT THE CHARITY OF THE BABY NUN I receive your letters, although I don’t answer them. My last letter to you was dated December 24th; and received from you - on December 28, January 16 and March 6, with a postmark. I’ve been meaning to write you something for a long time; but at this time I was sick many times, sometimes with a runny nose, sometimes with other diseases; Even the deafness lasted for more than two weeks. It’s a pity that your sister N.N., apparently, fell ill with consumption so untimely. But God knows better than we do what is more useful to whom and when. We love each other as human beings, and God has mercy on us, as the all-good God, and provides in every possible way for the benefit of our soul. In this disease, in general, people receive a peaceful and Christian death; That's why you don't care too much about your sister. You write that she would like her youngest daughter to stay with you in the monastery. But I don’t know whether it will be convenient for you to keep a two-year-old girl in your cell. After all, it will bind both you and those living with you regarding the monastic order and going to church. While your sister is alive, let this girl live with you; and after the death of your sister, it seems that it would be better for her to live with your brother for a while. And after that, if it is clear that she is a well-behaved girl, and, as you notice, inclined towards monastic life, then you can take her to the monastery from time to time to stay in order to better examine her inclinations. Then you can look at your inner feeling, which way it will bow, whether to take the girl to a monastery or leave her in the world; and act according to your feelings. You doubt accepting one sister who already has a spiritual mother. It is true that this is not entirely convenient. But you can’t refuse completely, you just need to act more skillfully; explain in detail, send again so that she relates to her mother and submits to her in what is not an obvious sin and a clear violation of the commandment of God. And if any sorrow arises, then you need to endure, both for the commandment of God and for the sake of the love of your neighbor. You just need to tell this sister to come to you less often; and she didn’t go for small things and unnecessarily. I greet the sick N.N. in the Lord, sincerely wishing her mercy from the Lord and health, if God’s will be done. Peace be with you! and N.’s mother, and so on... The many-sinful hieroschemamonk Ambrose 385. DO NOT SEEK GIFTS, BUT ADOPTER THE MOTHER OF GIFTS – HUMILITY I congratulate you on the upcoming bright holiday of the Resurrection of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I sincerely wish you to meet and celebrate this great Triumph of Christian celebrations in peace and spiritual consolation. When the general Christian kissing begins at Easter Matins, then remember me, a sinner, and receive from me a joyful greeting with the joyful verb: Christ is risen! I advise you to read for your own needs the 43rd chapter of Callistus and Ignatius, in the Philokalia; and always keep this chapter in mind, being guided by it especially during various changes. Yes, add the 44th chapter right away. Both of these chapters contain great mental and spiritual benefits. Don’t look for any talents, but rather try to master the mother of talents - humility, it is stronger. I received your letters dated April 10 and June 1. That N.’s mother said a lot about you, don’t worry about it too much and don’t grieve; and submit all this to the judgment of God. There is no reason for you to leave correspondence with me; but you can write to me as before, hoping in the mercy of God, that the Lord is able to protect you from all the snares of the enemy. Humility and patience are victory for everything, according to what was said from the holy fathers. When dealing with your sisters, refrain from excessive affection, at your own discretion, learning from the deed itself. Peace be with you! and pray for me! M.N. And I greet others in the Lord! 387. DON’T BE AFRAID OF GETTING CAUGHT IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH AN ELDER You are afraid in correspondence. Write without hesitation and fear. They won't cut your head off for this. If they find out, you can say directly: “I have an extreme need for this, and necessity, and support; and not something incongruous, outside the spiritual order; It seems that I have proven this to you and am proving it to you.” I send you general holiday greetings. Asking for you and the sisters close to you the peace and blessing of God, I remain with sincere goodwill. 388. YOU CAN PRAY FOR A SUICIDE CLEARLY You also write about the unfortunate death of the brother of one of your novices and ask if it is possible to remember him. According to church rules, one should not remember him in church; and his sister and relatives can privately pray for him, just as Elder Leonid allowed Pavel Tambovtsev to pray for his parent. Write out this prayer (it is printed in the appendix to the biography of Elder Leonid, on p. 210) and give it to the relatives of the unfortunate man. We know of many examples that the prayer conveyed by Elder Leonid calmed and consoled many, and turned out to be valid before the Lord. 389. ABOUT THE NOBICE WHO WISHES TO BE A SISTERS OF MERCY You write about novice N, who keeps wanting to become a sister of mercy, but finally, thank God, got settled. If she becomes embarrassed again, tell her that if she runs away from the monastery, the enemy will catch her. But I don’t advise novice N to move somewhere far away for the sake of being close to her family. The enemy will leave you with temptations nowhere. Regarding your situation, remember the apostle’s briefly expressed will of God: be patient with everyone... always rejoice, pray unceasingly, give thanks in everything: this is the will of God (1 Thess. 5:14-16). If we cannot yet rejoice, then at least let us try not to grieve beyond measure, but to arm ourselves with patience and long-suffering, remembering what was said from the Lord: he who endures... to the end will be saved. 390. A BROTHER SUFFERING WITH MANIA OF PERSECUTION IS ADVISED TO BE TAKEN TO THE CHERNIGOV MOTHER OF GOD IN THE TRINITY-SERGIUS LAVRA You write about your brother, who suffers from a mental illness of suspicion that the secret police are pursuing him everywhere and through everyone, so that he suspects the people closest to him of malicious intent and communication with the secret police. This mental illness occurred due to the fact that he was ashamed or simply did not want to repent of his childhood sins in time, considering them unimportant. But conscience - an incorruptible judge - with its reproaches reminded him of the need to repent, suggesting that he was wrong, but guilty; and instead of repentance, he turned the inspiration of his conscience to persecution by the police. And the unbelief added to this and the long excommunication of himself from the communion of the Holy Mysteries further intensified his mental illness of unfounded suspicion. You are afraid that he will go crazy... But this is the mildest of evils and disasters. In this situation, at least, his life will be preserved if he is in a mental institution, and that a person in madness is no longer responsible for what he does in such a situation. Of course, one cannot be irresponsible for the past. If you could manage to take your brother to St. Sergius and serve a prayer service with him in the caves before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, called Chernigov, having previously prepared a good confessor for your brother, then it would be good, because after the prayer service in front of this icon, those damaged in their minds came to common sense and confessed well, and through this they were healed. 391. ABOUT THE HORRIBLE DEATH OF A MERCHANT'S WIDOW. ABOUT DISEASE, AND THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE SEEING OF CHRIST, AND ETERNAL TORMENT IS EXCUSION FROM CHRIST. ABOUT THE WORDS OF SIMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIST. ABOUT TEARS You write that a merchant widow lived in your monastery for some time, who owed quite a lot to poor sisters and poor worldly people, then she left for her homeland and there she died a terrible death, sticking out her tongue, which even after they could not straighten. You ask the reason for such a terrible death. The destinies of God are inscrutable to us, but we can only say that, firstly, it is ill-intentioned to take money from poor people without paying it, for this belongs to the sins that cry out to heaven, like the bribe of a mercenary, according to what is said in the psalms (Ps. 37:21): The sinner borrows and does not return; and secondly, this person must have sinned a lot with her tongue, from which you can’t hide behind either mountains or seas, and apparently she didn’t repent of this; thirdly, such terrible deaths also happen to admonish those who are still alive, so that they are careful and afraid of breaking God’s commandment, or at least take care to bring sincere repentance for their sins, so that death does not befall them unpreparedly. You write that your health has weakened significantly and is weakening, so that Mother Abbess sends you to the doctor to consult about your ill health. Don’t resist her on this: you can try and get treatment if treatment helps; Just stick to your main thought - to surrender to the will of God and pray to the merciful Lord, that he will arrange something useful for you, including the news of fate, and as His goodness pleases. You also write that now, both from a painful state and from the mood of your soul, you often cry and most of all pray to God that in your future life you will not be deprived of the sight of Christ; and you ask if this is not a proud thought? No. Only you do not understand this idea correctly, because all who have received mercy from the Lord will be granted the sight of Christ; and the Kingdom of Heaven is nothing other than joy in Christ the Savior, from the sight of Him. So, on the contrary, those who are excommunicated from Christ will be deprived of the Kingdom of Heaven and sent into torment. And Saint Chrysostom says that to be excommunicated from Christ is worse than Gehenna and more painful than any torment. The Monk Theognostus says in the last chapter: “If anyone does not hope to be where the Holy Trinity is, let him try not to be deprived of seeing the incarnate Christ.” And Saint Climacus (in the 29th degree, in the 14th chapter) writes that those who have achieved dispassion will be where the Trinity is. On average, those who are present will have different abodes. And those who have received forgiveness of sins will be honored to be inside the heavenly fence; and the latter should not be deprived of the sight of Christ. But you were confused by the word of St. Simeon the New Theologian, who says: “Whoever does not see Christ in his heart in this life will not see Him in the future life.” You write that this saying is terrifying for you. Calm down and don't worry too much. If the words “in your heart” had not been added, then this would indeed be a terrifying saying. And to see Christ in one’s heart, the humble Nikita Stifat explains this way: “whenever someone sees the fervor of his soul in pledged faith and God’s expanding love: then carry Christ and the message within oneself, which works from the earth and the visible to exalt his soul, and prepares a dwelling in heaven for it,” and so on. (“Philokalia”, part 4, third hundred, chapter 23). And the Apostle Paul writes: Tempt yourselves, if you are in the faith... Or you do not know that Jesus Christ is in you; Are you truly unskillful (2 Cor. 13:5). And again: let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith (Eph. 3:17). And again: we walk by faith, and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). This means that all strength lies in faith. You also write that Peter of Damascus confused you with what he said in the 2nd part, in the 8th word, about tears, that they, before cleansing from passions, are nothing more than the charm of demons. Re-read this chapter carefully. It doesn't say that, and that's the wrong meaning; you really strengthened it. The main point here is impartiality; and says that the tears of those living among people, in concern for sensual things, that is, worldly things, come from the ridicule and theft of demons. And your efforts regarding treasury duties do not belong to such care; What is done for holy obedience, according to monastic duty, cannot be called vain care. Of course, even in such cases, one must carefully take care of oneself and behave in the fear of God while preserving one’s conscience. It is true that tears, before being cleansed from passions, are not entirely pure, but they, according to the word of the Climacus, are purified and made correct if a person, while crying and crying, always thinks about the outcome from this life and the appearance at the Last Judgment and about the last saying at it; and then they cleanse the soul of the one who is crying. When crying, one must in every possible way avoid vanity and presumption, which make tears resemble swamp water, where leeches and other ugly reptiles breed. Secondly, when crying, according to the Climacus, one must in every possible way guard against the seduction of wordless joy, so as not to accept a wolf instead of a shepherd. This saint speaks with surprise at the extent to which the evil enemy has cunned, that he turns the source of virtue, that is, crying, into a source of passions. If a person can cry, then it is prudent to cry in humility, with heartfelt contrition, and the memory of his sins (but not carnal details: this is more harmful), and the memory of death and the judgment of God. Saint Climacus writes that the mental pharaoh is drowned in the water of tears, which from the Apostle Peter is called a roaring lion, as you yourself once imagined. It is rightly said that in the water of tears and tender crying there is no place for this lion, roaring and looking to devour someone. N.’s mother asks if she can keep her sisters’ money for safekeeping. If the ancient strict order of the community were preserved, when the living were given everything they needed, then it would be indecent and could not be considered proper; and at the present time, due to the general weakness of both superiors and subordinates, it is absolutely impossible to prevent this. There is a need and a necessary need for the latter. 392. ABOUT ILLNESS AND NURSING PRAYERS You notify me that your illness has become so severe that you, covered with pillows, are writing a letter to me, and they are already praying for you at church petitions; and all the sisters earnestly wish for you to recover, but you do not want to get up from your illness, and therefore the sisters’ prayers for your recovery are unpleasant to you. No matter how they pray, and no matter what they ask the Lord about you, they ask you for mercy from the Lord. Therefore, do not reject sisterly prayers and sisterly zeal, but surrender yourself to the will of God, as it pleases the Lord, let him do so for you, even though he will not deprive you of His mercy and the vision you desire, calling yourself through the prophet the Father of the next century. 393. ABOUT FREQUENT COMMUNION OF THE HOLY MYSTERIES. ABOUT TEARS IN THE CHURCH. ABOUT BREAKING FAST DUE TO ILLNESS During your illness, you received the Holy Mysteries of Christ every week, and you doubt whether it was often. In a serious and doubtful illness, you can partake of the Holy Mysteries more often. Don't doubt it at all. You also write that if you hold back your tears in church, you become upset in spirit. Therefore, there is no real need to hold back tears in church; and if anyone starts talking about this, answer that your nerves have weakened due to illness; but consider these tears to be stolen from vanity, while humility can fill this deficiency. You write that you are afraid whether the Lord will forgive your sins. Believe without a doubt that he will forgive, coming into the world to save sinners, and being crucified for sinners by will. You ask, if the doctor and mother abbess force you to eat fish during Lent, what should you do? If you are very exhausted from lean food, then you can agree to eat fish due to illness; and after this he must bring repentance. However, look at your conscience to what extent it can accommodate this permission. In the book of Abba Dorotheus it is said that according to faith, a potion or potato can replace an egg. You should try in every possible way to see how bearable Lenten food will be for you, even if you suffer a little, and then you will see what you have to decide on. The vision of mother N can be taken as confirmation of the Gospel words (Matthew 24:42; 25:13): be ready at all times, for you do not know an hour, in the same day the Son of Man will come. In the disease of the plague, no one else acts as an Angel of punishment sent from the Lord, and for cruel suffering in every possible way there will be mercy from the Lord to those dying such a death. 394. ORTHODOX VIEW ON “SATISFACTION” FOR SINS. EXPLANATION OF THE DREAM In the letter you write that the enemy attacks you with thoughts of despair, imagining that during the ordeal the enemies will kidnap your soul and lead you into darkness, so that because of these thoughts you cannot pray with tenderness; and it began to seem to you that your repentance is small in comparison with your sins, that you still need to bear “satisfaction” for them, in accordance with your sins, and only then will you receive forgiveness. In response to all this, I will tell you that the word “satisfaction” passed from the Catholic Church to the Orthodox Church; and the purely Orthodox belief is that if a Christian has sinned, then, according to the righteous judgment of God, in order to avoid eternal punishment, he must, upon repentance, suffer some temporary punishment, but small in comparison with his sins - either illness, or some misfortune, or dishonor. The rest is filled by the mercy of God. The prudent robber robbed for 30 years, but was punished - he only hung on the cross for three hours with his legs broken. It is true that the punishment is heavy, but can it serve as satisfaction for 30 years of robbery? Judge for yourself. In the book of Isaac the Syrian (in word 71, on page 406) it is said that one is sent illness during the continuation of life, and another before death, but the illness is very serious, but still it cannot, especially in the latter case, serve as complete satisfaction for sins, but only as a minor punishment. And from this place it is clear that the works of repentance and all suffering can only serve as a means of storing and reflecting or pacifying passions, and not as “satisfaction.” You and I will bear the sent illness as a small punishment, believing and hoping to receive forgiveness of our sins by the mercy of God, by the merits of Christ the Savior, who came to call sinners to repentance. Scolding and despair come from demonic envy. You want to be worthy of seeing the Son of God, but they have lost it. Repeat in this battle the apostolic word (see Rom. 3:24), that we are not saved by the mercy of God, but just know and remember that our salvation is accomplished between fear and hope. You also write that you saw the late father Father Macarius in a dream, who told you: “Go to Father Hilarion,” and you want to know what these words would mean when Father Hilarion had long since died. I think that these words can mean, firstly, that you often remember and do not forget how the late Father Hilarion, with what patience and firm faith and hope, endured his long and serious illness; secondly, so that you do not think or hope to recover from your illness, but rather prepare properly for the transition to where Father Hilarion is, because such preparation is useful, according to what was said: get ready and not be embarrassed. The god-worshippers you saw at the inn, which oppressed you, may mean that your transition should not be so soon, but that you should still live in the inn of the world and suffer the oppression along with those who philosophize like god-wives, and not like real nuns. That’s what I think, that’s what I wrote to you. God knows the real meaning, if there is any. Try to fulfill the first words of the late elder Father Macarius in the original, namely: by virtue of the establishment of the holy fathers, devote the morning until noon to prayer, and then take care of revealing your thoughts to the elders and talking with them. The last word may include reading the patristic writings. 395. DISEASE CLEANSES OUR SINNINESS. THE THOUGHT THAT YOU BURDEN YOUR SISTERS WITH ILLNESS – FROM THE ENEMY. ABOUT THE ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF MOTHER ABBES. WHEN PRAYING THE JESUS ​​PRAYER, THERE SHOULD NOT BE AN EXCESSIVE FEAR OF FALLING INTO DEPRESSION. CHARMS SHOULD BE MOST FEARED WITH TEARS AND JOY. EXPLANATION OF THE DREAM. WHY DO PASSIONS RETURN? It is not in vain that the holy Apostle Paul writes (2 Cor. 4:16): just as our outer man decays, yet the inner man is renewed every day. And Saint Climacus writes: “The inner disposition of a healthy person is different, and the other is that of a sick person; another - sitting on a throne, and another - reclining on a rotten spot, while the righteous, long-suffering Job is counting scabs like beads.” Saint Job was tested by illness to demonstrate his piety and righteousness and high virtues, and we will suffer our illness to cleanse our sinfulness. It is good for us, for the Lord has humbled us. Saint Climacus says with surprise: “I saw those who were wasting away by a serious illness, despite their bodily weakness, tempted by sleepy dreams, and were surprised that even in a painful situation the flesh was rioting.” And for this he adds: “Let us not put our trust in ourselves, but in God, who kills this living thing.” Secondly, this may be tolerated because of a previous attempt that happened around the time you are pointing to. Thirdly, according to the word of Blessed Diodochos, this is also generally allowed for humility, so that a person does not become exalted when he receives any spiritual consolation. Fourthly, this also happens from demonic envy, of course, with God’s permission, since spiritual enemies always try to annoy someone to whom the Lord begins to show His mercy. Be that as it may, in no case should one be upset and saddened by this beyond measure, but with humility surrender oneself to the all-good Providence of God, which arranges everything for our benefit; One should not be particularly embarrassed by this, because embarrassment, according to the word of Saint Isaac the Syrian, is like a demonic bridge through which they approach the soul and bring various temptations. Also know that on the other hand there are those thoughts that frighten you with the duration of your illness and make you worry, that the monastery is generally communal and that you can burden your monastery and sisters with your illness. Indiscriminately reject this enemy nonsense and false perversions. Know that by your illness you will give the serving sisters a reason to fulfill the commandment of the Lord: “If you are sick, serve Me.” And those who serve the sick with zeal will be honored to hear this blessed voice at the Last Judgment of Christ; and the sick will also receive their benefit, being tempted like gold in a painful crucible. You write that you are afraid of getting healthy, and then again you will have to fall into the rumor of various concerns, albeit for obedience. I think it is unlikely that your former health will return to you; Therefore, I advise you not to go to church recklessly, which is why you got sick again; but it’s better to manage to save yourself in a cell, under the pretext of illness, than you can get rid of many worries. At times, for obedience, settling monastic scores will not be a vain or very difficult concern; and meanwhile you will not live in the monastery completely idle; but the thing is this: they will bring scores, you will settle them and pay them back; and then be at peace. You are surprised by the unevenness of Mother Abbess. Apparently she feels very sorry for you; and if she hears that others feel sorry for you, she is dissatisfied with this. She feels sorry for you because she needs you for her treasury position; she is dissatisfied because of human weakness, because of the weakness of eldership, especially because of the weakness of preference. This weakness is so subtle and deep that it cannot completely disturb only the dispassionate and perfect and those who have given themselves over to sincere humility, while the rest, to a greater or lesser extent, disturbs when opportunity or guilt of preference presents itself. Of course, when death is at hand, there is no time for preference. You complain that rumor prevents you from practicing the Jesus Prayer. What to do... Living in a hostel, you cannot completely get rid of rumors and care. You also write that you are not able to always perform verbal prayer, and you are afraid to take up mental prayer, lest you fall into delusion. Saint Gregory of Sinai in the Philokalia (in the 7th and last chapter, on delusion) writes this: “We should not fear or sigh invokingly to God. Even if you were seduced by evil, enmity was the mind, as if you suffered from self-indulgence and arrogance. Whoever seeks God in obedience, questioning and humility will never be harmed by the grace of Christ, who wants to be saved by all mankind. Even if a temptation happens, it will lead to temptation and a crown, quickly having the help of God allowing him, in the image of the message, images. It is right for the one who lives and lives immaculately and moves away from man-pleasing and arrogance, even if countless temptations move the entire demonic regiment against him, not to harm him, as the fathers say. But those who walk insolently and without their own counsel will easily suffer harm.” “Three virtues must be dangerously observed: abstinence, silence and self-reproach, that is, humility.” Read this entire chapter yourself with attention. And before heartfelt prayer, try to have mental prayer, keeping your attention focused and enclosing your mind in the very words of the prayer. Such prayer is simpler and more convenient; and if there is success in this prayer, then, according to the testimony of some, it goes into the heart. And a sick person - what kind of prayer can he keep, and as much as he can, must go through it with humility. You write that you explained your lack of success to your confessors, and received the answer that you take it high. This is partly fair, since it is accompanied by some embarrassment. Before your confessors you can only offer repentance in such expressions as are accessible to them, but it is inconvenient to consult with everyone, especially about such a matter as you are writing about. Fear the charms of the enemy most of all with tears and joy, according to the advice of Climacus, rejecting the coming joy as unworthy, so as not to accept a wolf instead of a shepherd. It is not in vain that it is said: Work for the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling (Ps. 2:11). And it is written about the myrrh-bearers that they fled from the tomb with fear and joy. All this shows that we should be careful about our opinion of ourselves when it seems to us that we have acquired something spiritual and grace-filled. This opinion is everywhere presented as the beginning and the cause of delusion by the God-wise and God-inspired fathers, especially the Monk Mark the Ascetic and Isaac the Syrian, who write that there is no virtue higher than repentance, and that repentance to death is required not only for sinners, but also for the righteous, because even the righteous fall seven times a day; and that the very perfection of the perfect is imperfect. For this reason, all the saints always humbled themselves and had themselves under all creation, and therefore remained unfallen. If they force you, you can agree to undergo treatment with homeopathy, leaving the end of the matter to the will of God. You can apply to Zadonsk if they let you go. The Lord is able to send funds for the road. You write that you had a strange dream, as if priest N. brought you a crucifix written on canvas; the whole body is painted in bright black paint, except for the head and face, which, in your opinion, means illness; and on the right side of your head there is natural hair, but on the left there is no hair, and the priest asked you for natural hair. And you wonder what that would mean. I think that this means that you are being overshadowed by thoughts on the other side, namely, that with the duration of your illness you can burden your monastery and the sisters who serve you. Completely reject these thoughts and completely surrender to the All-Good Providence of God and the All-Holy Will of the Lord, who wants everyone to be saved and to come into the mind of the truth, which promises at the Last Judgment to praise those who serve the sick. When you surrender to the will of God in everything, then your short hair will grow and, perhaps, be useful for something, at the request of priest N. As I think, that’s what I wrote to you. Desire is expressed and at the same time bewilderment is expressed as to why the Lord does not seem to hear your prayers regarding cleansing from passions. To your bewilderment, I will give you an example. In the spring, a gardener first completely clears the ground of all bad grass, then plants plants in clean soil; but the bad grass penetrates again, and the gardener must carefully weed and clear the plants of the bad grass several times for almost the whole summer until the garden plants are completely strengthened. Our body is created from the same earth, and no matter how much a person tries to cleanse himself of passions, passions again penetrate like bad grass. Let us again turn to the garden, which, if poorly fenced, then goats and pigs damage the plants. And birds can fly over the fence. The gardener must monitor all this and preserve the plants. And a Christian must preserve spiritual fruits from mental birds, which sometimes transform into other animals. It was said to our forefather (Gen. 3:19): by the sweat of your brow you shall bear your bread until you return to the land from which it was taken. 396. ABOUT THE VISION OF MOTHER ABBES. ABOUT THE WORKS OF BISHOP IGNATIY BRYANCHANINOV AND ABOUT THE REVIEW OF BISHOP FEOFAN ABOUT THEM. ABOUT ELDER Klimchenko You are perplexed as to what to do, although you have already given advice on your part. Your mother abbess had a vision, according to the power of which she needed to accept the schema, but she had already received tonsure into the mantle twice, first secretly, and then openly, before receiving the leadership. There are two examples in our monastery. The father archimandrite and his brother, abbot Father Anthony, were first tonsured into the mantle in the desert secretly, and then in the monastery again they were tonsured into the mantle openly; finally, before their death, both wished to accept the schema, and they were both tonsured and died as schema monks. Judging by the vision, it seems that one should not despise the words of the deceased metropolitan, who appeared before his death or shortly after it. It is true that honest monks are sometimes charged with being tonsured into the mantle as part of their schema, but in this circumstance one can see something special. However, as Mother Abbess herself judges and wishes, so let it be done. You also write and ask why the Right Reverend Theophan did not approve of the writings of the Right Reverend Ignatius Brianchaninov. I have not read all of his works, but I remember his inaccurate citing of passages from the writings of the holy fathers. For example, in the “Philokalia” by Simeon the New Theologian, the third focus of prayer is on obedience to the elder and spiritual father, without whom it is inconvenient to be saved by the Jesus Prayer; and Bishop Ignatius attributed this to simple general monastic obedience; and you yourself know what a great difference there is between one obedience and another. The Monk Theophan must have found many other inaccurate passages from the Monk Ignatius. However, the word about death was well written by him; They also explain well the charm of the mind and the charm of the heart. You also ask about Elder Klimchenko. It is fair that the late Father Hilarion was his student in the world and always spoke highly of him. But the late Metropolitan Philaret was misled by another imaginary disciple of Elder Klimchenko, named Patamiy, who lived for a long time in the Sergius Lavra, and apparently behaved very well, and even, they say, went through the noetic prayer of Jesus in his own way, and was ordained a hierodeacon. The late governor Anthony, knowing well about him, gave him various assignments, and presented him for ordination as a hieromonk; but then Patamiy, out of some kind of jealousy, told the Metropolitan some nonsense about his governor and about other persons of the Lavra. The Bishop indignantly returned him back and severely reprimanded the viceroy for him, so that he would not forward to initiation such people whom he did not know well. The Bishop must have made the wrong conclusion from the confused words of Patamia about some kind of self-adoration of Klimchenko, who was a strong zealot for Orthodoxy and converted many heresy leaders to the truth. You will be overcome by the fear that they will make you the boss after the death of Mother Abbess. If you are as sick as you are now, they won’t do it, but will choose someone else. If your health improves to some extent and they appoint you, you will not get off soon, especially since in prayer we say every day: “Our Father, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth.” Besides, would it be good if you had to evade your superiors? Well, your new boss will introduce new rules, and the sisters, embarrassed, will come to you with explanations. What will you do then and what will you do? Therefore, it is better to pray: “Lord, arrange for me something useful according to Your holy will, then have mercy on me and save me.” 397. ABOUT ACCEPTING A MANAGEMENT In the letter you express your fears that you might be made the head of your monastery, because there is a rumor about your abbess being transferred to some Moscow monastery, and your health, by the way, has begun to improve. Let it be done for us according to the will of God, which is good and perfect. There is no need to look for the authorities; and if you choose against your will, you should not stubbornly refuse; but only first she must explain her bodily and mental weakness, and leave the end of the matter to the will of the all-good Providence of the Lord, who wants everyone to be saved and to receive the truth into the mind. St. Peter of Damascus writes that just as in leadership there are those who are saved and those who perish, so in the same way there are those who are subordinated who are saved and those who perish; and the reasons for this are as follows. If a person abandons his own desires and understandings, and strives to create God’s wills and understandings, then he can receive salvation in any rank - both in subordination and in leadership. If someone does the opposite, then the opposite will happen to him, no matter what rank and place he is. You are afraid of losing the prayer to your superiors, to which you began to cleave. But there were examples that some even in the patriarchal rank learned the Jesus Prayer, because superiors can give great freedom in this activity, if only a person is able to place himself properly in the rank of superiors, and will not, according to human calculations, get involved in everyday concerns, but first of all will take care of the only needs; the rest will be sent to him, according to the false promise of the Lord (Matthew 6:33): Seek first the Kingdom of God... and all these things will be added to you. And the humble Nikita in the “Philokalia” writes that the authorities even save people from going through the Jesus Prayer incorrectly and do not allow them to fall into the delusion of the enemy. In conclusion, I will say that maybe the mother abbess will not be transferred anywhere, and things will continue as before. 398. CONSUMPTION TURNES MANY TO GOD. COMMUNICATES ABOUT HIS HEALTH You ask me how you should deal with your two brothers. About your brother, who is sick mentally and physically, I will say that his physical illness is of great benefit to him. If he dies of consumption, don't be sorry. If consumptive illness does not enlighten him and convert him to faith and God, then nothing else can bring him any benefit. And you yourself know how painful it is to continue living with suspicion towards everyone - and it’s inconvenient to express. Consumption, or rather the consumptive state, turned many to God. You can send three rubles to another brother, saying that you don’t have the opportunity to send more. Leave the trip to Zadonsk to the Providence of God - maybe the Lord will arrange it somehow. I don’t know how to tell you about my mysterious ill health. And in damp, cold weather I don’t feel well, and in clear and warm weather I catch a cold from the draft wind; and it happens even worse when the cold and fermentation in the body spreads to the digestive organs. But for everything - glory and thanksgiving to the merciful Lord, who provides for all images and arranges the salvation of the weak and defective and sinners. But in vain the apostle writes (1 Cor. 1:29): Let not all flesh boast before God. And in the book of Mark the Ascetic it is said: “If we ourselves do not humble ourselves, then the all-good Lord does not cease, humbling us.” 399. ABOUT THE “THE WANDERER” MANUSCRIPT ABOUT JESUS’ PRAYER. ABOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF KILLED N. You write that you came across a manuscript that shows a simple way to say the Jesus Prayer verbally, mentally and heartily, by some peasant from the Oryol province, taught this by some unknown elder. You write that the manuscript or note of this peasant ends in 1859. Not long before this time, we heard from our late elder, Father Macarius, that one layman came to him, who had such a high degree of spiritual prayer that Father Macarius was perplexed as to what to answer him when the layman, for the sake of receiving advice, told our elder the different states of prayer; and Father Macarius could only tell him: “Keep humility, stick to humility.” And then he told us about this with surprise. At that time I attributed this to the Oryol merchant Nemytov, who was a great man of prayer; and now I think that maybe it was the layman you write about. After the forties, in the Oryol province, in the Bryansk monastery, the Athonite schemamonk Afanasy lived, undergoing mental and heartfelt prayer. And even earlier, in the Kursk and Oryol provinces, in different monasteries, there lived Hieroschemamonk Vasily, who called himself a vagabond, who taught many how to say the Jesus Prayer who wanted to learn it. You write that this peasant was so attached to the Jesus Prayer that it was difficult for him to read the morning prayers: but, according to the words of Gregory of Sinaite in the Philokalia, this is only suitable for simple people and those living in silence, but this cannot be suitable for those living in monasteries. If Anthony the Great celebrated the ninth hour, and the Monk Zosima, having found Mary of Egypt, performed his rule while walking in the desert, then how much more should we, the weak, not be able to abandon our rule. In the Babaevsky Monastery, the hierodeacon, who replaced the prayers for Communion with the Jesus Prayer, later became confused and was exiled to the Solovetsky Monastery. I think that it is more convenient and useful for those living in monasteries to adapt the Jesus Prayer to the rules of that monastery, maintaining, as much as possible, prudent silence, and, when necessary, brevity. Our late elders said that it is good if someone can, while listening to church readings, also hold the Jesus Prayer; then there is more attention. In private readings, as you yourself read, if the Jesus Prayer works well, then you can leave the rule. If you write that knitting a stocking helps you with despondency, then you can do that. The ancient monks wove koshnitsa. The elder, who was traveling with a young monk along the Nile River, was either weaving or unraveling the rope that was in his hands. When they asked him why he was doing this, the elder answered that it helps the attention of thoughts. During your illness, you imposed a lot of cell rules on yourself. And in prayer, proportionality is revered, as Gregory of Sinaiti says. You also write that, in the precise five-hundred rule, you create prayers without bowing with your mind; It is more decent in the cell rule to create with the mouth, unless bodily weakness prevents it. In the second letter you ask about the fate of murdered N, whether she can receive God’s mercy. The destinies of God are mysterious and incomprehensible. However, from some signs we can conclude that she should not lose God’s mercy, although she, as you write, was misled by the enemy’s delusion, believed various dreams and did not like to read spiritual books; In the end, she also became addicted to the love of money, exchanging pieces of paper for silver, counting it and sorting it by grade. But the following circumstances are in her favor: firstly, she was killed. Secondly, as a result of a dream, perhaps on the part of her ex, she left a note in the money to give it to alms and monasteries, to remember her soul, which her relatives, as you write, do. It is not in vain that it is said in the psalms: If you see iniquity, O Lord, O Lord, who will stand? If you have purification (Ps. 129:3). 400. ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE OF THE WALKER AND ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE OF THE TREASURERS Now I’ll tell you a few words about the wanderer’s manuscript. There is nothing disgusting about her. The wanderer lived like a wanderer, and spent a wandering life, not obliged by worries and cares, and freely practiced prayer as he wished. And you spend your life as a treasurer, and a painful one at that, obliged to monastic obedience; and therefore practice in prayer as much as you have freedom; and the rest will be completed by obedience, which also has its own meaning. The carpenter monk complained to Barsanuphius the Great: “Father, I have no time to remember God.” - “Why?” - asked the old man. “Because I am busy all day with carpentry.” - “After all, you are doing this out of obedience, for God’s sake?” “Yes,” answered the brother. “So you remember God all day long!” Do not doubt your obedience either; and extend yourself to prayer as much as you can, remembering what was said to you at tonsure, as they gave you the rosary: ​​“Here is the sword of the Spirit, sister. Let me take out the words in my mind, in my mouth, in my thoughts, in my heart: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” You too adhere to this injunction, and as soon as possible, say a prayer, sometimes mental, sometimes verbal, and in freedom and heartfelt, if God helps. And in case of weaknesses and malfunctions, repent and humble yourself, but do not be embarrassed. 401. WHAT SHOULD A BROTHER OF LITTLE FAITH READ? You ask which book is best to give to your brother of weak faith to read. He wants to read ancient writers, so let him first read the life of Andrei the Fool; and if this life has any beneficial effect on him, then you can invite him to read St. John Chrysostom’s “Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew and John.” And it would be even better if you could send him a book in the Slavic language called “Margarit,” that is, selected teachings of St. Chrysostom. And the Slavic language, not entirely clear, and the great and incomprehensible truths would make a new wise man think, who from the superstitious learned only to believe what he sees and what he touches with his hands. You can ask your brother: after all, he does not see his soul, but believes that there is a soul in him. The same must be understood about mental and spiritual objects. And you can also ask him: he has not seen America, but he believes that America exists. 402. ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST AND HIS FORECASTERS You are afraid to live until the time of the Antichrist. The Lord is merciful. You and I will hardly live to see this, but we will only be a little frightened by the forerunners of the Antichrist, rebelling against the church and the ruling authorities, since the Antichrist must come during a time of complete anarchy, about which the forerunners of the Antichrist are busy. 403. DON’T BE CONFUSED ABOUT ABABSTANCE Regarding the abbess, which Ivanushka predicted, rely on the will of God and believe that the Lord does not send anyone temptations beyond their strength; and if He assigns someone to any service, then at the same time He is ready to give His all-powerful help to those who turn to Him with faith and zeal. 404. ABOUT THEFT IN THE MONATE AND ABOUT KEPTING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY You write that due to the theft that happened at the monastery, Mother N lost all her capital, not wanting to follow the wise decision of the ancient people - in the misfortune that happened, to divide the errors in half. Then her grief would have been easier. And now, having given everything, he is thinking of fleeing the monastery. But this is unfounded, very unfounded. There will be no escape from trouble and sorrow. It would be better if she, having sincerely realized her faulty life before God and various mental deviations from the right path, remained in the monastery in order to make amends for past errors with patience and humility. However, I think so, sinful and faulty; and as she knows and finds better, let her do it. I remembered that you once wrote (saw in a dream) that some strange warriors, having taken you and Mother N from among the sisters, crucified only two, and did not touch anyone else. Be careful that you don’t have to suffer because of someone else’s business in the same way as happened to Mother N. Although the Gospel says (Matthew 5:44): love your enemies... do good to those who hate you, but this love should be expressed in something completely different, and not in keeping someone else’s property that they can steal. From such storage you may involuntarily be embarrassed out of fear... It seems that it would be better if you returned what you took and advised the owner to deposit it in a state bank. You must have read it in Fatherland. The skete elders gathered at a council to judge the one subject to theft and decided this: all other infirmities can be borne, but the one subject to theft should be removed, because he confuses everyone. Tell Mother N from me, a sinner, to ask for half of what was given back and to remain living in the monastery as before. It is useful for all of us to read the psalm more often: I have endured the Lord and listened to me... and further (Ps. 39:2). And what is said in another psalm: Do not let your feet fall into confusion; keep you from slumbering (Ps. 121:3). Again I would like to repeat to you about keeping things that are not yours, so that something like this does not happen to Mother N. Then there will truly be a crucifixion, and especially if this happens during the life of Mother Abbess. Ivanushka interprets, but Mother Abbess lives and lives. The all-merciful Lord is patient with all of us, although through the prayers of all of us, unless we ourselves resist this or are not remiss. 405. NO NEED TO REGRET ABOUT ENTERING A MONASTERY. AGAIN ABOUT THE FEAR OF THE BABIES No matter how sad it is, no matter how regrettable it is for you, you shouldn’t repent that you went to the monastery. In any case, it is truer and more reliable that we are in the monastery by God’s Providence and have more hope of receiving God’s mercy by entering the monastery than by remaining in the world. And “you will be in a world of sorrow” is said in the Gospel. It is better to endure sorrows in a monastery. You can receive great mercy from God. You write that your mother abbess has weakened from ill health and weakness, and you are afraid that you will be appointed boss. In this case, surrender to the will of God, and you will be at peace; or maybe they won’t appoint it somehow. And if you were appointed, then know that leadership is also obedience, which must take place out of the fear of God, with the preservation of conscience as in the presence of God, according to the specified rules. The Monk Peter of Damascus writes that everywhere there are those who are saved and those who perish, both in leadership and in subordination. The beginning of salvation is to abandon one’s own desires and understandings, and to create God’s wills. 406. IT’S INDEMONY FOR A NON TO GO TO THE CRIMEA FOR BATHING, BUT IT’S OKAY TO GO TO Kyiv ON A PILOT You write that the abbess, mother N, invites you to go with her to Jerusalem, and under this pretext you are thinking of asking your mother abbess to go to the Crimea for treatment with sea bathing. But such bathing in Crimea is unusual and indecent for a nun. Now, it is heard that the Royal family has gone to Crimea; therefore there will be an exorbitant crowd of people in all places. And you can ask to go to Kyiv - to worship the Queen of Heaven and the relics of the saints of God. If they won’t let you into Kyiv, ask to go to some other place, to Zadonsk or Voronezh; and during such a trip you can stop by and visit us. If necessary, you can come to us through the Vyazma and Tikhonov hermitages, asking to go to the Sergius Lavra or to your relatives. 407. BROCHURE ABOUT ATHONS MINKS. ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF PRAYER FOR THE DEAD. ABOUT THIS VOW AND ABOUT THE DREAM SEEN You write that your spiritual enemies, through the incident of the Mount Athos pamphlet, embarrassed you so much that you could not pray for three days out of embarrassment and despair, and to this day they continue to somewhat confuse you about this incident. And the circumstance described in the brochure inspires hope rather than despair. I found this brochure from one brother and read it; it is said there: someone, living on Athos, loved to visit guests, so that they rarely found him in his cell; it is also said that he did not always fulfill his cell rule; before his death he was seriously ill for a whole month and at the end he received the Holy Mysteries every day; but after his death, two months later, he appeared in a dream to one brother close to him, sad, and said that he was in prison. The one who saw it announced this to the brethren. The reverent brethren intensified their prayers for him, and the hieromonks commemorated him at the liturgy. Again, two months later, the deceased appears, cheerful, and in the eyes of the beholder, he ran across the river along a narrow perch, and very soon climbed a mountain that stretched to heaven. This circumstance clearly shows how useful church commemoration and frequent prayers are for the dead who have repented, but have not or did not have time to pay penance. If a person has sinned, then, according to God’s justice, he must suffer torment or languor: for those who repent - temporary, and for those who do not repent - eternal. Christ the Lord at the crucifixion said to the prudent thief (Luke 23:43): today you will be with me in paradise. But after the words of Christ the Savior, this robber’s legs were broken, and he suffered for several hours, hanging on his hands alone. Likewise, every sinner who has repented, if he does not suffer voluntary penance through the feat of fasting, prayer, and prostrations, or an involuntary long-term illness, or through other sorrows, then after his death he demands commemoration in order to get rid of prison, like the said deceased. It is not without reason that the Orthodox Church established church commemoration for the deceased - reading the Psalter, almsgiving. Frequent prayers are also acceptable. If, in your opinion, the fate of the deceased was decided by one permissive prayer from the confessor, then the commemoration established by the Church would be in vain; and it brings great benefit to the repentant dead, but it does not bring benefit to unrepentant sinners, or unbelievers, or infidels and heretics. From now on, be careful and circumspect when suggesting plausible thoughts from spiritual enemies. “No matter how plausible these thoughts may be, if they bring confusion and despair, then they are wolves in sheep’s clothing,” says Barsanuphius the Great. You also write that, for some reason, you made a promise to read the Akathist to the Great Martyr Barbara every day; and now, when reading other Akathists, you don’t have time for this. At the very least, read at least three ikos and kontakion every day. Explain your promise to Mother Abbess N. If you cannot fulfill this correctly, then at each confession, announce to your confessor about your promise and failure. You also write that you once had a dream, as if a sixteen-year-old Maiden of extraordinary beauty was holding Her Baby, also of inexplicable beauty, in her arms, and wanted to hand the Baby to you from the second floor so that you could hold Him in your arms. No matter how you stretched your arms upward, and stretched yourself all out on your feet, you could not take this Baby; That's how I woke up. I think that this dream may mean that the Mother of God wanted to show you that those who are committed to constant prayer, in addition to reading psalms, Akathists and troparia, and especially the Jesus Prayer, carry Christ the Savior not only in their arms, but also in their hearts. 408. ABOUT THE PRAYER OF JESUS ​​– VERBAL, MENTAL AND HEART You write that you are going through the Jesus Prayer verbally and mentally; but you have no idea about heartfelt prayer. Heartfelt prayer requires a guide. However, whoever first goes through verbal prayer correctly, enclosing the mind in the words of prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (or a sinner)”; and then mental prayer will be carried out correctly, with humility keeping the attention of the mind in front, then over time and without a mentor, for some mental prayer itself turns into heartfelt prayer. However, those who do not succeed should be content with the oral and intellectual. Several years ago, a woman of prayer came to Optina, who has been practicing the Jesus Prayer for more than thirty years. She said about herself: “I don’t know where my heart is; but sometimes, when I say the Jesus Prayer, I am in such a state that all my bones cry out: Lord, who is like You.” However, you can read what is written at length about the heartfelt prayer of Jesus in the 2nd part of the “Philokalia” by Callistus Ignatius, and then the 43rd chapter “On preposition and change”; Also in the 4th part of the Philokalia, it is briefly said about the Jesus Prayer of Callistus, Patriarch of Constantinople. You will understand something when you complement it with action, especially when you take care of acquiring humility, without which not only prayer, but also other works are in vain. And there are many reasons leading to humility, as you yourself write, in your present situation. You also write that you are sometimes disturbed by enemy thoughts, that you were better off in your previous monastery; and when she lived there, her thoughts interpreted that it was worse there, but it was more convenient in the new place. But the job has already been done. Now we need to adhere to the psalm word: In every place of His dominion: bless the Lord, my soul (Ps. 102:32). No matter how someone went through oral prayer, there were no examples of people falling into the enemy’s delusion. And those who do mental and heartfelt prayer incorrectly often fall into the enemy’s delusion. And therefore, first of all, one must hold fast to oral prayer, and then to mental prayer, with humility, and then, for whom it is convenient and for whom the Lord favors, move on to heartfelt prayer, according to the instructions of the holy fathers, who have gone through all this experience. 409. ABOUT MARRIAGE BETWEEN RELATIVES You ask about the marriage of a nephew and niece, between relatives, saying that it is now allowed. What's the point if they allow it? There is no marital happiness for this; and the sickness of children is reflected, incurably, on children; and therefore I cannot advise deciding on such marriages. 410. ABOUT THE Evil EYE AND ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS The priest prays to deliver the mother and the newborn from the fear of the ghost, from jealousy and envy, and from invisible spirits. This means that there is no doubt about the evil eye. But drinking water into which hot coals are dipped with prayer and sprinkling this water is superstitious and sinful. We have Epiphany water for that. It is also sinful and superstitious to arrange activities according to the month or moon. Peace be with you and God's blessing. And to your spirit. 411. ABOUT COMMUNION OF THE SICK IN THE CELL. ABOUT PRAYER TO SAINT SPYRIDON You write that Mother Abbess N has not received Holy Communion for a long time and is now putting everything off for the reason that Due to physical weakness, he cannot attend church services. If she is sick, all the more she should not postpone Communion of the Holy Mysteries, since this is the main spiritual healing, and often physical. If Mother Abbess cannot go to church due to her illness, then let her partake of the Holy Mysteries in her cell, without hesitation. Physical doctors usually come to weak patients, not sick people to them. This is what the Physician of our souls and bodies, our Lord Jesus Christ, does when He comes with His Holy Mysteries into the cells of the sick. The sick mother abbess asks what needs to be read in her cell without going to church. When preparing for Communion, in the evening you can read the 9th hour, Little Compline, in your cell, among which you can read the Akathist to the Savior and the Mother of God with the canons to the Guardian Angel. When going to bed, read the end of Compline and evening prayers. In the morning, read morning prayers, six psalms, 12 psalms, the first hour and prayers for Communion, with the canon; then the 3rd and 6th hours, and the visual ones, and if you are very weak and painful, you can shorten this too, being content with the morning prayers and the prayer for Communion. Read together with Mother Abbess N. what was written in the book of Barsanuphius the Great to the sick elder Andrei, starting from the 163rd question. There you will clearly see that only patience and gratitude are required from the sick person, and that bodily illness replaces physical asceticism, since this asceticism is undertaken to humble and tame the body, and this is replaced by bodily illness. You also write about your brother’s predicament. Let him and the bride more diligently and with faith resort to Saint Spyridon, so that, for his holy prayers, the Lord will help them sell the estate for the real price. There were examples not long ago that those who resorted to Saint Spyridon, through his prayers, got out of a difficult situation when they were being pressed and wanted to buy them at a cheap price. Unexpected buyers appeared and bought houses or estates for real prices.