Том II

Chapter 1: Whoever humbles himself, God exalts him On Tavenna, in the convent opposite the men's monastery, there were about four hundred nuns. Among them, a holy fool named Isidora labored for Christ. She constantly humbled herself and humiliated herself in front of everyone. The sisters abhorred her and didn’t even want to eat with her, but she accepted it with joy. The virtuous Isidora was very useful for the monastery, for she helped everyone, obeyed everyone, like a slave, no matter what was asked of her, and with all meekness she worked for the sisters, tirelessly, and was more insignificant to them than a doormat. As the Lord said: Whoever wants to be great among you must be a servant of all (Mark 10:43) and if anyone... thinks to be wise... then be foolish (Cf.: 1 Cor 3:18). All the other sisters cut their hair and wore dolls, but the holy fool covered her head with a rag and thus performed her obedience. None of the four hundred sisters saw her eating or holding a piece of bread in her hands. She picked up crumbs when she sponged the tables, and was content with the leftover food in the cauldrons she washed. The blessed one always walked barefoot, never swore or complained, and did not speak long or short. At the same time, many scolded her, beat her, cursed her and turned away from her. About this venerable angel (appearing) the Angel said to Saint Pitirun, a most experienced man and famous anchorite (hermit): -Why are you so proud of your exploits, the fact that you are reverent and live in such a place? Do you want to see a wife who is more reverent than you? Go to the nunnery on Tavenna and you will see a maiden with a crown on her head. She is much better than you: she serves and works for everyone, but she never allows her mind to wander away from God, although the sisters look at her with disgust. And you sit here and imagine entire cities in your mind, although you have never seen the world. The Great Pitirun stood up and went to Tavenna. (On the river bank) he asked the fathers to transport him to a nunnery. Since he was a revered ascetic, aged in deeds, the monks willingly agreed to transport him to the island. After arriving at the monastery, the saint prayed with everyone and said that he wanted to see all the nuns. The sisters came, but the holy fool was not among them. He told the sisters: -I asked everyone to come. “We’re all here,” the sisters answered. -There is not one that the Angel pointed out to me. -We have one here in the kitchen, but it’s crazy. “Bring me - I want to look at her,” said the saint. But Isidora did not want to go, having understood why she was called (or maybe it was revealed to her). Then they took her by force, saying that Saint Pitirun (his name was known to everyone) wanted to see her. When they brought her, the great saint looked at the holy fool and, seeing the rag on the virgin’s head falling over her forehead, fell at her feet and said: She also knelt before him and said: -Bless me, my lord and father. The virgins were amazed and said to the elder: -Abba, why are you humiliating yourself in front of her? She's crazy. -You are all crazy! - said the saint. “She’s better than you and me.” She is amma, that is, spiritual mother. I pray that I will be worthy with her on the day of judgment. Hearing these words, the sisters fell to their knees before him, crying and confessing how each of them had grieved the saint. One said: -I always laughed at her. “I mocked her poor appearance,” said another. “I often doused her with slop,” the third echoed her. -I often poked mustard in her nose. So, everyone repented of subjecting her to all sorts of abuse. When the saint accepted their confessions and prayed for them together with Isidora, he urgently asked the honest servant of Christ to pray for him and left. And a few days later, the honest saint of God, unable to bear the high honors, attention to herself, glory and apologies, secretly left the monastery. Where she went, where she settled and where she died, no one knows. Saint Ekitios was awarded the greatest gifts from above and brought many souls to God with his teachings and sermons. According to God's commandments, he dressed very poorly. When the saint bowed to strangers upon meeting, they even disdained to answer him. This ascetic usually set out on the road on a horse, taking the worst one that could be found in the monastery stable, using a halter instead of a bridle, and a sheep's skin instead of a saddle. Wherever he went, he carried the books of Scripture with him, putting them in bags, so that, by opening the springs of the word of God, he would water the pastures of understanding. When the rumor about his sermons reached Rome, some, out of envy, immediately went to the patriarch with complaints against the saint and did not retreat until they convinced him to send the chief of the guard, Julian, to deliver Ekitios to the capital. Julian immediately went to the monastery. There, seeing the older brothers, he asked where the abbot was. “It’s not far from here, it’s reaping in the monastery meadows,” answered the monks. Julian had a servant, a very proud and impudent man, whom he sent to quickly bring Ekitios. The servant immediately went (to carry out the command), quickly reached the meadows and, turning to the reapers, boldly asked: They showed it to him. But as soon as he saw the abbot from afar, he was seized by an unusual fear. He trembled and could not move. The poor man approached the man of God with trepidation, fell to his knees in front of him and told him about the arrival of his master at the monastery. The man of God immediately put on his sandals, tied the frills and, placing the sickle on his shoulder, went to the monastery. Julian, having learned from the servant that this was the same Ekitiy, and even in this form, wondered whether it was worth talking to him seriously at all. But as soon as the saint of God approached him, Julian’s heart was seized by extraordinary fear. He trembled and could hardly tell the saint about the reason for his arrival. Humbly falling at the feet of the elder, the patriarchal envoy began to ask for his prayers and said that His Holiness wanted to see him. Ekitiy picked him up, blessed him and said that he needed to go to the patriarch immediately, because, he added, if we don’t go today, we won’t be able to tomorrow. “Father,” said Juvenaly, “I am tired from the road and today I am no longer able to go anywhere.” So the saint of God, tolerating the fatigue of the messenger, did not leave the monastery that night. At dawn the next day, a servant from Rome galloped up to Julian and said that the patriarch had ordered not to touch the saint and to leave him in the monastery. Julian asked what made the saint change his order. The servant explained that last night the patriarch was frightened by a divine vision because he sent the chief of the guard to the monastery to bring the saint of God to him. Julian immediately got up, went to Ekiti and said that the patriarch had ordered not to disturb the saint and he did not have to leave the monastery. Hearing this, the Elder of God said reproachfully: -Didn’t I tell you yesterday that if we don’t go today, we won’t go anywhere at all? Then, wanting to express his love for the patriarchal envoy, Ekiti generously rewarded him for his efforts, although he did not want to take anything, blessed him, and the guest left in peace. You see, Peter, how those who humiliate themselves in this life are glorified in order to later become citizens of the heavenly fatherland. On the contrary, those who, due to their arrogance and vanity, present themselves as righteous before people, are despicable in the eyes of God. Christ denounces such people: You show yourself to be righteous before people (Luke 16:15) and so on. 3. From the life of St. Gregory the Wonderworker Once, residents of the city of Comana came out to meet Gregory the Wonderworker. They asked this worthy man to come to them, install a priest and create a church. The great saint agreed and came to them. The city fathers decided to nominate for ordination those who were, in their opinion, the best in education, origin and other worldly merits. The voices were divided: some were for one, others for the other. Meanwhile, the great Gregory hoped to receive advice from God. He, like Samuel (the prophet), believed that one should be guided not by the beauty of the body and height when it was necessary to anoint the king, but to look at whether a person has a royal soul, even if outwardly he is inconspicuous. Likewise, Saint Gregory, having carefully looked at each of the proposed candidates, settled on one person who bore the mark of the priesthood - such was his way of life, adorned with virtues. When others lavished praise on those whom they wanted to see as priests, Saint Gregory urged them to pay attention to simple and ignorant people. After all, among them there may be worthy ones... One of the election participants considered this judgment of the saint a mockery and mockery, and asked: -Is it really impossible to admit to the priesthood those who surpass others in eloquence, dignity, and evidence of their honest life? Is it really necessary to ordain not them, but to look for those worthy of such great grace among the common people? - and wanting to expose the saint to everyone’s ridicule, he added, “Well, then just tell us the word.” Since you reject those whom we have elected as a whole city, and want to elevate some uncouth simpleton to the responsible level of the priesthood? Here we have a coal miner named Alexander. Call him. And if you think that he can be ordained, we as a whole city will approve your decision. He spoke in such a way as to jokingly force Gregory to abandon his intention. He had no idea how significant his speech turned out to be. She led the great saint to the idea that the name of Alexander did not sound by chance. “Who is this Alexander,” asked Gregory, “that you just mentioned?” Someone from those present laughed and took Alexander out of the crowd - he stood in pathetic rags that barely covered his body: and it was immediately clear who he worked for. His hands, his face, and his whole body were black with coal dust. Those standing around him burst out laughing. But the saint, with his perceptive eye, was amazed at what he saw. A man looked at him, a beggar, poorly dressed, but his inner dignity was striking, and therefore he was not at all ashamed of his appearance, which was laughed at only by bad manners. Alexander has been accustomed to poverty since childhood. But he was a true wise man and knew what the future life was and that he must follow his own path until the very last day and always be ready for the martyrdom and the test by fire of the future Judgment. He did not live for show, far surpassing the feigned efficiency of others. He preferred the true heavenly life to everything in the world, to which he resolutely strove. Therefore, he did everything to get lost among people, for human attention often harms virtue. He hid his high spirit under the guise of the most despicable of human activities. Alexander was in the very prime of his blooming youth, but, thinking about chastity, he considered it unworthy and harmful to flaunt his bodily beauty. The coal miner knew that beauty becomes the beginning of terrible falls for many. In order not to suffer senseless damage himself and not to inadvertently cause the lust of the eyes of others, he put on this guise: of his own free will he took up the craft of a coal miner. Alexander wanted to strengthen his body through hard work in order to prepare it for the performance of virtues. All his beauty, as was said, he hid under a layer of coal dust. And hard work only helped him keep the commandments. Gregory retired to Alexander and asked in detail about his life. Then he handed the charcoal burner over to his assistants and, having given them the task, returned again to the meeting and, with books in his hands, preached a sermon on the priesthood, describing how virtuous his life should be. Gregory spoke for a long time so that the meeting would not disperse until the saint’s assistants carried out his instructions. Finally, they returned and brought with them Alexander, who in the bathhouse washed off all the black dust that had ingrained him and was dressed in the vestments of Gregory himself (this was his assignment). Everyone looked at Alexander, speechless with amazement. The saint addressed them with these words: “Nothing has happened to you, and your vision is not deceiving you.” You cannot judge goodness only by feeling. Feeling is a deceptive measure of the essence of things. It denies a person access to the core of truth. And the enemy of piety, the devil, would not rejoice more than that this chosen vessel should remain unnoticed by anyone and that a man should not come into the middle of the meeting and crush his power. After these words, he ordained Alexander to stand before God, according to all the canons, transferring to him the grace of the priesthood. Everyone had not yet had time to get used to the new priest, and he already had to preach a sermon in front of his flock. And his first words showed that Saint Gregory’s decision was not in vain. Alexander's speech, although it was not refined or flowery, was full of intelligence. One arrogant youth, proud of his knowledge of the Attic dialect, tried to laugh at the artlessness of the sermon, saying that Alexander did not decorate it with skillful expressions of the Attic dialect, but was immediately enlightened by a wonderful vision - he saw in the sky a flock of doves shining with indescribable beauty, and a voice said: “These are Alexander’s doves, and you are laughing at them.” 4. From the life of St. Markell The Divine Markell, originally from Apamia, came to the so-called monastery of the Unsleeping (its inhabitants continually praised the Lord day and night), was received, and after some time Abbot Alexander clothed him in monastic attire, but even earlier, a certain Jacob, his old acquaintance, was tonsured before him. So this Jacob went to Alexander’s lessons and was the first among his students. But quite soon, Markell surpassed not only all the brothers, but also Jacob himself in exploits and virtues, for which the abbot greatly appreciated him. Having cleansed his mind (of sins), Marcellus became a seer. He was informed in advance about the death of his mentor and that he was destined to become the new abbot, and he was afraid of this. How is it that he, still very young, will have to rule over the elders? And most likely due to the fact that he himself did not want to part with his beloved obedience, which brought him great joy, since Marcellus was surprisingly humble, he secretly left the monastery so that no one would notice. Soon Saint Alexander died, and everyone began to say that only Marcellus should be elected abbot. But, to everyone’s chagrin, he was not in the monastery, and no one knew where he had disappeared, and therefore John, a man venerable in both years and wisdom, was elected abbot. When Marcellus learned that the elections had taken place, he came to the monastery and became John’s assistant. He was his right hand, doing a lot for the proper management of the monastery. One day Markell left the monastery, and they began to slander John. Some honored monks were surprised at many things about this man: both that he refused to be in charge, and that he did not attempt to take the abbot’s throne. The most careless of the monks, who did not at all understand the greatness of Marcellus’s soul, began to say that he escaped fame through his vanity. They say that he knew that John would be chosen, and did not want to end up second in the elections, so he left the monastery. When John heard such reasoning, he decided to teach the monks a lesson that they should not judge a person so frivolously, and at the same time decided to show them the extraordinary height of humility that Marcellus had reached. He said: -Child, we must judge people by their deeds. And without adding anything more, he decided to himself: when Markell returns, he should be entrusted with the lowest of the monastic services - looking after the donkey. And as soon as he returned, the mentor, in the presence of everyone, gave him this obedience, which seemed humiliating. But Marcellus immediately showed all his humility: he not only accepted this assignment with joy, but began to work with glee and cheerfulness, and performed his service so carefully that he considered it a blessing for himself. Marcellus even asked for written confirmation that he would not be deprived of this obedience in the future. He did not say anything, but constantly showed a zealous attitude towards this work and carried it out so ardently that the monks had to ask Marcellus for a long time and urgently to return to his previous duties for the sake of the brethren and leave this hard work. After all, it was absurd that such a great man, worthy to rule over an intelligent flock and greatly benefit them, should remain in the most humble job that anyone can do. They said about Abba Pamva that for three years he asked God: “Do not glorify me on earth.” But God glorified him so that no one could look him in the face - it bore such glory and shone so brightly. Abba Sisoi and Abba Silouan received an equally blessed gift. 2. Abba John Kolov said: “One spirit-bearing elder went into seclusion. And he was very famous in the city, and his fame was great. One day he was informed that a certain saint was dying and he needed to say goodbye to him. The elder thought: “If I leave the seclusion during the day, people will come running, begin to glorify me, and I will no longer have peace. I’ll go late at night, in the dark, so no one will notice me.” Late in the evening he left his cell, hoping that no one would see him. But then two angels with lanterns were sent from God to illuminate his path. The whole city came running to see such great glory that this man had achieved. And the one who thought to avoid fame became even more famous. Thus, what was said in Scripture was fulfilled: He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12). 3. Abba Isaac said: “When I was young, I lived with Abba Kronius, and he never told me to do anything, although I was old and shaking all over. He himself got up and brought me a glass of water, just like the others. Then I lived with Abba Theodore of Fermi and he also did not tell me what to do, but he himself set the table with the words: “Brother, if you want, go and eat.” And I said in response: “Abba, I came to you to benefit, why don’t you tell me to do something?” But the elder was silent. I went and told the other elders about this. They came and reproached him: -Abba, brother came to benefit from your holiness, why don’t you tell him what to do? -But I am not the head of the monastery to give orders. Yes, I don’t tell him anything. But he sees what I do, and if he wants, he can work with me. From then on, I closely followed what he did and took on the work with him. And he always worked in silence. He taught me this too – to always remain silent while working.” 4. Abba Peter said that Abba Macarius was distinguished by gentleness in his relations with all his brothers. People asked: -Why do you allow yourself to be treated like this? “I worked for my Lord for twelve years,” he answered, “so that He would give me this gift, and you advise me to refuse it?” 5. Abba Pimen said that if a person humiliates himself, he finds peace, no matter where he lives. 6. It was said about Abba Peter and Abba Epimachia that they were companions in Raifa (an Orthodox monastery on the Sinai Peninsula). One day, when they sat down to dine in church, they were ordered to move to the table of the elders. After much persuasion, only Abba Peter agreed. But when he stood up, Abba Epimachius asked him: -How did you dare to go to the elders’ table? “If I had stayed,” he answered, “then the brethren would have asked me, as an elder, to bless the meal first and consider me the first among you.” And there, among the elders, I will still be the least and in my thoughts the most humble. 7. Peter, the presbyter of the Diysky monastery, when he prayed with someone, although according to his sacred rank he could stand in front, but out of humility he always stood behind all those confessing, as is written about in the life of Abba Anthony. He acted in such a way as not to offend anyone. 8. The elder said: “When running, run away from people, or when laughing, laugh at the world and become like a madman.” One rich and glorious young man, the son of famous parents and also well educated, lived in the world. He left his father and all worldly glory and preferred the monastic life. Abba, in order to test his faith and humility, ordered him to take ten wicker bags and sell them in his hometown, and not all at once, but only one at a time. The young man fulfilled the order patiently and humbly: he shouldered the bags and sold them one after another. He did not think about the fact that the work entrusted to him was despicable, because he was of a noble family, and was not afraid of the despicable business of trade, for he tried to become an imitator of the humility of Christ. 2. We also know another father, Abba Pinuphry, a man adorned with all sorts of virtues. He was a priest and abba in the great monastery in Egypt, near the city of Panetho. He was glorified and honored both for the way of life with which he became akin, and for his venerable years, and for the position of abbot. He realized that because of glory he could not practice the works of humility, which he had previously indulged in out of love for obedience, secretly fled from the monastery and retired to the farthest part of Thebaid. Having taken off his monastic clothes and put on secular clothes, the abba came to the monastery to the Tavenians. He hoped that no one would recognize him here: the brethren were numerous, and the monastery was located too far from his monastery. For many days Pinuphry asked to be accepted into the brethren. Finally, the Abba of the monastery agreed, appreciating his great humility and patience. But since Pinuphry was an old man who could not be entrusted with hard work, he ordered him to take care of the garden under the supervision of a monk. Pinuphry, having become his brother’s novice, finally found the desired humility and obedience. He was not limited to his ministry, but willingly performed work that the brothers refused as too tedious. So in secret he stayed in the monastery for three years. His disciples searched for their elder throughout Egypt, and one of them, arriving at the Tavenna monastery, recognized him. At the first meeting, the old man’s facial features seemed familiar to him; but to check whether he was mistaken, the student decided to talk to Pinuphry. He could not rely only on the Abba's appearance: in front of him was a venerable old man, holding a hoe in his hands and loosening the earth, carrying manure in a basket on his shoulders and weeding the beds. When the student heard his voice, he realized who was in front of him and threw himself at his feet, which amazed everyone who was in the garden at that time. After all, he bowed before a man who was new to them and was considered the least among the brothers, as having left the world quite recently. They were even more amazed when they learned his name. After all, the monastery brothers had heard a lot about Pinuphry as a great man. They immediately began to ask for his forgiveness because they supposedly didn’t even know who he was and put him in last place. The brothers begged Pinufrius for a long time to stay, but he was forced to return to his monastery against his will: after all, in a new place he could no longer enjoy the obedience dear to his heart. The humble elder lived for some time in his monastery, but was again fired up with a desire for humility and obedience. Having waited for an opportune moment, he fled again at night, but not to Thebaid, but to another country where no one knew him. Boarding the ship, the fugitive reached the shores of Palestine, hoping that nothing could threaten him there. Arriving at the monastery, which stood not far from the cave where the Lord Christ was born from the Virgin, he was received. Just then I lived in this monastery. But even here he was unable to hide for a long time. As the Lord said: A city standing on the top of a mountain cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:4). And it was like that. Brothers from Egypt arrived to worship the Holy Places and recognized their Abba. They began to tearfully beg and beg him to return and, in the end, they took him back to the monastery. In Egypt, I had the opportunity to live for a time in the same monastery with this glorious husband. I heard him instructing one brother in my presence, which I will tell you about so that you understand how great knowledge he was awarded by God and how through experience he realized to the utmost the image of an ascetic life. Next, the writer sets out the saint’s admonitions. Whoever wants to get acquainted with them, let him open the book of Abba Cassian and, after reading, be amazed. Humble yourself in everything before people and you will be higher than the rulers of this age. Humble yourself and you will see the glory of God in yourself, for where humility grows, there the glory of God pours out. If you truly strive in humility, God will glorify you before all people. If there is humility in your heart, then in your heart God will reveal His glory. Give up your claims, learn to despise them, and you will be honored by God. Hate fame in order to be respected. When a person chases honors, they run away from him. And whoever runs away from honors, honors themselves chase after him, and he becomes a herald of humility. If you despise yourself so that God will honor you, God will show you to everyone. If you truly count yourself down for God's sake, God will command all His creatures to praise you. The door of the glory of Your Creator will open before you, and creation will praise you. For you now live in the image and likeness of God. If a person has shone with virtues, then he may be plain in appearance, but his life is bright, his knowledge is wise, and his thoughts are peaceful. But has anyone seen such a person? -Can a person become mad for the sake of the Lord? “In one monastery,” the elder answered, “there was a very young novice.” He was given into obedience to an experienced elder, so that he would raise him and teach him the fear of God. The elder told him: “Child, if someone insults you, bless him. If you sit down to a meal, don't take the best pieces. If you have to choose clothes, then choose bad ones rather than good ones.” “Am I crazy that you tell me to do this?” - asked the young man. “I therefore command you to act in such a way that you become mad for the sake of the Lord, so that He will make you wise,” the elder said edifyingly, thereby showing him what exactly a person should do in order to become mad for the sake of the Lord. 2. Abba Daniel told about Abba Dula that he spent the first forty years in the monastery, then remained silent in the Skete. Revered among the great fathers, Dula later said that, having experienced various methods of asceticism, he discovered that in the monks the monks succeeded much better and faster than the hermits in virtuous works if they humble themselves with a pure heart. In one kin there was a brother, outwardly modest and despised, but in reality gifted with a great and noble mind. Everyone insulted him, mocked him and often beat him for no reason, but he bravely endured everything and did not take offense at anyone. Among the monks was a brother who, at the suggestion of the devil, stole sacred vessels from the church. When the loss was discovered, they began to accuse the modest brother and, on suspicion alone, he was sentenced to committing sacrilege. And although he said that he did not know what he was talking about, at the insistence of the brethren, the abbot ordered to take off his monastic clothes, shackle him in iron and hand them over to the steward of the laurels for inquiry. The housekeeper whipped him with ox sinews and subjected him to other tortures. But he continued to say that he knew nothing. Then he was sent to the ruler of the country so that he could give him a more severe punishment. The ruler ordered him to be subjected to various tortures - the poor fellow was burned with a hot iron, and kept for many days without food in a stuffy dungeon. But since he still firmly denied his participation in the theft, with the consent of the abbot and the brethren, he was condemned to death in accordance with the law, according to which such a crime was punishable by death by beheading. And the innocent man was led to the chopping block. When the one who stole the vessels saw that the innocent was being led to execution, his soul ached. He came to the abbot and said: -I was told that sacred vessels had been found. Make sure your brother is not beheaded. Abba reported this to the ruler, the prisoner was released, and he returned to Kinovia, but he lived only three days and died, betraying his soul to God, kneeling during prayer. When the brothers came and saw that he had died during repentance, they took his body, carried it and laid it in the church. They immediately struck the beater, and the whole laurel was gathered. The monks rushed to the relics to take at least a piece of hair or a piece of the martyr’s clothing as a shrine. Abba was afraid that the relics might be stolen piece by piece, he ordered the deceased to be placed in the sanctuary and locked the door with a key until the Lavra Abba arrived. And when the sanctuary was opened, there was no body there - only clothes and shoes. Everyone was amazed and with tears in their eyes began to glorify God for the miracle that had been performed. “You see, brothers,” they were amazed, “how many benefits generosity and humility can bring us? Let us also fight to endure temptation and humiliation for the sake of the Lord, and we too will be glorified and honored by the Lord, reigning with Him forever. 3. A certain Paul, who bore the title illustrator (a title given to prominent figures in the Roman Empire), had a wife, children, and untold wealth. And so he decided to become a monk, called his wife and children and told them about his intention. It turned out that they also passionately love the monastic life. He told them: “If you really wanted to benefit yourself, then I will sell you to monasteries as slaves,” and they happily agreed. Paul took his wife, dressed her in a simple dress and, having separated the part of the property due to her, went with her to a nunnery and gave her to the abbess into slavery along with the property. He took the children to another monastery, handing them over to the abbot as slaves, also along with their property. Finally, he did the same thing to himself, giving himself into slavery at the monastery. Paul turned to the Abba with a request: -If you allow me, I would like to be alone in church. He allowed it. When he entered and the doors were locked, he stretched out his hands to heaven and exclaimed loudly: -God, you know that with all my heart I came to You. -I know this and I accepted you with all my heart. Pavel lived in the monastery for a long time and, like a slave, did the most menial work. Having become the lowest of all, he was exalted by God for his humility. After his death, his tomb oozed ointment, and many signs and wonders were performed on it. In one monastery there was a young brother named Efrosin. He was working in the kitchen. And since his face was constantly covered in ash and soot, no one paid attention to him, and the brilliance of his virtues remained unnoticeable to them. He emerged from the kitchen fume, always stained with soot, and the frivolous brothers mocked and made fun of him, and some scolded and insulted him because his clothes were too wretched, and his face showed meekness and gentleness. The young man was almost always silent, and it was safe to humiliate and mock him, and sometimes even beat him. And he, although he heard and suffered such things from his brothers every hour, bravely endured the humiliation. Efrosin never objected to anyone, did not reproach anyone and was not offended when he was undeservedly insulted and beaten. Meanwhile, the abbot of this monastery, who in all his affairs was guided by God’s will and thereby gained great boldness before God, was troubled by the thought: how can one find out for sure who in the monastery and in general among his spiritual children is superior in virtue to all other brothers and stands above everyone in fidelity to God’s will? This thought did not leave him. He began to pray to God that his wish would come true, and it was revealed to him which of the brothers was the first in virtue. One night the abbot was praying alone and went into a frenzy. He was raptured into a region of indescribable delight and bliss. A wonderful fragrance spread everywhere and all kinds of beautiful trees grew. Their fruits were not like ours and were very different in beauty and size, which human language is not even able to describe. A clear stream gurgled among the trees. In a word, the beauty of nature caused amazement. The abbot gave thanks to God, the Cause of all good things, and felt blessed to have received such a great honor. Then, fixing his gaze on the wondrous fruits, he stretched out his hand to pick one. But he couldn’t, because the branches rose high, beckoning him with an inaccessible charm. He tried to jump up and approach other trees, but his hand could not reach the branch. Then he saw his young brother Efrosyn. He walked ahead through this fragrant paradise and enjoyed the fruits that were there. The branches of the trees themselves bent towards him, and he ate to his heart’s content the fruits that fell into his hands. Amazed by this incomprehensible miracle, the abbot exclaimed: -Child Efrosin, who brought you here and allowed you to walk among the trees? He just smiled and said in response: -Father, the one and only Lover of Humanity has entrusted me with all these blessings and to possess them. -Can you pick some fruits for me too? “Father,” the young man answered, “take whatever you like.” -I can’t, child. I tried many times, but nothing worked. Then Efrosin resolutely approached the tree, picked three apples of wondrous beauty and aroma and handed them to the abbot, who happily took the gift... and woke up. The vision disappeared, but there were three apples in his hand. Trembling with excitement, he ordered the beater to be struck. Only after the morning chant did he calm down, but did not tell anyone anything about the wonderful gift. When the Liturgy began, and he served together with his brothers in the church, after the Sacrament he came out of the altar in vestments and ordered to call Brother Efrosyn. Several brothers went to the kitchen and brought the cook to the abbot, grimy and smelling of kitchen fumes. Efrosin stared at the ground and did not answer. The abbot repeated the question and began to force him to answer. Here the young monk burst into tears and meekly and quietly answered: -Don’t you know, father, where we both were? Here the abbot shook with fear. He took three apples from his bosom and asked: “Yes, father,” answered Efrosin. – Remember, you yourself told me, so I gave them to you. -Blessed are you, child Efrosyn! - the abbot exclaimed in front of everyone, - that he was awarded such benefits. Therefore, I ask you to become an intercessor for my poor soul. And he told his brothers about the vision he had that night. Having finished the story, he bowed at the feet of Efrosin, which greatly embarrassed the young man, who was trying to lift him from his knees - seeing this was sheer torment for him. He could not accept such an honor and sobbed loudly. The abbot took him by the hand and led him into the altar. Having cut three apples on the sacred saucer, he distributed the pieces to all the brothers. And young Efrosin, unable to bear the glory and honor that the brethren began to show him, secretly left the monastery and disappeared. He knew that human praise is worse than blasphemy, because it causes great harm to the soul. Therefore, he preferred to stay away from it, thinking about his salvation. Chapter 2: That humiliation leads to humility, and honors to pride, and why the humble rejoice at humiliation and are saddened by praise The Most Reverend Constantine lived near the city of Ancona (Italy) and served in the church of the First Martyr Stephen. Somehow there was not enough oil in this church, and God’s servant Constantine had nothing to fill the lamps with; but he, without being embarrassed, poured water into the lamps and lowered the wicks, then lit them with the torch he brought, and the water began to burn in the lamps as if it were oil. You see what humility this great man had. When the rumor of his holiness spread far and wide, many people from different regions flocked to Ancona to see him. And then one day a peasant came from afar to also look at the saint. At this time, Konstantin stood on a wooden bench and straightened the lamp. He was quite short in stature, and also rather thin and plain-looking. Meanwhile, the peasant asked everyone where he could see Constantine, and they pointed him to the saint. But sometimes spiritual virtues are judged by appearance; and the peasant, seeing such a small and unprepossessing man, could not agree that the saint should turn out to be so unsightly. “It cannot be,” he thought, “that a person about whom there is such fame could have such a homely appearance.” When many confirmed that Constantine was indeed that same famous saint, he disrespectfully and mockingly said: “I thought I’d see a person, but this one doesn’t even look like a person.” As soon as the man of God heard these words, he left the lamps that he was straightening, went up to the peasant, hugged him with joy, kissed him with extraordinary love and thanked him from the fullness of his heart for his truthful words: -You are the only one who saw me with open eyes as I am. You see, Peter, what humility this amazing saint had, who treated the farmer with great love, who looked at him with contempt. The inner qualities of a person are most often known by how he endures insults from others. This means that the proud rejoice in honors, and the humble are comforted and grateful for insults and humiliations. They are happiest when they are dishonored in front of everyone. After all, this humiliation confirms their judgment about themselves: what they think about themselves is what others say about them. 2. From the life of St. Ephraim The marvelous Ephraim, among other virtues, was characterized by the fact that he was afraid and avoided praise. The monk not only did not listen to those who praised him, but it was also clear how angry he was with them, just as others are angry with mockers and detractors. Ephraim blushed, looked at the ground, his face changed and he began to sweat. He didn’t say a word, as if something shameful was happening in front of him. 3. From the life of St. Synclitia Blessed Syncletikia told visitors who came to her that just as wax melts in the presence of fire, so the soul weakens from praise and loses strength. And on the contrary, just as molten wax hardens in the cold and takes shape, so abuse and humiliation strengthen the soul and make it hard. Rejoice, the Scripture says, and be glad when they revile you and persecute you... and so on; and in another place it is said that in tribulation you have spread me out (cf. Matthew 5:11-12). And not only this, but also the head of virtues - humility - most of all gives rise to humiliation in the soul. And in fact, humility is strengthened by reproaches, humiliations, beatings, humiliation, that is, when they call you names: “Madman, beggar, simpleton, weakling, incompetent, freak, you don’t know how to say a word...” - all these abusive words strengthen humility. The Lord heard and endured such blasphemy. They told him that You are a Samaritan and that You have a demon (Matthew 8:48), they strangled him, scourged him, called him a villain and a deceiver. You must imitate this true humility. There are also those who only pretend to be humble in order to be glorified. But such people are recognized by their fruits. If you begin to blame them for anything, they will not tolerate it and, like snakes, will immediately release poison. 4. From the life of St. John the Merciful The wonderful Patriarch John had a nephew named George. Once he was insulted by a tavern shopkeeper in the city. The young man suffered greatly, and his feeling was twofold: the social difference between him and the offender was too great - he was a close relative of the Patriarch, and he was an insignificant person. Therefore, George came to an audience with His Holiness, with tears in his eyes he revealed to him the confusion of his heart and complained about the offender. When the patriarch saw the young man’s mental anguish, he, wanting to console and support him, exclaimed: -How dare he open his mouth and insult my beloved nephew? Blessed be the Lord! I will teach him such a lesson that all of Alexandria will be shocked! The nephew was taken aback by such words and calmed down. “My beloved child,” the patriarch continued. “If you truly want to be and be called my nephew, prepare not only for insults, but also, I’ll tell you more, for scourging.” True nobility is not in flesh and blood, but in spiritual virtue. Then he called the head of all the city drinking establishments and ordered him not to take any money or donations for the Church from this tavern owner who had insulted him when taxes were collected. Everyone was surprised at the husband’s unprecedented kindness and greeted with surprise the revenge, which truly shocked all of Alexandria. 5. An incident from the life of St. John the Theologian The Apostle John managed to escape during a terrible shipwreck. After forty days of being at sea, the waves washed him onto land near Ephesus, where he saw me, Prochorus, standing on the shore, which he had predicted to me even before the shipwreck. (Note - After the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles gathered and cast lots as to who should go where to preach the Gospel. Asia fell to the Apostle John. Since he agreed with difficulty, on the way to Ephesus, by God's permission, the ship on which he sailed was shipwrecked and sank. However, the passengers, among whom was his disciple the Apostle Prochorus, were saved by God's mercy - they were thrown out by the waves on shore. Of all the passengers, only John suffered - for forty days and nights he was tossed by the waves in the open sea, until, in the end, he washed up on land near the city of Ephesus) John hugged me, giving thanks to God, and together we went to Ephesus and (soon) reached the square of Artemis, where the bathhouse of Dioscorides, the ruler of the city, was located. -Child Prokhor! - said John. “Let no one in this city know who we are and why we came here until the Lord reveals us and we receive a revelation from Him.” As he said this, Romana appeared, the servant of Dioscorides, who was in charge of the bathhouse, an extremely evil woman, which is why everyone avoided her. While cleaning up the bathhouse, she saw us and immediately figured that since we were in such a pitiful state, probably hungry and poor, then we could be hired to work for the most meager pay and turned to John: -Where are you from, man, and what is your faith? “We are from another country,” answered John, “Jews by origin, Christians by grace, we have just been saved after a shipwreck.” “Do you want to heat the stove in my bathhouse,” she asked, “and your companion will clean the bathhouse?” Romana led us to the bathhouse, showed us who should do what, and set a daily payment: three liters of bread and four obols in money. On the fourth day of our stay, John, who had never had to be a stoker before, did not heat the stove as hot as required. Romana, as soon as she arrived, immediately noticed his mistake and, without a twinge of conscience, knocked John down with a blow of her fist and showered him with abuse: -A tramp, a slacker, a pathetic exile, a lousy incompetent! Why did you take this job? A deceiver - that's what you are! But I will bring you to clean water. You are now Romana's slave. They even know me in Rome! Do not expect to escape the hand of your mistress - I will find you everywhere if you dare to run, and I will trample you without mercy. It would be better if you thought about work in the same way as about food, otherwise I will crush you without any mercy. “Madam,” John peacefully justified himself, “I only recently started work and have never studied this before.” Time enriches with experience, and it is undoubtedly favorable to those who work. After these words, Romana left. And I was depressed by her cruel treatment of John and thought about how hard it was for him. But we only lived here for four days. John, by the Spirit, saw my thoughts and said: -Child Prokhor, because I wavered in my thoughts when Asia fell to me, you know what kind of trouble we got into. Not only we, but also the innocent shipmen were punished because of me, suffering a disaster, and only by God’s grace everyone was saved. And I was carried by the waves of the sea for forty days so that I learned to obey God, and not human thoughts. Finally, God had mercy on His loved one and carried me to dry land. You know this, so you should not grumble, but thank Him for such temptations. And don’t even consider some woman’s empty threats a temptation. Go and do your job and do it with all your diligence. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of everything, gave us an example of patience, pointing out its benefits: In your patience save your souls (Luke 21:19). His words relieved me of sadness and gave me inspiration. The next day Romana came and said to John: “I’ve heard a lot about you again, they say that you’re working carelessly on purpose so that I’ll drive you away.” But you won’t wait for this, you yourself are preparing trouble for your own head. If I see that this is so, then I will not leave a living space from you, I will disfigure you so much that you will not be able to move. In response, John did not say a word. Romana saw in his meekness and silence only cowardice and stubbornness. She became furious and began to threaten: -Aren't you my slave, villain? Why are you silent? Don't you agree that you're lucky? Answer me! “Yes, we are your slaves,” he answered, “I and Prokhor are with me.” Romana remembered these words. She decided to deprive us of our freedom and, in order to fulfill her insidious plan, she went to the notary. “Many years ago,” she told the lawyer, “two slaves, inherited from my parents, ran away from me. Many years have passed, and the papers have been lost. Now they came to me and confessed that they were my slaves. Is it possible to make new bills of sale for them? “If they admit in front of witnesses that they are slaves inherited from your ancestors, then yes,” answered the notary. John recognized this by the Spirit and said to me: -Child Prokhor, know that this evil woman will demand written confirmation from us and will make sure that witnesses confirm that we are her slaves. But don’t let this make you sad, on the contrary, rejoice. For through this God will be glorified and will soon reveal who we are. Before he could say this, Romana entered. She grabbed John by the hand and began to beat him, saying: -Evil slave, why, when your mistress enters, don’t you bow at her feet? Maybe you consider yourself free? You are Romana's slave! – she said threateningly, asking again and again: “Aren’t you my slaves?” “I’ve told you more than once or twice,” John answered, “that we are slaves.” -The One whose work we do. “That’s right,” she was delighted. “It’s my business, which means you are my slaves.” “We will confirm in writing and orally that we are slaves,” added John. “I want it in writing and in front of witnesses,” she said. “Now do as you see fit,” said John. Romana picked us up and brought us to the square in front of the Sanctuary of Artemis. When we entered the office, in front of witnesses, she forced us to confirm in writing our slave status, and then ordered us to return to work in the bathhouse, in which a demon had lived since its construction. Three times a year he strangled one of the unsuspecting visitors. The son of Dioscorides named Domnus, who paid a lot of attention to his blooming appearance, at night, when the bathhouse was not working, went into it to wash himself. The demon suddenly attacked him and strangled him. When the servants came for him, they found him dead. They began to cry and lament: -Woe to us, our master is dead. What should we do now? Romana, hearing the screams, tore the scarf from her head, began to tear out her hair and cry. She beat her chest with her fists and cried out loudly: -Woe is me! What will I say and how will I answer my master Dioscorides if he finds out about this? There is no consolation for him! He will not bear such terrible news - he will die of grief! After all, Domnus is his only son. Help us, great Artemis of Ephesus! She sobbed and wailed for a long time, beat her face on her knees and scratched herself until she bled. John came up to me and asked: -Child Prokhor, do you hear? What happened to this woman? As soon as Romana heard our conversation, she immediately ran up and grabbed John’s hand. -Oh, you’re the sorcerer! Now your witchcraft has been revealed! As soon as you appeared here, our goddess left us. Either you resurrect my master's son, or I will shake the soul out of you. “Madam,” asked John, “tell me, what has plunged you into such sorrow?” In uncontrollable anger, Romana hit John with all her might. “Evil slave, convict,” she shouted, “the whole city of Ephesus knows what happened, and you ask as if nothing happened!” The son of my master Dioscorides died in the bathhouse. When John heard these words, a barely noticeable joy flashed across his face. He briefly immersed himself in prayer and entered the bathhouse. Having expelled the evil spirit from there, he returned the young man’s soul to his body and, taking him by the hand, led him out into the street. “Here is your master’s son,” he said. “He’s alive, don’t worry anymore.” Romana, seeing the miracle, was amazed and, falling at the feet of John, began to ask him for forgiveness for the insults she had caused him. He said: -Woman! Believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, whose disciple and apostle I am, and everything will be forgiven you. “I believe, man of God, from now on everything that comes from your mouth,” she answered. Meanwhile, the servant came to Dioscorides and reported the death of his son. From such unexpected grief, the unfortunate father fell dead, as if struck by a dagger. Having learned about this, John resurrected Dioscorides and baptized all who believed. After this incident, many Ephesians converted to Christianity. It was said about Abba Agathon that one day people came to him, having heard that he had a great gift of discernment. They, wanting to test him to see if he was subject to anger, asked: -Are you Agathon? They say you are a fornicator and a proud man? “Yes, that’s true,” was the answer. -Are you the Agathon who is a talker and a liar? -Are you Agathon the heretic? - they asked. “No, I’m not a heretic,” he said. Then they asked in bewilderment: -Tell me, why, no matter what we told you, you agreed with everything, but could not bear the word heretic? -I agreed with the first one, because it was for the benefit of my soul. A heretic is one who is rejected by God, and I do not want to be separated from God. Having heard this, they were surprised at his prudence and left, strengthened in faith. 2. The elder said: “Whoever praises a monk betrays him to Satan.” 3. The elders said that once they donated some figs to the Skete, and, as an insignificant and low-value thing, they did not send it to Abba Arseny, so that he would not consider it an insult. The elder, having learned about this, did not come to the service, saying: -You yourself decided not to give me the donation that God sent to the brothers, because I am unworthy of it. When everyone heard this, they received spiritual benefit, seeing the elder’s humility. Then the presbyter took the figs and took them to him, and the elder came to the service with joy. 4. They said about Abba Amon that one day people came to him so that he could judge them, but the elder pretended to be insane. A woman standing next to him said: -This old man is completely crazy. When Abba heard what she was saying, he remarked loudly: -I worked so hard in the desert to acquire this madness, and now for your sake I have to lose it? Never. 5. Once in Kellia they held a meeting on one matter. Abba Evagrius spoke at it. But the Abba of the monastery noticed him; “We know, Abba, that if we lived in your country, you could become a leader over many. And with us you are only a guest.” He, being offended, was not embarrassed, nodded his head and said: “It is truly so, father, if I took the floor once, I will not speak a second time.” 6. Abba John said that the gate of heaven is humility, and our fathers, through many humiliations, joyfully entered the city of God. 7. He said to his brother: -Even if we are completely despised by people, we will be cheerful, for we will be honored by God. Abba John always had a burning spirit. One man came to him and praised his work when he was weaving a rope, but he remained silent. The guest spoke again, but the abba again did not answer; when he spoke for the third time, he said: -You came here and alienated God from me. 8. One day, when he was living in the Skete, the brothers surrounded him and began to ask him about his thoughts. And someone remarked to him: -John, you are like a harlot who adorns herself to attract more lovers. The elder hugged him and said: -You speak the truth, father. -But didn’t it bother you, Abba? - they asked him. -No. After all, as I am on the outside, I am the same on the inside,” he answered. 9 . Abba Jacob said that anyone who is praised must reflect on his sins and understand that he is unworthy of what they say about him. Then he will not receive too much damage from the praise. 10. It was said about Abba Macarius that when his brother came to him as a holy and great elder with fear, he did not speak to him. And if one of the brothers asked: “Abba, when you were a camel driver, stealing saltpeter and selling it, didn’t the guards beat you?” - he willingly talked to him about anything. 11. It was said about Abba Moses that when he became a cleric and vestments were put on him, the archbishop remarked: -Now you are all white, Abba Moses. -Does the Pope ordain only externally or internally too? The archbishop, wanting to test him, said to the clergy: -When Abba Moses enters the altar, drive him away, follow him and listen to what he says. When the elder entered the altar, they began to scold and persecute him. -Правильно с тобой поступили, черномазый, – ты не человек, а лезешь к людям. 12. The elder said: “He who is revered more than he deserves suffers loss in many ways. And the one whom people do not honor at all turns out to be glorified from above.” 13. The brother asked the elder: -Give me advice that I could follow and thereby gain life. “If you can endure humiliation,” the elder answered, “that is above all virtues.” 14. The elder said: “The humble is not the one who calls himself insignificant, but who joyfully endures insults and dishonor from his neighbor.” 15. He said: “If someone praises you to your face, remember your sins and ask him: “For the Lord’s sake, brother, stop praising me, for I am a pitiful person, and the weight of praise is not for me.” And if an important person praises you, pray to God with all your heart and say: “Lord, protect me from human praise and blasphemy.” 16. One day Abba John Kolov was sitting opposite the church. His brothers surrounded him and began to reveal their thoughts to him. One of the elders noticed this and said out of envy: -You, John, are a pot full of poison. -You're right, Abba. But you only saw the outside, and what would you say if you saw what was inside me! 17. Once, during a meeting in the Skete, the brothers, wanting to test Abba Moses, began to offend him: - Why are you, Ethiopian, hanging around here among us? Abba Moses listened and remained silent. After the meeting he was asked: -Abba, weren't you outraged? -We were indignant, but did not shout. 18. Abba Pimen said: “No matter what work you get, victory over it is silence.” 19. They said about some old man that the more he humiliated or enraged him, the better he treated him; such people, according to him, help those who are attentive to themselves to improve; and those who call you blessed deceive and confuse the soul. The Scripture says that they lead you astray and corrupt the path of your paths (Isaiah 3:12). Abba Isaiah said: “If out of cowardice your brother answers you wrong, bear it with joy. And if you examine your thoughts, as if the Lord were judging you, you will find it sinful. 2. If a soul turns to God in repentance, it calmly endures humiliation, and its crying protects it from everything worldly. If a person does not blame himself, then he cannot bear anger. 3. A humble person does not care about people's reproaches. The memory of his sins becomes his weapon and protection from anger and revenge, and even teaches him to endure any troubles. For what reproaches a person more than his own conscience before God when he realizes his sins? 4. Whoever is able to endure the evil word of a careless and arrogant person for the sake of God and for the sake of maintaining the peace of his thoughts can acquire physical, mental and spiritual peace. When these three principles are in agreement and do not rebel against the mental law and a person is freed from carnal captivity, then he becomes a son of the world, and the Holy Spirit dwells in him. For He is already the Spirit of this man and will not leave him. 5. Brother, believe that it will be of great benefit to the salvation of your soul if you joyfully and calmly endure the insults and humiliations that are inflicted on you for the sake of the Lord. Think that for your sins you deserve even greater humiliation and that in general, to suffer for the sake of the Lord is a worthy thing. Enduring constant sorrows and humiliation, at least for a moment I become an imitator of the Passion of my God. If you remember your offenders as those who enriched you the most, and pray for them with all your heart and sincerity, you will never complain about them. 6. Hate all lust for power and love of fame and the desire for human praise, like terrible death, the destruction of your soul and eternal hell. 7. Pay strict attention to yourself so as not to fall into grief or anger when someone offends you. Have you remained silent, have you not spoken beyond what is appropriate? Did you first humble your heart through prayer before speaking to your brother? Human reproaches cause sorrow in the heart. But if a person endures them, he is cleansed and sanctified. If you want to listen to people’s praise without condemning yourself, first love to be rebuked for your sins. If someone is reproached for the truth of Christ, then many will glorify him a hundredfold. But it is better for you to do every good thing in advance in order to inherit the future. When you notice a thought in yourself that tempts you to seek human glory, know for sure that you will receive shame from this. 2. The root of shameful lust is human praise. And the root of chastity is the exposure of evil deeds. We must not only listen to how we are denounced, but also internally agree with it. When you are punished, scolded or persecuted, do not think about today, but look to the future and you will understand that thereby you have acquired many benefits, not only in the present, but also in the next century. 3. If you see that you are being feignedly praised, consider that you are being blasphemed. And if someone dishonors you, imagine how great the glory from God can be from this. When you are dishonored, do not grieve or be afraid. Just try to remain faithful and blameless, so that when glory comes, you will not be disgraced. 4. When, by the grace of God, many begin to praise you, try not to mix anything ostentatious with God’s providence of salvation, otherwise you will become arrogant and harm yourself. When you see that a person is suffering from great dishonor, know that he is obsessed with the thought of vanity and therefore he himself does not know that he is reaping the seedlings of his heart. The lover of pleasure is offended by blasphemy and deprivation, and the lover of God is offended by praise and excess. Endure your humiliation and insignificance with a good thought - then you will gain boldness before God. When a person endures an offensive word, knowing that he has not sinned against the offender, then a crown of thorns will adorn his head. But he is blessed, for without even noticing, he was crowned with an imperishable reward. The perfection of humility is to bear humiliation and any false accusation with joy. The humble man is not embarrassed even when he is truly treated unfairly. He says nothing in his own defense, does not explain himself to the offender, and accepts the false accusation as truth. He is in no hurry to convince people that he has been slandered, but asks for forgiveness from the slanderer. For example, some voluntarily bring upon themselves the reputation of being intemperate, without being such. Others pretend to be fornicators, although they are far from it, and continue to endure, shedding bitter tears, the fruits of an imaginary sin of which they did not commit. They ask for forgiveness for a sin that they did not commit, sobbing, they fall at the feet of the offenders and slanderers. Verily they crown their souls with the purity of holiness. Others, in order not to be glorified for a virtuous life, but in order to hide this, take on the image of madmen before people. Such people were salted with divine salt and found unshakable inner peace. They have reached the utmost perfection, and their good deeds are announced by the holy angels. And you think that you have humility, but you cannot bear the usual reproaches. If you want to know whether you are humbly wise, test yourself with what was just said. Once, one ascetic came from Skete to the (male) Tavenna monastery. Almost all the men in it were saints and the most severe ascetics. Thirty days later the brother said to the abbot: - Bless, Abba, and let me go. I can't stay here any longer. “Because,” the brother answered, “there is no work here, which means there is no reward.” All the fathers here are ascetics, but I am a sinful person and it is better for me to go where they will scold and humiliate me. For this saves the sinner. He was surprised and realized: the maker of the commandments was in front of him and let him in with the words: -Go, child, take courage, and may your heart be strengthened so that you patiently wait for the Lord. Abba Zosima said: “The impulses of will are in the power of free choice. Ardent will can very quickly lead a person to God, while sluggish will will not lead a person even in half a century. And if the demons see that a person has been humiliated, dishonored, suffered damage or suffered in some other way, but is grieving not because of his misfortune, but because he does not endure it with courage, then the demons are afraid of such an impulse of the soul. For they know that such a person adheres to the path of truth and wants to walk in the commandments of God.” 2. “If a person begins to attach importance to the fact that someone offended him or caused damage, or scolded him, or did some other evil, and begins to plot against the offender, then he is plotting against his own soul the same thing as demons. For he has already plotted against himself. What am I talking about thoughts? If a person does not think of his brother as a doctor, then he is doing himself an injustice in what is most important. Why do you say that you are suffering? After all, your brother cleanses you, and you should think of him as a doctor whom Christ sent you and brought your illness to light. A person who really wants to be healed must treat his doctor as a benefactor. He should take the medicines prescribed to him as sent from Jesus and give thanks for them, even if he does not feel comfortable taking them. It is not so scary for a patient when his flesh is cut and cauterized or when he takes a cleansing agent, he even remembers it with disgust. But he convinces himself that without this it is impossible to free himself from the disease, he trusts the doctor, knowing that through small unpleasant actions he is freed from the abundance of bad juices and from chronic disease. The cauterization of Jesus is the one who harms or offends you. After all, he frees you from excesses and pride. If you cannot bear this treatment and not only do not thank you, but also have thoughts against your brother, then you can be considered to be saying to Jesus: “I don’t want you to heal me. I will not take Your medicine. It’s better to let my wounds continue to rot.” What should the good Lord do with you then? Know, brother, that whoever runs from a useful temptation runs from eternal life. 3. And Evagrius said: “I do not blame those who slander me, but I call them benefactors. I do not push away the doctor of souls who brings the medicine of virtue to my vain soul. Otherwise, I’m afraid, it will be said about my soul: we healed Babylon, but it was not healed (Jeremiah 51:9). The Lord our God is good, He gave us holy commandments against our evils, destroying them with cauterizations and cleansing drugs. There is only one way to be cured of a disease - proper serious healing. 4. He said: “No one lies, only those who praise me and call me blessed. And no one speaks the truth, only those who vilify and humiliate me. And they don’t tell the whole truth, because they don’t know the whole depth of my heart. If they found the opportunity to see, I don’t say all, but at least part of my vices, they would turn away from me, as from a gutter, a dung heap or an unclean spirit. Even if the bodies of all people turned into a continuous tongue to vilify me, I am convinced, even then they would not be able to appreciate my wickedness. If even the righteous Job said that he was full of wickedness, and nothing can be added to the word “fullness,” then what should I say when I find in myself a sea of ​​the most vile vices? The devil humbled us with all our sins, and we should be grateful for our humiliation. He who is grateful for his humiliation crushes the devil who crushed him. As the holy fathers said: “If humility descends to hell, then it is elevated to heaven. If exaltation exalts itself to heaven, then it is descended to hell.” And is it really possible,” added the Abba, “to convince a humble person to begin to weave thoughts against another person? Everything offensive that a humble person hears about himself will become a reason for him to humiliate and insult himself. Like Abba Moses, when the clergy kicked him out of the altar with abuse, he scolded himself more than they did. And if a humble person is embarrassed by an insult or an unfair attack against him, he will immediately turn to prayer and soon soften his heart. And not only then, but also in any turmoil, he blames himself in every possible way and always denounces himself. He says to his soul: “Why are you mad, pitiful soul. Why are you embarrassed and furious, foaming at the mouth? By your confusion you reveal your illness. If you weren't sick, you wouldn't feel any pain. Why did you, unfortunate one, stop blaming yourself and start blaming your brother? He revealed a disease that was hidden and unknown to you to this day.” Imitate Christ, who, being slandered, did not slander in return; while suffering, did not threaten. Listen to the One who said what He Himself fulfilled in practice: I gave My back to the smiters and My cheeks to those who smite; I did not hide My face from mockery and spitting (Isaiah 50:6). And you, unfortunate soul, were once insulted and humiliated, and you sit and begin to weave thousands of thoughts, plotting (plotting) against yourself together with demons? You want to be one with them! Crazy, pathetic! We see the Cross of Christ, we read about His passion that He endured for our sake every day, but we cannot bear even one insult. Truly we have turned away from the straight path.” 5. He also said: “If a person had lived the age of Methuselah (the biblical patriarch who lived the longest of all people on earth - 969 years) and had not followed the same straight path as all the saints, the path of dishonor, humiliation and courageous endurance of suffering, he would not have succeeded in anything small or great, but would only have wasted his years.” 6. And blessed Zosima also said: “One man said to me: -Abba, there are so many commandments of Christ that my mind has become clouded about which ones to fulfill and which ones not to follow. “Don’t be embarrassed,” I answered him, “but think that if you don’t have an addiction to things, you can easily fulfill any virtue.” Is it really difficult to pray for enemies? Is it difficult to dig up the ground? Make the journey or even suffer a lack of money? Give thanks when you are dishonored, and you will become a disciple of the holy apostles, who walked their path, rejoicing in the fact that they were worthy to be dishonored for the name of Christ. Pure and holy, they accepted dishonor for the name of Christ, and we are simply obliged to accept dishonor for all our sins. We are already deprived of dignity, even if no one dishonors us, and we are damned. The Scripture says that You have tamed the cursed who turn away from Your commandments (Ps 119:21). Not all are such as to be dishonored for the name of Christ, but only the holy and pure, as I have already said. And our job is to gratefully accept all the dishonor that befalls us, endure insults and admit that we are rightly dishonored for our deceitful deeds. But our unfortunate soul, although it knows its unclean deeds, endures with dignity what it endures, stubbornly contradicts its own conscience and, intertwining its thoughts, says: “Here, they say, he told me something, humiliated me and even cursed me.” Thus the soul, plotting against itself, takes upon itself the work of demons. As it happens in crafts, so it happens with the soul. The master will first teach the young man the craft and only then allow him to work independently. He may no longer sit next to you, but will only come in once or twice to see if he is shirking from work or running away. Likewise, demons, if they see that the soul is obedient to them and easily accepts evil thoughts, betray it to Satan’s craft and no longer have the need to sit next to it. They know that the soul itself will manage to harm itself and perish. They only drop in sporadically to see if she is shirking what they taught her.” 7. He said: “What is easier than loving everyone and being loved by everyone? What kind of rest do the commandments of Christ not give to man? But our free will turns out to be inert. And if she comes into motion, then by the grace of God everything will be easy for her. Even the smallest manifestation of our will will attract God to help, as I have already said. Virtue needs only our will, as the divine Anthony said. There is no need to even make efforts, because grace assists a person in all matters. The meek and humble find all rest: the meek will inherit the earth and enjoy much peace (Ps 36:11). 8. And Abba Zosima said: “Once upon a time there was a brother who lived next to me and took monasticism from me, since I constantly supported him in his spiritual life, and since he was one of those who were accustomed to luxury, I also condescended to his weakness, and then one day he said to me: - My Abba, I love you very much. -I still haven’t found anyone who loves me more than I love him. And now you say, “I love you,” and I believe. But if something happens that you don't like, you won't remain the same. And nothing will separate me from loving you, no matter what I have to endure from you. A little time passed, and I don’t know what happened to him, but he began to say all sorts of things to me, including obscenities. I heard all this and thought: “This man is the cauterization of Jesus for me and was sent to heal my vain soul. A person benefits from such people if he stays sober, but suffers damage from those who praise him. Therefore, this person is my true benefactor.” And I began to remember him as a doctor and benefactor, and said to those who conveyed his words to me: “He knows only my obvious vices, and even then not all, but only a small part, and my hidden vices are countless.” After some time, he met me in Caesarea Philippi and came up, as usual, hugged me and kissed me, and I him as if nothing had happened. And while I was talking to him, with every answer he gave me, he hugged me tightly. And since my appearance did not allow him to suspect anything and did not show even a shadow of sadness, although I heard everything that he said about me. After some time he met me and, running up to me, fell prostrate before me and, hugging my legs, said: - Forgive me, for the sake of the Lord, my Abba, that I said a lot of disgusting things about you. I kissed him and said jokingly: -Does your love for God remember that you told me: “I love you very much,” and I answered you: “I still have not seen anyone who loved me as much as I love him; and if something happens that you don't like, you won't remain the same. And no matter what I endure from you, I will never move away from loving you.” Let your heart know that nothing you said was hidden from me, but I heard everything, where and to whom you said what. And I never said that this was not so, and no one persuaded me to do you any harm. But I said that everything you say is true, and that you speak out of love, because you consider me family. And I never stopped remembering you in my prayers. And now I will show you evidence of this love. Once my eye was very sore, and I remembered you, made the sign of the venerable Cross and said: “Lord Jesus Christ, heal me with His prayers,” and I was immediately healed.” From then on, my brother completely trusted me and stopped slandering me, but began to appreciate and love me,” the elder said and added. “We people don’t know what it means to be loved and revered; we have ruined our understanding.” We need to have at least a little patience with our brother when, instigated by the enemy, he becomes angry or attacks us. Soon he will come to his senses and, realizing the kindness of his brother, who endured him for so long, he will thank him very much and the monk will reach such a level of love that he will be ready to lay down his soul for him.” 9 . The blessed abba remembered how one elder told him that his abba was unusually meek. He said that for this great virtue and for the signs he created, the whole district revered the elder as an angel of God. But one person, under the influence of the devil, somehow came and insulted him with the last words, although there were many witnesses. The elder stood right there and, having listened to his words, said: -The grace of God is on your lips, brother. And he lost his temper even more and said: - Yes, you, evil glutton, are talking like that to make yourself look good. -Truly, brother, everything you say is true. Then someone asked the elder: -Weren’t you embarrassed, monk? -No, on the contrary, I felt, so to speak, the cover of Christ over my soul. “Truly,” continued Blessed Zosima, “a person should be grateful to such people, as I have said many times, and consider them, if he is passionate, as doctors who cure mental ulcers.” And if he is dispassionate, then by benefactors who bring him the Kingdom of Heaven.” 10. The elder said: “If we are children of the holy apostles, as Paul proclaims and says, by the grace of Jesus Christ I gave birth to you with the gospel (1 Cor 4:15), then, like children, We must imitate our parents. The apostles rejoiced when they were scourged. When they were slandered, they were not embarrassed, although they heard from pagans and Jews that they had outraged the whole world with their witchcraft and enchantments. And with all this, not only were they not upset by such words, but, boasting, they said: When they slander us, we bless... when they blaspheme us, we pray... and so on (1 Cop 4:12 - 13). This is what the Scripture says so that we would imitate them. When we suffer or hear something like this, we should be grateful that we gain a lot and become accomplices of the holy apostles and martyrs. We should wait for great trials in order to draw even closer to the apostles, receive greater benefit and be saved, becoming partakers of their eternal heavenly glory.” 11. One day the brothers began to praise Abba Anthony about a certain monk. Anthony came to this monk to test whether he would endure dishonor. It turned out that the monk cannot stand dishonor. Anthony said to him: “You are like a village, which is decorated from the facade, but was plundered from the inside by robbers.” 12. It was said about one old man who lived in the lowlands that he was silent, and he was served by a believing layman who had a son. It so happened that the layman’s son fell ill, and the upset father spent a long time begging the elder to honor him with his coming and pray for the child. The elder got up and went with him to his home. The layman quickly ran into his house, called his household and neighbors and said: -Hurry up and meet the anchorite. And everyone went outside. The elder saw from afar that they were coming towards him with candles in their hands, and he understood what had happened. He undressed and began washing his clothes naked in the river. Seeing this, the layman became embarrassed and began to apologize: -Go back to the house. The old man is now in a frenzy. Then he approached the elder and asked: -Abba, why did you do this? Everyone will now say that the old man was possessed by a demon. “That’s what I wanted to hear,” the elder answered. Chapter 3: That no one should sit idle, but work physically, for idleness is the cause of many evils The Monk Pambo, when he was dying, said to the holy fathers standing at his bedside: “Since I came to the desert, built myself a cell and settled in it, I have not spent a single day without handicraft and I do not remember that I ate someone’s bread for nothing.” For some time I lived in Galatia and communicated with the most God-loving Bishop Philorom, the most patient and severe ascetic. He was highly revered by Basil the Great, looking with joy at his severity and exactingness towards himself and his duties. After all, even now, although he is already eighty, he does not leave his pen and notebooks. This blessed man said that from the time of baptism to this day he never ate bread for nothing, but from the labor of his hands he distributed two hundred coins to the lepers. He went on foot to venerate the relics of the holy apostles in Rome, Alexandria and Jerusalem. Philorom undertook such a journey twice at his own expense to pray and venerate the shrines. He also told us for our benefit that his mind never moved away from God. There is a large church on Mount Nitria, and a hotel is attached to it. It welcomes travelers all year round. The wanderer can stay in it as long as he needs, until he wants to leave. He is allowed to do nothing for one week, then he is offered work in the garden, in the bakery, in the kitchen, or is given the Bible to read aloud and is not allowed to meet with anyone until the sixth hour. They are all tasked with weaving cloth, so as not to be a burden to anyone. 4. From the life of Saint Euthymius Saint Euthymius told his disciples that those who have renounced the world and worldly affairs should always think about obedience and humility. They should not create their own will and engage in work at all times. They must work with their hands and produce something, especially if the monk is young and young blood often boils in him. He must not only carefully take care of himself, but also exhaust his body with all sorts of labor, so that the flesh learns to obey reason, and the ardor of youth diminishes. We need to imitate the Apostle Paul and fulfill his law. You cannot be idle, for the apostle considers the lazy and careless unworthy even of food: if anyone does not want to work, he should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The apostle himself worked and earned money with his own hands, not only for himself, but also for those around him (Apostle Paul made tents (tents) and thereby earned his living). It would be unreasonable for us not to feed other people with the fruits of our labors: after all, the laity feeds their wife, children, and their entire house with the labor of their hands, and also pay taxes annually, give the first fruits of their labors to God and give alms within their power. 5. From the life of Saint Sava When our great father Savva was still young and lived in the Flavians, he never gave himself rest. If the great Abba was tired and could not even raise his hands to the sky, then he just as diligently performed mental prayer. He was afraid that if he gave even a little relaxation to his mind, the enemy lurking in the silence would secretly penetrate his soul. Therefore, his virtue was as light as a wing, and Saint Sava was superior in obedience, humility and other gospel virtues to the rest of the brothers, who numbered about seventy. When he left there with the consent of the abbot, who blessed him and released him, he went to Jerusalem. There, Abba approached the great Euthymius, who, as always, came to the service, and, falling at his feet, began to tearfully ask and beg, so that he too could become a verbal sheep of his flock and graze with others. The great Euthymius was the best educator of youth, for he himself, having gone through numerous spiritual exploits, became highly experienced. He saw that Savva was still very young, and thought that his strong desire might be explained by the fervor of his youth, and not by the thoroughness of his reasoning, and advised him not to start with the Lavra, but first to go through his entire monastic education in another monastery, explaining to him the obligatory rigor of the feat. “It’s absolutely impossible,” said Abba Euthymius, “for you, being so young, to live in the Lavra.” This will not be useful to the Lavra, and it will not give you anything. But start from the bottom step, I advise you to go to Abba Theoktistus. I am sure that communication with him will be extremely useful for you. Blessed Savva did just that (after all, among other things, he learned obedience). He promised the great Euthymius that he would willingly do everything that he commanded him. “That’s why I turned to you,” said Savva, “to be saved by your advice.” Euthymius explained how to find blessed Theoktistus, advising him to be very hardworking. He then directly said that he saw the grace of the Holy Spirit pouring out abundantly on Savva and that a little time would pass and his glory would fill the universe. So it was, and the truth of the prophecy of the great saint was confirmed. When the divine Savva came to blessed Theoktistus, he completely surrendered to God in purity of thought and was completely filled with the highest inspiration. Knowing that the composition of man is dual (for man consists of soul and body), he performed a great feat. The young man gave labor to his body, and gave labor to his soul. He spent the day in physical labor, and the night in constant prayer. In the morning he carried water, chopped wood, and was more diligent than anyone else who worked during the day. The young ascetic was noble in soul, large in body and strong in joints. He also performed other duties. Often he was ordered to herd mules. He came to the service earlier than everyone else and left later than everyone else. Savva was all ablaze with zeal when the Divine Liturgy was served. The sacred basis of his life was always obedience and moderation in everything. And all the monks were amazed that at such an age he had already adorned himself with the crown of virtues and perfection. 6. From the life of the holy martyr Lucian Lucian the Great, when he was young, felt a calling to monastic life. He took up arms against all the pleasures of the flesh and began to devote himself tirelessly to fasting and prayer. Very soon he subjugated his rebellious flesh to the spirit. The young man mastered cursive writing and with this he not only provided for himself, but also helped the poor. He considered it unrighteous to sit down at the table until he had given alms to the poor. One day, early in the morning, Abba Ammoy and Abba Vitimius came to Abba Achilles and saw him weaving a rope. They asked him to say a word to them for spiritual benefit. “From yesterday evening until now,” he said, “I have made a rope of twenty orgies (about 1.85 m), although, of course, I do not need such a length. But I am afraid that God will be angry with me and accuse me: “Why can you work, but don’t work?” Therefore, I am exhausted, but I continue to work with all my might. And we left him, having benefited. 2. The brother came to Mount Sinai to Abba Silouan and, seeing that the brothers were working, said to the elder: -Do not labor for food that perishes, Mary, for the good part is chosen, as the Savior said. The elder said to his disciple Zechariah: -Give your brother a book and put him in a cell where there is nothing. He did just that. After the ninth hour, the brother kept looking at the door, expecting that they would come for him and invite him to a meal. But no one called him, the brother stood up, came to the elder and asked: -What, the brothers don’t eat today? -But why didn’t you call me? -Because you are a spiritual person and do not need food. But we are carnal, we want to eat, and therefore we work. You have chosen the good part, you read all day and you do not need carnal dishes. When the brother heard this, he repented to the elder and said: -So Mary also needed Martha: for Martha’s sake Mary was praised. 3. Some monk was working on the day of remembrance of the martyr. Another monk saw him and asked: -Is it possible to work today? -Today, the servant of God endured the most severe torture and confessed his faith in agony, so why shouldn’t I work at least a little? 4. The old man, who was twisting the rope and did not raise his eyes from his work, was asked what needed to be done to be saved, and he answered: “As you can see.” 5. Another old man came to the river and saw a thicket of reeds, cut leaves, sat down on the bank and began to twist the rope: he forked and threw it into the river, forked and threw it away. He did this until people came and saw him. Then he got up and left. After all, he did this not out of necessity, but in order to work in silence. – When you get up in the morning, tell yourself: “Body, work so that you have food. Soul, be sober that you may inherit the Kingdom.” 7. It was said about Abba John Kolov that he once said to his elder brother: – I would like to become carefree, like the angels are carefree: they do not work, but constantly worship God. He took off his cloak and went into the desert. After spending a week in the desert, he returned and knocked on the door. The brother, hearing the knock, asked before opening the door: “John, your brother,” was the answer. -John became an angel and is no longer among people. Then John began to beg to be let in. “It’s me,” he said, but his brother did not open it and left him in the cold all night until the morning. And then he opened the door for him and said: -You are a man and must work for food. 8. The elder said: “God does not like lazy and idle people.” Brother, don't give up while you're doing the work. The thought will often come to you and say that you will never be able to learn needlework. They say that you are weak and cowardly and will not be able to fully endure such tedious work. And all your members will begin to ache from tension. After all, you are not used to working. So, your thoughts will tell you, go back where you came from. After all, even there, if you fear God, you will be saved. Never, brother, give in to this thought, but wait patiently for the Lord, who is calling you into His Kingdom. The Lord said: Through your patience save your souls (Luke 21:19). And again: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed and say to this mountain: “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20). And we, beloved brother, will endure. We do not trust in man; man cannot save us, but in God, who saves those who trust in Him. Beloved brother, when you learn to read and write, do you not experience difficulties? Is craft really easy? But if you overcome these obstacles courageously, then all the more should we not endure any labor for the sake of the Lord. The Scripture says: You will eat from the labor of your hands; blessed are you, and good to you! (Ps 127:2). And the apostle advises us: Rather, work hard, doing what is useful with your own hands, so that you have something to give to the needy (Eph. 4:28). He who hates work is always a difficult person. Great evil comes from idleness, but he who loves to work knows no sorrows. Beloved brother! If you choose reverence for yourself, be sober, lest, with all your reverence, the evil one puts into you an alien thought - the thought of vanity and self-exaltation. Do not say that you will not work with your brothers, lest you violate your reverence. On the contrary, work like your brothers, and do not forget about reverence. Laziness destroys all reverence and brings general disgrace upon the lazy person. Combine reverence and work, and then you can call yourself reverent. Beloved! If you work in a communal monastery and do more than others, be careful that the evil one does not put into you a thought that is worse than death. Namely: don’t say to yourself that I do labor that is expensive, and no one wants to feed me. Don’t you dare demand more food for yourself than your brothers, or for special dishes. Otherwise this satiety will spoil every work of God. If you think like that, there is no love in you. And by demanding payment from people, you refuse God’s reward. Expect reward from God, but don’t demand it from people. Humble yourself before your brothers and rejoice that the Righteous Judge will reward you for your labors. For He rewards everyone according to his deeds and said: Who is the faithful and prudent servant, whom his master has appointed over his servants, to give them food in due season. Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, finds doing so; Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions (Matthew 24:45-47). I know a brother who said: “I always prayed to God that He would give grace to my handicraft, so that the whole monastery was fed from it.” And he found great grace in his work and thanked God very much, who said: Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40). Another brother also worked very hard in the monastery, and thoughts about this began to overcome him. He answered himself: “Villain, you were sold into slavery. What else should you do? And the Lord gave him consolation. Blessed is the monk who keeps the commandments of the Lord! He is diligent in three things: prayer, work and meditation, for the Scripture says: Stop and know that I am God (Ps 45:11). And one more thing: I am unhappy and have been fading since my youth; I bear Your terrors and am exhausted (Ps 87:16). And he meditates on His law day and night (Ps 1:2). Beloved, if you live in a monastic brotherhood, be humble and help your brothers in everything. Then they, exhausted by life, will learn a lot from your kind behavior. Looking at you, their souls will be encouraged in doing the commandments. When the authorities order you to go with other brothers to do some work, go willingly and do not wait for others to precede you. But don’t be angry with those who are careless, because they greatly harm themselves with their laziness. First of all, they are guilty of disobedience, selfishness and effeminacy, then they deprive themselves of the reward for their work, and, finally, the hardest thing, they give others a reason for condemnation, gossip and disobedience. The judgment against them will be harsh because they have caused mental harm not only to themselves, but also to others. And you, brother, don’t pay attention to them. After all, no one in the days of harvest says: “If my neighbor does not reap, then I will not reap.” Everyone, as soon as he gets the opportunity, collects food for himself and his livestock in order to comfortably survive the winter. If we show such zeal in carnal things, should we not be more zealous in spiritual things? If you are sick and cannot go, say, to the field, then at least show your zeal. The brothers, noticing your indisposition, will relieve you from work. But don’t remain completely idle, but ask: “I, too, should be a participant in your labors.” And do the best job you can. The Lord gives you work, for which you will later receive great reward from Him. Brother, see that you do not despise your handicraft for the sake of God’s commandment, but think about it with the fear of God, so that you do not sin through ignorance. Whatever handicraft you study, ask questions to your teacher and don’t be shy to ask him more often: “Create love, tell me whether I’m doing it right or not?” If you live with your brother, and he is given some simple task, you too take part, help your brother and do not spare your body, so that your conscience does not gnaw at you later. You will never learn your brother's handicrafts if he works more than you or you work more than him. Force yourself to work, and the fear of God will take root in you. Idleness is the fall of the soul, which destroys it. Abba Macarius the Great came to Abba Anthony on the mountain. When Abba Macarius knocked on the door, he came out and asked: “I am Macarius,” he answered. Then Abba Anthony returned to his cell, locked the door behind him and left the newcomer standing outside, and when he was convinced of his patience, he opened the door again and after exchanging greetings said: “I’ve wanted to see you for a long time, because I’ve heard a lot about you.” Having warmly received the guest, Abba Anthony gave rest to the road-weary Macarius. When it got dark, Abba Anthony wet the vine for himself, and Abba Macarius asked: - Allow me, and I will wet the vine for myself. Abba Macarius wetted himself a large bunch of vines. They sat from evening until morning weaving vines, talking about the salvation of the soul. The weaving from the door reached the very cave in the depths of the cell. And when in the morning blessed Anthony entered his cave and saw how much Abba Macarius had done, he was surprised and, kissing his hands, said: “Great power comes from these hands.” 2. The Massalian heresy forbade its followers to work. The Massalians said that one should pray all the time and hate work. Monk, don’t you dare excuse your laziness by being unwell. The Scripture says: And he gave them what they desired (Ps 77:29). Let us not, brothers, reject the grace of the Lord, who gives us strength to do good. Let us do good and thank Christ for everything. The Scripture says: Do not strive for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life (John 6:27). Let your hands do good, so that everyone in need may have bread, and so that your heart always turns to the Lord. Then you will work for the sake of lasting food, and not for the sake of destructive food. Don’t give up work, lest laziness come over you. So much evil comes from laziness! Chapter 4: About why a monk needs to work, how much time and what he should do diligently One day the brothers came to the great elder. He asked one of them: -What is your job, brother? “I’m twisting the ropes, Abba,” he answered. - May God give you a crown, child. “I weave baskets,” he answered. - May God strengthen you, child. “May God protect you, child,” said the elder and asked the fourth: “I’m a calligrapher,” was the answer. “You know everything yourself,” said the elder and asked the fifth: “I have nothing to say here,” Abba remarked. Then the elder explained. Whoever twists ropes, if he is sober, together with God twists a crown for himself. Basket weaving implies fortitude, because it is not an easy task. Making sieves requires the worker to be able to protect himself from temptation, since he will have to sell his handicrafts in the villages. A calligrapher must humble his heart, because such a thing can make him arrogant. But you shouldn’t even think about sewing, that’s entrepreneurship. If they see a person carrying rope, baskets or sieves for sale, they say: “This must be a monk.” After all, all our handicraft is grass that burns in fire. And if someone sells clothes, they say: “A merchant has come.” This is a worldly craft, and it is not at all useful to a monk. 2. Abba John the Eunuch in his youth asked one elder: – How did you manage to calmly cope with God’s work, but we can’t do it even with great difficulty? “We could do it because God’s work was the main thing for us, and we didn’t count bodily needs as anything.” But your main thing is your bodily needs, and God’s work is secondary for you, that’s why the Savior said to his disciples: seek first the Kingdom of God..., and all this will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). – What should I do if I can’t cope with my needlework? I like to twist ropes, but I can't do it. – Abba Sisoi says that we shouldn’t do things that are easy for us. 4. The brother asked Abba Viare: -What should I do to save myself? - Go and let your belly be smaller, but also your handicraft less. Confusion will no longer find you in your cell, and you will be saved. That is, live in abstinence, be content with little and do not bother. Brother, pay close attention to yourself. The devil's malice is great and varied, he knows many tricks. The insidious enemy, when you do handicrafts, instills laziness and, throwing you into despondency, tries to force you to stop working and do trifles, as if they were chores. And sometimes he drives you out of your cell, just so that you leave your work and just loiter around. If you begin to resist him with patience and work, he takes on you in a different way - he wages a siege, instills zeal in work beyond measure, if only the passion of the love of money or for things takes possession of you. Now, you don’t even go to sleep, and since early morning you’ve been sitting at work and thinking about running away from prayer and worship, just to work. When they beat the bell for worship, he urges you to come later than everyone else, and when they read the dismissal, he urges you to leave before everyone else. This is your excessive zeal for work. Little by little passion takes possession of you, leaving only the material and earthly. As the Scripture says: Whoever is overcome by someone is his slave (2 Peter 2:19). Beloved brother, know what the enemy’s delusion is like. Don’t listen to the enemy, do everything in moderation, as needed. Work moderately so that you have time for prayer and worship. Prayer in faith gives you strength and grace in every good deed. What we earn is quite enough for us, and we only need the essentials, not conveniences and pleasures. And if we pursue excesses, then our work increases, and our path is lost. We are filled with sorrow and anxiety, life is wasted in troubles. But there is only one thing that is needed, as the Lord said. There is nothing higher or more honest than the soul. For her sake, we think about what work to do. We should not spend all our time on bodily thoughts. Your body is starving and requires food. We must remember that the soul is no less than the body. If the body is deprived of food, it cannot live. Likewise, the soul, if it does not partake of spiritual wisdom, will die. That is why the Lord said: “Man cannot live by bread alone” (Matthew 4:4). Be a good steward, give the soul its food and the body its own. Do not allow your soul to die, but feed it with the Word of God, Psalms and chants, spiritual hymns, reading Divine Scripture, fasting, vigils, prayers, tears, hope and reflection on future good. All this and the like are food and life for the soul. Be careful, brothers, that none of you is barren. The Apostle says: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). He who sows pleasures, pleasures and prosperity into his flesh will only reap corruption of the flesh. He who sows prayer, fasting and vigil into his spirit will reap eternal life from his spirit. He who does not remain with his handicraft alone wastes himself in different matters. Such an absent-minded person will work on a holiday, and on a weekday he will loiter around. It is very ignoble to dishonor a holiday and be so insensitive on all days. You need to come to your senses and throw away your negligence. As the Scripture says: “The sluggard does not plow in the winter; he seeks in the summer, and there is nothing” (Proverbs 20:4). 3. From the Apostolic Constitutions Every believer and believer, having risen from sleep in the morning, washed before work, should pray. If somewhere there is an instructive word, then let him prefer this pious word to work. Chapter 5: How brothers should protect themselves during joint labors Brothers, if you go out to work together, let each one listen to himself and not to his brother. There is no need to monitor whether he works more than you or whether you work more than him. Do not teach him or give him orders, even if you see that he is not working well. Do not tell him that he has ruined the thing, but let the worker proceed as he began. And if he says: “Create love, teach me,” then teach with humility. And if someone who knows says: “I myself don’t know how, much less can I teach my brother,” it means that he does not have God’s love, but he is possessed by wickedness. And if you don’t know how to do something, don’t hesitate to constantly ask a knowledgeable person: “Create love, see if I did it right?” 2. If you are doing something together, and one of you, out of cowardice, does something wrong, there is no need to punish him, but it is better to overcome difficulties together. 3. If you work with a weak brother, do not compete with him, do not strive to do more than him. 4. If you're doing crafts, try not to pay attention to how much you and your brother made in a week. Otherwise you will show bad manners. 5. If you go to work with your brother, try not to let them know that you did more than him. God requires a person to do something that he does in secret. 6. If you do something together, then whatever mistake you see in others or hear about it, do not remember it, so that it does not end up on your lips and you do not tell other brothers about it. This is death to your soul, and you, as a wise person, understand this. In all eastern monasteries, especially in Egypt, there is a rule: after dismissal, none of the brothers should stand and talk to anyone. He does not have the right to leave his cell and leave the work in which he is busy, in pursuance of the apostolic council (Thess. 2:9), unless some urgent obedience arises that requires the postponement of all other activities. But this task must be done diligently and silently, without starting any conversations among one another. Everyone must listen to psalmody and work and thus fulfill the work given to him. Great care must be taken to ensure that none of the brothers remains face to face with another monk, especially a young one. Moreover, the insolence of taking a brother’s hand and hugging him is unacceptable. If anyone breaks this rule, he will be subjected to severe penance. Chapter 6: About the fact that in konoviya one should not have personal property, and that the owner is destined for the most severe torment A certain monk named Just knew the science of medicine well. He usually looked after me when I lived in a monastery and carefully treated me for my endless illnesses. When he himself fell ill and was close to death, he was looked after at his bedside by his brother named Kopios, who now earns his living by the art of medicine. When the aforementioned Justus felt the approach of death, he revealed to his brother that he had three gold coins hidden. This could not be hidden from the brethren. After carefully searching and carefully reviewing all his medicines, they found three gold coins hidden in a bottle. When I was informed of such a sin by a brother who lived with us, I could not bear it with indifference, for in our monastery it was a firm rule that all brothers lived in community and none of them was allowed to have property. Greatly distressed, I began to ponder what to do: should I pray for the cleansing of my brother’s sin or show my living brothers an example of severity? I called the steward of the monastery and said: - Go and do not allow any of the brethren to approach the dying man, so that he does not receive words of consolation from anyone’s lips; when, feeling the approach of death, he begins to call his brothers, let his own brother tell him that all the brothers despised him for three gold coins, hidden from everyone. Then, perhaps, at least at the hour of death, contrition for the crime will penetrate his soul and cleanse it of base sin. And when he dies, do not bury him with his dead brothers, but dig a hole in some dung heap, throw him there along with the three gold coins he hid, exclaiming with one voice: “Let your silver perish with you” (cf. Acts 8:20); and then fill it up.” With these orders, I wanted to bring two benefits: both to the dying man and to the living brothers, so that the bitterness of death would make him free from guilt, and such a sentence over selfishness would prevent the brothers from falling into such a sin. And so it happened. When he approached death and sadly called his brothers to entrust himself to their prayers, none of the brethren wanted to come up and talk to him, his own brother explained to him why he had been abandoned by everyone. The dying man took a deep breath, remembering his sin, and in this state of contrition he died. Then he was buried as I ordered. All the brethren, frightened by such a sentence against him, each began to take out the most insignificant and cheap things that they were usually always allowed to have, and were afraid to keep anything that could entail condemnation. When thirty days passed after his death, my soul began to grieve for the deceased. Grieving greatly for him, I reflected on the punishment I had inflicted and sought a means of freeing him from his torment. Then I called the steward again and said bitterly: “Our deceased brother has been suffering in the fire for a long time; we must show him love and try, if we can, to save him from his present torment. Go and from this very day perform a sacrifice for him for thirty days in a row, without missing a single day on which a bloodless Sacrifice is made for his liberation. He did just that. A saving Sacrifice was offered for him. While worrying about other matters, we did not even count the passing days. Suddenly, one night, the deceased appeared in a dream to his brother Kopios. Seeing him, Kopios asked: - What, brother, what condition are you in? “Until now I felt bad,” answered the deceased, “but now I’m good, because today I received communion.” Kopios went to the monastery and immediately told his brothers about this. We carefully counted the days, and this turned out to be the very day on which the thirtieth sacrifice was made for the deceased. – I want to enter the cenobium (a cenobitic monastery where the monks renounced personal property) and live in it. “If you want to enter the cinnamon school, you must give up concern for all human contact and all property. Otherwise, you will not be able to work in the monastery - you cannot even own this simple cup. 2. Paisius, the brother of Abba Pimen, found a small vessel with gold coins. Paisius said to his elder brother Abba Anuv: – You know that Abba Pimen is always strict with his brothers. Let's build our own monastery and live there without worries. - How much money will we use to build it? He showed him the gold coins. Abba Anub was very saddened, realizing that the gold would harm the Abba’s soul, and said: - Okay. Let's go and build a cell on the other side of the river. He took the vessel with gold and put it in his cupola. When they swam across the river and were already halfway through, Abba Anuv pretended to be dizzy, and the doll with the coins fell into the water. Avva Anuv began to feign sadness. And Paisiy said: “Don’t be sad, Abba, because of the loss of gold, and let’s go back to our brother,” and they returned to Abba Pimen and henceforth lived with him in peace. 3. The elder said: “Many monks gave away all their money, left their father and mother, brothers and relatives in order for their sins to be forgiven. They entered a monastery and performed great virtues. But from small and insignificant mistakes their legs gave way, to the delight of the demons, for they wanted to surround themselves with bags and chests filled with harvest fruits and dried fruits. They can rightly be called selfish, and Scripture says that such people are cursed and cast into outer darkness (Matthew 22:13). For, as the Scripture says, he who breaks his neighbor’s boundaries is cursed (Deut. 27:17). They will suffer the same fate as Jannes, Ananias and Sapphira. For they are their companions and accomplices.” Anyone who entered a cenobitic monastery to become a monk, but at the same time retained some of his property in the world, will not be able to stay in the monastery for long. He will neither acquire obedience nor master monastic science, and without humility and obedience he will not be able to perform virtues. He will not be able to remain in monastic poverty until the end. As soon as some temptation or sorrow shakes his mind, he will immediately begin to cherish hope for his property. And he will fly out of the monastery like a stone from a sling. Other disturbing passions, anger and lust, nest in the body and, in a sense, are inherent in man, since they do not leave him from birth and require long-term efforts to eradicate them. But the disease of love of money comes from the outside, and you can easily get rid of it: diligence and prayer are enough. If you give yourself some slack, then the love of money will develop into the most destructive passion, which you can no longer get rid of. As the apostle said, the root of all things is the love of money (1 Tim 6:10). This ailment, if it finds the soul at first pitiful and lacking in faith, having forgotten about obedience, begins to influence it, seeking seemingly good excuses (such as, say, reward according to deserts) to force it to keep some of its property. He describes in his mind how long his old age will be, how seriously ill he will be, that the possibilities of the monastery are not so great that he will have consolation in his old age, even if he is not weak, but quite healthy. The thought says that the monastery will not be able to adequately care for the sick person, that everyone will abandon him, and if he does not have gold hidden, he will die in poverty and oblivion. Finally, the thought inspires the monk that he will still not stay in the monastery until the end of his life, because the monastic work is hard, and the spiritual father is strict. When with such reminders the evil one persuades the unfortunate person to his delusion and forces him to keep at least one denarius, he will begin to convince him to study some kind of handicraft in secret from his Spiritual Father, with which he could increase the silver that is so hard to come by. With vague hopes, the evil one will lure his victim, telling her how much benefit needlework gives and what kind of will and carelessness it brings. The monk, who is completely tied up in the thought of gain, no longer thinks about any possible troubles: that he might go crazy with anger if he suffers significant damage, that he will be enveloped in sorrow if he does not receive the expected benefit. Just as for others the womb becomes a god, so for him it becomes gold. Therefore, he is also an idolater, according to the apostle’s definition (Col 3:5). His mind wandered away from the love of God, and he loved the carved idols of men. The monk, darkened by such thoughts, increasingly deviates for the worse. He no longer has humility and obedience, he is irritated, passion torments him. Whatever work he undertakes, he grumbles and contradicts others. He cannot keep a single commandment, he does not know reverence. Like a disobedient horse he rushes over the abyss. Regular food no longer fits into his throat. He complains that no matter what he undertakes, he cannot endure and do it and says that God is not only here and that one cannot contain one’s salvation in only one place. He begins to look for salvation everywhere and finally leaves the monastery and dies. And all this corruption of thought was facilitated by the silver he saved. He was inspired by the thought of silver and wondered how to leave the monastery. He responded arrogantly and cruelly to all persuasion, considering all the words spoken to him to be something alien and strange. If the poor fellow sees that something in the monastery needs correction, he will begin to despise, condemn and blaspheme everything that happens in the monastery. He just wanted to find a reason to be angry or upset, so that it would not seem to himself that he had left the monastery that cared for him frivolously and without reason. And if the unfortunate person can push another with his empty slander to leave the monastery, then he will not fail to complete the matter - he must have an accomplice in his fall. Thus, inflamed by the fire of his property, he will not be able to remain silent in the monastery and live according to the rules. The demon of the love of money, like a wolf, kidnaps a sheep. The wolf separates the sheep from the herd and then immediately tears it to pieces. So, the devil instructs such a monk to do the work that he did reluctantly in the monastery and during the allotted hours, to work in his cell day and night, with great zeal, so that there would be no time left for prayer, the order of fasting would be violated and the rules of vigil would be lost. The devil so entangles the unfortunate man with the madness of the love of money that all his zeal is directed towards needlework. There are three ways of developing this illness, which is completely unacceptable, according to the word of Holy Scripture and according to the teaching of the Holy Fathers. We described one above. The devil instructs the unfortunate to acquire and hoard what they did not have in the world. The second is that the devil forces those who have once renounced their property to repent, inspiring them to look for what they have already given to God. The third is when the devil clothes the monk from the very beginning with lack of faith and timidity and does not allow him to completely renounce worldly things, but forces him to hide something, supposedly in order not to be afraid of poverty. We talked about this above. In this third case, the devil deprives a person of faith in God's providence and shows him to have violated the monastic vows that he made when he renounced the world. We find examples of these three types of love of money in the divine Scripture, which decisively condemns them. Gehazi, when he wanted to acquire money that he did not have before, lost the prophetic gift that the teacher wanted to leave to him by way of inheritance, and instead of a blessing, he inherited from the Prophet the curse of eternal leprosy (2 Kings 5:1). Judas, having decided to receive again the money that he had previously renounced by following Christ, not only fell away from the apostolic face, insanely betraying the Master, but even destroyed his carnal life by violent death (Matthew 27:5). Ananias and Sapphira, retaining part of their property, were punished by death from the apostolic lips. God, through Moses in Deuteronomy, intimately warned those who were called to renounce the world, but in fear of little faith held on to earthly things: let him who is fearful and cowardly go and return to his home, so that he does not make the hearts of his brothers timid, like his heart (Deut. 20:8). In these words, the Lord teaches us that whoever renounces the world must do so completely. Just as if he were going to war, one should not assume a weak and depraved beginning, so as not to scare others away from the perfection of the Gospel and instill fear in them. Otherwise, we can apply the words of Basil the Great, addressed to the senator, who timidly renounced the world, keeping part of his money with him: “And he ceased to be a senator, and did not become a monk.” So, we must with all diligence purge from our soul the root of all evil - the love of money. We know for sure that if the root remains, the branches will quickly grow. We must always imagine death before our eyes, which can visit us at any moment. May our Lord not come at an hour that is not tea and find us staining our conscience with the love of money, and will not tell us, as in the Gospel He said to the rich man: Fool! This night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared? (Lk 12:20). You need to know that the virtue of non-covetousness is difficult to fulfill for someone who does not live in a communal monastery, where one can not even think about the most basic needs. Chapter 7: About those who sell or steal monastic property sin greatly before God and will be severely punished, for what is dedicated to God should be revered and not neglected, even if it is an insignificant trifle; and that such negligence causes great harm to a person 1. From the life of Saint Euthymius Among the brethren of the monastery of St. Euthymius was a certain monk Theodotus from Galatia. Stefan, who was the abbot of the monastery even before Thomas, after the death of his brother received an inheritance of six hundred gold coins and gave them all to the monastery. He kept the money in the sacristy. Theodotus, at the suggestion of the evil one, quietly took this money when Thomas of Apamea, who did not know about this money, became the abbot of the monastery. In the morning, Theodotus woke up and pretended to be angry and irritated, supposedly because there was no peace here. He left the monastery as if in search of silence, but in fact in order to hide and take away the gold. He headed to the Holy City of Jerusalem. When he reached the monastery of Martyria, he sat down by the road and counted the coins - he kept fifty for himself, and put the rest under a large stone and, remembering the place, went to Jerusalem. There he took a horse as collateral to Joppa and went again to the stone under which the gold lay. When he approached his hiding place, he (oh, all-seeing eye of the Lord! Oh, His righteous judgments!) saw a huge and terrible snake lying on a stone. She guarded the gold and did not let anyone near it. The monk was afraid to approach her with his bare hands. He waited a little, then again, with trembling legs, he tried to approach the stone, but the terrible guardian of the gold did not take his eyes off him - he was guarding the treasure, and it was impossible to approach the stone, because the snake immediately stood up in an arc, ready to rush at the man - it’s good that he managed to escape. The monk came to his treasure the next day. Suddenly some kind of air force, like an ax, hit Theodotus on the top of his head, inflicting a severe wound. He staggered and fell like a corpse. The infirmary workers passing along the road found him in serious condition, lifted him up and carried him to the Holy City Hospital. He lay there for quite a long time and one day in a dream he saw an old man who looked at him very sternly and threatened that the sick man would not get up from his bed until he returned the stolen goods to the monastery of Euthymius. The monk immediately sent for the head of the hospital, told him about the theft and what followed, and ordered the head to send the stolen goods to the monastery. When Abbot Thomas, Leonty and their assistants learned about what had happened, they immediately went to the Holy City and, putting Theodotus on a stretcher, carried him so that he would show the place where the gold was hidden. The monks found the gold completely intact under a stone, and that formidable guard, lo and behold, disappeared so that the treasure could return to its owners. When they took the treasure and saw that Theodotus had spent little, they forgave him and allowed him to return to the monastery. And from that moment he completely got rid of the serious illness, and his strength returned to him again. 2. Another monk named Paul, originally from Cilicia, lived first in the monastery of Martyria. He was possessed, and his relatives took him to the chapel of St. Euthymius and placed him on the shrine with the relics of the saint. At midnight the saint appeared and cast out the demon from the monk. Here is the best proof of the truth of the former healing: on the same night, when the midnight psalmody was being performed, Paul left the chapel in which he was laid and joined the singing of the psalmists. He told them about the miraculous healing that God had performed. Just then I, who wrote these lines, was visiting this great monastery. Paul remained in the monastery of St. Euthymius, retaining within himself the indescribable joy of the healing. He, without losing heart, took part in all the works and services of the brethren. Once we were collecting a plant in the desert (which is usually used for food and is called “manufia”) and took Paul with us. He worked together with everyone and told what he had to endure, how he ended up in the monastery and received healing from the shrine with the relics. Considering us to be his own, Paul told us his story in every detail, without hiding anything. “I,” he began his story, “was entrusted with ministry in the monastery of Martyria.” I don’t know how, but I was overcome by the passion of love of money. Since I was poor, not having a penny with me, I thought that I could steal and sell the sacred vessels and thus make a fortune for myself. This thought defeated me, the fear of God no longer existed in me. I took the keys to the treasury and, opening the cabinet with the sacred vessels, kept some of them for myself, and gave some out of fear to others. When the workday was over, I returned the keys to the altar. I went to feast with my brothers and drank so much wine that I fell pitifully and fell asleep. Immediately all intemperate thoughts filled my soul, especially since the circumstances greatly contributed to this: my mind was intoxicated by the amount of drink, and I gladly allowed these thoughts into myself. They entangled me so much that I imagined a woman next to me and began to mentally copulate with her. Suddenly a dark and hopeless cloud enveloped me. The vile demon that attacked me tied me hand and foot and held me for a long time as a prisoner, torturing me in every possible way. What have I not endured! The evil one cannot get enough of just mocking a person. He still needs to master it in order to torment him villainously. Finally the brothers came and, taking pity on me, carried me and laid me on the shrine with the relics of the saint. As soon as I touched the cancer, I suddenly felt relief and came to my senses. I began to pray to the saint, shedding hot tears, so that he would have mercy on me and free me from the torture of the vile devil. In the evening he began his mournful prayers and did not stop crying for a moment. Midnight was approaching, and I dreamed that I was in some unknown place, marvelous and lofty. Everyone would like to see this area itself, its beauty, its gracious charm, but it is impossible to convey in words what they saw. It seemed as if I had a black hair doll on my head. But I wouldn’t wish such a hair shirt on anyone else’s head, O persecutor of evil, healer of God, Euthymius. From inside, instead of tufts of wool, large and sharp thorns stuck out that could not be smoothed out. In terms of length and size, they most closely resembled writing pencils. They pierced my skull and did not allow me to come to my senses or breathe. Suppressed by wild pain, all I could do was pronounce the name of Euthymius and turn to him in prayer. In response to my call, he immediately appeared, spreading a radiance around, gray-haired, thin, with jubilant eyes, short in stature, with a long beard, dressed in a black robe and with a staff in his hand. He asked me: “What do you want from me?” I trembled and answered in fear that I wanted to be healed from suffering, to get rid of the demon tormenting me. The saint answered sternly: “Didn’t you know that nothing you did was hidden from the eyes of God? Do you understand why you endure such torment? Because you despised God, to whom these shrines were sacrificed. Just as the grace of Church shrines directly comes to God, and He from above, in ways that only He knows, gives reward to the donors of these shrines, so those who commit evil against these shrines sin against God himself, and they are overtaken by well-deserved retribution. In ancient times, the saint continued, Ananias and his wife, having hidden part of their property, experienced great retribution - they both died. Can one be forgiven who has not spared offerings to God? But if you promise that you will not encroach on sacred objects and will not indulge yourself in accepting evil thoughts, God will hear your requests and heal you. He is philanthropic and does not desire the death of the sinner, as the divine verbs teach, but waits for you to convert and live. Inescapable torment befell you because you encroached on sacred objects. You not only stopped being faithful to God, but also turned to deceit and theft. You truly reap where you did not sow, and gather where you did not scatter (Matthew 25:24). Hence the temptation of the flesh, and intemperance, and that terrible demonic whirlpool into which you were sucked.” When I heard these words, I vowed to be careful in future. The saint cursed the vile demon, reached out his hand and forcibly tore the doll off me. Kukol immediately changed his appearance: in the saint’s hand a little Ethiopian was fluttering, blinking his fiery eyes. A deep abyss opened up right under the saint’s feet; he unclenched his fingers and threw the Ethiopian into this abyss. Then he turned to me with the words that Christ said to the paralytic: Behold, you have recovered; Sin no more, lest anything worse happen to you (John 5:14). I received deliverance from suffering and, having given warm gratitude to the Lord, from then on I was forever freed from all evil. Paul himself told me about this (as reported by Cyril, who wrote down his story), and I passed on his words as the property of all believers. In the monasteries of the East, for a whole week a shift of brothers works in the kitchen or in other obediences: so that some can rest, while others succeed in the feat of love. When the week passes, on Sunday, along with the hymns of Matins, other ministers take their places. The first give them all the necessary utensils in a sealed cabinet. Having received the vessels, they must check their safety so that none of the vessels are damaged or broken. That is, they treat the donated vessels as the property of God himself. Monks must give an account for them not only to the steward, but also to God, if due to negligence or forgetfulness a vessel is broken or lost. In order for the reader to believe what has been said, I will tell you what I saw with my own eyes. The monastic steward was in a hurry somewhere in the yard and, seeing several lentil beans on the ground, did not pass by these insignificant grains, but immediately called his brother, who was in charge of the kitchen that week, gave him a strict reprimand and imposed penance for his neglect of God’s property, which was a reproach to his own conscience. With such fidelity and zeal, the monks take care of everything and manage everything, even if the thing seems insignificant and despicable. They take care of everything with great attention: they rearrange a vessel that they have carelessly placed, they collect scattered grains, believing that for this they will receive a reward from our Lord God. This rule of weekly shifts is accepted, as I have already said, throughout the East. But in Egypt there is no change of ministers, but whatever service each one finds himself fit for, he will remain in that service continuously, working according to his strength, and neither old age nor infirmity should hinder him in this. The work of the cook is entrusted to the most experienced of the brothers, and he serves in the kitchen as long as it adds to his virtues and as long as his strength of body allows him. The betrayer of all that is good is negligence. It is followed by the most severe captivity - laziness and reluctance to do anything, which has become a habit. Anyone who has reached such arbitrariness, if he wants, can get rid of it. 2. A lazy monk will even forget to close the window in his cell, and it will be broken by a gust of wind. And there is nothing to reproach the diligent with. Chapter 8: In what mood should one serve and receive service, and what is the benefit of it to the servant? The servant must obey with all his strength, because he knows that he has taken on God's work. He should not give himself any relief in any way: neither from fatigue, nor from sadness, nor from irritation, nor from a quarrel with his brothers should he give up his work cowardly. Everything in the monastery belongs to God, and therefore the one who serves carelessly is in terrible danger, for by doing so he annoys God. Because you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me (Matthew 25:45) and also: Because you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me (Matthew 25:40). So, whether you serve carefully or lazily, your service is always addressed directly to God. The prophet Jeremiah says about those who carry out their ministry carelessly that the person who does the work of God with carelessness will be cursed. Let us try, brothers, not to fall under this curse, the very mention of which makes us shiver. Let us, as servants of Christ, fulfill our ministry with all zeal and diligence. Then we will be worthy of blessing as disciples of our good Lord Jesus Christ, who said: whoever serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there will my servant also be. And whoever serves Me, My Father will honor him (John 12:26). And again: I am among you as an employee. Since the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His soul as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). He said the same to His disciples: Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all (Mk 9:35). Let us now hear what the apostle says: Behold, now is the favorable time, behold, now is the day of salvation. We do not cause anyone to stumble in anything, so that service is not reproached, but in everything we show ourselves as servants of God, in great patience, in adversities, in needs, in difficult circumstances, under blows, in prisons, in exiles, in labors, in vigils, in fasting, in purity, in prudence, in generosity, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in the word truth (2 Cor 6:2-7). Servants, obey your masters... not with only apparent obsequiousness... but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, serving with zeal, as the Lord, and not as men (Eph 6:6-7). And he also exhorts: Therefore, my beloved brothers, become strong and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor 15:58). For God is not unjust that he should forget your work and the labor of love which you have shown in His name by ministering and ministering to the saints (Heb 6:10). He also says about himself: And now I am going to Jerusalem to serve the saints (Rom 15:25). Meanwhile, I beg you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit to strive with me in prayers to God, so that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea and that my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints (Rom 15:30-31). Let us understand, brothers, that if those lamps of the universe and pillars of the Church served the poor in Jerusalem with such ascetic zeal and passionate desire, then how much more should we willingly and diligently serve our brothers in the Lord. We must make every effort to serve them, for through them we serve God. - Merciful Father! I fall at your feet to be strengthened by your prayers. I see myself busy all day with various things and do not find time at all to remember God. If, through your prayers, God gives me a little sorrow for my sins, then I gradually lose it due to changes in impressions. I am afraid to be in charge of our hospital, because this is power, and it can lead to arrogance and insolence, and the constant consumption of various foods in food will also incline me to gluttony. You know, father, that I say this not because I can’t cope with my position. What should I, the unfortunate one, do? I am afraid that from such a lifestyle I can stir up my passions on my own and under the influence of demons. You, father, declare to me the will of God and strengthen me with your prayers so that I do what you say, and forgive me. “Listen, brother,” answered the elder, “and be informed by the Lord that when we entrusted this responsibility to you, our hand and our heart were with you.” What can we say about the hand of God. We called on God, praying for the salvation of your soul and that he would strengthen you in your ministry, favor you and cover you. There is no other way to be saved except this. So don't be discouraged. If you fall, get up. If you made a mistake, repent. Do this until the Lord shows you the mercy you desire. “Look,” the elder continued, “don’t give yourself any slack. As for the multitude of things, brother, many people hear about the city, but when they enter the city, they do not recognize it. Do you remember God all day long and don’t know Him? If you have received a commandment and do everything to keep it, this is both obedience and remembrance of God. Brother John told you correctly: “First let there be leaves, and then, at the command of God, there will be fruit.” If you yourself do not know your own benefit, follow knowledgeable people, this will be humility, and you will find the grace of God. Know,” the elder said further, “that salvation is within you.” It is impossible to come to salvation without God; He leads to it. Be strong in the Lord. You benefit greatly from the many things you talk about. One way or another, while we have not yet achieved perfection in order to be completely free from slavery to passions, it is more useful to pay attention to the works of our service than to passions. Be bold, for the Lord has put you on this task. He managed it this way, and we share the responsibility with you. Let not the devil deceive you with his claims. As the Scripture says, he deceives the hearts of the gentle with flattery. The Lord, who is everything for you, has placed you in service. He said to His disciples: Behold, I am sending you (Matthew 10:16). And again: Behold, I am with you (Matthew 28:20). Do not be afraid and do not neglect hospital ministry, do not be oppressed by the thought that you have to be in charge. If you understand what I told you, then you should not have any worries. Just pay attention to yourself as much as you can, and God will help you, and you will be strengthened in God. 2. Another brother, who was a gatekeeper in the monastery and worked alone, asked the same great elder: – Can I ask you to give me another brother for this job or not? “Brother,” the elder answered, “if anyone wants to come to the Lord and take the path of salvation, he must expect temptation, sorrow and illness every hour.” For the Scripture says: My son! if you begin to serve the Lord God, then prepare your soul for temptations (Sir 2:1). And the Lord himself said: If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Luke 9:23). Whoever wants to become His disciple must remain obedient until death. “Being alone,” the elder continued, “and experiencing minor difficulties is more beneficial for you than shifting the work to another brother.” If you feel unbearable, call others to help. And if your brother helps you only at your request, then your insolence will not increase as much as if he was always next to you. Are you depressed from your work? But you have acquired humility. A humble person is forgiven of his sins. As the Scripture says: Look at my suffering and at my exhaustion and forgive all my sins (Ps 24:18). By humbling yourself, you attract grace to yourself. The grace within you helps you. The Holy Apostle Paul, who worked more than the other apostles, said: Not I, however, but the grace of God, which is with me (1 Cor 15:10). If you believe unshakably, then God will strengthen you, and you will be able to perform not only the duties of a gatekeeper, but also other duties. Attend to God’s work with hope and you won’t even notice how God will manage your labors. “Pray, father,” the brother asked, “that God will give me reason and strength, because I am a simpleton and a weak person.” “Brother,” said the elder, “if you believe that God can raise up children for Abraham from barren stones (Matthew 3:9) and that He who opened the mouth of a donkey (Num. 22) can all the more open your mouth and make you wise, enlighten and strengthen you.” God will give you everything! Brother, don't you know your stuff? The gate to the monastery is the gate of God. God knows what wisdom and understanding, knowledge, strength and help His servant the gatekeeper needs. For, says the Scripture, your Father knows what you need before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8). If you are firm and patient, your soul is blessed. I think this brother was often sick, so he was tired of the gatekeeper’s obedience, although it was quite easy. However, pay attention to what benefits the God-bearing father promised him and what accomplishments this service will lead him to. Monk, have you left your cell to serve? Guard your feelings so as not to bring battle and confusion of thoughts into your soul. A reasonable monk, when he is sent to serve, turns his soul to the world, so as not to bring confused thoughts with him after returning. And an unreasonable and ill-mannered monk prepares temptations for himself. 2. A wise gatekeeper knows how to respond kindly to the beggar and the desperate, but a foolish and unwise one is arrogant. Yes, brother, if we don’t have anything, let’s at least give the beggar a good word, thinking about so that trouble won’t befall us ourselves. As the Scripture says: In all your deeds remember your end, and you will never sin (Sir 7:39). 3. A careless gatekeeper suffers great loss, but a fervent spirit prepares for himself a crown. A faithful gatekeeper, together with God, is a guardian of souls, but an unfaithful one will not protect his own soul. He who secretly opens the door of his soul to passionate attachments is unfaithful, therefore he is among those who let his soul go to destruction. The crafty monk does not like the faithful guard. He who strives for righteousness will not lead his neighbor into temptation. Brother, if you are sent to take part in any general service, you should not forget about your salvation and look for reasons for excusing sinful deeds (Ps 140: 4). Joseph took part in the affairs of Egypt and cared not only about his family, but also about all of Egypt, and despite all the temptations around him, he did not deviate from the path of truth, and the Lord glorified him. A bird, flying out of a nest to get food, always hurries back from any place to hatch the chicks in this nest. It’s the same with a monk: he sometimes leaves the monastery for some urgent need, but he must always think about the way back and, if possible, bring the return to the monastery closer in every possible way. After all, only thanks to his zeal and the grace of God will the fruit of eternal life ripen in him. Chapter 9: When and to whom can service be preferred over prayer? Our Lord, knowing that prayer gives firmness to everything, said: Do not worry and do not say: what shall we eat? or what to drink? or what to put on?... seek first the Kingdom of God... and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:31-33). Thus He calls us to great faith. A person who has abandoned concern for temporary things and forgotten about all needs cannot help but believe only in the Lord, thinking about eternal blessings! The Lord directly said that he who is faithful in small things is faithful in great things. The Lord showed His love for mankind here too. Knowing that we need to take care of our flesh every day, He did not deny daily care and, having given us today at our disposal, commanded us very divinely not to worry about tomorrow. After all, it is impossible, being carnal people, to completely neglect bodily needs. It is possible to reduce many worries to insignificance through prayer and abstinence, but it is impossible to completely abandon them. Anyone who wants to become a perfect man, to the measure of the full stature of Christ (Eph 4:13), according to the word of Scripture, should not prefer all services to prayer, just as he should not accept services as he pleases without need. Services come to us out of necessity and according to God’s providence: there is no need to turn away from them and reject them, citing the time of prayer. On the contrary, you need to know that all ministries cannot be reduced to prayer and confused with it, and God’s providence needs to work without controversy. Anyone who thinks otherwise is at odds with Scripture. One cannot oppose one commandment to another, but one must know that all commandments contain each other. As the prophet commanded us, we must fulfill all the commandments as a single economy of God (See: Ps 118, 128). The necessary ministries given to us according to God's economy must be taken for granted, and inappropriate activities should be abandoned, preferring prayer to them, especially if these activities lead to high costs and increased income. The Lord tells us to reduce our activities and give up worrying about material things, in order to protect our thoughts from dreams. And when we limit our thoughts, then space is made available for pure prayer and faith in Christ is revealed. If someone, due to lack of faith or some other weakness, cannot do this, then let him reproach himself in truth and acquire virtue to the best of his ability, repenting of his still spiritual infancy. It is better to give an account to God for our omissions than for errors and arrogance. Among other things, it is said that we need the gift of discernment given by God. We must know when and what activity we should prefer to prayer. Otherwise, each person does his favorite thing and thinks - he is doing what is necessary and does not even assume: in order to please God, one cannot judge things by oneself. Our judgment is complicated by the fact that the necessary commandments do not apply to everything and are not always applied all together, but some commandments must be preferred to others at a given time, and the opposite should be done at another. After all, no service is performed constantly, but each in its own time. And according to the law, prayer must be continuous. Therefore, we should prefer prayer to all activities that are not necessary. The apostles taught about the distinction between work and prayer. When there were many Christians, and this threatened to drown the apostles in a multitude of household worries, they said: It is not good for us, leaving the word of God, to worry about the tables. ...Choose from among you seven well-known men, filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom; We will place them in this service, and we will constantly remain in prayer and the ministry of the word. And this proposal was acceptable to the whole assembly (Acts 6:2-4). What do we learn from here? That for those people who cannot yet be steadfast in prayer, it is a good thing to be diligent in service, otherwise they will fall away from both. And those who are capable of more should not neglect the best. Chapter 10: That we must diligently rise to prayer and engage in it patiently and zealously; and about where and why prayers were originally established at the allotted hours and that they should not be neglected In one of the monasteries built by Benedict in the area, there was a monk who could not stand to pray. As soon as the brothers began to kneel before God, he left and, with an absent-minded mind, did something earthly and empty. The abbot often admonished him and, seeing no success, finally brought him to the man of God, who also severely reprimanded him for his stupidity. But, having returned to the monastery, the monk was obedient to the admonition of the man of God for only two days, and on the third he again turned to his previous habit: he began to wander during prayer. When the abbot told the man of God about this, he promised: “I will come and correct him myself.” Benedict came to that monastery. At the appointed hour, the brothers, having chanted the statutory psalm, stood up for prayer. The saint immediately saw that the impatient monk was being pulled by the hem of his robe by a boy who looked like an Ethiopian. When the words of the prayer fell silent, the man of God found that monk standing outside the meeting, struck him with his staff and struck blindness in his heart. From that day on, the impatient monk got rid of the neglect that tormented him and began, together with his brothers, to zealously stand in prayer until the end. The demon no longer dared to approach his brother and completely left him. 2. From the life of St. John the Merciful Blessed John, wishing to correct the frivolous brothers who absent-mindedly listened to the common prayer, performed such a memorable deed. When he learned that many brothers who neglected themselves, after reading the divine Gospels, left the church and indulged in idle talk, on one of the holidays, leaving the divine priestly service, he himself left the church and sat down among these brothers. Everyone was surprised by his action. But he said: “There is nothing surprising. Where there are sheep, there must be a shepherd. After all, for your sake and your benefit, we perform divine services. And you leave the church, start idle talk, and all our work turns out to be useless. I convinced myself that if you are going out, then it is proper for me to go out with you.” His words corrected the crowd listening to him and freed the brothers from their bad habit. 3. From the life of St. Pachomius Once Pachomius the Great, instructing his monks, showed the great benefits arising from this. As he pronounced the words of the sermon, he was suddenly overcome with delight, and he spent a considerable time in a frenzy. Then he said to the monastery steward in private: “Go to such and such a cell and look at a man who has despised his soul, and you will become a witness to his destruction. He did not come here to listen to the words of God and in them to gain strength against the enemy of this world that oppresses him. After all, he doesn’t even pray in his cell, but sleeps. I don’t think he would make a monk.” And this man very soon took off his cassock and went into the world, because he could not bear the lightest yoke of the Lord. The elder said: “If you are doing handicrafts in your cell, and the hour of prayer has come, do not say that now I will braid these ends of the vines or tie a knot and stand up for prayer. No, get up at all times, repaying your debt to God. If you get used to gradually neglecting prayer and worship, your soul will be left without any work at all, both physical and spiritual. May the early morning catch your zeal.” 2. They told about Abba Macarius that one day, when he went to church to perform a service, he saw many demons near the walls of one of the fraternal cells. Some of them took the form of women who spoke inappropriate things, some of them took the form of young men who spoke bad things, some danced, others changed their appearance all the time. The elder, being perspicacious, sighed and said: “Of course, here the brother spends his life in carelessness, and that is why the evil spirits surrounded his cell with such outrage.” Having completed the service, on the way back he entered his brother’s cell and said to him: “I am very tormented, brother, because I am careless, but I believe you and know that if you pray for me, then God will completely deliver me from this torment.” The brother, bowing to the elder, said: - I am not worthy to pray for you. But the elder insisted on his own, begging his brother: “I won’t leave unless you promise me to pray one prayer for me every night.” The brother obeyed the elder’s command. The elder did this because he wanted to give his brother a reason for night prayer. The brother got up at night and prayed for the elder. And having completed the prayer, he came into tender repentance and said to himself: “Pathetic soul, you prayed for such a great old man, but won’t you pray for yourself?” He also performed a very lengthy prayer for himself. So he prayed two prayers every night for the whole week, one for the elder, the other for himself. On Sunday, Abba Macarius went to church again and again saw demons standing outside his brother’s cell, very dejected. The elder realized that they were upset by their brother’s prayers. With joy, he went to his brother and asked: - Create love and add to your prayer one more prayer for me. And so the brother had already said two prayers for the elder, and again in touching repentance he said to himself: “Pathetic soul, add one more prayer to the prayer for yourself.” All that week he said four prayers every night. Again the elder walked past on a Sunday afternoon and saw that the demons were dejectedly silent, and thanked God. He went in to his brother and asked him to add one more prayer for him. The brother added a prayer for himself. Now he performed six prayers every night. When the elder came to his brother again, the demons became angry with the elder and began to scold him, complaining about the monk’s salvation. Abba Macarius glorified God for his brother’s success and entered his cell. He exhorted his brother not to lose heart, but to pray without ceasing, and left. The demons, seeing the great zeal of his brother, which he acquired in prayers by the grace of God, finally retreated from him. Beloved! When your brother knocks on your door at night so that you get up to praise God, get up quickly so that even the most careless person, seeing your determination, will raise his soul to sobriety. As it is said, my eyes anticipate the morning watch, so that I may delve deeper into Your word (Ps 119:148) and at midnight I get up to praise You for Your righteous judgments (Ps 119:62). Do you not know how many times the prophet Samuel, having heard the call, never hesitated to get up, although he was still a child? If you happen to be caught in a deep sleep, probably under the influence of a demon, and be late for the service, then as soon as you wake up, immediately go to church. Don’t justify yourself by saying that you’ll be leaving soon and therefore there’s no point in going to work. Don't say that, because only the lazy and careless say that. On the contrary, quickly get up from your bed and run to worship, fly like a mountain deer. Know that just as those who turn to evil will give an answer on the Day of Judgment for every conversation and every idle word, so for one good step and for one good word the one who resorts to good receives a reward. Even if you have come to the last prayer, come in, do not be ashamed. You can confess what happened to you to the abbot, and after your release, read the psalms in your cell, which all these demonic obsessions have deprived you of, if, of course, the abbot blesses you. From now on you will be more cheerful as you do the Lord’s work. If you miss it out of negligence, and not out of necessity or illness, you harm yourself very much. Know, beloved, that the more you pamper the flesh for evil, the more passions multiply in it. A soul burdened with evil bodily habits loses its ability to bear fruit. Therefore the Savior says: Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be burdened with gluttony and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and lest that day come upon you suddenly (Luke 21:34). The apostle also spoke about this: I pacify and enslave my body, so that, while preaching to others, I myself may not remain unworthy (1 Cor 9:27). When a person forces his body to do God’s work, then it also acquires undoubted strength, and the soul is enlightened. Just as a fighter constantly exercises his body in every possible way so that his body responds to the art of combat, so a pious ascetic must exercise himself in every good deed. I want to tell you about naps too. I think it comes from three reasons. Sometimes a brother begins to sing psalms or read prayers, and the evil one immediately puts him to sleep so that he stops praying and goes to sleep. But if the brother encourages himself and does not relax, the demon will not be able to do anything with him. And the demon confuses the brother much more if his belly is burdened with food and drinks. Then, right in the middle of the service, the brother falls asleep from his own neglect. He must make an effort and force himself to defend the entire service to the end. Even if he yawns, this will not cause as much damage as if he leaves the singers and goes to his bed or sits outside by the wall of the church and falls asleep. And sometimes it happens that the service is already over, and the brother suddenly begins to doze off, simply because nature requires it, especially if he is sick. You can condescend to the weak and sick and let them sleep a little. But you, brother, do not forget about sobriety in everything. When you are standing at a divine service among the brothers, or alone performing praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and suddenly some kind of drowsiness attacks you, immediately recognize it and speak out against it. Be patient and persevere; Even if you start to fall asleep more than once or twice, do not leave your place and you will gain great benefit. The passion of immoderate sleep is the same as gluttony: if you get used to eating a lot, then your nature will demand a lot of food. And if you accustom yourself to abstinence, then your nature will be content with little. It's the same with sleep. How dare you even leave the meeting and go out before vacation if you don’t have some urgent need? If, say, a rich man invited you to dinner. Do you dare, when guests are eating, to get up and go to your home? No, you will lie down until everyone gets up and disperses. Let us fear, beloved brother, the Lord of heaven and earth. Let us try to please Him. Scripture says that anyone who does the works of the Lord carelessly is cursed. Remember the fishermen, how they don’t close their eyes all night because they can’t leave what they’re doing. If one of them, burdened by sleep, falls thoughtlessly to sleep, then when he wakes up from sleep, he will see that he has not caught anything, and those who were awake are sharing a large catch. He will begin to repent and say: “Woe to me, lazy and inactive, because of my own negligence I fell asleep and am returning home empty-handed.” As the Scripture says: They fell asleep and were not found (Ps 75:6). Pay attention to potters or coppersmiths, how much labor they put into their work and how long they stay awake, without closing their eyes from tension. They devote themselves to exhausting labor for the sake of the blessings of this world. And we are not forced to work hard or thankless jobs. We live in a pure and holy place, standing before the Lord our God in beauty, gentle silence, spiritual rejoicing and good hope. So why should we become discouraged, beloved, and give up! Can't we awaken to perform delightful service to our Lord and Savior? The Psalmist David says: How sweet are Your words to my throat! better than honey to my mouth (Ps 119:103). And again: My mouth rejoices when I sing to You, and so does my soul, which You have delivered (Ps 70:23). Our time on earth is short. Why should we neglect our salvation? Hear the prophet cry: Man is like a breath; his days are like a shifting shadow (Ps 143:4). Do not imitate, beloved servant of Christ, me, who is careless and impatient, but know for sure that he who is sober receives great benefit, and he who does not take care of himself suffers considerable damage. Each of us will give an answer to God for ourselves. Do not consider only long sleep and bodily rest as your need, but only as the greatest harm. You only need the Kingdom of God. Let us force ourselves, beloved brothers, in order to achieve the Kingdom and its bliss. As the Master said: Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, finds awake (Luke 12:37). Let us urge and admonish not only ourselves, but also others, to love the fear of God. Let us awaken each other to willingly praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Then we will receive a great reward not only for ourselves, but also for the benefit of our neighbor. As the Lord said: just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40). You get up at night in your cell to pray. Be careful that negligence does not overwhelm you through laziness. Then, instead of honoring God, you will anger Him. Stand in the fear of God. Don’t lean against the wall, don’t shift from foot to foot, as foolish people do. Watch your heart so that it does not strive for its own desires, and then God will accept your sacrifice. 7. From the Rules of Peter and Paul Perform prayers in the morning, and at the third hour, and at the sixth, and at the ninth, and in the evening and at the first rooster. In the morning, because the Lord enlightened us, driving away the night and revealing the day. At the third hour, because at this hour Pilate pronounced judgment on Christ. At the sixth hour, because at that hour Christ was crucified. At the ninth hour, because then the entire globe trembled after the crucifixion of the Lord, fearing the insolence of the wicked Jews and unable to bear the reproach of the Lord. In the evening, because the Lord gave us rest at night from daily labors. With the first roosters, because this hour heralds the coming of the day for the accomplishment of the works of light. Chapter 11: About psalmody, prayer and the order of their performance Abba Pamvo sent his student to sell handicrafts. And he, as he said, was absent for sixteen days. At night, the student slept in the nave of the Church of St. Mark the Apostle and learned several troparions. The elder asked him: “I see that you, child, are confused, has any temptation happened to you in the city?” “I dare to point out, Abba, that we are wasting our days in this desert: we sing neither canons nor troparia.” When I was in Alexandria, I learned the rites in the church, how they were sung, and I was saddened. Why don’t we sing canons and troparia? - Woe to us all, child! - the old man answered. – The days are coming when the monks will leave the solid writing prophesied by the Holy Spirit, and will follow the chants and combinations of sounds. But are tears and contrition born from troparions? What kind of contrition can a monk have when he stands in a church or in a cell and howls, roaring like bulls? If we stand directly before God, then we must stand in great contrition, and not in soaring thoughts. And it was not for this that the monks went into the desert to stand before God and at the same time soar with their thoughts, hum songs, combine modes, wave their arms and stamp their feet. No, we must, in great fear and trembling, in tears and sighings, with reverence and a humble voice, easy to contrite and observing moderation, offer prayers to God. And now, I tell you, child, that the days are coming when Christians will spoil the books of the saints: the Gospel, the holy apostles and wondrous prophets, washing away the sacred scriptures from the parchments and writing down the troparia and Hellenic speeches, and the mind will spill over the troparia and the speeches of the Hellenes. And that’s why the fathers told us not to write, those of us in this desert who are calligraphers, the lives and words of the fathers on leather, but only on sheets of papyrus. For the future generation will erase the lives of the holy fathers and write down whatever they want.” – Is it really going to happen? - asked the brother. – Will the morals and traditions of Christians really change, and there will be no priests in the Church? “In those times,” the elder answered, “the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12), and great sorrow will come: invasions of languages, unrest of nations, the instability of kingdoms, the outrage of rulers, the luxury of priests, the carelessness of monks.” The abbots will put the salvation of themselves and their flock at nothing. They will be fussy and diligent in meals, embittered, slow to pray, but quick to slander and easy to condemn. They will not imitate the lives and words of the elders and will not listen to them, but will only chat and say that, “if we lived in their times, we would be the same ascetics.” Bishops in those days would be embarrassed by influential people, carry out trials for gifts, and would not speak out in defense of the poor, but, on the contrary, would oppress widows and oppress orphans. Unbelief, intemperance, hatred, enmity, envy, swearing, theft, drunkenness, rough fun, debauchery, debauchery, murder, robbery will penetrate into the people. “What should we do,” asked the young man, “when such times and deadlines come?” “Son,” he answered, “in these days the one who saves his soul will be saved, and he will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Matthew 5:19). 2. From the life of St. Luke the New One day the Monk Luke came to see his friend (and he was also a zealous ascetic, abbot of God-loving men). On the third day of their communication, the Monk Luke became eager to return to his hut, to the desert, and asked to be released. But the abbot did not let go: he so wanted to continue to communicate with the monk that he did not even allow the thought of separation. After all, the ties of friendship of people who love God are harsh, they are stronger than the ties of kinship. When Luke nevertheless decided not to give in to his friend’s requests and began to persistently ask to let him go, the abbot, immediately finding a reason - some approaching holiday, answered sternly, under the influence of spiritual desire: “Are rural life and the desert really more pleasing to you than church services?” The holiday is at the door, the whole neighborhood will gather, and you are depriving yourself of the sacred service! Think about how you are harming yourself. The God-bearing father answered with the blessed simplicity befitting him: “Good teacher, blessed shepherd, you command well.” But what are all the statutes and readings that we listen to, and the entire church service aimed at? Their goal is one, as you yourself teach: they lead to the fear of God and elevate the zealous. And does the one who has already tried to acquire the fear of God in his heart need what you told me about? Hearing this, the abbot admired this justification. He no longer dared to detain his friend any longer and let him go, and the friend went to his low hut. 3. From Saint Diadochos of Photiki When the soul finds itself in the midst of the abundance of its natural fruits, it sings psalms at the top of its voice and strives to pray loudly. When she is under the influence of the Holy Spirit, she prays easily and sweetly with all her heart. The first disposition of the soul is followed only by excited joy, and the second is followed by spiritual crying, and after that a certain spiritual pleasure that leads to silence. The memory warms up thanks to the regularity of the abiding voice and begins to bring tearful and meek thoughts into the heart. Everyone can then see how the seeds of prayer are joyfully sown in the soil of the heart with tears and hope for a harvest. And when we are burdened with melancholy, we need to sing psalms louder, drawing sounds from our souls with joy, until this storm cloud dissipates under the winds of the melody. All eastern monasteries, especially Egyptian ones, adhere to this rule when performing prayers and chants. The brothers gather in one place for worship at the appointed hour and, having read the psalm, do not immediately prostrate themselves in prostration, but before kneeling, they stand for a while and, stretching out their hands to heaven, pray. Only after this do they fall to the ground and again pray for a short time like this, on their knees. They all stand together and stretch their hands even higher to the sky and say their prayers even more insistently. Then they do not kneel or prostrate until the minister kneels and prostrates first. As has already been said, when the monks stand at the service, such silence reigns during the service that one might think that there are not many brothers in the church, but not a soul. No one spits, coughs, yawns from distraction or drowsiness, or sighs out loud. They say that whoever prays relaxed and loudly sins twice. Firstly, because he prays carelessly, and secondly, because with his voice, in which one can hear bad manners, he only irritates the ears and scatters the thoughts of the listeners. In such cases, they are attacked by the evil ones, who, as soon as they see that we are praying, try to burden the soul with inappropriate thoughts and despondency. That is why the monks do not sing psalms noisily and disturbedly, and not in a multitude of verses. To rejoice in rational understanding, they follow the saying: “I sing with the spirit and sing with the mind.” They find it more profitable to sing ten verses with understanding than to sing the whole Psalm with an indignant mind. When the psalms are sung and the entire sequence of the service is read, none of the brothers, as we have already said, dares to linger even for a short time and exchange a word with someone. He goes to his cell to do his work diligently. Each one has his own business, as the apostle instructed. And during the service at the third, sixth and ninth hours, if anyone is late for the singing of the first psalm, he does not enter the church to join the singers. He should stand at the door and wait for dismissal, and when the brothers begin to leave, he will bow to each one to the ground and ask forgiveness for his laziness. Only at night services are latecomers allowed to enter if they have not finished singing the first psalm. Abba Macarius, when the service in the church ended, said to the brothers: -Where should we run? – one of the elders asked. - There is desert all around. Abba put his finger to his lips and said: “Run away from here,” he went into his cell, locked the door and performed the monastic rule. 2. They said about Abba Sisoes of Thebes that as soon as dismissal was proclaimed in the church, he immediately hurried to his cell. He walked quickly, one might say, he ran. They said about him: “He is possessed by a demon,” but he did the work of God and did not look at those who slandered him. 3. One brother asked Abba Silouan: “What must I do, Abba, to achieve contrition?” I am struggling with despondency, sleep and melancholy. When I get up in the morning, I wake myself up for a long time by singing psalms, and without the participation of the voice and the singing of psalms, I cannot shake off my drowsiness. “Child,” the elder answered, “saying psalms out loud is, first of all, pride: you convince yourself that I sing psalms, but my brother doesn’t sing.” Then singing hardens the heart and coarsens it. It does not allow the soul to be overwhelmed. If you want to be crushed, forget about singing. When you stand and say prayers, let your mind explore the meaning of each verse, and you will understand that you are standing before God, who tests hearts and wombs (Ps 7:10; Measures 11:20; 17:10; 20:2; Rev. 2:23). And when you rise from sleep, first of all let your lips glorify God. Then read the Faith and Our Father, and then read the rule without interference, groaning and remembering your sins and future torments, as if tormenting you now. “Father,” said the brother, “since I became a monk, I have followed the rules and hours according to Octoechos.” “Therefore, contrition and weeping flee from you,” said the elder. “Think about the great fathers, because they were simpletons and knew nothing but a few psalms, did not know either voices or troparia, but they shone in the world like lights.” Abba Paul the Simple, and Abba Pambo, and Abba Apollos, and other God-bearing fathers, who raised the dead, performed great miracles, and showed power over demons, testify in favor of my word. They did this not in singing, troparions and voices, but in prayer with contrition of heart and fasting. Thus, the fear of God incessantly abided in the heart, and the crying continued, cleansing a person from all sin and making his mind whiter than snow. The singing brought many down to the lower earth, not only the laity, but also the priests, drowning them in fornication and a multitude of passions. Singing, child, is the work of worldly people: it is for this that people gather in churches. Think, child, how many orders of angels are in heaven, and it is not written about them that they sing according to the Octoechos. But one order constantly sings Hallelujah, the other is Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts! (Is 6:3), third Blessed is the glory of the Lord from its place (Eze 3:12). Imitate your fathers, child, if you want to gain contrition in your prayers, keeping your mind as far as possible from soaring. Love the humility of Christ and pay attention to yourself, keep your mind in the hour of prayer. And wherever you go, do not show yourself to be a discerning person and a teacher, but be humble in your wisdom, and God will give you contrition.” 4. The elder said: “Those who pray to God should pray in peace, much silence and peace, and not disturb themselves and their neighbors with inappropriate and disorderly cries. They must listen to the Lord with heartache and sober thoughts. Some people who suffer physically when a doctor cauterizes or cuts them endure the pain courageously and patiently. They do not scream, do not get scared, but control themselves and the pain of healing cannot break their silence. And others, the same patients, when they begin to be treated, scream at the top of their lungs and are tormented. But both have the same pain. It also happens with prayer and tenderness. Some pray in silence and hold the tension of the heart with serenity. Others cannot restrain themselves, but perform their prayers furiously and noisily, so that this may even tempt unwitting listeners. A servant of God should not dissolve himself, but always be in humility and silence. As the Lord said through the prophet: But this is whom I will look upon: the one who is humble and contrite in spirit and who trembles at My word (Isaiah 66:2). Those who do this pacify everyone who looks at them. Arriving before everyone else to worship is a good and saving deed. And before the release, leaving the service unnecessarily is dangerous and harmful. Wait, listen to the divine Scriptures for your own benefit. Just as a traveler craves a cup of cold water on a hot day, so divine words give coolness to the soul. If you want to hear the word of God, be patient and by listening you will gain wisdom. And if it’s hard for you to even listen to a word, then how much more difficult will it be to put it into practice? So know yourself that you are careless, just like me. When we enter the house of the Lord, all dreams must go out of our minds. Our inner man must immerse himself in contemplation and prayer, and let no alien thoughts confuse our mind. Let us pay attention to how we stand in prayer, and then our whole soul and heart will turn to God and will not be distracted by anything. Understand what was said with an example. The man took a purse of silver coins with him and went to the fair to buy cows. Is he going to think about pigs? And if he buys donkeys, will he go where they sell dogs? His whole thought is directed towards what he is striving for, and only this will he look out for, otherwise he will wander in vain, buy the wrong thing, and everyone will laugh at him. Likewise, when we enter the church, we stand before God. We turn our entire mind to Him and think and reason only about Him. Then we will gain salvation for ourselves and taste heavenly blessings. There is no need to start conversations with our neighbor, otherwise, instead of appeasing the Creator of heaven and earth, we will only upset Him. Imagine: a man stands and talks with the king. If a servant like him turns to him, will he leave the wondrous and glorious conversation with the king and turn to talk with the servant? This will offend the king and cause him annoyance and terrible indignation. Such is the one who talks to someone standing next to him during psalmody and prayer. We must stand like angels. Just as they sing praises to the Creator with great trepidation, so we must sing the Psalms. If a brother standing next to you, due to physical weakness, sneezes and coughs a lot, do not be annoyed with him. Remember that many of us gave ourselves up to serve the weak and lepers in order to gain great benefit from this and learn from experience what love and compassion are. You are clothed with the same body and therefore you yourself are on the verge of the same illnesses, and you are now healthy only because of God’s love for mankind. Therefore, do not be proud of the weak, but be afraid that the same, if not worse, may happen to you, and strengthen yourself to have compassion for your brother. Chapter 12: Anyone who talks idle talk or talks during worship should be reprimanded, and if he does not correct himself, he should be kicked out of the church without any leniency. 1. From the life of St. John the Merciful The Great John sought first of all to correct those who spoke recklessly in the church. If after the first and second admonitions they did not come to their senses, he immediately put them out the door, repeating the words of the Master: “The house of God must be a house of prayer” (cf. Lk 19:46). On the contrary, he praised those who closely followed the entire service for their love of God and promoted them through the ranks of the monastic service. The elder said: “If a person stands in a church, whether there are many or few people there, and does not open his mouth (in chants) to loudly cry out to God, then he is engaged in demonic work. Demons cannot stand the praise of Christ and seek to silence those who sing.” 2. Abba Evagrius said: “It is a great thing to pray without being distracted, but an even greater thing is to sing the Psalms without being distracted.” Brother, if you are standing in the house of the Lord at a spiritual service, willingly take part in psalmody. If you remain silent and I remain silent, then the neighbor will also become silent, and so the singing of Psalms will stop. When those standing on the stands proclaiming the glory of a military leader or a king, if they see someone standing among them and not praising with them at the top of his voice, they will take him out, deeming him unworthy to witness the triumph. How much more should we with all our desire stand before the Lord of heaven and earth and sing psalms loudly? Be careful and do not disturb the face of the ascetic men standing and singing about the Lord, so that wrath and plague do not overtake you from the heights of heaven. Sin against God is grave and unforgivable. As the Scripture says: And the spirits of the prophets are obedient to the prophets, because God is not a God of disorder, but of peace (1 Cor 14:32-33). Psalmody is the work of incorporeal forces that stand before God and serve him unceasingly, according to the word of Scripture: Praise the Lord from heaven... Praise Him, all His angels, all His might (Ps 148:2). It is appropriate for all people, as the Scripture says: Let every breath praise the Lord! (Ps 150:6). Especially monks, as those who have chosen the angelic life. Scripture says: Those who fear the Lord! praise Him. All the seed of Jacob! glorify Him (Ps 21:24). Psalmody is a sacrifice of perseverance and a sacrifice of praise, as the Scripture says: The sacrifice of praise will glorify Me (Ps 49:23). Therefore, we, monks, must persistently and unceasingly serve God, performing the praises legislated by Him. Let us listen to David, who commands us: Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing; sing wisely, sing well to Him with shouting; My mouth will rejoice, for I have always sung to You, and my soul, even though I have delivered you. And again: Sing to the Lord, His venerables; work for the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling. Praise be in the church of the saints, and the sons of Zion will rejoice in their King, but I will sing in my glory, and my heart will warm within me, and a fire will kindle in my teaching. Thus I will bless You in my belly and in Your name I will restrain my hands. And may my soul be filled with fatness and ointment, and my lips will praise You with joy. But is it worth citing all of David’s testimonies about singing and talking about the joy and calm exultation that arises in the heart from the touching sobriety of singing? People experienced in spiritual life know all this exactly. Having cheered up, let us stand, beloved brothers, in psalmody and prayer, let us move away from all annoying thoughts and worries. As soon as the demons see someone singing and praying with joy, they will immediately begin to put into him thoughts about some things, as if urgent, just to encourage the mind to consider these things. Then, remembering worldly things, the mind will forget the sweetness of the chant. Therefore, Christ, from the lips of babes, that is, infants in gentleness, performs praise (cf. Mt 21:16) in order to destroy through psalmody the enemy who oppresses us and the avenger of the devil, the enemy of virtues and the patron of evil. Let us, in simplicity praising the Lord, crush and destroy the wiles of the devil. Let the psalm always be on our lips: the very name of God puts demons to flight. We need to remind you that psalmody is called “statutory,” as you yourself know. Just as if a plowman does not pay the “statutory” tax in full and on time, many disasters will befall him: he will be sent to prison, hung on a rack and whipped until he pays off the entire debt. Likewise, if a monk neglects the prescribed psalmody, grace will immediately leave him, and he will find himself a captive of his enemies, lying at their feet. Brothers, unless absolutely necessary, never talk at meals or during worship services, and do not correct the psalmist, unless he asks you to do so. If he made a mistake in some word while reading, then it was only one mistake. You don't have to tell him anything and embarrass him. But if he says: “Create love, tell me,” then tell me. Brother, if you don’t want to build a house yourself, don’t destroy someone else’s. If you don’t want to plant plants yourself, don’t uproot someone else’s. That is, if you are standing at a service and do not want to sing to the Lord, do not disturb those who are singing. When the rich man speaks, everyone is silent, and his word is compared to heaven. And when God speaks to us in the Holy Scriptures, we do not want to shut up and listen. Someone is talking, someone is dozing, someone is carried away with their thoughts. But what does Scripture say? “He who turns away his ear, so as not to hear the laws of the Most High, will himself be an abomination to God, as will his prayer.” A careless monk, when standing in prayer, waits for the “Amen” to sound as soon as possible. But he who prays soberly does not lose heart or be embarrassed. Let not the word of the prophet be attributed to us: You are near in their mouth, but far from their heart (Jer 12:2). Monk, listen, your brothers are standing in the church and blessing God, and you are mentally outside? Don't you realize how much you're hurting yourself? Tell your thoughts: “If there was a distribution of gold or material assets now, wouldn’t we run to get ahead of everyone? And if we show such zeal in carnal things, then shouldn’t we show more in spiritual things?” Be ardent in spirit like the saints, and then you will be with them in the Kingdom of Heaven. Chapter 13: About the fact that at all times you need to stay awake and sleep only as much as is required to maintain the body; and that those who begin to perform a feat must accustom themselves to wakefulness by various tricks 1. From the life of St. Ephraim The nights often found Ephraim the Great awake and passed on to the light of day without sleeping his eyes. He was afraid of the chief of darkness, the devil, lest he should catch him in a disarmed sleep, and therefore he remained awake, awaiting an attack. A very short sleep was enough for him, he only intercepted it a little, not allowing him to get enough sleep. He needed sleep only to restore strength and preserve his body, exhausted by work to the point of sweat. He did a lot of things to drive sleep out of sight. First of all, he chose sleep on earth, a harsh lifestyle and all kinds of oppression of the body, which knew no mercy. 2. From the life of Saint Pachomius The Monk Palamon, teacher of Pachomius the Great, if he saw at night prayer vigils that Pachomius was overcome by sleep, he would go out with him to the mountain. They filled bags with sand, dragged them to some other place and poured them out. So they forced their body and inert mind to become sober in prayers and psalmody. The elder told him: “Be sober, Pachomius, so that the evil one does not tempt you and all your work turns into nothing.” Usually Pachomius, standing at the service, stretched out his hands to the sky and no longer lowered them, but in a frenzy, as if prostrate on the Cross, he exhausted his body and thereby sobered his soul. 2. They said about Abba Sarmat that he always fasted and limited himself until he gained such power over sleep that he said to the dream: “Go away,” and it went away. And when I said to the dream: “Come,” it came. Abba Isaiah said: “Brother, perform the vigil with dignity. Do not deprive your body of the necessary rest, perform the service moderately and wisely, otherwise you will begin to stay awake for nights in a row, and your soul will get angry at all this and run away from the field. For now, it is enough for you to think that the work of virtue is rational bodily labor, and all the fruits of passions arise from negligence. If you love a life of ease, then knowledge will leave you, and if you love work, then passions will not come close to you. As soon as you become lazy, passions will easily penetrate you. Do not seek peace, brother, while your body is constrained, and do not trust yourself if you see yourself relaxed, but not being attacked by passions. After all, your enemies can cunningly bide their time, not engaging in battle, until a person completely weakens his heart, believing that he has achieved peace. Then they will suddenly burst into the unfortunate soul. More precisely, they will catch her like children catch sparrows. They will overpower it, begin to rob it and trample it mercilessly, introducing it into more and more new sins, for the forgiveness of which you prayed at the beginning of your journey. Let us stand in the fear of God and take care of ourselves, fulfilling all our duties. Let us preserve the virtues that prevent our enemies from destroying us. Works and hardships are short-lived, but they not only preserve us from evil, but also adorn the soul with crowns even before it leaves the body. Our Lord and Teacher, knowing the mercilessness of our enemies and pitying the human race, commanded us with all the severity of our hearts: Be prepared at all times, for you do not know at what hour the thief will come, lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping (cf. Matthew 24:42-43). And again: “Take heed to yourselves so that your hearts are not burdened with overeating and drunkenness and the cares of this life, lest the hour of death suddenly come upon you (cf. Luke 21:34ff). The Lord, knowing that a person is invincible until he accepts the enemy’s passion, said to His disciples when he sent them to serve: Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves: but take nothing for the journey ((Matt 10:16; Luke 10:3-4; Mark 6:8). Whoever takes with him something from the wolves will not be able to avoid their fate. When the disciples returned unharmed and those who kept the commandment, the Lord rejoiced with them and thanked God the Father for them. Strengthening their hearts, He said: I have seen Satan fall from heaven like lightning; The apostles did what they were called to do in fear and in keeping the commandment. When they returned, having fulfilled the commandment, the Lord gave them authority and power. The words spoken by the Lord apply not only to the apostles, but also to everyone who fulfills the commandments. Strengthening them so that they would not become hardened in sorrows, He said to them, giving grace into their hearts: But you remained with Me in My troubles (Luke 22:28). Temptations are like shoots that can only be cut off. The Lord said to the apostles, ascending to the Cross: And I bequeath to you, as the Father bequeathed to me, the Kingdom, that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom (Luke 22:29). Whoever wishes to eat and drink at His table, let him ascend with Him to the Cross. The Cross of Jesus is suffering and abstinence from all passion in order to cut it off from oneself. The Apostle, who cut off these passions, boldly said: I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Gal 2:19-20). And again: But those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts (Gal 5:24). In his Epistle to Timothy he said: If we died with Him..., we will also reign with Him; if we deny, He will deny us (2 Tim 2:11-12). And who denies the Lord? The one who does only his own carnal will and thereby mocks his baptism, in which he received remission of sins. Repentance exists for us even after Baptism. If there was no repentance, no one would be saved. The Apostle, realizing that even after baptism a person can sin, said: If anyone steals, do not steal again (Eph 4:28). Since we bear the seal of holy baptism, let us try to leave behind our sins in order to find mercy on the day of judgment. The day is near when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His glory (Matthew 19:28), and all nations will be gathered before Him, and each will appear with his own lamp, flaming with the deeds of virtues. Whoever does not have enough oil, the lamp will go out, leaving the one carrying it in darkness. And whose lamp shines will directly enter the Kingdom of Heaven with it. Let us endeavor, beloved, to fill our vessels with oil while we are still in the body, so that our lamp may burn. Our vessels are the faculties of the soul, designed to contain virtues. Oil in vessels is the work of virtues. The shining lamp is the mind that has received divine enlightenment. A soul that does good deeds becomes luminous. Such a soul will enter the Kingdom of Heaven together with Christ. And the soul, darkened by the deeds of darkness or neglect of good deeds, will go into the darkness that it has prepared for itself through its actions.” 2. The same Abba Isaiah said: “Hate, brother, everything in the world, and bodily rest, because all this makes you an enemy of God. If a person has an enemy, he fights him. So we must fight with our body, and not give it any relief at all. The ancient fathers defined hermitism as an escape from the body and contemplation of death. Our Lord Jesus Christ, as He Himself knows very well, is providing for our salvation. For the fulfillment of His providence, He bequeathed to us freedom in various teachings in order to determine the proper goal for all people. He said: Repent. This word tells us that all the great many commandments boil down to one: the rule of repentance. Repentance, I think, cannot be limited either by time or by deeds, but is required of a person in the same way as fulfilling the commandments - always and everywhere. There are all-encompassing commandments that contain many specific commandments and thereby put an end to many thousands of evils at once. Therefore, lovers of God and devotees of the faith try first of all to fulfill the all-encompassing commandments, and also try not to omit the specific ones that relate to individual cases. All people, small and great, must repent until death. The Redeemer of our souls gave everyone a single law, which contains all the instructions for us. He told the apostles to say: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17). The Lord also gave commandments that allow one to repent, and ordered to repent until death, saying that he who loses his soul for My sake and the Gospel will save it in eternal life (cf. Matthew 10:39). He warned: Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so, he will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:19). If God commanded to repent before death, as we have already seen, then if someone says that one can completely repent of everything long before death, he breaks this commandment and does not see death before him. – And those who have truly pleased God and achieved perfection, do they really need repentance? – I agree that there were and are such people. But listen carefully and understand what they may repent of. The Lord said that lies are from the devil, that looking at a woman with lust is adultery, and anger at one’s neighbor is like murder. But is there a person who did not know a lie, and would not imagine what the lust of the eyes is, and would never think of becoming angry with his neighbor, and would not be guilty of idle words (cf.: Matthew 12:36), so as not to need repentance? If he is now innocent of anything like that, then he has sinned this way sometime before and therefore needs to repent. Nature teaches us that we do not need to postpone repentance until death, because our mind cannot remain idle. Simply, if he is perfect and disposed towards good, then he acts correctly. And if he considers that he has achieved perfection and stops performing good deeds, then he will certainly lean toward unrighteousness. If the mind is repelled by the wrong, it will naturally turn again to the right. The right thing to do for beginners, for average and for perfect ones is prayer, laying down your thoughts and patiently enduring everything that happens to you. Without this, it is impossible to fulfill the other commandments, and then our repentance will not be accepted. Examine everything you have done in life from the very beginning and you will realize that you cannot justify yourself in anything. If you have nothing to condemn yourself for, then you have forgotten about repentance. The devil never stops fighting with us, and repentance should never stop. Even if we fight to the death for repentance, we will still not pay our debt. We have not accomplished anything worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as we eat, drink and speak by nature, so we must learn to repent by nature. The death sentence is carried out only once. Whoever is alive must live in faith with repentance, if not for his own sin, then for Adam’s crime. When we were baptized, we were cleansed and, having been cleansed, we received the commandments. And whoever does not fulfill them mocks baptism. He wants to cross out the cleansing of his previous sins, which he committed in abundance every day, because he could not fulfill all the commandments. That is why we all absolutely need repentance for the rest of our lives. He who limits repentance to a certain period of time goes back and resumes his ancient sins. Faithful Abraham and righteous Job called himself earth and dust, testifying with these words his humility. And he who has forgotten about repentance cannot be humble. Three youths, great martyrs, confessed in the midst of a burning flame, said that they had sinned and committed iniquities and repented of long-standing evil. They were perfect in their deeds, but their entire song was filled with a repentant meaning. If people who were very pleasing to God and perfect in their deeds, until their very death, were ready to resort to repentance as a necessary help, then how can you, citing your righteousness, blatantly rely on yourself and boldly refuse repentance? I think that even if someone is as holy as Paul or Peter, he cannot refuse repentance for this reason. Peter put himself on a par with Cornelius, saying to him: Arise; I am also a man (Acts 10:26). And Paul humbled himself until his death before the grace of God given to him and therefore said: I strive, lest I attain, as Jesus Christ attained to me (Phil 3:12). By “endeavor” the apostle calls patience until death. Tell me: if our nature directs us towards piety, should we turn it to God every day or not? Of course, you will say that yes, for God gave us piety as part of our nature and gave commandments that we are able to fulfill. Today we do good for Him - we repay our debt. Tell me, have you made retribution for a long-standing sin? I will answer you that not only did you not show this, but you did not even complete everything every day without omissions. How is this known? From the fact that you do not always find yourself with the same virtues. If you increase your virtue today, you will no less be exposed as a long-time debtor. After all, the power of nature was revealed in you. Your success today has shown that your failure yesterday was caused not by nature, but by will, and that we were under the influence of sin. A heart inclined to pleasure is a hole and shackles for the soul at the hour of departure from the body. But a heart inclined to work is an open door. The fear of Gehenna and the desire for heaven help to endure sorrow. We do not learn this on our own, but He who knows our thoughts instructs us in this. Works and humiliations give rise to virtue, and pleasures and honors give rise to vice. He who enters into conflicts with people in order not to be subjected to suffering or reproach, will either suffer greatly here or, if not, then he will be mercilessly tormented in the next century. And whoever prefers torment and dishonor to any justification follows the apostolic path. He takes the Cross on his shoulders and puts on chains. And the one who, not knowing hardships and humiliations, begins to listen to his heart, is mistaken in his mind and falls into temptation, and from there immediately into the trap of the devil. If a person does not conquer his heart, he cannot free himself from evil. And threefold abstinence crushes the heart: in sleep, in food and bodily comfort. Excesses lead to voluptuousness, voluptuousness instills evil thoughts into a person. It must be resisted by prayer and conscientious service. Just as after labor pains a baby appears, bringing joy to the woman in labor, so after labors the knowledge of the mysteries of God is born in the soul of the ascetic. For shameless and voluptuous people, bodily labor becomes the fruit of shame: after all, without purity of mind, the womb remains barren and the breasts dry. Such a person cannot approach the knowledge of God, even if he exhausts his whole body with labor, it still will not help him. Every relief is followed by misfortune, and every misfortune for God's sake brings with it relief. Ignite, brother, the beauty of your soul with tears, fasting and other suffering. Sorrow that happens for God’s sake is better than great work that is done without sorrow. After all, voluntary grief shines as an example of true love, and only a deaf conscience knows how to calm down on its own. Therefore, all saints were tested by tribulations, and not by indulgences. Even a righteous deed, if it is not burdensome, remains a worldly deed. Thus, worldly people give alms for show and therefore never receive rewards from the Lord. And you, zealot of the Passion of Christ, fight yourself to be worthy to taste the glory of God. If we suffer with Christ, we will also be glorified with Him. And if our body does not suffer for Christ, then our mind will not be glorified in Christ. Physical life requires acuteness of feelings, and mental life, that is, intelligent activity, requires acuteness of the heart. And just as by nature the soul is better than the body, so the work of the soul is better than the body. But just as the creation of the body preceded breathing, that is, the creation of the soul (Gen. 2:7), so bodily affairs must come before the affairs of the soul. Brother, hurry up to voluntarily follow the narrow and sorrowful path, so as not to unwittingly end up on an even worse road. Do not love bodily peace, lest it cause you spiritual harm. 7. From Saint Maximus the Confessor Humility and suffering deliver a person from all sin: humility cuts off the passions of the soul from a person, and suffering cuts off bodily passions. Blessed David clearly acted this way, as he turned to God in prayer: Look at my suffering and my exhaustion and forgive all my sins (Ps 24:18). He who is afraid of bodily weakness cannot even achieve his natural measure, much less acquire virtue. And if someone falls to God in any work, then God can give him peace. If Gideon (Judges Chapter 7) had not ordered the jars to be broken, the light of the lamps would not have been visible. That is, if a person does not begin to despise the body, he will not see the Divine light. 2. From Saint Maximus the Confessor Be careful not to be caught by selfishness, the mother of all evil. Self-love is a reckless attachment to the body, a careful attitude towards it. From it, of course, the first and main passionate thoughts are born: gluttony, love of money, vanity. They find clues in the necessary needs of the body, and from this comes all the evil in a person. So, you need to be careful and fight pride in great sobriety. If you destroy it, then all the passions arising from it will disappear. It suggests to the monk that he needs to take pity on his body. The monk begins to be lenient towards himself, allowing himself indulgences in food, for the sake of the supposed well-being of the body and its proper disposal. Thus, over time, giving himself more and more indulgences, the monk will fall into the abyss of voluptuousness. And it inspires the layman to take more care of himself, awakening lusts in him. Some passions lead to intemperance, others lead to anger, and still others lead to intemperance and anger (at the same time). Polyeating and enjoying food are the causes of intemperance. Love of money and vanity - hatred of one's neighbor. And the mother of all these passions, pride, immediately causes both intemperance and anger in a person. This passion can only be countered by love and abstinence. He who has self-love has all passions. As the divine apostle said, no one hates his own flesh, and I subdue and enslave my body (1 Cor 9:27). There is no need to provide the flesh with anything except food and clothing, only the most necessary for life. He who loves his flesh dispassionately, simply as a servant of God’s affairs, satisfies and comforts it, but only to fill what is necessary. If a person loves another person, then he tries in every possible way to serve him. If a person loves God, then he always strives to create what pleases Him. If a person loves his flesh, he does everything that it asks. God is pleased with love and chastity, contemplation and prayer, and the flesh is pleased with gluttony, intemperance and everything that breeds these passions. Therefore those who live according to the flesh cannot please God. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts (Gal 5:24). When the mind clings to God, it enslaves the body and does not give it more than is necessary for life, and if it clings to the flesh, it is enslaved by passions and wants new worries about it. Chapter 15: What is the benefit of abstinence and what is the harm of intemperance, as well as how destructive wine drinking without measure is 1. From the life of Saint Synclitia Saint Syncletikia, in addition to all the other benefits that she possessed, did not forget to use the saving drug for healing the body. It was she who became such friends with the post that it seemed that there was no one else equal to her in that. In her opinion, fasting is the basis and guardian of all other virtues. If she had to eat more than she was used to, she suffered the opposite of her dining companions. Her face turned pale and her body felt heavy. Just as barren branches are cut off from expanding trees, so she cut off all the thorn-like products of her mind. The saint acted through fasting and prayer, and if any passion began to intensify, the blessed one punished herself in every possible way, exhausting her body with various works. When the enemy declared war on her, she first of all called on the Lord to intercede for her, and then imposed the most severe feat on herself. She ate only bran bread, and even then sparingly and carefully, and for a long time she didn’t even drink water at all. Going to bed on the ground, she bravely fought sleep. Therefore, the enemy took flight, and in the meantime she somewhat moderated the hardships of her feat. Syncliticia acted in such a way that the members of her body would not inadvertently weaken and she would not be in danger. Not thinking about danger means preparing for defeat. If a warrior cannot hold a weapon in his hands, then he will have nothing to hope for in battle. Those who forgot their limits and recklessly began to starve themselves not only caused damage to their health, but also died when the enemy went on the offensive. Saint Syncletikia never acted so rashly. She made all decisions judiciously and fought the enemy with all her might, performing feats with prayer. And when there was silence in her soul, then she took care of her body. Let us remember the long-distance sailors. When a storm begins and the ship is pulled into a whirlpool, they do not sit down to eat, but make every effort to avoid disaster. And when the storm stops, then they give themselves a break from their work and think only about repairing the ship. They never become careless and do not allow themselves to fall into a deep sleep, knowing from experience that this is dangerous and that the storm can break out again. The winds may have calmed, but the sea is unpredictable. One disaster has passed, but another may await the ship. So, since the weather is unreliable, the sailors constantly encourage themselves so as not to weaken their attention. Brother! Always love abstinence, for it is very useful. If you show indifference (and it makes a person be unscrupulous in his means), then you will end up in death. First of all, you will lose the grace of God. Then you will become a laughing stock to everyone who sees you. And after that you will start spending so much that your handicrafts will not be enough to cover all expenses. And you will begin to worry, you will turn into a merchant, and this will be followed by lies, deceit, frequent absence from the place of achievement, flattery towards the powerful, and your whole life will become a complete vanity, and the memory of God will move away from you. Then you will find yourself in the sad captivity of your enemies: they will push you into the depths of hell and drag you along with them into eternal fire. Eating and drinking a lot now brings pleasure, but tomorrow it will lead to despondency and completely weaken your thoughts. Everyone must restrain their bellies, especially those who have chosen to serve God. One who eats without measure can be compared to an overloaded ship - the waves will easily sink it. The body needs food, and not an abundance of dishes, moderation, and not luxury. Frugal food benefits both soul and body: it gives sharpness and purity to the mind, and health and well-being to the body. And excess in food harms the soul and body: the mind becomes coarser, darkened and callous, and the body not only begins to ache and experience shameful lusts, but also suffers for a long time and seriously. Therefore, ascetics, content with little, are smarter, more reasonable and stronger than pampered lovers of food. Let us avoid, brothers, satiety, so as not to kindle the carnal flame in ourselves. Just as if you add wood to a fire, the flame will rise high, so if you pamper your body with many dishes, lust will increase in it, which will be difficult to extinguish. The luxury of dishes pleases the larynx only for a short time, but feeds the vigilant worm of intemperance. The gluttonous monk is a tributary of his own womb. He only waits for holidays in honor of the saints, while the abstinent imitates the life of the saints. The glutton enjoys only his wide and insatiable belly, this storehouse of feces dear to him and revered by him. He grieves the Holy Spirit living in him and drives Him away. The spirit cannot bear the stench that comes from it. Just as smoke drives away bees, so a glutton drives away the grace of the Holy Spirit. As the apostle said: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:50). The apostle called flesh and blood the passions of the flesh, because of which the mind is drawn to care for the flesh. And the flesh itself becomes the food of demons, as the prophet said: If evildoers come upon me, they will devour my flesh (Ps 26:2). He who exhausts his flesh with abstinence deprives the demons of their food and makes them completely weak: they can no longer besiege the ascetic with the same fervor. Such a person always elevates his mind above the earthly, elevates it to the heavenly, imagining the beautiful in the Holy Spirit. From the outside he may seem gloomy and despondent, but inside he is cheerful and glowing with joy. The fasting plant is similar to a date palm flower, which is dark on the outside and white on the inside, like snow, and promises a large fruit. So is a self-controlled person, outwardly dejected, but from within sanctified by God, with whom he boldly converses. Just as a sheep cannot have offspring from a wolf, so heartfelt contrition cannot give rise to virtue from satiety. No one can acquire illness and sorrow for God if he does not first love the causes of such a state. Sorrow comes to a person from the fear of God and self-reproach, and illness is promoted by abstinence and vigil. Young flesh, nourished with various dishes and wines, is like a pig ready for slaughter. From the ignition of bodily pleasures the soul bleeds, and the heat of sinful desires enslaves the mind when it can no longer resist the pleasures of the flesh. Heat in the blood weakens the spirit. Let the young monks not even touch the wine. Otherwise, a double fire will flare up in them: inside - the action of passion, and outside - wine libations. The pleasure of the flesh, overheated, will drive out spiritual pleasure from the soul with the pain of tenderness, and the heart, exhausted by the rage of passion, will harden. Let a young man who strives for purity and spiritual life not even drink enough water. By limiting himself to water, he will allow chastity to operate within himself. Just as a cloud hides the light of the sun and moon, so the vapors emanating from the womb darken God’s wisdom of the soul. Just as the flame of fire rages in dead wood, so does the body rage if the belly is full. Just as a tree catches fire from a tree and the fire becomes uncontrollable, so a variety of dishes inflames the body. The knowledge of God will not dwell in a body inclined to pleasure. He who loves his body does not prepare himself to receive God's grace. Just as a father takes care of his child, so Christ takes care of the body that endures suffering for Him, and always stands nearby and gives help so as not to let it fall completely. Once a man possessed came to the Skete. For a long time they could not heal him, but he humbly asked the elders not to leave him. One of them took pity on him, made the sign of the cross over the sufferer, and the sick man was immediately healed. The demon came out, but angrily said to the elder: - Since you expelled me, I will enter you. “Come on,” the elder agreed, “I’ll just be glad.” And the demon entered him (I think the elder mentally asked God about this). The elder lived for twelve years, carrying a demon within himself and crushing it with feat (he ate only twelve date seeds a day) - and the demon came out of him. When the elder saw that the demon had left him, he asked: - Why are you leaving? Stay a little longer. “Let God deal with you,” the demon grumbled, “besides Him, no one can compete with you.” 2. Abba John Kolov said: “If the king wants to capture an enemy city, then, first of all, he will cut off the water and food supply. And then his enemies, threatened by hunger, will recognize his power. So are carnal passions: if a person regulates his life by fasting and hunger, his enemies, that is, passions and demons, will weaken and will not be able to cope with the soul. 3. He also said: “Who can compare with a lion in power? But even he, because of the restlessness of his belly, falls into a trap; and all his strength is put to shame.” 4. Abba Pimen said: “If it were not for Nebuzaradan (2 Kings 25:8-21), the chief of the cooks, the Church of the Lord would not have burned down. That is, if rest after gluttony had not come to the soul, then the mind would not have fallen in battle with the enemy. 5. He said: “When David fought a lion, he grabbed him by the throat and immediately killed him (1 Samuel 17:34-35). And if we fight with our throat and our belly, then with God’s help we will defeat the “invisible lion.” 6. He said: “I cannot give up only three things: food, clothing and sleep. But I can partly refuse them too.” 7. He said: “Your soul will not be humble if you do not conquer it with bread,” - you will not leave it only the most necessary food. 8. Abba Pimen was told about one monk who did not drink wine. To this the abba remarked: “Wine is not for monks at all.” 9 . Abba Iperekhiy said: “Fasting for a monk is a bridle from sin. He who throws it away becomes a lustful stallion.” The lion is caught (in the trap) because of his belly, and the glutton is overwhelmed by the pleasure of the belly, he labors and kills himself just to fill his belly with food, and having eaten, he is tormented by his stomach. After abstinence comes health and sobriety. 2. A monk who walks in circles will become a victim of the devil, but one who endures what he is called to will certainly find peace. As Abba Daniel said, the more the body prospers, the more the soul is exhausted. And the more the body is exhausted, the more the soul flourishes. Chapter 16: About how the fathers loved and kept fast and to what degree of severity they considered it necessary to bring it Abba Daniel spoke about Abba Arseny: “This old man lived with us for so many years, and each time we prepared for him only one basket of crackers for the whole year. And if we visited him, we took food from the same basket.” 2. And he also said that the elder did not eat vegetables and only once a year in the fall asked: “Bring me vegetables.” We brought it to him, and only then did he eat, giving thanks to God. You see, the elder conquered pleasure by abstinence, and vanity and exaltation by eating once. 3. Once upon a time, Abba Achilles came to Abba Isaiah’s cell in the Skete and saw that he was eating, pouring salt on a board and soaking it with water. Abba Isaiah tried to cover the board with a half-woven basket. He did this prudently so as not to tempt the guest, who noticed it anyway: it was not customary to eat like this in the Skete. Abba Achilles, realizing that he had decided to eat alone, asked: “Forgive me, father,” answered Abba Isaiah, “today I was cutting vines in the heat, when I returned to my cell, I decided to have a snack with bread and salt.” But my throat was dry from the heat, and I could not swallow the bread. So I had to add some water to the salt so I could soak the bread and eat it. I'm sorry. – Look, everyone – Isaiah is eating fatty stew in the Skete. If you want to eat fatty stew, go to Egypt. 4. Abba Benjamin said: “When we came from harvesting to Skete, they brought us the first fruits from Alexandria: each one xestis (about 640 grams) of oil in a sealed jug. And when the harvest time came again a year later, the brothers brought the remnants of the previous year to the church. I did not open my jug, but, having made a hole in the seal with a sewing needle, I used the oil little by little and thought in my heart that I was accomplishing a great feat. But when the brothers brought their jars sealed, and I brought mine with holes in them, I burned with shame, as if I had committed fornication.” 5. Abba Benjamin, a presbyter in Kellia, told us: “Once we went to the Skete to see an elder, whom we had visited before. We decided to put some butter in the beans to go along with it. He told us: “Look there, there is a jug of oil that you brought me three years ago. The way you placed it, I didn’t touch it. You can take from it as much as you want." Hearing this, we admired the elder’s lifestyle. 6. He said: “One day we came to a certain old man, and he invited us to eat with him. He offered us burdock oil, but we told him: “Father, pour us better oil than we are used to.” Hearing this, he crossed himself and said: “And I didn’t even know if there was any other oil besides this.” 7. It was said about Abba Dioscorus that he ate bread made from barley and lentils. And every year he took a special vow. He said: “I will not answer anyone this whole year” or “I will not talk to anyone”, or “I will not eat any boiled food”, or “I will not eat vegetables and fruits.” This is how he completed his work - having fulfilled one vow, he took on another for the entire next year. Thus he defeated the temptations that beset him and acquired dispassion. 8. One of the brothers came to Abba Isaiah. Abba washed his feet, then poured lentils into a pot and put it on the fire. When the pot boiled, Abba took it off. Brother tells him: “But the lentils are not ready yet, Abba.” – Isn’t it enough for you that there was a fever? This is already a great consolation. 9 . Abba John Kolov said that the skete fathers, who ate bread and salt, did not force themselves to fast. That is, they observed moderation in fasting, and therefore remained strong in God’s work. 10. Abba Cassian said that Abba John, who was the abbot of a large monastery, came to Abba Paisius, who had been living in a remote desert for forty years. Abba John was a close friend of Abba Paisius and therefore could boldly ask him: – What did you do when you lived in the desert for so long? After all, you probably haven’t been embarrassed by a single person. “Since I became a monk,” he answered, “the sun has never seen me eat food.” “But,” said Father John, “it did not see me angry.” 11. One elder lived in the monastery of St. Theodosius Kinoviarch (the head of the cenobitic monastery) and for thirty years he observed the following rule: he ate bread and water only once a week, worked without ceasing, and never left the church early. 12. They said about Abba Macarius that when he found himself at the same table with his brothers, he adhered to the following rule: “If wine is served, drink so as not to upset the brothers, but for each cup of wine, deprive yourself of water for one day.” The brothers offered him wine for consolation, and the elder accepted it with joy, so that later he would incur burdens on himself for it. His disciple, knowing the Abba’s rule, began to say to the brothers: “For God’s sake, don’t give him wine, otherwise he will torture himself in his cell.” Having learned about this, the brothers no longer gave him a mug of wine. 13. It was said about Abba Mark the hermit that he carried out this work for sixty-three years. He fasted all week, so one might think that he was incorporeal. He worked night and day and distributed everything he earned to the poor, and never took anything from anyone. And if they offered him something, he answered the donors: “I can’t accept it. My handicraft nourishes both me and those who come to me for God’s sake.” 14. The student said that his Abba did not sleep on his side for twenty years in a row, but only while sitting. Where he worked, he fell asleep there, falling into a light doze. He ate after two, four and even five days all these years. When I asked why he was doing this, the elder replied that he places God’s judgment before his eyes and understands that he will not be justified by it. One day the elder came out of his cell and saw that I had lain down to take a nap in the yard. He stood over me, began to cry and said through his sobs: “What are you thinking about that you are dozing so carelessly?” 15. Another elder lived in a distant desert, and one brother, going to him, found him sick. He washed him, and from the vegetables that he had with him, he prepared a stew and brought him something to eat. The elder told him: - Brother, truly, I forgot that people can rest. His brother handed him a cup of wine. The elder, seeing the wine, burst into tears and said: “And I thought that I wouldn’t drink wine until I died.” 16. One brother said: “I knew an old man who lived on a high mountain and did not accept any offerings. He had water and ate the vegetables he grew. So he lived for fifty years, never leaving the fence. The rumor about him spread because he healed people who came to him every day. He died in peace, leaving five disciples.” 17. The elder said: “I knew elders who spent more than seventy years in this desert and ate nothing but greens and dates.” 18. They said about one great old man who lived in the Lavra of St. Peter that he lived for fifty years in his cave and did not drink wine, did not eat bread, but only bran, and even then three times a week. Chapter 17: About the various acts of the holy fathers, which encourage our weakness to be patient and greatly teach us humility Abba Macarius of Alexandria performed not just one, but many feats. If he heard about some feat performed by others, he tried not only to equal him, but also to surpass him. So, he heard from someone that the Tavenans eat raw food throughout the Holy Pentecost, and he decided not to light a fire for five whole years. He ate raw vegetables and sometimes, if available, salted beans. 2. Then he heard that one old man only ate a pound of bread a day. Then he broke all the loaves he had and poured them into a large vessel, deciding to eat as much as his hand could pull through the neck. He talked happily about what he had come up with: as soon as he tried to grab more crackers than needed, his hand got stuck in the neck. He said: “But my publican does not allow me not to eat at all,” that is, the flesh. 3. For the next three years he performed a great feat of abstinence: he ate only four or five ounces of bread and drank the same amount of water a day. 4. This indestructible ascetic decided to triumph over sleep. As he told us later, he did not go under the roof of his cell for twenty days. All this time, Abba Macarius lived in the open air, scorched by the heat during the day, and numb from the cold at night, only to overcome sleep. He said: “If I had not decided to go inside and fall asleep, I would have gone into a frenzy, because my brain was already boiling. But in any case, I conquered sleep. I need it only if nature demands it, and only by yielding to natural necessity do I allow myself to sleep.” 5. One day the saint was sitting in his cell, and a mosquito sat on his leg and bit into it. And the saint slammed him in pain when he had already drunk blood. Then, having repented for his vindictiveness, the saint imposed the following penance on himself: he went into the distant desert to the hermitage swamp, where mosquitoes are as big as wasps, so that with their stings they even pierce the skin of a wild boar. There he lived naked for six months, and was so bitten by mosquitoes that his whole body was swollen with blisters. When he returned, they did not recognize him and only by his voice they realized that in front of them was Macarius the Great. Some, seeing him and not knowing anything about his feat, thought that he was suffering from elephantiasis: such great courage was shown by the sufferer of Christ! 6. When he heard about the Thavenians, that their way of life was great, he dressed as a layman and went to Thebaid. He walked for fifteen days until he found himself at the gates of the Tavenna monastery. He asked to tell Archimandrite Pachomius about his arrival. The archimandrite had the gift of prophecy, but according to Divine dispensation, the Holy Spirit this time did not reveal to him that it was Macarius. Pachomius received Macarius at his place, and Macarius said: “I ask you, my lord, take me to your monastery, make me a monk.” “You are already an old man,” answered Pachomius, “can you withstand the feats?” The brothers here have been successful since their youth, although they take on a lot of work, which is why they endure all the hardships of monastic life. You are already so many years old, and the monastic feat is full of hardships and temptations, you will begin to go crazy and return to the world again, you will begin to slander us and do a lot of harm to yourself. Pachomius did not take the elder into the monastery. And he sat at the gate without food for seven days. Pachomius, having learned about this, called him and repeated his previous words to him. Macarius replied: “Take me, Abba, and if I cannot fast and work like the brothers, then order me to expel me from the monastery.” Pachomius accepted Macarius and included him among the brothers (there were a total of fourteen hundred brothers in the monastery, a number that remains to this day). The Holy Pentecost was approaching. Saint Pachomius assigned various feats to the brothers. One had to continue to eat every evening as usual, another had to eat every other two days (only on Sunday, Monday and Thursday), a third after five days (i.e. only on Saturday and Sunday), someone had to stand all night in prayer and sit at work during the day. Each was given a feat according to his zeal and strength. And Macarius, having soaked a lot of willow twigs for himself, sat down in a secluded cell and until Easter came, he didn’t even eat bread, didn’t drink water, didn’t stretch, didn’t sit down. Only on Sundays did he eat a little raw greens (and then, I think, he did this in order to count what he ate and not fall into arrogance). He did not talk to anyone, neither small nor great, but lived in silence, listened to himself and, weaving baskets, prayerfully talked relentlessly with God in his heart. When the brothers noticed the steadfastness of Macarius, they came to Pachomius and asked: “Abba, where did you bring this incorporeal one, who has become a living condemnation for us?” Either send him away or we will leave you today. Pachomius the Great, having learned that the elder was performing a feat that exceeded human strength, began to pray to God to reveal to him who this man was who had shown such fortitude. And it was revealed to him that this was the monk Macarius. After this revelation, Pachomius approached Macarius, took him by the hand and led him to the church. Having kissed the saint, he exclaimed: - You are Macarius, why were you hiding from me? For many years I wanted to see you, because I had heard a lot about you. Thank you for putting my children in their place so that they would not be proud of their feat. Now, please, go back to your place. You have sufficiently instructed me and all the brethren, pray for us. Having said goodbye to Pachomius and the brethren, Macarius returned to his cell. 7. This heavenly man told me: “I decided that for five days my mind would not move away from God and think about anything material, but only listen to God, immersed in transcendental contemplation. Reasoning this way, I locked myself in the cell, and also locked the gate to the courtyard, so as not to respond if anyone came, and stood up for prayer on Monday. I ordered my mind: “Look, don’t come down from heaven. There you will meet Angels, Archangels, all the highest Powers, Cherubim, Seraphim and God the Creator of all. Continue thinking there, don’t go below the sky, don’t fall into material thoughts.” I spent two days like this and angered the demon so much that he turned into a fiery flame and burned all the things around me in the cell. Even the mat I was standing on caught fire. It already seemed to me that the fire would spread to me too, and out of fear on the third day I retreated from worldly contemplation and returned to the contemplation of worldly things and material thoughts, so that that contemplation would not become a reason for me to exalt myself. In Egypt, on the road to Skete, there is a mountain called Fermi. Up to five hundred ascetics settled on it. Among them was a man named Paul, a famous monk. Over a long period of asceticism, he acquired such a way of life: he never worked, did not conduct business, did not take anything from anyone, except for the days when he ate, but his business was continuous and unceasing prayer. He performed three hundred prayers a day from memory. He had pebbles in his bosom, and with their help he counted prayers, throwing one pebble to the ground with each prayer. Once Paul went to the Great Macarius, nicknamed the Citizen, and said: – Abba Macarius, I have a painful melancholy. He asked him to tell him the reason for the melancholy. And Paul said: “There lives a maiden in the village who has been performing this feat for thirty years now. They told me about her that she eats only on Saturdays and Sundays, and on those five days that she doesn’t eat, she reads seven hundred prayers. I found out about this and was upset: men by nature are superior to women in physical strength, but I cannot read more than three hundred prayers. “I’ve been a monk for sixty years now,” answered Macarius, “and all this time my rule has been one hundred prayers a day, and the rest of the time I earn my food and talk with the brothers, I hope I give them good advice.” But my conscience does not condemn me for negligence, but you say three hundred prayers, and your conscience condemns you. Obviously, you are not praying in purity of heart. You can pray more, but you don’t pray. The Theban ascetic Dorotheus lived five miles from Alexandria in a deserted place. I heard about him from Saint Isidore, the presbyter in charge of receiving strangers in the Alexandrian church. I first came to him with a request for tonsure. He went with me outside the city, brought me to the ascetic Dorotheus and, handing me over to him from hand to hand, asked me to entrust monastic obedience to me. Elder Dorotheos led a very harsh life: all day long, even in the midday heat, he walked along the seaside desert, collected stones and built cells from them, which, due to bodily weakness, not all of them could build for themselves. I asked him: - Why are you doing this, father? You are already so old, why kill your body with unbearable heat? “It’s not the sun that’s killing me—I’m killing myself,” the old man answered. He ate six ounces of bread a day, sometimes adding some greens, and drank a small mug of water. God knows I never saw him stretch out his legs or sit idle on a mat or bed. All night he sat and wove ropes from palm branches to feed himself. This, I think, is what a feat he achieved. But from other ascetics who were well acquainted with him (and he also had disciples), I learned that from a young age he adhered to this way of life: he never went to bed, but only closed his eyes for a short while while working or eating, so that it happened that if he was too sleepy while eating, a piece of bread would fall out of his mouth. One day I began to convince him to lie down on the mat and get some sleep. I fervently begged him about this, and he sadly said: “If you convince the angels to get some sleep, then you will also convince the one who is zealous in the angelic life.” Once he sent me at the ninth hour to bring water from the well. But at the bottom of the well I saw a snake, I rushed headlong to the old man and shouted: “We died, Abba, in the serpent’s well.” He smiled with dignity as he listened to me, and, shaking his head, said: – And if the devil decides to throw adders (poisonous snakes), turtles and all sorts of poisonous reptiles into all the wells, will you stop drinking completely? He went to the well, took in some water, crossed himself, and drank it. And he told me: – Where the sign of the Cross is, there Satan will not commit his evil. Abba Daniel spoke about Abba Arseny: “Once he called my fathers Abba Alexander and Abba Zoil and, humbling himself, said: “Since demons are fighting with me, and I don’t know, maybe they will kidnap me in my sleep, work with me this night and see that I don’t fall asleep during the all-night vigil.” In the evening they sat down, one to his right and the other to his left, and were silent. Then these fathers said: “We fell asleep and woke up, but we didn’t see Abba Arseny dozing. And in the morning, God knows, he did it of his own free will, that he dozed off, or a truly natural sleep overtook him, only he yawned three times and immediately jumped up and asked: - Is it true that I dozed off? “We don’t know,” we answered.” 2. He also spoke about Abba Arseny: “He remained on vigil all night. And when dawn broke and human nature forced him to sleep, he said, turning to his sleepy body: “Get up, evil slave,” and having caught a little sleep, he immediately got up.” 3. Abba Arseny said: “One hour of sleep is enough for a monk if he is an ascetic.” 4. Abba Vissarion said: “For forty days and nights I stood leaning on the branches of bushes and did not fall asleep in order to defeat sleep.” 5. He said: “For forty years I did not lie on my side, but slept only while sitting or standing.” This old man spent his entire life, like the birds of the air, serenely and away from worldly worries. He had no property on earth, not even the most insignificant, not even a single book, but only a tattered cloak. He never entered the house, but always steadfastly spent all his time in deserts and deserted places in the open air, enduring cold and heat. Thus he rose above bodily needs. When he happened to go to a populated place, he approached some monastery, sat down outside the gate and cried, like a sailor who had escaped from a shipwreck over his lost ship. When asked why he was crying, he answered: “I have lost my wealth, my former glory and nobility. Now I am unhappy, although I had all this. He was invited to enter the monastery and take part in the meal, but he refused. They brought him bread with the words: “Take the bread, and God has the power to return to you everything that you have lost.” The elder accepted the bread with great lamentation: “I don’t know if I can get back what I lost.” But I will never stop looking for it to the best of my ability. And so he ended his journey.” Chapter 18: How to take care of the body and what are the rules of asceticism and abstinence 1. From the life of St. Anthony Anthony the Great, when he was going to eat or sleep or satisfy some other bodily need, felt shame because he always saw in front of him only the rational part of the soul. Many times, when he sat down to eat with the monks, he remembered spiritual food and then asked permission to leave the meal and walked away from them, believing that he would blush with embarrassment if they saw him eating. He ate alone for the sake of bodily needs. When he often had to eat with his brothers, he considered it a shame. Therefore, he began to openly speak soul-helping speeches at meals. He said that every period of time should be devoted to the soul, and not to the body, and only a little, if necessary, should be allocated to the body, and in everything else, think only about the soul and seek its benefits. Otherwise, the soul will be carried away by bodily pleasures, and the body will be in slavery to them. This is what the Savior said: Do not worry, what shall we eat? or what to drink? and do not be arrogant. This is what all the pagans in the world are looking for. And your Father knows that you need all this. Seek the Kingdom of God, and all this will be added to you (cf. Matthew 6:32-33). 2. The great Euthymius said that the best abstinence is when you do not eat to your fullest, but are left with a feeling of hunger. In short, you need to eat a little less than you need. 2. From the life of Saint Synclitia Blessed Syncletikia said that not every feat is praiseworthy. There is a feat imposed by the enemy of the human race, and his disciples accomplish this feat. How to distinguish a divine royal feat from a violent demonic one? Divine feat always knows its limits. All the time of your life let there be a single rule of fasting. You don’t need to eat nothing for four or five days only to eat different foods the next day and ruin the whole point of fasting. Any violation of the measure is harmful. If you lose your measure, it is the same as losing your weapon, and during the battle you will have nothing to fight with, and you will immediately be captured. Our weapon is the body, and the warrior is our soul. Both need to be taken care of as necessary. If you are young and healthy, fast, for frail old age will soon come. Stock up on food so that in case of need you don’t lose food. Fast in moderation and strictly, make sure that the enemy does not sneak into your spiritual acquisition - fasting. Be an experienced money changer, as the Lord called us, and be sure to check the royal seal on the coin. Money can be counterfeit: although it is also made of gold, the stamp on it is not real. Gold is fasting, abstinence, almsgiving. But the pagan youths also put their tyrannical image of heroism on gold, and the heretics are exalted with their stamp. And you look carefully and don’t take a counterfeit coin, otherwise you won’t suffer any damage if, due to inexperience, you take part in their affairs. Abba Joseph asked Abba Pimen how to fast. Avva Pimen replied: – I have chosen for myself the custom of eating every day, but a little, without getting full. “But when you were younger,” Abba Joseph objected, “didn’t you fast every other day, Abba?” - Of course, it happened that I fasted for three, four days, and a whole week. All this was experienced by the fathers, who were very strong; and they realized that it is better to eat every day, but a little, and they passed on to us this royal path of achievement, because it is easier. 2. He said: everything that is beyond measure is from demons. 3. Once a man who was hunting wild animals in the desert saw Abba Anthony jokingly talking to his brothers and was surprised. The elder, deciding to explain to him that some leniency is needed in communicating with the brothers, said: - Place the arrow on the bow and pull the string. “Tighten it again,” said the elder. “If I tighten too much, the bow will crack.” - It’s the same in God’s work. If we overly tighten our commands to our brothers, they will soon despair. In some cases, you need to show leniency towards them. 4. Abba Isaac came to Abba Pimen. When Abba Pimen washed his feet with a little water, Abba Isaac, having boldness towards him, asked: – But why did some fathers treat their bodies harshly and not give them any concessions? “Our fathers taught us to kill not the body, but the passions.” 5. The brother said to Abba Sarmat: “My thoughts tell me: “Don’t work all the time, but eat, drink and sleep.” “When you are hungry, eat,” answered the elder, “when you are thirsty, drink.” When you want to sleep, sleep. And the brother left, but that same day another elder came to him, and the young man told him what Abba Sarmat had said. The elder added: “This is what Sarmat’s brother told you: if you are very hungry and thirsty to the point of exhaustion, only then eat and drink.” And if you have been awake for a long time and begin to doze off, then sleep. And if there is no urgent need, then there is no need to do this. 6. The elder said: “It happens that a person eats a lot, but remains hungry, while another eats little and is full. He who eats a lot and remains hungry will receive a greater reward than he who eats little and is full. 7. He said: “If your body is weak, do everything that it needs, otherwise you will get sick, require special food for yourself and begin to bother the one who serves you.” 8. They told about Abba Netra, a disciple of Abba Silouan: when he lived in his cell on Mount Sinai, he kept his bodily needs in moderation. And when he became the bishop of Paran, he began to embarrass himself very much and lead a harsh lifestyle. One day his student said to him: - When we were in the desert, you did not perform such a strict feat. “There,” he answered, “there was desert, silence and poverty, and therefore I took care of my body so as not to get sick and because of this, not to begin to need something that you cannot find in the desert.” And now there is a world around me with all its possibilities: and if I get sick here, they will take care of me, and I will not break my monastic vows. 9 . An elder came to Abba Megephi the second, a resident of Sinai, and asked: – How do you spend your life in this desert? – I eat every other day and eat one flatbread. “Listen to me if you want,” said the elder. – Eat half a flatbread every day. Abba Megefiy did so and found peace. 10. The brother asked the elder: – How to observe the measure during fasting? – Never do anything beyond the rules. Many people want to exceed the regulations, but they are unable to fulfill even the smallest of them. Fasting is not only about eating at long intervals, but about eating little. Asceticism does not mean eating every other day or two, but not eating a variety of foods. Asceticism is food limited to one thing. Fasting is meaningless if a person waits for the appointed time, and when the hour of lunch comes, he uncontrollably rushes to the meal and, along with his flesh and mind, takes him into chains at the sight of what is lying on the table. When you perform the feat of silence in your cell, establish for yourself the order of eating food, so that you can perform your services and do not want to leave them. If demons inspire you with a feat beyond your strength, do not listen to them. They inspire a person with ardor in any matter that is beyond his strength, and then the person falls into their hands and becomes their prey. Give your body everything it needs and leave your meal feeling a little hungry. Never eat with pleasure, desiring to taste such and such a dish, do not decide whether it is good or bad. If you are forced to drink wine, drink no more than three cups; do not break this rule for the sake of friendship. When you sit down to a meal, do not indulge in gluttony, otherwise your old sins will revive again. Do not drink wine to the point of intoxication, otherwise you will lose God’s favor towards you. The feat of the soul is to hate vanity, and the feat of the body is to limit oneself. The fall of the soul consists in a passionate inclination towards vanity, and its correction will be silence, knowing God. If you want, brother, to repent to God, beware of drinking too much. Drunkenness revives all passions, driving out the fear of God from the soul. Ascetics, if they take on a task, must see it through to the end. Let young and old ascetics be encouraged in body, not fear any illness, but willingly and with zeal resort to fasting, which is always very useful and reliable. Let them eat a measured loaf of bread and drink water at the prescribed time, so that after lunch they remain somewhat hungry and thirsty. Enjoyment of food can interfere with the necessary service of God. If we eat to fill ourselves up, we quickly become dull and begin to pursue other pleasures. As soon as we satisfy our lust, everything will repeat from the beginning: we will forget it, just like the previous one. So we will leave lusts behind us and will not satisfy our passions, which, as we imagined, would give us consolation. Was there any food sweeter and more delicious than manna (See Numbers 11:1–35)? The Israelites ate it to their fill, and when they were full, they did not want the best, but chose the worst: garlic and wild onions. When we are full, a new desire arises in us. As soon as we are full of bread, when we want something else, we will eat it and not be full. Therefore, in order to avoid the harm that comes from lust, let us keep our belly in hunger, not desiring satiety for ourselves. In this way we will gain the righteousness that abstinence brings us. But perhaps one of those who look askance at fasting will ask: “So is food really a sin?” But we advise you to limit yourself in food not because it is a sin, but because sin will replace satiety. Israel sinned not by lusting for food, but by the fact that after being satisfied they began to insult and dishonor God. The Israelites asked: Can God prepare a meal for us in the desert? (Ps 77:19) - And after the meal was prepared, the wrath of God broke out and destroyed the most powerful of them. After all, if they had remained alive, they would have wished for some more food and would again have begun to speak against the Most High, destroying everyone else along with them (Numbers 11: 1-35). A shameless womb is difficult to tame. After all, it becomes a god for those who are defeated by it. A heavy belly does not allow cleansing. But we need to be wary not only of satiety, but also of despondency. If we spend whole days without taking any food, we may develop despondency: it will rise up against us and begin to defeat us. It will turn our night vigil into sleep, and our daytime prayer into carnal pursuits. We will not receive any benefit from such a dream, and considerable harm will occur from carnal thoughts. We will begin to become even more exalted over other ascetics and will even begin to think derogatorily about them, and this is worse than any satiety. If the plowman first spends a lot of effort to cultivate the land, but does not sow anything, he has worked to his detriment. So we too, if we keep our enslaved flesh in great strictness, but do not sow the word of prayer into it, then very soon our efforts will turn against us. Perhaps someone will ask: “If righteousness consists of prayer, then why is fasting necessary?” We need fasting for many reasons. If some poor plowman begins to sow in virgin lands without plowing the ground, thorns will sprout instead of grains. Likewise, if we do not oppress our flesh with fasting, but immediately sow the word of prayer, we will reap sin instead of righteousness. Our flesh is from the earth and therefore requires the same diligence as arable land. If you are not diligent, you will never see the fruit of righteousness. We are talking about this not to turn away those who benefit from fasting from fasting, but to prevent us from going overboard and thereby harming ourselves. Fasting is very useful, but reckless fasting is just as harmful. Those who care about their own benefit must beware of such a harmful tendency as their own vanity, and eat bread like we do, making up for the lack of food, and not allow complete hunger. If we eat every day, but little by little, we will greatly moderate the thoughts of the flesh and strengthen our hearts in the best prayer. With the help of God, we will preserve ourselves from arrogance and take care to spend the days of our lives in humility, because without this no one will please God. A body weighed down with many foods makes the mind timid and inactive. And the body, exhausted by excessive abstinence, darkens the contemplative part of the soul and makes it talkative. We need to provide the body with food according to the expenditure of strength, so that the healthy body undergoes proper exhaustion and the sick body receives good support. The body of the ascetic should not weaken, but receive as much as is necessary for the achievement, so that through the tension and work of the body and soul it is properly cleansed. Fasting is praiseworthy in itself, but not before God. He is like a forge in which fasting people are taught chastity. Devotees of piety should not boast of fasting, but only see in fasting the strengthening of faith in God. Not one of the skilled craftsmen will boast about what kind of forge he has, but will present his product, from which his skill will be visible. If the soil is watered moderately, then the grain thrown into it will certainly germinate and produce a large harvest. And if violent downpours flood the earth, then only thorns and thistles will grow in the field. Such is the land of our heart. If we drink wine in moderation, then by nature the seeds embedded in it will fully ascend, and the sprouting of the seeds sown into it by the Holy Spirit pleases the eye and turns out to be abundant. And if someone floods the soul with drunken violence, all its thoughts will grow in the soul like thorns and thistles. When our mind is overwhelmed by a wave of heavy drinking, it begins to see images drawn by demons in passionate dreams. Moreover, he begins to sculpt attractive images for himself, falls in love with these creations of his and tries to fall in languor to them. And his secret ouds are kindled by the strength of the wine, and pictures of passionate pleasures appear before a person. It is necessary that we observe moderation and avoid the harm that comes from excess. Whoever does not have the pleasure that attracts him to seal sin will not see in front of him Imaginary ideas and alluring female images. The fathers did not pass down a single rule of fasting or the order of eating and did not allow anyone to forget about the measure. After all, people differ in physical strength, age, health, and physique. They conveyed only the single purpose of fasting - to avoid satiety, not to allow the belly to be filled. They believed that it was better to eat little every day than to eat every three or four days or even once a week; this was both healthier and more conducive to the purity of the soul. Anyone who first increases his fast without measure often later gorges himself beyond measure. From lack of food, the body becomes sluggish and can no longer perform the services necessary for spiritual life. And from the abundance of food it languishes, and despondency and relaxation penetrate the soul. The fathers did not believe that eating raw vegetables was suitable for everyone, but only for healthy people, not for the sick. And not everyone is suitable for eating boiled beans without oil; not everyone can add breadcrumbs: the sick cannot, but only the healthy. One will eat two pounds of bread, but remain hungry. And for another, in order to be full, one pound or even six ounces of bread is enough. As has been said, the fathers conveyed to everyone a single concept of abstinence - to restrain the insatiable belly and not get carried away by the pleasures of the larynx. Not only the variety of dishes, but also their multitude can kindle the fiery arrows of fornication in the soul. When the stomach is filled with food, the seeds of unbridled extravagance are born in it. Not only wine hops can intoxicate the mind, but also an abundance of water and an excess of any food in general: many foods lull and rock the mind. The inhabitants of Sodom perished when there was neither wine nor a variety of dishes. They, according to the word of the Prophet (Ezekiel 16:49), were destroyed by the abundance of bread. The weakness of the body will not harm the purity of the heart if we give the body everything that our weakness requires, and not what pleasure calls for. Nutrition is meant to keep us alive, not to indulge our voluptuous impulses. Moderate, and not reckless, eating makes the body healthy, but does not deprive it of holiness. This is the concept of abstinence that the fathers passed on to us: if you eat, you should not choose what is tasty, and you should never eat to your fill. The Apostle said that caring for the flesh should not turn into pleasure (Rom 17:14). He did not deny the necessary routine of life, but forbade immersion in the enjoyment of food. Once they brought donations to Abba Anthony’s mountain, and there, among other things, there was a vessel of wine. One of the elders took this small vessel and cup and took the wine to Abba Siso and offered it to him. They first drank a cup, then a second. The elder offered Abba Sisoya a third, but he did not accept it, saying: “That’s enough, brother, or don’t you know that Satan exists?” 2. Darkness of the soul comes from a disordered lifestyle, and moderation and timeliness of the lifestyle enlighten the mind and drive away the confusion of passions. Confusion in the mind and disorder bring darkness into the soul or confuse purity with rebellion. And from rank comes peace, from peace light is born in the soul, and from light the windows of the mind open towards the purest wind. To the extent that the heart approaches wisdom, it is receptive to the grace of God. If you want to get closer to God in your heart, first of all show your desire in the bodily area: in limiting yourself to the most necessary, in taking only one type of food and only at the appointed hours, as well as in other feats and sufferings of the body, performed with reason and according to order. Then the Lord will lay the foundation of your perfection, just as He Himself began with suffering in the desert (Matthew 4). In this way you will rise to something greater and more perfect, and with your mind, with the assistance of grace, you will draw closer to God. 3. Great power in a moderate, constant lifestyle It breaks even the hardest stone. Don’t think, brother, that inner thoughts can be thwarted otherwise than by correct and orderly management of your body. Chapter 19: How those who love God should celebrate holidays and what are the instructions of the fathers regarding holiday food The elder said: “If your thought tells you to prepare various dishes for the holiday, do not listen to it, for then you will celebrate in the Jewish way. This is how they celebrate. But for a monk, good food is sorrow and tears.” 2. They said about Abba Helladia that he ate only bread and salt. When the days of Easter arrived, he said: “The brothers now eat only bread and salt, and it would be nice for me to work a little for Easter. Once on other days I eat sitting, now for the sake of Easter I will do the work: I will eat standing.” This is how he celebrated every Easter. 3. One of the fathers said: “I knew a brother in Kellia who did not eat anything throughout Holy Week. After Easter service, he ran away to avoid eating in church. He warmed up some beets for himself and ate them without bread. 4. The elder said: “We will enjoy the words of the saints, we will celebrate the stories of the holy fathers. Then we will not give pleasure to the belly, but will rejoice and rejoice spiritually.” 5. Abba Paul of Cappadocia told us: “During the invasion and devastation (of Byzantium) by the Persians, we fled from the monastery in all directions. I found myself in Constantinople and saw a ship in the harbor ready to sail to Alexandria. Having paid the fare, I boarded it, and a few days later we arrived in Alexandria. There I met monks from Mount Nitria and joined them. When we arrived at the mountain, I settled with an old man. I spent a year and three months with him, and then went to the abbot of this mountain monastery and told him: - Do me a favor, Abba, give me a cell so that I can remain silent. I can no longer live with this elder, because he does not observe either the monastic or secular rules and forces me to fast on Sundays, on holidays, and even from Easter to Pentecost. And the hardest thing is that he forbids the singing of canons and troparia, which all monks usually sing. And on the days of the Holy Pentecost, he does not give, except for Saturday and Sunday, neither bread, nor wine, nor oil. We only supplement ourselves with vegetables and eat them every other day. The elder, the monastery abbot, answered me: “Come back, brother, and live with your elder if you want to be saved.” Anyone who strives for salvation should not abandon praising God either on holidays or on Sundays. But only fasting and vigil can teach us to glorify God. Just as a fish will not live if it is taken out of the water, so a monk will not be able to live at all and act according to the will of God without constant prayer, fasting and vigil. Only hermits can eat food every other day. Likewise, eating only vegetables and giving up bread is neither healthy nor commendable. This is a sign of vanity. Abstain for forty days, that is, only on Holy Pentecost, and then for fifty days forget about all fasting and rest peacefully, let the laity and the rich act this way, not monks. But singing troparia and canons and chanting voices is appropriate only for priests and other people in the world. Usually people there gather in churches to listen to singing. And the monks are far from all worldly turmoil,” continued the abbot. “Therefore, singing is not only not useful for them, but is often harmful. Just as a fisherman catches a fish with a hook and a worm, so the devil, by singing troparions, lures monks into vanity, man-pleasing and voluptuousness - so it won’t take long for a monk to fall into the abyss of fornication. A monk who sincerely wants to be saved should stay away from chanting. 2. From Saint Ephraim the Syrian The monk's holiday is keeping the commandments of Christ, and his consolation is not to do evil. The joy of a monk is migration from the world to the Lord, and his praise is the fear of the Lord. Chapter 20: About the fact that secret eating is a terrible evil, even one it can destroy a monk Once a nun from the monastery, where the Great Ekiti was the abbot, entered the garden. Seeing the salad, she began to eat it greedily, forgetting to sign the sign of the cross on it. Suddenly an evil spirit grabbed her and threw her to the ground. When the sisters saw her in terrible agony, they immediately called Father Ekitius so that he could hasten to heal the unfortunate woman with his prayer. As soon as the abbot entered the garden, the unclean one, having overthrown the nun, shouted through her lips, as if making excuses: - What did I do, what did I do? I was sitting on a lettuce leaf and she came and swallowed me. The man of God, with great anger, commanded the demon to leave the nun and never again touch the servant of almighty God. The spirit immediately left and after that did not even dare to approach her. Presbyter Athanasius told me that in Iconium, where he came from, there is a monastery called the Monastery of Galatians. There the brethren revered this monk more than all the others. In appearance he was of a good disposition and behaved piously in everything. However, in reality, life was not at all as it seemed. He fasted before the brethren, but was in the habit of eating in secret. One day he fell ill and was already close to death. Feeling the approach of the end, the dying man summoned the entire monastery brethren. The monks hoped to hear the last great and comforting words from such, in their opinion, a great man. But in confusion and trepidation the patient confessed to which enemy he had been betrayed to death. The unfortunate man said: “When you thought that I was fasting with you, I ate secretly.” And now I am given to the dragon to be devoured - he entangled my legs with his tail, and thrust his head into my mouth, which secretly ate food, and sucks the soul from me. With these words he died. The dragon he saw did not allow him to free himself from it by repentance. Obviously, the vision was given for the benefit of the listeners, to show that he had not escaped the enemy to whom he had betrayed himself. Chapter 21: That a monk must eat once a day after the ninth hour if he wants to maintain the severity of his feat, as all the fathers did, not only the hesychasts, but also the majority of the brothers in the cenobites 1. From the life of St. Chariton the Confessor The Great Khariton settled in a former robber's cave and achieved the highest feat. Students began to gather around him. Since people flocked to him from everywhere, like a deep river, the whole desert around began to seem like a city according to the number of people who came. Blessed Chariton, seeing that the resulting fuss threatened to deprive him of his beloved silence, and also running from human glory (he knew that it would upset the spiritual world for a long time), before his departure he called all his disciples to him and gave them the rules of monastic life. He set aside a time for eating food: at the end of the day and said that one should not eat to the full, but only to calm the stomach. There is bread to eat, which can be salted to make it more palatable. And you need to drink water, and then in moderation and carefully, hate idleness, which lies at the basis of many evils, and give work to your hands, as if they were extracting the sounds of the sacred Psalms. One day Abba Anthony went to Abba Ammun on Mount Nitria. And when they met, Abba Ammun asked: “Since, through your prayers, many brothers have gathered here, and some of them want to build cells at a distance in order to live in silence, how far away will you order them to be from the old ones? “We will eat at the ninth hour and when we get up from the meal, we will go into the desert and find a suitable place for new cells.” They walked through the desert until sunset, and then Abba Anthony said to Abba Ammun: “Let’s say a prayer and put a cross on this place so that whoever wants to build cells here, and if they come here to visit, and these come there, then they will not be able to distract each other from the feat of silence for such a short meeting.” The great Julian lived for a long time in a cave not made by hands. In it he showed the extreme degree of feat. He ate only coarse bread or bran, seasoning it with salt, the sweetest drink for him was water flowing from mountain springs, and the delight and magnificent brilliant feast was an unceasing conversation with God. So he lived in a cave, and many people who heard about his wisdom began to come to him. Some came from nearby villages, others from far away: everyone wanted to talk with him and settle nearby in order to learn a lot from him. At first the monk refused to meet with them. And then, being informed that people were moved by God to come to him, he began to willingly accept them. Soon the number of those who came already exceeded a hundred, and they all lived in a cave, ate exactly the same as the mentor, sweetening dry bread with salt. He taught them to sing psalms together inside the cave at night, and at dawn to leave the cave in groups. One must kneel and offer due worship to the Lord, and the other, standing, must sing fifteen Davidic psalms. Then they changed: the first stood and sang, and the second fell to the ground in prostration. They did this from dawn to dusk. Shortly before sunset, everyone came together and celebrated the Lord’s supper together, and then, sitting down in the cave, opposite each other, they ate simple food. Be silent in your cell, memorize your food regulations, give your body what it needs so that you can withstand all the services and do not want to go outside. Eat once a day and give everything your body needs. Get up from the meal with a slight desire to eat. In the monastery of the Venerable Father Benedict, there was a tradition established by him that if the brothers went to serve, they should not eat any food or drink until they returned to the monastery. This rule was observed by everyone in the monastery. One day the monk sent several brothers to serve. They walked a long distance, evening had already come, but they did not have time to get to the monastery. Since the hour was already late, they settled in the cell where the revered nun had previously lived, and ate food. One of them sent to the father of the monastery to ask, according to custom, for a blessing for eating food. He came at night, and the great saint immediately asked him: “We did not eat food, father,” was the answer. - Why are you lying? - said the saint. “You stopped in the maiden’s cell and tasted food. Do you think I don't know how many cups you've drunk? The denounced monk fell at the feet of the saint and asked for forgiveness. The most compassionate Father Benedict absolved him of his sin. He denounced all the others who returned in the morning in a similar way, rightly scourging them verbally. They also had to admit that they had sinned and, falling to the ground, ask for forgiveness. The saint granted them forgiveness for their sin, taking assurance from them that henceforth they would not break the commandment given to them until their last breath. Chapter 22: About the fact that one should eat not for pleasure, but out of necessity, and about the fact that if a person does not eat for pleasure, then even pleasant foods will not cause him spiritual harm A. From the life of Saint Sava The Monk Sava in his youth lived in a monastery called Flavian in Cappadocia, twenty stadia from his native village of Mutalaski. He performed a feat and limited himself in every possible way, especially with regard to the pleasure of the larynx and the satisfaction of the womb. One day he was working in the monastery garden. The apples hanging from the branches beckoned him: he so wanted to eat them without waiting for the appointed hour. The sight of the apples amazed him (and they were beautiful to look at), for he was a man, and he was captivated by human lusts. He gave in to temptation so much that he already took the apple in his hand. But then he realized all the cunning of the evil one, that he usually pushes a person to steal, using pleasure as bait. And a snake hides behind the fruit. The enjoyment of food expelled the forefathers from paradise, plunging them into many troubles. Judging so correctly, he threw the apple on the ground and trampled it under his feet. Along with the apple, he trampled lust, mocking with his feet what had conquered his gaze. From now on, he made it a rule: never again in his life to eat apples and not to delight his belly. Saint Syncletica loved fasting so much that she never wanted to be separated from it, even for a short time. She considered fasting to be the fence and foundation of all other virtues. When she had to eat differently from what she was used to, she experienced states opposite to those of her dining companions. She turned pale and felt heaviness throughout her body. After all, if the nature of the movement changes, then its result also becomes different. And if you change the initial principle, what depends on it will also change. For those who enjoy food, heaviness in the body is pleasant. And those who eat without pleasure and aspiration suffer the opposite. They walk haggard, pale, weak and look like they are sick. They told about one elder from Thebaid, Antian, that in his youth he went through many stages of monastic life and in old age he became weak and blind. Due to weakness, he could not eat himself. The brothers brought him many gifts and put them in his mouth. They asked the famous Abba Eos about him, whether many gifts harmed the spiritual life of Elder Antian. Elder Eos replied: “I’ll tell you that if his heart desires to taste the gift and indulges in this thought with pleasure, then even if he eats just one date, God will deduct it from his merits.” But if the heart does not condescend to pleasure, but without any desire accepts the gift, God preserves his spiritual work intact, for the elder is forced to taste the gift against his desire, and the brothers receive a reward for their mercy. 2. Several fathers turned to Abba Megephius with a question: - What to do with the leftover food from yesterday, do you tell your brothers to finish it? “If it has spoiled,” the elder answered, “it is not good to force the brothers to eat it: they will get sick.” We need to throw it away. And if it is good, but you disdain it and cook another one, it will be evil. 3. One of the fathers said: “A pig’s eyes are naturally designed in such a way that they are always directed towards the ground and cannot look at the sky. So is the soul that drowns in pleasures: if it has at least once fallen into the ditch of voluptuousness, then it can no longer think about anything lofty.” If your belly is overcome by desires for delicious dishes, imagine that they are rotten and you will calm down. Whoever satisfies bodily needs more than necessary takes on a hundred times more burdens. A believer in the life of the next century, without any conditions, refuses the pleasures here. And the one who does not believe in this enjoys and does not feel pain. Don’t tell me that you are a beggar and still don’t have the means to enjoy. A person can, in his own thoughts alone, turn into a pitiful voluptuary. All skillfully prepared drinks, which their inventors call aperitifs, are needed to make the stomach want to accommodate more food. They do not need to be drunk by those who want to curb an unruly womb. Not only does their composition harm the body of the ascetic, but the very madness of this mixture strikes a blow to the God-fearing conscience. In them, the very nature of wine, when various sweets are mixed with it, loses its persistence and becomes, as it were, feminine. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the mentor of our sacred life, drank vinegar at the hour of the Passion, given by the executors of the devil’s command, I think, in order to clearly delineate the attitude with which we should perform our sacred feat. Ascetics cannot fight sin while enjoying food and drinks. They must bear the bitterness of battle with fortitude. Let the sponge of reproach be filled with hyssop, so that the image of our bodily consolation will be equal in everything to the prototype of the Cross. Every battle is rough and bitter, and purification is required for perfection. Just as days are followed by nights, and summer is followed by winter, so pleasure is followed by pain and sorrow: in this age or in the next. The elder said: “The devil always attacks a monk where he has shown weakness. As one of the saints said, a habit that has become stronger over time acquires the power of nature, especially in careless people. If you desire some kind of food, never take it, especially when you are healthy. Give thanks to God every hour for the writing He sends you.” 2. Some fathers asked Abba Macarius of Egypt: - How is it that when you eat and when you fast, your body is equally dry? “If you stir hot coals with a stick, there will be nothing left of the stick.” In the same way, if a person purifies his mind with the fear of God, this fear will destroy his body. 3. The brother asked Abba Isidore, presbyter of Skete: – Why are demons so afraid of you? - Since I became a monk, I have been practicing so that anger does not even reach my larynx. I think he called pleasure anger, because it provokes the wrath of God and causes all sorts of hardships. 4. He said that after forty years he had already become accustomed to feeling sin within himself, but at the same time he was never inclined to lust or anger. 5. Once they brought bunches of grapes to Abba Macarius, and he wanted to eat them, but, obeying his vow of abstinence, he sent them to one exhausted brother who loved grapes. He accepted the grapes and was happy, but since he abstained and hid his abstinence, he sent the bunches to another brother and said that he did not want grapes. This brother accepted the gift and, although he also really wanted grapes, he did the same as the other brothers. So the grapes passed around many brothers, and no one began to eat them. The last brother they reached, like all the others, did not touch them, but sent them to Abba Macarius as the greatest gift. When Macarius recognized these grapes, he understood how everything had happened, he was surprised and thanked God for such great abstinence of the monks. 6. Avva Pior, when he had to eat, he began to walk and eat on the go. When someone asked him: “I want,” he answered, “for food to be not my main activity, but only a side activity.” To another brother, who asked about the same thing, Abba said: – I act in such a way that my soul does not feel bodily pleasure even while eating. 7. The brother asked Abba Sisoes of Petra about the monk’s lifestyle, and the elder told him: “Daniel said: I have not eaten tasty bread” (Dan 10:3). 8. It was said about one old man that he wanted to eat figs. He took the fruit, but so that desire would not prevail, he held it before his eyes and tormented himself for almost succumbing to lust. Chapter 23: How and for what purpose should a monk sit at a meal, what food to take and what rules to follow after a meal One of the fathers said that monks should honor three rites most of all, and they should be performed with fear and spiritual joy: this is the communion of the Holy Mysteries, the fraternal meal and the washing of the brothers' feet. He told the following incident: “There was one great old man endowed with the gift of clairvoyance. One day he was sitting with all his brothers at a meal and began to spiritually listen to what was happening around him and saw with spiritual eyes that some were eating honey, others bread, and others dung, and he was surprised at this. He prayed to God: “Lord, reveal this mystery to me, why is it that everyone at the meal is offered the same food, but when the brothers eat, it seems to change: some eat honey, others bread, and others dung?” There was a voice from above that said: “Those who eat honey sit at the table with fear and trembling and spiritual joy and pray unceasingly, and their prayer, like incense, ascends to God, that’s why they eat honey. And those who eat bread thank God for sharing His gifts. And those who eat manure complain and say: “This is good, but this is rotten.” One should not reason like this, but, on the contrary, praise God and offer hymns to Him, so that what has been said may be fulfilled: Whether you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31). 3. One brother asked the elder: “Well, my brothers and I came to visit someone, they brought us food and drink. Often the brothers, either due to abstinence or because they have just eaten, do not want to eat, but I am hungry. What should I do? - If you are hungry, then look at those sitting, how many there are, and, having counted out your share, eat it. No one will hinder you in this, because you ate as much as you were supposed to. And if you give in and eat more, you yourself will be responsible for your defeat. Brother, when you eat at a meal with your brothers, if you are younger than them, do not say to yourself: “What a good meal,” but remember your sins so that you do not eat with pleasure. Only extend your hand if you are offered food. If something is standing opposite another diner, do not extend your hand. Let your clothing cover your legs and let your knees be brought together. When you eat, do not raise your eyes to your neighbor, do not look around and do not say a word unless absolutely necessary. Don't reach out to what you need without first saying, "Bless!" When you drink water, you don’t need to drink it in one gulp, as worldly people do. When the meal is over and the brothers begin to leave the table, you too go out, do not sit down to talk with anyone, even about the word of God, but go to your cell and mourn your sins. If you went to visit your brother in the monastery, then all the pleasant dishes that will be there do not become satiation for your lips. When you are sitting with your brothers, if you have a sore throat, do not clear your throat, but stand up, turn away and then just clear your throat. Don't stretch when people are looking at you. If a yawn comes over you, do not open your mouth, and the desire to yawn will disappear. Never laugh loudly, this is a sign of a lack of fear of God. If you eat something at a meal, and someone does not want this food, he should not say: “I cannot eat this,” but force himself to death, and God will give you peace. If your brother cooks something over the fire unsuccessfully, do not say: “You don’t know how to cook.” Such words are death to your soul. Test yourself: if you heard this, you would probably be upset, and you would find peace. You need to eat and drink everything that has been prepared and set before you, and give thanks to God. This does not at all contradict the rule of spiritual knowledge, for everything is “very good.” And to give up pleasant foods with pleasure is both very reasonable and full of spiritual knowledge. After all, we could not with pleasure despise what gives pleasure if we had not tasted the sweetness of God in every feeling and communication. In eastern cenobitic monasteries, reading is performed during meals. This, as far as we know, came not from the Egyptian, but from the Cappadocian Rite. The Cappadocians read not so much for the spiritual exercise of the listeners, but for the sake of silence: so that there is no conversation during the meal. Among the Egyptians, especially among the Tavenians, such silence is maintained by all those sitting at the meal - and there is a huge number of them gathered together at the appointed hour, and such silence, perhaps, cannot even be imagined anywhere. No one in the presence of the chairman of the meal dares even hiccup, and if someone needs something, he indicates it with a knock, and not with his voice. They pull the dolls directly over their eyes so as not to wander their eyes and look at each other with curiosity, but to listen only to the meal and give thanks to God, who gives people food. The Tavenians carefully ensure that no one eats anything outside the meal. The fathers said: once, when the brothers were eating at the meal of love, one of them laughed right at the table. Seeing this, Abba John began to cry, saying through his tears: “What is in this brother’s heart if he laughed? After all, he should rather cry, for he tastes love itself!” 2. One elder fell ill, and since he could not eat anything for many days, the disciple asked permission to prepare him some stew. Having prepared it, he brought it to the elder. In the kitchen there hung a vessel in which there was a little honey, and next to it there was another vessel in which there was a little linseed oil, but this oil had already deteriorated, having remained unused for a long time, and was now only suitable for a lamp. By mistake, the brother put this oil instead of honey in the elder’s food. The old man ate the stew without saying a word. The disciple brought such food another time, and the elder had to eat it too. And the third time the disciple gave the elder the same thing, but the elder refused. He said: “I really can’t eat this, child.” And the student, encouraging him, said: “This is good food, father, let me eat with you.” As soon as he took a bite of the food, the student realized what he had done. Then, falling to the ground, he began to lament: - Woe to me, father, I killed you, and you led me into sin with your silence. - Child, don’t be sad. If God wanted me to eat honey, you would have put honey in the stew. – When you sit down to eat, defeat the demon of gluttony by putting off food for later. Be patient and tell yourself: “Wait, you’re not hungry yet.” And eat slowly and sedately. The more he presses you, the less and slower you eat. The demon forces the person to eat everything at once. It is better to eat and thank the Lord than not to eat and condemn those who eat and thank the Lord. Brother, have you sat down at the table? If you only eat bread, do not slander your neighbor, otherwise you will turn out to be a meat eater, because you eat your neighbor with these slander. The Scripture says: Those who eat my people as they eat bread, and do not call on the Lord (Ps 13:4). If it does not contradict your faith, eat everything that is given for the sake of the Lord. If you are offered a dish that you would not eat, do not turn away from it if most of your brothers eat it, and thank God. Have you sat down to dinner? Be attentive to yourself so as not to seem rude. A monk is ill-mannered if he takes whole pieces and leaves small ones. Don't insult the pieces. After all, the Lord told his disciples to collect the remains so that nothing would be lost. Brother, if you have to drink a cup of wine, after the prayer of thanksgiving, quickly go to your cell and give thanks to God, who has managed all the affairs of the meal. If you start talking after a meal, unforeseen and disastrous circumstances may result. An intoxicated husband does and says inappropriate things in the evening, which he will repent of in the morning. And if he drinks wine again, the same thing will happen again. Therefore, if this happened to you once, in future, know when to stop. The Scripture says: He who is born of God keeps himself, and the evil one does not touch him (1 John 5:18). Honor everyone for the sake of the Lord, but do not demand honor for yourself, and then you will receive grace from the Lord. The Scripture says: He who is not ashamed of the face of the righteous is not good: he will sell his husband for a piece of bread (Proverbs 28:21). If you are sitting at a meal with your brothers, extend your hand to the bowl, respecting the queue. After all, even a swallow and a sparrow are born at the right time - during the harvest. When extending your hand, do not compare yourself to those who are smaller than you, otherwise you will offend them. They will extend their hand once, and you extend it twice, so that everyone has their own measure. You, beloved, probably haven’t eaten all day, and now you pretend that you don’t want to eat? Or are you confused by the fact that the father of the monastery ordered everyone to wait and encouraged the younger ones so that they would not start eating, but after the other brothers would stretch out their hand to the bowl. He who is silent at a meal is like a man eating his bread thickly spread with honey. And whoever multiplies words will confuse even the speechless. Eat in moderation and drink without making noise. Brother, have you eaten the bread and are you satisfied? Give glory to God who has satisfied you. If you had enough and ate less than usual, glorify the Lord who strengthened you, and do not tell everyone: “I only ate a little bread.” If you say that or deliberately make it clear how little you have eaten, you will lose all reward. After all, you will condemn those who eat and thank God, and thus you will ruin all your work and deliver yourself into the hands of your enemies. Chapter 24: About eating and drinking: how and when to eat and abstain 1. Letter from Saint Palladius to Laus Prepositus Rejoice with all the strength of your mind, I ask you, servant of God Lavse. Do not bind your free will with a vow out of pretended pleasing to people. Many suffered from this: because of vainglorious zeal, they took a vow not to eat this or not to drink that and thereby enslaved their independence to an irrevocable vow. If you did this out of grief, then love of life or despondency, weakness of the body or delightful lust will later force you to experience the bitterness of perjury. If you accept something wisely and refuse something, you will not sin. It is better to drink wine wisely than to drink water to the point of stupor. Look at those who drink wine judiciously and piously, and then at those who foolishly refuse it. Joseph drank wine among the Egyptians, our Lord Jesus Christ drank wine along with His disciples, and He was condemned as a glutton and a drunkard. But the Manichaeans and some of the pagan sages drank only water, but, becoming prisoners of their own exaltation, they did not know God. The matter of food or drink in itself cannot be praiseworthy or reprehensible, but only the intention of the one who uses this matter for good or evil. About those who accept something material or refuse it, the Lord said: By their fruits you will recognize them (Matthew 7:16). The apostle named these fruits: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control (Gal 5:22). He who strives to bear these fruits always moderates his desires and never eats, drinks or sleeps under the same roof with a person known for his depravity. When he is healthy, he avoids fatty foods, and if he is sick, weak, in poverty, or in order to destroy vanity in himself, he eats it in moderation, as a medicine only for healing the soul and body, giving thanks to God. Once Abba Xanthius from Skete went up to Terenufin. And in one place, from the severity of the feat, he sat down to rest, and they brought him some wine. When people heard about his coming, they brought the possessed man to him. The demon began to revile the old man and say mockingly: - Why did you bring me to this drunkard? The elder, out of humility, did not want to expel him, but in order to respond to the insult, he said: “I trust in Christ that I won’t have time to finish this cup before you leave.” As soon as the elder began to drink, the demon shouted: And before the elder had time to finish his drink, the demon left the man by God’s grace. If you are abstinent in food, make it a rule not to refuse any food as vile and unworthy for you. This attitude is from demons and cursed by God. We avoid dense food not because we consider it evil, let there be no such thing, but in order to calm down the carnal passions that flare up in us with thin and dry food. If the flesh is healthy, we must humble it as it should be. And if she is sick, you need to give a little fatty food so that the soul will help her, burdened by illness, and the soul and flesh will accomplish a good deed together. 4. From Saint Anastasia Sinaita Question: If someone takes an oath to do some good deed, for example, not to drink wine for a certain time, fast or do something similar, and then due to cowardice is unable to fulfill his vow, what should he do? Answer: There is no need to swear on such things at all. An oath is a false and tempting step. There is no need for an oath, good will is enough. There is no need to enslave the freedom of your will by vowing violence against yourself, and you do not need to reject anything created by God as harmful, but always be guided by discernment. So our blessed fathers, who composed sacred prayers for us, also created a prayer for this case, which the priest reads and gives permission to the person. The Scriptures tell true priests: Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). But the one who himself resolved the vow, having broken it, must confess to God, condemning his frivolity and cowardice. If a person who has sworn allegiance to a mortal king does not dare to break the oath before his death, then how much more will he be punished who swore an oath to the immortal King of heaven and did not fulfill his oath promise? But repentance is stronger than an oath. Ascetics must hate all unreasonable desires until this hatred becomes a habit. And you need to give up things only in such a way that it does not develop into disgust. This attitude is from demons and cursed by God. We avoid food not as vicious, let there be no such thing, but only so that, distracted from the abundance of unnecessary dishes, we can torture the flesh where it is hot and bring it to proportion. In addition, by giving up unnecessary things, we can give away the saved money to the poor. This is a sign of sincere love. One day, several fathers came down from the mountains to Alexandria, in response to the call of the blessed Archbishop Theophilos (Patriarch of Alexandria) to pray before the overthrow of the idols. When they dined with him, they were served veal, and they ate it without knowing that it was meat. The archbishop, taking a piece, handed it to the elder reclining next to him with the words: - This is a good piece, help yourself, Abba. The elders, hearing that they were talking about fried meat, answered the archbishop: – We have only eaten vegetables so far. If it's meat, then we don't eat it. And no one else touched the meat. Chapter 25: What is prodigal warfare and how to fight it Once upon a time, the blessed deacon Evagrius was so annoyed by the demon of fornication, as he himself told us, that every night in winter he climbed naked into a well in order to pacify his flesh with the night cold. And here is what they told about Blessed Ammonius, a disciple of the Monk Pambo. He never spared his body when it senselessly rebelled against him with carnal lust. Having heated the iron, he burned his body with it: that’s why he always walked around with burns. The most noble Bishop Philorom, when he had just renounced the world, experienced the strongest fornication, as he himself told us. He decided to extinguish this passion that tormented him with labor, just as a fire is extinguished with a stream of water. He became extremely harsh towards himself, wore chains, shut himself up in his cell, and did not eat any food or white bread, or anything cooked over a fire. So he endured for eighteen years and, in the end, with the help of God, he defeated this passion. Once, when Saint Benedict was performing the feat of silence, the tempter approached him: a small black bird, popularly called a blackbird, began to fly in front of his face, and spun so close in front of him that he could have reached it with his hand if the holy man wanted to catch it; but he made the sign of the cross, and the bird flew away. When the bird flew away, such a temptation of the flesh followed that the holy man had never experienced. Suddenly he saw a woman whom the evil spirit had brought before his mind's eye: at the sight of her, the heart of God's servant burned with such a fire that the flame of passion barely fit in his heart, and, seduced by passion, he almost left the desert. But the grace of God strengthened him. He turned his gaze to himself and, with a prudent and courageous thought, seeing the seed of passions in himself, took off his clothes, threw himself naked on pine needles and nettles, lay in them for a long time and stood up only when his whole body was covered with wounds. With deep wounds he healed sensual impulses, snatching away his weapon from voluptuousness. By causing the body to become inflamed on the outside, he destroyed what was burning inside, and thus defeated sin, because he changed the place of the flame. He himself told his disciples that from then on the temptation of the flesh was so tamed in him that he no longer felt anything like it in himself. 5. From the life of St. Paul of Thebes During the time of the wicked emperors Decius and Valerian, the infidels seized one saint and subjected him to many tortures, including this one. The wicked saw that the Christian was very young, fragrant with the scent of youth and blooming with the beauty of barely emerging maturity. And these crafty persecutors, clinging to this, decided to destroy not only the body, but also the soul of the noble young man. What did they do, what insidious trick did they plan? They brought him to a shady garden surrounded by flowers, there they prepared the softest and most pleasant bed for the body, and on it they laid the martyr bound hand and foot. And they had a vile and hateful plan. They brought a certain girl into the garden, beautiful in appearance, but mediocre and dissolute in soul. She lay down next to the young man and began to pour out her vile caresses on him. She tickled him, hugged him, covered him with kisses, touched the young man’s secret pleasure with her lousy hand, in every possible way inclining him to voluptuousness. And what did that chaste soul do? How did he free himself from evil if he could not drive away the scoundrel? He was not slow in showing that he hated vice. He contrasted one love with another love: low - divine. He showed that a pure and God-loving person will not even spare his flesh for the sake of his chastity. He bit off his tongue and, instead of kissing it, spat it in the harlot's face. He made the only right decision: to extinguish passion with suffering, and pleasure with pain. – Why am I tempted by lustful passion? “Because you eat and sleep a lot,” answered the elder. 2. He said: “Nature raises desires, but intense feat extinguishes them.” The young man must commit his youth to the word of God, as God Himself demands. The Scripture says: Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (Rom 12:1). All surges of carnal lust must be exterminated and dried up by malnutrition, little drinking and all-night vigil. As the Prophet said: I became like a bottle of smoke, but I did not forget Your statutes (Ps 119:83). Having realized that he is Christ's, the young man must crucify the flesh with its passions and lusts (Gal 5:24). And one more thing: put to death your earthly members (Colossians 3:5) not only to sexual immorality, but also to the uncleanness raised up in the flesh by evil spirits. But it is not only to this extent that one who prepares for himself the true and immaculate crown of perfect virginity must carry out the struggle. He must, following the apostolic teaching, diligently mortify the very reminder of passion and its actions. But even this does not mean that a person, passionately striving for God, allowed immaculate angelic virginity to reside in his body. After all, a person must pray for the destruction of even the memory itself, any thought of lust that enters the mind even without any movement and action of bodily passion, simply due to the inconstancy of the mind. This can only be achieved thanks to the highest power, help and assistance of the Spirit, if only there are people who have been awarded such high grace. Therefore, whoever destined for himself the crown of pure and immaculate virginity and for its sake is filled with passionate love for God, crucifies his flesh through ascetic labors. He mortifies his members with intense and unshakable abstinence. He exhausts the outer man, exhausts him, as if beating him with a flail, so that he leaves only his bones, so that thanks to faith, deeds and the assistance of grace, the inner man will be renewed, succeeding day by day in good deeds. He grows with love and hope, radiates with spiritual joy, is rewarded by the peace of Christ, guided by the goodness of Christ, enlightened by reason and knowledge, illuminated by wisdom, guided by humility. When the mind again acquires, thanks to the Spirit, these and similar virtues, it recognizes in itself the outline of the God-like image, realizes the intelligible ineffable beauty of the Master's likeness, and perceives the wealth of the self-teaching and self-acting wisdom of the law implanted in us. The prodigal demon is fierce. He often attacks those who struggle with passions, especially if they eat promiscuously and date women. They are forgotten, and pleasure takes possession of the mind more and more easily. Then, when they return to the feat of silence, passion reigns in their memory, inflaming the body and presenting various images to the mind. Passion calls on such a monk to allow himself to sin. If you do not want these images to linger in you, take on fasting and work, perform vigil and good silence with prolonged prayers. If demons drive chastity out of your mind and surround it with thoughts of fornication, cry out to the Lord with tears: At every step we now surround us (Ps 16:11), you surround me with the joys of deliverance (Ps 31:7). The brother asked Abba Palladius: “Father, tell me what should I do, for for three years now I have been fasting every other day and cannot free myself from the demon of fornication?” – Child, the prophet Isaiah, when he was sent to the descendants of Israel from the Lord, told them this: Cry loudly, do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet: “Why do we fast, but You do not see?” Behold, you fast for quarrels and strife and in order to beat others with a bold hand; you do not fast at this time so that your voice will be heard on high. Is this the fast that I have chosen, the day on which a man languishes his soul (Is 58:1-5). How do you spend your life, child, when you fast? “In the morning,” the student answered, “I soak the vine and work, repeating the psalms.” When I finish the first basket, I pray and take a short nap at noon. And getting up, I leave the cell and work again until I make three baskets. When it gets dark, I pray and, having made a hundred prostrations to the ground, fall asleep. I wake up before reading the monastic rule and the next day at nine o’clock I cook my food and eat to my fill. “This, child, is not fasting,” said the elder. “If you abstain from food, but slander or condemn, or remember evil, or accept evil thoughts, or in your thoughts desire to carry out some of these things, then it is much healthier for you to eat five times a day, but be afraid of such things, than not to eat, but wallow in these evils.” For why is it necessary to abstain from food while wallowing in all other desires? Don’t you know that anyone who fulfills his desire in thought, even without worldly food, is already full and drunk? But if you want to abstain and fast so that your fast will be accepted by God, then while fasting, most of all beware of every evil word, any slander and condemnation, evil listening and cleanse your heart from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and all rancor and shameless acquisition. And on the day when you fast, be content with bread and water and vegetables and thank God. Count the cost of the breakfast you would eat that day and give this money to a poor brother, a stranger, or a widow and orphan. And the one who receives alms will be able to feed himself and pray to the Lord for you. Tame your body with many penitential bows and vigils and secret prayer. Fall asleep while sitting. Leave the soft baskets and get to the big boxes. For youth, if it is not tamed by great labor and hardship, fasting and vigils, sleeping on the ground and dry eating, will not teach itself to avoid the demon of fornication. Therefore, during our youth, the fathers did not allow us to live in cells and in places of silent feat, but sent us to learn endurance and patience in a cenobitic monastery and demanded that we wear not soft clothes, but hard and prickly ones, and protect ourselves from thoughts by complete submission to the abbot. For idleness, an easy life, eating twice a day and sleep allow not only the demon of fornication to penetrate into us, but also the demons of despondency, vanity and exaltation. 2. Abba Anthony said: “I believe that the body has a natural movement inherent to it, which does not affect the human soul if the soul itself does not desire it. This is the only thing that can be called dispassionate movement in the body. But there is another movement that depends on nourishing and delighting the body with food and drink. The heating of the blood that occurs from them arouses the desire for action in the body. Therefore, the apostle said: And do not get drunk with wine, from which there is debauchery (Eph 5:18). And the Lord commanded the disciples: Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be burdened with gluttony and drunkenness (Luke 21:34). There is a third movement that occurs in ascetics due to the deceit and envy of demons. So we must know that there are three bodily movements. One is natural, the other is due to indiscriminate eating, and the third is from demons. The ascetic must know this difference and not forget about the reasons for each of the three movements: then he will be able to perform the feat in the proper and correct manner.” 3. The brother asked Abba Pimen: – What should I do when I am confronted by a lustful temptation that brings wrath upon me? “About this,” the elder answered, “David said: “I killed the lion and strangled the bear” (Cf.: 1 Samuel 17:35). This means: he cut off anger, and crushed fornication with hard labor. 4. Abba Fokas told how Abba Jacob, having settled in the Skete, courageously withstood the battle with the demon of fornication. “And when he was in danger, he came to me and told me what was happening to him: “From Monday I will be in seclusion in such and such a cave. I ask you, for the sake of the Lord, not to tell anyone about this, not even my spiritual father, but just count forty days and when they have passed, be so kind as to come to me and bring Holy Communion. And if you find me dead, then bury me, and if I’m alive, I can take communion,” and, having said this, he left. When forty days had passed, I took Holy Communion, ordinary white bread, a little wine and went to him. As soon as I approached the cave, I felt a strong stench emanating from the entrance, and said to myself: “The blessed one has rested.” But when I approached him, I saw that he was alive. And he, noticing me, moved his right hand a little, as far as he could, asking with a sign if I had Holy Communion. I answered: “Yes.” Then I tried to open at least a little of his mouth and put honest Body and Blood into them, crushing them as much as possible. Having received Holy Communion, he gained strength. A few hours later, having sprinkled some pieces of plain bread with wine, I gave it to him. And soon I was able to give him more bread. And so, by the grace of God, a few days later he returned with me to Skete and went to his cell, freed from destructive passion with the help of God. 5. One brother fought a battle with the temptation of fornication, and this battle was like a fire that burned in his heart night and day. He fought not to be combined with the thought. Much time passed before the enemy fled, having achieved nothing, thanks to the steadfastness of the ascetic. And immediately his heart became light. 6. Another disciple of the great elder suffered from fornication. The elder, seeing how he was suffering, asked: “Do you want me to pray to God to make your battle easier?” “No, Abba,” answered the student, “for although I suffer, I see what fruit it brings me.” So pray to God to give me the patience to endure this. “Now I understand,” said the elder, “that you have succeeded in spiritual life and have already surpassed me.” 7. The elder asked his brother, who was embarrassed by the temptation of fornication: “Do you want to be saved by lying down on a bed? Go, work, run, seek and you will find; stay awake, knock and it will be opened to you (cf. Lk 11:9-10). There are those in the world who know how to fight hand-to-hand. Having received many blows, they reflect them, become stronger in spirit and, finally, receive a victorious crown. Often one is hit by two fist fighters at once, but fends off attacks from all sides and defeats both. Look how tense they are and how hungry they are for this worldly reward! And you stand steadfast and resist, and God will defeat the enemy for you.” 8. A brother who labored in the Skete was constantly embarrassed by the enemy with reminders of a very beautiful woman. According to the economy of God, another monk came from Egypt to Skete and from a conversation with him the brother learned about the death of one man’s wife. This was the woman because of whom the ascetic suffered. Hearing about her death, he took his cloak and went to Egypt at night. Having opened the tomb, he soaked the cloak with the liquid oozing from her remains, and returned to his cell. As soon as the lustful thought began to annoy him, he put his cloak next to him and began to fight the obsession, saying: “This is your passion that you wanted, it is in front of you, be satisfied with it.” And so he tormented himself with this stench until the battle stopped completely. 9 . A certain man came to the Skete to become a monk. And with him was his son, who had just been weaned. They lived in the cell for a long time. When the son grew up, demons began to attack the teenager. The boy said to his father: – I’ll go into the world - I can’t stand this battle. His father persistently asked him not to do this. “Abba,” the young man begged, “I can’t stand it, let me leave.” “Listen to me, child, at least once,” said the father. “Take with you forty bundles of biscuits and vines for forty days, go into the inner desert and stay there for forty days, and let the will of the Lord be done.” The son obeyed his father, got up and went into the desert. There he worked for twenty days, weaving dry vines and eating dry bread. So he spent twenty days and nights in silence, and then he saw how the demonic action was moving towards him. The demon appeared before him in the form of an Ethiopian woman, so foul-smelling that it was impossible to bear her smell - the young man drove her away. And the demon said to him: “I seem sweet in people’s hearts.” But for the sake of your obedience and your work, God allowed me not to deceive you, but only to show you my stench. The brother stood up and, having given thanks to God, returned to his father and said: “I don’t want to go into the world, father.” I saw the demonic action and its stench. And the father was already notified about this and said: “If you had stayed forty days, keeping my commandment in everything, you would have seen more.” 10. Another elder came to Skete and brought with him his son, who had just been weaned and did not know what a woman was. When he matured, demons once showed him visions of women at night. He told his father about this, and he was amazed. One day they came to Egypt together, and the son, seeing the women, said: “Abba, these are the ones who came to me at night in the Skete.” “These are monks from the villages, child,” said the father. – They have one appearance, and the hermits have another. And immediately the father and son returned to their cell. 11. The brother asked the elder: - What should I do, father, a bad thought is killing me? “When the mother is about to wean the baby from the breast,” the elder answered, “she smears mustard on the nipples, and the baby, starting to suck milk out of habit, no longer takes the breast out of bitterness.” So you anoint yourself with mustard. “What kind of mustard is this,” asked the brother, “with which I should spread myself?” “This is a memory of death and the torment of the next century,” was the answer. 12. The same brother asked another elder about his thoughts, and the elder replied: “I never fought this thought.” The brother was embarrassed and, coming to another elder, said: “That old man told me that he had never fought with a bad thought, but I was confused, because he said that it transcends human nature. “This is a man of God,” said the elder, “and his words are not simple.” Go and repent to him so that he can explain to you the meaning of his words. The brother immediately went to the elder and repented before him, saying: “Forgive me, Abba, that I acted unreasonably and left without benefit to myself.” I ask you, explain to me how it happened that you have never fought against the thought of fornication? “Since I became a monk,” the elder answered, “I have never been satisfied with bread, water, or sleep, and the thought of these things occupied me greatly, not allowing me to feel the abuse that you spoke of.” And the brother came out, having benefited. 13. One brother was greatly tempted by the demon of fornication. Four demons, taking the form of beautiful women, fought with him for twenty days in order to involve him in a shameful confusion. But he fought them bravely and was not defeated. God, seeing his valiant feat, delivered him from the kindling of his flesh. 14. The brother asked the elder: - What should I do if my womb has been oppressing me for many years, and I can barely control myself, and therefore my body is becoming more and more inflamed. “If you do not make it your duty to fear and fast,” said the elder, “you will not succeed on the path of God,” and he told a parable: “One man had a donkey.” And when the man sat on him, the donkey walked, losing his way first in one direction, then in the other. The man took a stick and hit the donkey. Donkey said: “Don’t hit me, I will now walk the right path.” They walked a little further. The man got off the donkey and put the stick in the bag, but the donkey did not know that the owner still had the stick. When the donkey saw that the stick was no longer in danger of him, he turned off the road and began to graze on the young crops. Then the owner came up and took a stick out of the bag. He beat the donkey until it went the right way. You need to do the same with your body: when it becomes stubborn and strays from the path of God, beat it with fasting, and the body will go straight. Let it always be consistent with fasting, done with the fear of God. Chapter 26: About the fact that one can get rid of fornication only with God’s help, which He provides to ascetics, and about what perfect purity is Blessed Moses Murin, who was formerly the leader of a large band of robbers, and then became an experienced monk and presbyter and was among the great fathers, at the beginning of his monastic path suffered so much from the prodigal demon that he almost returned to the world. Abba Moses struck down the enemy with the strictest fasting and silence. On the advice of the great Isidore of Scete, he locked himself in his cell and did not leave for a long time. The blessed one ate nothing but a pound of crackers a day, worked hard and said fifty prayers a day. He fought intensely and with vigil: for six years he did not sleep at all at night and exhausted his body, but the passion burned him as before, and he even saw dreams in reality. Then he took upon himself another harsh feat: he went out at night, went to the cells of the elderly brothers who could not carry water themselves, and when they were sleeping, he took buckets from them and filled them with water, for which he had to walk five miles. One night, as he bent over a well to fill a monk's bucket, the demon hit him on the back so hard that he lay sprawled on the spot, neither alive nor dead. The insidious liar could not stand the steadfastness of the ascetic. The next morning one of the monks came to the well and, seeing that Moses was lying, barely breathing, told Isidore about this. He came along with several brothers. They picked Moses up and carried him to the church. He was seriously ill and only a year later he recovered and regained his strength. The great priest of Christ Isidore said to him: “Stop attacking demons, brother Moses, and don’t go on such a powerful offensive.” The ascetic must observe moderation even in the fight against evil spirits. The indestructible adamant of Christ Moses answered: “I won’t stop fighting demons until my dreams stop.” “In the name of Jesus Christ,” said the great Isidore, “from now on you will no longer have obscene dreams.” Come boldly and partake of the Divine Mysteries. This passion overpowered you so strongly that you did not become proud, as if you had overcome it with your feat. This was useful to you so that you would not fall from arrogance. Hearing this, Moses returned to his cell and henceforth prayed silently, observing moderation in his deed, and freed himself from lustful passion. In Skete lived a certain Pakhon, who was about seventy years old. One day the demon of intemperance began to torment me too. Confounding my thoughts, he tormented me with night visions. I didn’t want to tell anyone about this and left the desert, driven by passion, but, having gotten lost, I ended up in the wilderness. There I spent fifteen days with the holy men of Skete, among whom was Pahon. I saw how whole he was and how successful he was in his feat, and therefore I dared to tell him about my thoughts. “Don’t be afraid,” Pakhon told me, “and don’t suspect negligence in yourself.” The location, your modest needs, and lack of conversations with women speak in your defense. It was the enemy who attacked you because of your zeal for virtue. Prodigal passion is threefold: sometimes the flesh attacks us, leaning towards passions, sometimes passions rebel against us in our thoughts, and sometimes the demon seduces and torments us. I realized this after much observation. Look, I’m already old, I lived in this cell for forty years, thinking only about my salvation, but even at this age I still experience temptations. He swore that when he turned fifty, he suffered from temptation for twelve years. “The demon,” he said, “didn’t let me go at night, and didn’t stop attacking me during the day.” I already thought that God had abandoned me, that’s why I endure this, and sometimes I would prefer to die senselessly than to shamefully denigrate myself with passion. I left the cell, headed into the desert, found a boar’s hole and climbed in there naked so that the animals would devour me. As dusk fell, the male and female went out to hunt. They sniffed me from head to toe, licked me all over and left. I lay there until the morning, waiting for them to eat me. Then I reasoned - God spared me. I got up and returned to my cell. The demon waited for several days, then attacked me more than ever, so that I almost fell into blasphemy. In the form of a young Ethiopian woman, whom I once saw in my youth, when she was gathering ears of corn at the harvest, a demon sat on my knees and tormented me so much that I almost sinned with her. In a frenzy, I slapped her in the face, and the demon disappeared. And believe me, for two years after that, such a stench came from my hand that I could not stand it. After that,” Pakhon continued, “I lost heart even more and, having completely lost faith in myself, I went into the distant desert, wherever my eyes looked. I saw a small viper, grabbed it and brought it to the secret oud, which became the reason for my temptation, so that it would bite me and I would die. But by the gracious providence of God, she did not touch me. Suddenly I heard a voice flashing through my brain: “Pahon, go and accomplish the feat. I allowed you to endure such warfare so that you would not imagine too much about yourself and think that you yourself could cope with the demon of fornication, but so that you would always resort to God’s help.” After such notification,” said Pakhon, “I returned to my cell and, encouraged, continued my monastic work. Since then, I have never again experienced such frantic fornication. I live in peace and quiet for the remaining days. The demon, seeing my contempt for him and his defeat, does not even dare to approach me. With such reflections on the triumph over Satan, Saint Pakhom instructed me in the face of labor and taught me to easily endure warfare. In parting, he wished him courage in everything. The noble ascetic Elijah loved most of all to help the nuns and did all the necessary work for women's monasteries. There are such souls that even their death convinces them that they lived for the sake of virtues. Out of his mercy, at his own expense, he built a large monastery in one African city, where he gathered all the nuns who were left homeless. He took care of them in everything, tried to make them comfortable and that nothing would interfere with their exploits. Since the nuns were from different monasteries, with their own charters and customs, they often quarreled with each other, and Elijah reconciled them. Then the enemy began to tempt him with voluptuousness. Then he left the monastery and wandered in the desert without food for two days, praying to God: “Lord, either kill me so that I don’t have to see their grief, or take away my passion so that I take care of them as I should.” There were about three hundred nuns in the monastery. When night fell, he fell asleep in the desert, and, as he himself said, three angels appeared to him and asked: “Why did you leave the nunnery?” He told them how it happened: “I was afraid that I would hurt them and myself.” The angels say: “And if we deliver you from passion, will you return and take care of them?” He agreed. Then one angel took him by the hands, another by the legs, the third took a knife and castrated him - in a vision, of course, and not in reality, and Elijah immediately felt that the passion had disappeared, and he was healed. The angels asked: “Very much,” he replied. “I feel unusual relief, obviously completely freed from painful passion.” “Now return to your abode.” He returned five days later. The whole monastery was already mourning him. He appeared before the sisters, and then settled in a cell not far from the monastery, from where it was close to walk and do everything that was required in the monastery. He lived like this for forty years and, as his fathers assured, he never experienced passionate attraction to a woman. He died with this blessed gift of dispassion. If you perform a feat, do not let your heart rely on the fact that the feat itself will protect you. Tell your thoughts: “God hears me, who am in trouble, because he knows my bodily weakness.” When we try, according to the word of the apostle, to strive lawfully and be crowned, having defeated the unclean spirit of fornication, we will not rely on our strength or feat, but only on the help of our Master God. The unclean spirit will not stop its attacks on a person until he truly believes that he can free himself from this illness not through his own diligence, not at all through his labor, but only through the protection and help of God. Only then will he ascend to the heights of purity. Conquering the spirit of fornication is beyond human nature. It is beyond the power of the human body to pacify the excitement of the flesh and trample on pleasure. Man cannot, let us make a comparison, fly on his own wings to the highest and heavenly reward of holiness and become an imitator of the angels. Only the grace of God can pull him out of the pit of sin and lift him above the earth. People clothed with flesh can become like spiritual and intelligible angels only in one virtue - chastity. Chaste people, although they are still on earth and leading an earthly life, have, according to the apostle, residence in heaven (Phil 3:20). A sign that we have perfectly acquired this virtue can be the fact that no image representing something shameful enters the soul in a dream. Although such a movement cannot be considered a sin, it indicates that the soul is sick and has not yet freed itself from passion. Therefore, the shameful dreams that occur in our dreams only expose our previous negligence. We must realize how weak we are. The disease, lodged in the depths of the soul, reveals itself during the night in a dream. Those who have reached the pinnacle of holiness and purity no longer know night dreams, as well as movements of the flesh during wakefulness. 2. I knew one man in the Skete who surpassed other fathers by placing on himself the brightest crown of chastity. The very features of his appearance shone with the purity of his soul. By God's grace, he surpassed even human nature, for he no longer knew the natural excitement of the flesh. As I heard exactly from his friends, in fasts, vigils and tears he cried out to God for a long time so that He would grant him this gift of chastity, and the good Lord fulfilled his request. He saw in a dream that an angel cut open his womb and from the lower part took out the pulp of flaming flesh with his own hand, and then with one wave of his hand smoothed out the wound, so that no trace remained. The angel said: “I have taken away from you the instigator of carnal lust. From this day forward, know that God has granted you the purity that you firmly and persistently asked for.” The ascetic brother, troubled by a lustful thought, asked Abba Agathon: - Go, surrender your strength before God and you will find rest. 2. It was said about Amma Sarah that for thirteen years she steadfastly withstood the war with the demon of fornication and never prayed for the war to stop, but only said: “God, grant me strength.” One day, already very much oppressed by an unclean spirit, she entered her room to pray. The spirit of fornication appeared before her bodily and said: “You defeated me, Sarah.” “It was not I who defeated you, but my Lord Christ.” 3. One husband renounced the world, came to the Skete and became a monk. He was an ascetic. Through the envy of the evil one, he began to be overcome by a thirst for a woman. When the battle intensified, he told his fathers about it. They, knowing that he was a hard worker, advised him to perform special feats, and he willingly took up the task, and his body became so weak that he could no longer get up. By God's providence, one of the fathers came from afar to Skete and, bypassing all the fathers, came to him. He was surprised that the door was open and no one responded to his greeting. The guest thought that maybe his brother was sick. He knocked, but no one came to the knock. When he entered, he saw that the monk was lying sick, and asked him: “What is the matter with you, father?” He told him everything that happened to him, how he was overcome by fornication, how he told his fathers about it, and they assigned him various feats, from which his body weakened, but the abuse only intensified. Hearing this, the elder said: “The fathers are strong and rightly assigned feats to you. But listen to me, humble one. If there is no benefit from the feat, allow yourself to eat. Eat a little at the appointed hour and read the short rule. Cast your worries (Ps 54:23) and your weakness on the Lord. By your own strength you will not be able to overcome the war of fornication. Know that our body is like clothing: if you take care of it, it does not tear, but if you neglect it, it begins to smolder. The monk did so, and after a few days the abuse subsided from him. 4. One virgin hermit, who, perhaps, had not even seen women and did not know what fornication was, said that oud was given to a person like the neck of a jug to drain water. Raising his eyes, he saw demons, like Ethiopians - they were circling above him and kindling passion in him. His desire flared up, but due to his inexperience he did not understand where it was directed. Then the devil showed him how a man copulates with a woman. God, knowing how great the evil of the demon was, saved his brother from temptation and sent him to the great elder. The elder explained to his brother how to fight demons and blessed him. Having returned, the brother began to perform a feat, praying to God, and He honored him with such success that he was given a great gift as a reward - he saw the soul of each deceased brother, whether it was good or bad and where it was going. 5. A brother who lived in the desert suffered from the temptation of fornication. Once he saw a hyena’s hole, climbed into it and sat there without food for six days. When the hyena came, he was horrified by the sight of it and prayed: “Lord, if I defile my body, give it power over me, and if not, save me from it.” Then a voice rang out: “Scrap him and let him go,” and the abuse immediately retreated from him. Chapter 27: Why purity is honorable and fornication shameful, what they lead to and what is the reward for them in this life and the next Brother, do you want to know how serious and destructive fornication is? Think about this: those who could not be killed by the bites of snakes in the desert were cast into fornication in Midian, so that they even began to eat things sacrificed to idols. Twenty-three thousand of the people died in one day (Num. 25:1-9). One man asked the elder: “What should I do if I am greatly overcome by fornication temptation?” – Strengthen yourself against lustful thoughts with all your might. Indeed, from this thought in a person who has suffered defeat, despair of salvation arises. Like on a ship fighting against rough seas, storms and pitching, if the rudder breaks, then although the danger is great, it continues to sail, and if the sail breaks or the mast collapses, the ship will be saved only by good hope. So it is with a monk: he can still hope that through repentance he will be saved from passions if he is overcome by them through negligence and laziness. And if, having once submitted to the passion of fornication, that is, having been shipwrecked, he falls into despair, then his ship will sink. 2. The elder said: “One stalk of wormwood spoils a jar of honey, and bodily sin excludes the Kingdom of Heaven and consigns the soul to fiery hell. Avoid, poor monk, carnal sin.” Just as incense pleases the senses, so purity pleases the Holy Spirit, and He dwells in a person. Just as a pig bathes in a dirty ditch, so demons rejoice in the stench of fornication. In purity dwells great light and joy, peace and patience. And from fornication there is only sorrow and despondency, long sleep and impenetrable darkness. Love, monk, the purity in the love of Christ. It is as necessary to your lifestyle as an ax is to a carpenter. 2. Brother, do not like to decorate your body, forgetting all fear. Listen to what the apostle says: Flee youthful lusts (2 Tim 2:22). Don't you know what kind of enemy you're fighting? Don't you know that it is dangerous to tempt the soul of another person? Know also that if a person is outwardly decorated and handsome, but inside his soul is ugly, then his outer beauty will soon fade. And if a person acquires spiritual beauty, then the outer person will also be drawn to it, and beauty will remain (eternally). Chapter 28: About the fact that it is reprehensible to accept lustful thoughts and not reject them immediately, as well as to curiously examine, speak and listen to shameful things, for a disdainful attitude towards the action of the devil deserves punishment; and that the spirit of fornication invades a person with the help of a variety of tricks and therefore one must always be attentive In the Lavra of Saint Euthymius there was a brother named Emilian, a native of Rome. He lived a virtuous life, loving the virtue of chastity from his youth. One Sunday night the enemy kindled strong carnal warfare in him. He could barely resist, he was ready to give up and obey his thoughts. In this state, overwhelmed by lust, Emilian came to church service in the morning. A stench emanated from him, and the holy mentor realized what a heavy lust he was possessed by. So, the divine Euthymius, recognizing the evil intent of the enemy, forbade the crafty demon to embarrass the young monk. The brother immediately fell off his feet, began rolling on the ground, scratching himself and spewing foam. The monks surrounded him. Euthymius the Great ordered lamps to be brought to dispel the darkness in the church. He said: “You see, fathers and brothers, that the brother, who since his adolescence in life has done only virtue and was committed to chastity, is now, slightly succumbing to carnal passion, lying on the floor. For now we can only cry and sympathize with him. Therefore, let each of us guard his mind with all possible attention. Otherwise, we can forget ourselves, and the enemy will lure us with some temptation and throw us into the abyss of destruction. If any obscene thought comes into our minds, inciting us to intemperate lust, we must immediately go on the offensive and fight. If we show leniency towards ourselves, we will not only make ourselves dependent on sin, but, even without committing fornication physically, we will be guilty of fornication in our thoughts. The saint told what the Egyptian elders had once told him: – In one city there was a man whose life everyone considered worthy of surprise. Enriched with grace, he became close to God. But still, in reality, he angered God too often with the secret desires of his heart. He easily indulged in evil thoughts, and even though not in reality, he allowed sin in thought. And then one day he became seriously ill, could barely breathe, and it seemed that death was already on the doorstep. The whole city began to mourn, people of all ages lamented and asked that it would be better for them to die before him. They believed that it was better to face death themselves than to see the departure of their husband, whom every tongue in the city extolled. Meanwhile, a perspicacious old man came to the city. He saw how severe the nationwide grief was, and then heard the cries of the multitude, mingling with sobs: “Holy God, Father, our Savior, through his intercession before God we were all saved. Do we now have hope of salvation? Who does he leave us with?” The seer, seeing and hearing this, hurried to the dying man in order to receive his prayer and blessing. When he approached the house, he saw the most glorious citizens, he saw the entire priestly clergy, and among them the Bishop, holding candles in his hand and awaiting the removal of the body. Having pushed through the crowd and entered the room of the man lying on his deathbed, he found him barely breathing. With the innermost gaze of his mind, he saw something terrible that was impossible even to talk about without tears. He saw that a fiery trident was pierced into the heart of this man, with which his soul was violently and sorrowfully removed. Oh woe! He heard a voice from above: “His soul did not calm Me for a single day, so don’t you stop extracting it, tearing it out by force and punishing it.” Euthymius, having told those present about this vision, added teachings to it. He instructed the brothers to always be attentive and carefully prepare for the departure of the soul from the body. He said: – Let Emilian be an example for you. That is why God rejected him and allowed the vile demon of voluptuousness to shamefully and painfully torture him before your eyes, so that you would become better, so that his punishment would turn into a gain for you. Let us pray that God will have mercy on this man and deliver him from such unbearable deceit. The saint prayed for his brother, and the air was immediately filled with a stench, as if sulfur had been lit, and a voice was immediately heard: “I am a demon of fornication.” Henceforth, the brother maintained chastity and sobriety all his days and therefore became, according to the word of the divine Apostle, a chosen vessel (Acts 9:15). Having completed his speech, the great saint told the brothers that those of them who have to struggle with obscene thoughts should always strengthen themselves and constantly seek advice from their spiritual father, receiving consolation and guidance. If anyone hesitates even a little, he will fall, becoming a ready prey for the devil. 2. From the life of Saint Sava Once, blessed Savva went to the Jordan. He was accompanied by one of the novices who studied with him, a very young one. Many lay people came towards him, and among them was a rather beautiful girl, a trap for catching the unwary who do not know how to protect themselves. After the laymen had passed, Savva, in order to test the student, asked: -Did you notice the girl? It seemed to me that she was missing one eye. “No, father, both her eyes are fine,” the student objected. - What are you saying, child? Due to carelessness, she lost one eye. The student, not realizing that the wise teacher was testing him, said: - Why, I clearly saw what beautiful eyes she has, how can one forget their charm. – How do you know this, that you insist on it so convincingly? “I took a good look at her and saw for sure that she had both eyes.” It became clear that the student was trapped. The Divine Savva openly denounced him: - Why have you forgotten the commandment not to look at women, lest you be caught by your eyes? (Proverbs 6:25). From now on, don’t go with me and forget where my cell is, until you wean your gaze from wandering and get used to looking at the ground. Having said these words, the elder sent him to work in the barn. There the young man worked for a long time, finding good correction in his work. We can say that he fully repaid the voluptuous movement of his eye. He experienced true repentance and true heartache. After this, the blessed elder accepted the student back into the ranks of the brothers of his cell. 3. From the life of Saint Synclitia Blessed Syncletikia said to those gathered near her: “Each of us must know what he is called to, and not disgrace his title, but always strive for a higher one. Don't you know the Gospel parable about the hundredfold, sixtyfold and thirtyfold harvest? A hundredfold harvest is a monastic calling. Sixtyfold is the calling of those who remain virgins in the world. Thirty-fold - those who marry chastely. It is very good to go from thirtyfold to sixtyfold: after all, success from less to more is always good. And giving up more for less is unsafe. Anyone who has once chosen the worst is unlikely to remain in it - he will rush into the abyss of destruction. Some took a vow of virginity, but their intention turned out to be too weak, and their thoughts carried them away for the worse. Trying to find an excuse for their sin, they decided that if we live chastely in marriage, then in any case we will receive a thirty-fold harvest. But they do not act chastely, but very unwisely. This intention comes from the evil one. He who gives up the best for the worse becomes the enemy's plaything. A warrior who leaves the ranks is subject to trial as a deserter. He is not given a lower position in the army for a crime of honor, but is punished without leniency. We must go from the lesser to the greater, forgetting what is behind, as the apostle commanded, and reaching forward to what is ahead (Phil 3:13). As our rank requires of us, we must demonstrate the highest degree of chastity. What is considered a chaste life among the laity turns out to be anything but wise among us. After all, although they do not give over their body to depravity, they sin by depravity of all their senses. They look shamelessly, laugh uncontrollably. We will leave all this behind and ascend to the heights of virtue and keep our eyes from empty fantasies. As the Scripture says: Let your eyes look straight (Proverbs 4:25). The tongue must be prohibited from sinning so dishonestly. It is wicked to make shameful speeches instead of hymns. This can be achieved by leaving the monastery as rarely as possible. After all, thieves enter through our feelings, against our will. If there is smoke outside and the windows in the house are open, the room will certainly smell of smoke. Of course, we should never go to the market. If we consider it a serious and unseemly offense to see even brothers or parents naked, then how much more harmful is it for us to see in the squares those who walk around in shamefully revealing clothes, as well as to hear foul language. After all, even when we lock ourselves in our homes, we do not avoid embarrassment. Therefore, Scripture advises us: Be constantly awake, because you do not know at what hour your Lord will come (Matthew 24:42). The more we strengthen ourselves in chastity, the more cruel thoughts attack us. Like fighters: the more they succeed, the more powerful opponents they have to fight. Look how far you are from God, and don’t let the present bother you. Have you overcome real, material fornication? The enemy will begin to confuse you through feelings. Even if you overcome sensual fornication, he will begin to seek access to your mind in order to start a non-material battle in you. For ascetics who perform the feat of silence, it will remind them of the beautiful faces of young men and their former love speeches. There is no need to pay attention to these dreams. The Scripture says: If the possessing spirit (i.e. Satan) comes against you, do not leave your place (Eccl. 10:4). One combination with such fantasies is tantamount to fornication among the laity, because the stronger, as the Scripture says, will be tortured more severely (Wis 6:6). The struggle against the spirit of fornication is a great struggle. After all, fornication is the most important of the enemy’s evils that destroys the soul. Blessed Job spoke of the devil in a riddle: his strength is in his loins (Job 40:11). The devil raises the goad of fornication against Christ-loving people, using many different tricks. Often the malicious devil turns brotherly love into his usual harm. He confuses the virgins who have avoided marriage and all the troubles of life with sisterly relationships. And he lures monks who have avoided all sorts of prodigal images with conversations that seem reverent. This is what the enemy always does - he distorts someone else’s things in order to secretly put his own into action. He places a grain of wheat, and under it is a net. We should always be sober and, mindful of the enemy’s malice, protect ourselves. I think it was precisely about prodigal enemies that the Lord said that they come to us in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). Be wise as serpents and simple as doves (Matthew 10:16). Let us oppose the devil’s machinations with our clever and skillful thoughts, so that his traps do not hide from us. Like must be recognized by like, and we will show the purity of doves by the purity of our deeds. Therefore, we need to always be attentive and, understanding how terrible the enemy is at war with us, protect ourselves from all his evil intentions. After all, as I already said, he fights us with external affairs and invades our very thoughts, preferring to act from within. To fight the demon of fornication, a feat of labor and unceasing prayer are required. Ascetic endeavor and prayer are common antidotes against every destructive thought. But special reflections should also be used against this misfortune, opposing to it what is incompatible with it. If the devil presents to the eye of the mind an imaginary image of a beautiful face, the mind must crush this created idol with a word. You need to mentally remove (from the vision) the eyes, remove the skin from the cheeks, cut off the lips - and you will be left with an unsightly picture of bare flesh and veins. Then you will understand what you desire. If you think about it, the lover’s entire body is completely fetid rot, which decomposes into pus and dust, as a corpse should. Better yet, mentally imagine this flesh as dead. Then the mind, shocked by the ugliness it has seen, will extinguish its lust and rush away from all deception and delusion. He will understand that his beloved is nothing more than blood diluted with mucus, and a skin membrane that is only suitable for worms to grow in it. Then the mind will retreat from all voluptuousness and, with the help of God, will be able to easily cope with all the lust that has flared up under the belly. Brother! The ancients sacrificed bulls, rams and lambs to the Lord, and we offered our bodies to Him in the Holy Spirit. Let us not defile it or desecrate it with unlawful things, so as not to be put to death as blasphemers, but let us keep it holy and pleasing to God. To preserve his holiness for people, than the mind is sober, the memory of God is enough, which, like the rays of the sun, illuminates the entire human heart. And those who are not yet capable of sober thoughts need examples to achieve this virtue. Let's take as an example worldly artists glorifying the participants in the war. They draw pictures on the walls and boards, carefully reproducing the entire course of the battle. In these pictures one can see how the enemies are running, and the victors are pursuing them, throwing spears and arrows at them and mowing them down like ripe wheat, and they fall pathetically and lose their lives with horror on their faces. Many artists also paint the exploits of saints in houses of prayer in order to awaken zeal in those who are lazy at heart, and to remind them that these ascetics emerged victorious from the battle with their enemies. In this way, our entire life will be depicted in every detail and raised to a height so that all heavenly, earthly and underground forces can see it on the day of Judgment. Therefore, let us try to be virtuous so that nothing shameful or vicious comes into the picture. There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed (Mt 10:26). It is shameful to see a picture of a husband having unholy copulation with a woman, especially if he is a monk. And if he copulates with a man, as it is said, men commit disgrace on men (Rom. 1:27), then no one will be able to even look at this image. He is disgusting and truly vile. If we do not even want to look at such dishonor and shame of creation, then we must think about it when shameful thoughts overcome us. Then, ashamed and frozen with embarrassment, we will overcome passion with the Assistance of grace. We must guard our body from sin, so as not to lie before the Creator. We have offered ourselves as a gift to the Lord and no longer have power over our body. They oppress us, fight with us, and we can no longer dispose of this gift of our own free will. The prayer book brings a gift of prayer, we bring the gift to God through the priest in the church and no longer have the power to take back what we brought. You cannot even repent of what you have done, and if you secretly take away what you brought, this will no longer be the return of property, but criminal sacrilege. So, whoever has sanctified himself to God no longer has power over his body. If you are troubled by lust, look into the coffin and see the secret of our nature: the bones are mixed in a heap, the skulls are stripped of their shell, the skeleton is naked. Having considered this, let's imagine ourselves in their place. Where is the blooming beauty? Where is the cute blush and other charm? Such thoughts will extinguish the burning of the flesh. You can also humble and overcome passion with other thoughts through the assistance of God. The enemy often annoys the monk, heating up his flesh and instilling in him such thoughts: “How long can you endure the burden and torment of passion? Fulfill your desire at least once, and it will leave you, and you will still have time to repent. And what's the matter? One hour and it's over. God is humane and merciful, He will accept your repentance.” This is what a brother should boldly answer to the enemy’s false assurances: “O enemy of our kind, opponent of salvation! You convince me that I have been suffering for a long time. I will say: Lord, look at my suffering and my exhaustion and forgive all my sins (Ps 24:18), and He will free me like a widow (Luke 18:3-8) from you, troublemaker. Don’t you know that the more often a beast eats flesh, the angrier it becomes? So, do I really believe that if I satisfy my lust once, it will disappear? And why do you promise me that if I corrupt my flesh, I will find time to repent, and will not be condemned along with those who practice iniquity. Our life on earth is a shadow. But in an hour you can commit even less of a sin; you can take a sword and commit suicide. Therefore, I won’t listen to you, I don’t want to lose in an hour the eternal treasure that I have collected for so many years, working so hard to achieve virtue. And I can dispel this in a short moment, so that I can become your prisoner! Are you saying that this matter is insignificant? Listen, enemy of our life, robber, how highly valued are those who have conquered through piety the passion that you call insignificant, and what punishment have those conquered by this passion been subjected to? The wise Joseph, not allowing himself to be defeated, is glorified in all generations and exalted in heaven and on earth. And the shame of the Egyptian woman causes laughter all over the world, who hasn’t heard of her? Blessed Susanna is praised by everyone to this day and forever, because she did not succumb to lust, but for the sake of maintaining chastity she despised even death. And the elder judges, who were entrusted with the rule of the people, overcome by passion, were stoned, and their very name was passed down as shameful from generation to generation. Depart from me, worker of iniquity, enemy of souls. The Lord God gave people His Holy Spirit. The Lord overtakes you and tramples all your tricks and cunning, even though you wait like a lion to devour my soul. The sweetness of your speeches is bitterness, and evenness is an abyss leading to destruction. And your gifts are full of corruption and death. Are you instilling in me the thought of offending the greatest grace received from my Lord, and of grieving the Holy Spirit, whose seal I received on the day of redemption, so as to make my members the members of a harlot (1 Cor 6:15)? To lose sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord. To fall away from the endless joy and glory of my Lord and to inherit with you the unquenchable fire and the undying worm and other eternal torments that God has prepared for you and your angels. Would you call this insignificant? I know that if I listen to you, you will rush to announce my death to your father Satan, rejoicing in my fall. And I will be ashamed to even look at my Father. I don't even want to listen to you, devil. It is better for me when you annoy me like a dog than when you laugh wildly at my suffering. Lord, give me a strong refuge where I can always hide. The Lord is the strength of my life: whom shall I fear? (Ps 26:1; 70:3). I trust in God, and I will be saved from your ambushes. And then, beloved, remind yourself of the terrible Gehenna and sorrowful torment, and from the fear of its fire the flame of passion will go out in you. If you want, I will present you with a small picture of torment in Gehenna, so that with this small example you understand that boundless and unbearable pain. You've probably been to a bathhouse and seen men washing themselves jumping out of the steam room into a bathhouse with cold water. Behold, the hot flame will welcome the sinners, but there will be no cold water in front of them, no door or exit, no glimmer of light, no breath of coolness, and no one will come to the rescue or console, even if you scream with all your might. The Scripture says: Judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy (James 2:13). Have you seen the stove that heats the bathhouse? She intimidates just by approaching her. And in Gehenna it is not burning wood, but divine fire that incinerates the wicked, and their sins fan this fire with all their might, making the torment unbearable. As the Scripture says, there is wrath and anger, sorrow and distress to every soul of a person who does evil... (Rom 2:8-9). So, brother, think about this, and the lust for pleasure in your mind will be resolved, like wax melts from fire (Ps 67:3). Guard your eyes and turn them away, so that they will not see vanity. A fierce traitor is vision, turning back and forth. From other senses the mind briefly perceives abuse. When the impression stops and another begins, the abuse subsides and disappears. And through the eyes the enemy attacks fiercely, even when the object of passion has long been absent from them, he continues to torment the soul and inflame desires. Tell me one more thing. You heard pleasant music and moved on. Then you heard the voice of sorrow and the cry of pain, and sadness destroyed all the pleasant impressions in you. Or first you ate honey, and then took something bitter, and the impression will no longer be the sweetness of the honey, but pure bitterness. Likewise with the sense of smell: first it felt the fragrance, then the stench, and the pleasantness of the first was suppressed by the unpleasantness of the second. It’s the same with the sense of touch: you put your hand in cold water, then in hot water, and you felt hot, not cold. And the abuse that entered through the distracted eye, whether there is a reason for it or not, scorches the mind with lust. Moreover, in shameful dreams it inflames the heart with lust. Demons, having found a loophole in the thought, decorate the temptation in the mind and, capturing the mind, try to plunge it into voluptuousness. Therefore, the Scripture says: the excitement of lust corrupts a gentle mind (Wis 4:12). When a person’s vision fails, sin begins, into which the mind, if it does not begin to sober up, will gradually become completely involved. The Lord warns about this: Anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28). Eradicate this fornication by always looking with your bodily gaze to the ground, and with your spiritual gaze upward. Abstinence will help you with this. As it is said: he who holds back his belly also holds back his eyes. Avoid shameful conversations and then you will drive away unclean thoughts. When you are in a city or village, turn your gaze downward, so that (later) there will be no fighting in your cell. If you stop for a drink of water or for urgent reasons, be vigilant and remember that God is watching over you. And when you go to sleep, do not take off your belt and train yourself not to touch your body with your hands, for there are many passions in it that overwhelm your heart. While you are young, never agree to sleep in the same bed with anyone except your brother and Abba, and not carelessly, but with fear. Guard your eyes when you dress, and although you are young, do not wear good clothes until you become a mature husband, for this is a cure for you. Do not live where you have sinned before God, and beware of becoming captive to the memory of sin, otherwise it may renew itself in you. Guard your eyes and heart and avoid evil glances. Whoever looks at another with pleasure commits adultery. If physical beauty captures your heart, remember what a stench it turns into, and you will calm down. If you like female beauty, remember that beauty also dies, and you will find peace in your soul. Be strict with yourself: just as you abstain from fornication, so avoid lust of the eyes, hearing, tongue and touch, so that your eyes are turned to yourself and to handicrafts, and do not pay attention to others unless absolutely necessary and do not look in vain at a beautiful husband and wife. Do not allow your ears to listen to unhelpful conversations, and keep your lips closed and do not open them unless absolutely necessary. All passions have one battlefield - the soul. Only there are two types of prodigal warfare: soul and body. Therefore, a double struggle must be waged against it. Here, physical fasting alone is not enough to achieve perfect chastity and true purity, if it is not accompanied by contrition of heart, fervent prayer to God, orderly study of the Holy Scriptures, labor and handicraft. Only they are able to restrain the base impulses of the soul and turn it away from lustful desires. But most of all, humility leads the soul to victory, without which no one is able to overcome either fornication or other passions. So, first of all, we must carefully protect our hearts from unclean thoughts, for from the heart, as the Lord says, come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications... (Matthew 15:19) and so on. Thus, fasting is given to us not only to curb the body, but also to sober the mind, so that it does not become darkened by the multitude of dishes and does not lose firm power over thoughts. Therefore, we should take care not only of bodily fasting, but also of attentive attention to thoughts and spiritual teaching, without which it is not possible to rise to the height of true purity. We will try to clean the bowl first of all from the inside so that the outside is also clean. So the Physician of our souls gave us a remedy against the very root of the disease. That is why he said: Anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 15:19). He said this not so much to correct curious and shameless eyes, but to protect the soul that is in us and uses the eyes given to us by God for good purposes to its own evil. And wisdom teaches: guard your eyes, and guard your heart above all else (Proverbs 4:23). In a word, He placed healing care and strict supervision in the heart, so that it would not use the eyes according to its whim. Then the heart will become the source of our purification. If by chance a devil-inspired memory of a woman comes to mind—a mother, a sister, or some pious woman—let us immediately banish her from our hearts. We cannot indulge in such memories for a long time, because the all-evil deceiver of our souls will take advantage of this opportunity to introduce images of other persons and shameful pictures into our minds. The commandment that the Lord gave to his first creatures instructs to beware of the head of the serpent (See: Gen. 3:15), i.e. reasons that give rise to evil thoughts with the help of which the enemy seeks to get into our soul. If we accept the head, that is, the seductive thought, then we accept the rest of its body, that is, we accept the temptation, and after that we descend with our minds to a lawless act. For this, God's punishment awaits us, as the Holy Scripture warns, from early morning I will destroy all the wicked of the earth (Ps. 101.8), i.e. to discern sinful thoughts with the light of knowledge and destroy them from the earth, which is our heart, according to the teaching of the Lord, when evil thoughts are still like babies, whom the Holy Scripture calls the sons of Babylon (Ps 136:8-9). For if evil thoughts become stronger due to our indulgence, then we will have to spend a lot of work and tears to defeat them. You should also know that in this battle, vigilance provides great help to the ascetic. Just as chastity and great zeal during the day prepare for holiness at night, so night vigil for God ensures the purity of the day for the soul. The brother, troubled by thoughts of fornication, asked Abba Cyril of Alexandria: “If you have no thoughts,” the elder answered, “then you will only have to commit a sin in practice.” This means: whoever does not mentally fight sin will have nothing to oppose when sin goes to war against him and he commits a sin physically. “But whoever sins in practice is not bothered by any thoughts,” the elder answered and asked: “Didn’t you have the habit of communicating with a woman?” “No,” answered the brother, “but my thoughts are the same as those of ancient and modern painters.” That is: I am confused by memories and mental images. – Do not be afraid of the dead, but avoid the living and strengthen your prayer. He called past memories dead, and personal communication alive. 2. Avva Anuv asked Abba Pimen: – What to do with unclean thoughts that are born in a person’s heart. “Only the worker will glorify the hoe,” answered Abba Pimen, “But don’t give them your hand, and they will disappear.” 3. The same Abba Pimen said: “A person must fight with two thoughts: fornication and slander, and never slander anyone, don’t even think about it in your heart. If he simply wants to understand these thoughts, he will not receive any benefit, but will suffer harm. Only by freeing oneself from these two thoughts will a person find peace. And the one who runs to God and drives them away is freed from these thoughts. 4. The brother asked one of the fathers: – What should I do if my thoughts always fall into fornication and do not allow me to rest even for a short time, and my soul grieves? “When demons sow thoughts, do not talk to them,” answered the elder. - For this is their business - to inspire thoughts. They do not forget about him, but they do not force a person to follow his thoughts. It depends on you whether to agree with the thought or reject it. Do you know what the Midianites did? They adorned their daughters and placed them before the Israelites, but did not force anyone - the Israelites of their own free will fell with their daughters, although others were outraged, threatened and even killed the Jews. Do the same with your thoughts: when they begin to tell you something, do not answer them, but get up, pray and bow to the ground with the words: “Son of God, have mercy on me and help me in my weakness.” And soon you will see how the wax melts from the fire (Ps 67:3), and these thoughts will disappear. 5. One of the fathers said: “The passion of fornication is manifold, the apostle says: But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness should not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints (Eph 5:3). Fornication is a bodily action, and uncleanness is touching the body. Laughter and impudence of speech, even if someone wants to instruct in piety or correct a neighbor, cause lust because they awaken passion. Often even the smell of a lover’s clothes, not just touch or speech, gives rise to passion. A monk must be sober every hour, otherwise from carelessness he may fall into all of the above. He will first intensify his passion, turning it into a painful and almost irresistible one, and then he will suffer great damage and harm.” 6. One of the fathers spoke about lustful thoughts that arise in the heart, but are not accomplished, that is, not fulfilled in practice. It’s like seeing a vineyard and wanting to eat the grapes with all your soul, but being afraid to go in and steal, lest he be captured and executed like a thief. And if he stays behind the fence and just watches, he too might be captured. Of course, he did not enter and did not try someone else’s, but only coveted it, so he will not be executed, but will be scourged for coveting someone else’s. He did not actually commit a sin, therefore he deserved not death, but scourging.” - I fight with prodigal passion. “If fornication is good,” said the elder, “then why do you turn away from it and leave the world?” And if it’s evil, then why are you looking for it? 8. It so happened that one brother mentally committed fornication with his fellow traveler, went and told the fathers about it: - What should I do, because my heart is not at peace, that I surrendered in battle with the enemy and, giving in to thoughts, is the same as sinning in practice? – The sin was not committed, but the enemy acted in you, tempting you, and God protected you. But the brother did not believe them and continued to suffer. Then the fathers told him how two brothers, sent from Kinovia to the village, went together, and the demon attacked the eldest of them five times so that he would sin with the younger, but, enduring a terrible temptation, he all the time performed the feat of unceasing prayer. When the brothers returned to their elder, the elder brother, out of fear, did not even dare to look at him. He fell on his face before the elder and said: “Pray for me, father, for I have fallen into fornication,” and he told me what a battle was going on in his mind.” The perspicacious old man saw five crowns above his head and said to him: “Be brave, child! You were not defeated, but, on the contrary, you won, because you did not commit a sin.” “So you, brother,” said the elders, “have courage and do not grieve, because the sin was not actually committed.” The Great Controversy, when a person, having the opportunity to sin, was able to resist temptation. The greater the bribe he accepts, the harder and more fiercely the enemy fights him. What do you think about blessed Joseph, was it easy for him when Potiphar’s wife desired him (Gen. 39:7)? Was it really easy for him to accomplish his feat? It was as if he was fighting in the arena, as God and the angels watched the battle, and the devil and demons inflamed that wife more and more. He fought with great difficulty and tension, as if on a battlefield, and this fighter was watched from heaven by God and a host of holy angels. The devil fought with him with all his crafty army, arousing passion in the husband and increasingly embittering the woman. And when the valiant fighter won, all the faces of the angels loudly glorified God: “The warrior won an unprecedented victory.” Of course, brother, it is good not to commit evil even in memory. But if evil tempts you, don’t give up, but keep fighting.” 9 . The elder said: “If fornication besieges your body or heart, find where the onslaught began and correct yourself. This may be from a long sleep, from arrogance, or from the fact that you consider yourself more beautiful than someone, or condemn your neighbor for sin. If a person does not know these passions, even fornication will not overcome him.” 10. He said: “If you have fallen into fornication, and the person with whom you sinned is not far from the place where you live, get away from there, otherwise you will not repent.” 11. The brother asked the elder about bodily passions, that is, about lustful thoughts, and the elder answered: “They are like the flute players who glorified the image built by Nebuchadnezzar. If the flute players had not misled the people, they would not have worshiped the idol. So demons play in the soul on the instruments of passions, that is, they awaken passions, just to mislead it and convince it to fall into sin in practice.” Treat the demon of fornication strictly, like a dog, and never listen to thoughts. From a spark the coals flare up, and from an evil memory evil lusts increase. Run away from memories like the stench of a sewer. 2. One brother, overcome by the temptation of fornication, forbade the demon: “Get lost into darkness, Satan! Don’t you know that although I am unworthy, I have members of Christ?” Immediately the flame of passion died out, as if a draft had extinguished a candle. The brother himself was surprised at this and glorified the Lord. 3. When you work, if you are troubled by the spirit of fornication, do not hesitate to raise your hands to heaven in prayer. And if the onslaught of temptation intensifies, kneel down and pray, bowing down. Then prayer, done with faith, will become your best ally. Chapter 29: About avoiding conversations with women and anything that arouses lust A monk named John lived in the city of Liko on top of a mountain. One day we went to see him and he told us the following story. In the nearby desert there was a monk, a stern ascetic, who earned his bread by handicrafts and excelled in virtues through constant prayers. But unfortunately, he relied too much on himself and his righteous lifestyle and was tempted, like Job. One day, late in the evening, a ghost appeared to him - a pretty woman who was walking through the desert, saw that the door was open in his cave, entered and, falling at the feet of the monk, began to ask for shelter, because it was already dark. The monk showed too frivolous carelessness. He took pity on the stranger and even kept her with him; moreover, he began to ask how she got lost. The guest began to tell, lie and flatter him. She smiled, laughed, took his hand, ruffled his beard, gently caressed his neck, and he was ready for anything. A lustful passion took possession of him. The poor fellow was just waiting for the right moment to fulfill his desire and was only thinking about how to get close to her, mad with passion, like a stallion. Suddenly she screamed loudly, slipped out of his hands and disappeared like a shadow. There was loud laughter from many demons. They mocked the monk, denouncing him that he had succumbed to deception: “Everyone who exalts himself will humble himself. You ascended to heaven, and now you have humbled yourself to hell.” The monk cried his eyes out all night. He lost hope of salvation, which was no longer of any use, and returned to the world. This is a demonic trick: first to overcome, and then to plunge into despair so that he never dares to rise again. Therefore, children, let us know that it is not useful for us to talk with women. On the contrary, such communication will cause considerable harm. After all, the image of a woman can be indelibly imprinted in our memory, and we will remember her appearance and voice. So, Peter, when I talked about the deeds of great men, I remembered Bishop Andrew of Fundia, because it was to him that God’s mercy was shown. I would especially advise readers who exhaust their bodies with abstinence not to dare to live together with the female sex, so that their thoughts do not lead them into great sins. After all, spiritual decline occurs the faster the more reasons for sinful desires that arise from the proximity of the female sex. There is no doubt about it, because the number of witnesses to its truth is almost equal to the number of inhabitants of this city. The life of the pious Andrei was filled with many deeds of virtue. Maintaining strict chastity became a matter of sacred vigilance for him. Having become a bishop, he did not want to deprive the nun who had previously lived with him of his care, but, firmly confident in his and her chastity, he allowed her to live with him. The primordial enemy decided to take advantage of this in order to open access to temptation into his soul. He began to constantly show the image of this woman to the bishop’s imagination, so that unclean thoughts did not leave him even in bed. One day a Jew, on his way from Campania to Rome, passed through Appia. Having reached Mount Fundus, when the day was already approaching evening, and not seeing shelter anywhere, he stopped at the church of Apollo, whom he passed by. Fearing this demonic abode, he protected himself with the sign of the cross, although he did not believe in Christ at all. At midnight, when the very silence of the night was terrifying, he could not sleep. Suddenly he saw a crowd of evil spirits appear in the church, forming a certain retinue accompanying the prince of darkness. He, it was immediately clear that he was the main one among them, sat down in the middle of the church and began to ask each of the spirits accompanying him about their deeds and activities, wanting to know how much evil each of them had done. Every spirit he asked reported how he seduced virtuous people. Then the one who aroused carnal lust in Bishop Andrei through the representation of the nun who lived with him came forward with a report. The demonic prince eagerly listened to the report and considered such an acquisition all the more important for himself, because the evil one was inclined to disastrously fall the soul of the saint. Meanwhile, the demon admitted that hitherto he could not do anything except that last night he allowed the bishop to touch the nun with a passionate thought. Then the prince, the age-old enemy of the human race, began to gently persuade the narrator to complete what he had begun, assuring him that for seducing the holy soul he would receive the palm before all spirits. The Jew did not sleep and saw it clearly. But a thrill of fear and horror seized him when the demonic prince ordered his subordinates to find out who dared to spend the night in their church. Evil spirits approached the Jew and, looking carefully, saw that he was protected by the sign of the cross, and exclaimed in fear: “Oh, this is an empty sealed vessel!” After these words, the demonic gathering disappeared. The Jew, who saw and heard this, immediately stood up and hurried to the bishop. Finding the bishop in the church, he took him aside and began to ask what temptation especially tormented him. The bishop was ashamed to admit it. When the Jew said that the bishop was tormented by unclean love for the nun, and the bishop did not confess even after that, the Jew added: “Why don’t you admit what I’m asking?” Wasn’t it you last night that you were brought to such a temptation that you allowed yourself to passionately touch the nun? Seeing himself convicted by these words, the bishop humbly confessed to everything that he had hitherto persistently denied. The Jew, not wanting to allow the bishop's shameful fall, told him how he learned about this matter and what he heard about the bishop in the meeting of evil spirits. Then, with a feeling of repentance and prayer, the bishop threw himself to the ground and immediately removed from his home not only that nun, but also all the other women who were in his obedience, and in the church of Apollo he built a church to the holy Apostle Andrew. Having completely freed himself from carnal temptation and, by the grace of God, having completely gotten rid of it, he led the Jew to eternal life. He taught him the mysteries of the faith and, having cleansed him with the water of Baptism, accepted him into the bosom of the holy Church. Thus, this Jew, by caring for the salvation of another, acquired salvation for himself, and Almighty God attracted one to a virtuous life, thereby serving to preserve the virtue of the other. Peter: Your words give me fear and hope. Gregory: We must always hope for God’s mercy towards us and be wary of our weaknesses. Behold, we heard how the cedar of paradise shook, but stood firm: so that in us, unconfirmed, there would arise both fear of its vibration and faith in its strength. In Campania, on Mount Mars, a very virtuous man named Martin lived as a hermit. He remained in seclusion for many years in the most cramped cave. From the stone of the cave, by the grace of almighty God, drops of water came out, which was enough to meet his daily needs. But the primordial enemy of the human race, envious of the saint’s virtues, tried to expel him from the cave. To do this, having possessed a snake, his favorite reptile, he crawled into the cave when the saint prayed and lay down before him. When the saint was thrown to the ground, the serpent remained lying next to him. The hermit, without any fear, raised his hand or foot to the snake’s mouth and said: – If you dare to sting me, I allow it. This went on for three years. Finally, the ancient enemy, defeated by the firmness of the saint, withdrew from the cave howling. The serpent rushed along the slope of the mountain into the abyss and burned all the vegetation in its path with the flames emanating from its mouth. So the devil, having retreated in disgrace, was forced by God’s dispensation to show how great the virtue was the man who defeated him. Think about how high-spirited the man was who lived unharmed next to the serpent for three years. Peter: Wow! I listened in awe! Gregory: This pious man, at the first time of his seclusion, made it a rule not to see a woman’s face anymore, but not out of contempt for the female sex, but for fear of falling into temptation. One woman found out about this and shamelessly ventured up the mountain to the cave itself. But the saint saw her from afar and, realizing by her dress who it was, began to pray and, throwing his face to the ground, remained prostrate until the shameless woman, tired of waiting, moved away from the window of his cell. But on the same day, as soon as she descended from the mountain, she died, showing by her death that Almighty God rewarded the offender of His saint. 4. From the life of Saint Simeon in Mandra One woman was overcome by a divine desire to see with her own eyes the great Simeon (Stylite) and to be worthy of his grace and blessing. But her desire could not be fulfilled: the pillar was surrounded by a fence through which no woman could pass. But this most virtuous woman, completely engulfed in the fire of love for good, rushed with her thoughts towards her goal. One day several soldiers came to see the saint. She also put on a soldier's uniform, so that she was no longer recognizable, and, in order to avoid any suspicion, she mounted a horse and rode with them. The journey on horseback was not long. When they arrived at the fence, all the soldiers dismounted and asked a woman to guard these horses, not knowing who she really was. She happily agreed, agreeing that they, in turn, would guard her horse when they saw the saint and returned. The soldiers came to the saint and received the spiritual benefit they desired, and the divine Simeon said to them: – There is one soldier standing behind the fence. When you return, tell him: “The prayer of your soul has reached the ears of the Lord, and the Lord God, who searches the intentions and thoughts of the heart, has blessed you. You are blessed before the Lord, and the goal of the journey has been achieved, so do not think about entering here.” After Simeon’s words, the soldiers headed beyond the fence, amazed at the prophecies of their husband and admiring the declared virtue of the imaginary soldier. When they went outside the fence, they reported the words of the saint and began to question the blessed woman for a long time about who he was, where he came from and how he managed to achieve such great holiness. They said: “Simeon’s honey-drinking and sweet lips often mentioned you. This means that a treasure of virtues invisible to the world is hidden in you. She realized that nothing about her was hidden from the saint. She told, against her will, everything that had happened to her, adding: - Brothers, for a long time I was possessed by a holy desire to go to see this divine man and see with my own eyes the grace of the Holy Spirit abiding on him. But since women are not allowed to enter the fence, I considered it necessary to hide my nature (after all, I am a woman) and invent a new look for myself. But this husband knows the secret, and it did not hide from him, so I am going back so as not to contradict his command. I have already been worthy of the blessing, having received it not by deception, and I have enjoyed the grace of the one I wanted to see, that is, Simeon himself. So said this pious woman, and the soldiers, admiring the holy man even more, each went their own way. 5. From the life of St. Martinian The Monk Martinian lived for a long time in the desert, adorning himself with all sorts of virtues, but through the action of the devil, he found himself on the brink of an abyss. He received in his cell a woman whom the devil had sent to him to seduce the righteous man. This woman said that it was night outside, that she was lost and afraid of dying, and meanwhile she tried to turn his head with seductive speeches and lead him into sin. But at the last moment, by the grace of God, having come to his senses from passion, he cruelly punished himself: he lit a fire and stood in it until he burned his legs to the bones. Thus, with a burning fire he extinguished the flame of lust and avoided death. He had to spend seven months in his cell because his burns prevented him from walking. When the pain passed, he left his cell, came to the seashore, and some pious sailor ferried him to a cliff barely visible from the water, far from land. The saint settled there, and the sailor brought him water and bread. But even there the enemy brought upon him a temptation greater than before. Six years after Martinian settled on a tiny cliff, all the time seeing only the sky above him, in the seventh year the enemy waited for a ship on which many men and women were traveling to pass by, and with a strong gust of wind he smashed the ship against a rock. All those on the ship drowned. Only one girl, a very young one, grabbed the board and was able to swim to the cliff. Swimming up to him, she began to shout: - Have mercy on me, servant of God, unhappy, perishing. Stretch out your hand quickly, now the waves will completely cover me. The blessed elder understood that the girl was about to die, and that only he could save her. He smiled and said: “You came up with this too, you wicked devil!” But you cannot defeat the power of Christ, in which alone I trust. And, turning his gaze to the sky, the elder said: - Lord, Lord, I trust in you, do not let me perish saving someone in distress, but arrange salvation for my soul. Having said these words, he extended his hand to the woman and pulled her out of the water. Looking at her and seeing that she was beautiful, he said: – Hay and fire cannot be together. You and I cannot live together, because the evil one will destroy us both. So stay here and don't be afraid. There is bread and water here, and a shipman will soon arrive to bring me everything I need. When he comes, tell us how it all happened, and he will pick you up and take you to the city. After this, the monk crossed the water and prayed: - God, You command the sea, The winds obey You. Look down on me and don't let me die. In Your name, which is wonderful and terrible, I surrender myself to the terrible sea. I believe that it is better to die than to be caught by bodily passion. Then the monk turned to the girl and, having read a prayer for the salvation of her soul, threw himself into the sea. He was immediately picked up by two dolphins and, carrying his husband on their backs, they carried him to the shore. When the monk set foot on earth, he thanked God for such a miraculous deliverance. Then he wondered what he should do, because his thoughts were in turmoil. He said to himself: “Neither on the mountains nor in the waters does the enemy give you peace. It is better to obey the command of Christ: When they persecute you in one city, flee to another (Matthew 10:23). Having said this, he headed down the road, repeating: “Run, Martinian, don’t let temptation overtake you, run, humble monk.” So he ran, not staying in any place, until his death. 6. From the life of Saint Arseny When Arsenius the Great was living near Canopus, a very rich and pious synclitica (consul's wife) came from Rome to see the monk. She was immediately warmly received by Archbishop Theophilos. The woman began to persistently ask the archbishop to convince the saint to meet with her. The archbishop went to the elder and began to fervently ask him to receive an important person. But he did not agree, although Theophilus tried his best to persuade him and reminded him with what difficulty she had come all the way. He presented convincing arguments to Arseny, but he remained adamant. When the guest found out about this, she was upset - after all, she was driven by faith and the desire to see the saint. She was not afraid of work, was not embarrassed by anything and, despising danger, set off on her own just to see him. She herself went to him and, seeing the elder, bowed at his feet. He picked her up angrily and said sternly: - If you want to see my face, look here. The woman couldn’t even look up at him out of shame. “Don’t you know my affairs?” - he added. – You need to look at them. And how did you dare to sail such a long way to get here? Don’t you know that you are a woman and should not go out anywhere? Or would you just return to Rome and boast again: “I saw Arsenius,” and the sea will become the path through which women will come to me endlessly? “If it is God’s will, I will not allow anyone to come here, but pray for me and always remember me.” “I pray to God,” he said, “that the memory of you will be erased from my heart.” Hearing this, the woman left in great embarrassment. When she returned to the city, she developed a fever from her worries, and she informed Blessed Archbishop Theophilus that she was sick. He hurried towards her. She named the reason for her illness. The Archbishop began to console her with meekness and compassion: – Could you really get sick from these words? These are not words of anger, but of great hope. Don't you know that you are a woman, and through women the enemy fights against the saints? That’s why the elder said so, and he always prays for your soul. So the archbishop healed her grief, and she returned home. The brother asked the elder: “If a monk went to serve and a woman met him on the way, how could he avoid sexual immorality? - Most likely, abuse cannot be avoided, but sin can be avoided if you do not return her greeting. Just as flint combined with sulfur produces fire, so the conversation of a woman meeting a man leads to sin. 2. Abba Isaac said: “Monks should not live next to young men, because it was because of them that four churches in the Skete were deserted. 3. The elder said that a young man who inserts a word in the conversation of his elders is like a husband throwing fire into his brother’s bosom. Brother, if you are talking to age with a youthful and blooming blush, guard your eyesight, otherwise your mind will be captured by lust, and you will begin to whisper passionate speeches to him. You will only talk about chastity out of the corner of your lips, and your soul will begin to debauch with all its might. If you have to talk to a young man, always look at the ground and end the conversation as quickly as possible, returning to your usual silence. Scripture says: She captivated him with many sweet words (Proverbs 7:21). A good deed, brothers, and suitable for all of us who have fled forever from the world and promised God to keep ourselves pure and blameless, to avoid conversations with women and, if possible, not to see them at all. The female form is an arrow filled with poison. If it wounds the soul, the poison will immediately begin to spread throughout the soul, and the longer the arrow is not removed, the greater the misfortune it will cause. Just as if a spark smolders in a rag, a fire will occur, so the memory of a woman, abiding in the soul, arouses lust. Just as oil feeds the wick of a lamp, meeting a woman causes passion to burn. Let us avoid meeting women who poison and almost immediately kill the soul. Let's listen to what divine Scripture says about meetings with women. Thus, the Pritochnik says: From the woman the beginning of sin and through her we all die. And further: Do not give water a way out, nor an evil woman power (Sir 25:27–28). And again: Do not desire her beauty in your heart [lest you be caught by your eyes] and do not let her captivate you with her eyelashes, because because of a prodigal wife they become poor to a piece of bread (Proverbs 6:25-26). She captivated him with many kind words, and with the softness of her lips took possession of him. He immediately followed her, like an ox going to the slaughter [and like a dog to a chain], and does not know that she is destined for destruction... Let not your heart turn away from her path, because she has cast down many wounded, and many strong men have been killed by her; Her home is the path to the underworld, descending into the inner dwellings of death. Keep your path further from her and do not come close to the doors of her house, lest you give your health to others and your years to the tormentor, lest strangers be satisfied with your power (Proverbs 6:25-26; 5:8-11). Let us also learn from the Holy Scriptures and remove ourselves from communication with women. Let us hear what Scripture says about Samson of Nazareth, whom the Spirit of the Lord accompanied, but because of a woman he fell into the abyss of destruction (Judgment ch. 13-16). The Prophet David, carelessly captivated by the beauty of a woman, mixed murder with fornication and because of this suffered a great deal of trouble. What can we say about Solomon? His wisdom was greater than the sand of the sea. There is more understanding, kindness, wealth and great fame than any other person. But this greatest man fell to the very bottom of the abyss because of a woman and became an apostate who forgot the Lord. The elders, the judges of the people, carelessly looking around and gazing at the beauty of others, only the heat of lust flared up in them with force, encroached on blessed Susanna. When they could not master it, they invented a false accusation, trampled all righteousness with wickedness, and aggravated their crime. Having been caught, they died a violent death. It is better to approach a blazing fire than a woman. After all, if you touch the fire, you will immediately, fortunately, step back from the pain. And if you approach a woman, begin to listen to her speeches and start conversations with her, you will hardly be able to tear yourself away from her, especially if you are young and weak in thought, and you will also become entangled in her nets, helpless like a fly in a spider’s web. You need to stay clean and run away from women like you run from a snake. Deadly poison for the soul is not only a conversation with it, but also the memory of it. Wine and women, says the Scripture, will corrupt the wise (Sir 19:2). And Ecclesiastes says that communication with a woman is worse than death and poison. (Cf.: Ecclesiastes 7:26). The soul-loving Lord, knowing the stifling and destructive nature of this passion, said: Anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28). If you come to a village or a city, let your eyes look down, so that a battle does not rise up against you in your cell. If a woman coming towards you says: “Peace be with you,” answer her only in your heart, without raising your eyes. Don’t even look at her clothes, if you can. Do not allow yourself to eat with a woman or be friends with young men, and if you are young, do not sleep on the same mat with anyone, except perhaps your own brother or your Abba, and then with fear, not with arrogance. 11. From Saint Barsanuphius The brother, who was sent on an errand to a distant monastery, asked the elder what to do if he was invited to eat by God-loving people, and how he should sit at meals with women. The elder replied that you should never eat with women. Brother asked: “But how will I know if someone invites me to his home whether his wife will eat with us?” - Ask the person who invited you if there is a woman in the house, and if he says yes, refuse the invitation, saying: “Forgive me, I have a commandment not to eat with a woman.” -And if I forget to ask, I enter the house, and there will be a woman there who will also lie down for the meal, what should I do then? “You must talk privately with the person who invited you and tell him: “Forgive me for forgetting to warn you, I have a commandment not to eat with a woman.” Let me go, I’ll go.” If he orders his wife to leave the table, you can stay, but if not, leave, but do not break the commandment, otherwise disobedience will cause you destruction. Do not be afraid: your decision will not lead anyone into temptation, but will only make everyone stronger. Abba Macarius said: “Do not spend the night in the cell of a brother about whom there is a bad rumor.” 2. The fathers said: “The devil’s trap for monks is worse than a woman – these are youths.” 3. They said: “Where there is wine and youths, there is no need for Satan.” 4. The elder said: “My children, salt is taken from water, but if it gets into the water again, it dissolves and disappears. So it is with a monk: he is born of a woman, but when he approaches a woman, he melts and dies.” 5. Abba Sisoes said to his disciple: - Father, you are already old, let’s settle closer to a populated area. “Yes, of course, to a place where there is not a single woman,” said the elder. “But is there any place where there are no women except the desert?” - asked the young man. - So lead me into the desert. This elder performed the feat of silence on the mountain with Abba Anthony for seventy-two years and many years earlier in the Skete in obedience to Abba Or, but even at his age he behaved cautiously. – If I need to meet a woman, how should I talk to her? “This necessity is from the devil,” answered the elder. “He finds many different excuses to hide his machinations, just to somehow catch the one who is fighting him and drag him with him into the abyss of destruction. But if, as you said, you have to meet a woman, don't let her talk to you for long. When you tell her something, limit yourself to the main thing, put all the questions into a few words and say goodbye to her as soon as possible. And if you linger, you will not escape its stench, then your thoughts will become fed up with it, relax, fall under its power and fall. 7. The brother went to the monastery to visit his sister, who was ill. But she was strictly faithful to the rules and refused to meet a man, even her own brother, saying that it was not good for him to be among women. She told him: “Go, brother, pray for me, and by the grace of Christ I will see you in the Kingdom of Heaven.” 8. The brother was walking along the road with his elderly mother. When they approached the river, the old woman was unable to cross the river. Then the son took his maforium, wrapped his arms around it (so as not to touch his mother’s body) and carried her in his arms to the other bank. Mother asked: - Child, why did you wrap your hands? “Because a woman’s body is fire,” he answered, “(and if I touch it), I will have thoughts about other women.” That’s why I did this so as not to touch your naked body. 9 . Abba Daniel said to his brother, who was troubled by the spirit of fornication: “Never reach out with a woman to a plate of food and eat with her, then you will cast out the demon of fornication.” 10. Abba John Kolov said: “The one who eats with the boy and talks with him has already committed adultery with him in his own thoughts.” 11. Abba Karion said: “The man who lives next to the youth, if he is not strong, falls down. And if you are strong, you don’t fall down, but you don’t succeed either.” 12. One anchorite lived in lower Egypt. He was famous because he lived in a secluded cell in a deserted place. And according to the action of Satan, a certain wicked woman, having heard about him, suggested to the young people: - How much will you pay me if I seduce your anchorite? They promised to give her money. She left the house, came to his cell in the evening, as if she had gotten lost, and began knocking on the door. The elder came out to answer the knock and, seeing her, became embarrassed and asked: “I’m lost,” she answered, bursting into tears. “And here I am, but have pity on me and don’t give me to be eaten by wild animals.” The elder took pity on her and let her in. At night the devil began to inspire him with lustful thoughts. The elder, recognizing the devil’s machinations, thought: “The enemy’s machinations are darkness, but the son of God is light; he stood up and lit a lamp. The flame of lust flared up in him and was already burning the old man with all his might. Then he said to himself: “Whoever does this goes to eternal torment. Test yourself: can you endure the fire of hell? He put his finger into the flame of the lamp and held it until it was all burned out. But the burning of the flesh turned out to be stronger than the pain from the fire, and then he stuck in a second finger, then a third, and by morning he had burned all the fingers on both hands. The unfortunate woman, seeing what the old man was doing and how he was burning his fingers, became cold with horror and, in the end, could not bear it and died. In the morning, the young people who had come to an agreement with her the day before came to the anchorite and asked: “Did the woman come here last night?” When they entered, they found her dead and said: Then he extended his hands to them and said: “That’s what the devil’s daughter did to me.” She took my fingers. He told them how it happened and added: – The Scripture says: do not repay evil for the evil that was done to you. Let us pray that she will be resurrected. Having made a prayer, he resurrected her and released her. She left and remained celibate from now on. 13. They said about one old man that, while walking one day, he saw a woman’s footprint on the road. He erased it with the words: “Otherwise his brother will see it, and a fight will begin within him.” 14. They said about the great elder that he came to the monastery and, seeing the youth, did not even want to stay the night. His companions asked: “Are you really afraid too, Abba?” “Of course, my children, I’m not afraid,” he answered, “but why do I need to fight in vain? 15. They said that one day the devil came and knocked on the gates of the monastery. The boy responded to his knock. The unclean spirit, hearing the young voice, exclaimed: “Since you are here, then I have nothing to do here.” 16. The fathers said: “It is not God who brings the youths into the desert, but Satan, to overthrow those who wish to live piously.” 17. Once a ship approached Diolko and moored at the monastic mountain. A woman came ashore from it and sat down on a mountain slope. One brother went to fetch water, but when he saw it, he ran to the presbyter and said: “Abba, there’s a woman by the river, this has never happened here.” The elder, hearing this, took the staff and ran to the shore shouting: Hearing the screams, the brothers rushed to the river with sticks in their hands. The shipbuilders, seeing the commotion and understanding why the monks were fleeing, took the woman on board, released the mooring lines and set the ship adrift. The devil's trap for a person, especially a young person, is his body. Abba Isaiah warns us: “Do not take anyone’s hand and do not approach someone else’s body, unless you are serving a seriously ill person, and then only with fear. And let no stranger's hand come near you or touch you. Do not order anyone to remove a louse from your beard or from the top of your head or from your clothes. Don't sleep next to anyone, either when you're young or when you're old. Do not kiss a beardless boy even in church, even if he has just returned from a foreign land. Don’t laugh with the boy, so that your soul doesn’t perish, don’t sit next to him and don’t walk around. When relieving the needs of the womb, do it alone. For a truly reverent person is ashamed even of himself. Many did not pay attention to these things, considering them insignificant, and because of this they fell into the abyss of sin and died. All evil begins small and quickly grows into great things.” In a monastery, a youth is in great danger if he is not led. But blessed is he who raises his son, pleasing God. Beloved brother! Are you running away from those who hurt your body? Flee from those that hurt your soul! You are running from a snake that is biting your body! Run from the woman who stings your soul! He who admires female beauty takes root in his soul the lust for her. And whoever passes by the door of her house is like someone who steps on broken glass - he is about to cut himself. Do you, beloved brother, avoid fire so that it does not burn your body? Flee from sin so as not to find yourself in an unquenchable fire that will burn your body and soul forever. A meeting between a monk and a woman is like a meeting between two wrestlers: if you are attentive, you can win, but you can also be defeated. Chastity and conversation with a woman are as incompatible as a lioness and a lamb in the same pen. Chapter 30: That a believer should not listen to the flute, the harp, or any other open instrument, but should flee from them as from destruction In Ferent there lived an eminent man named Fortunatus. He persistently asked the Venerable Boniface, after the solemn service in honor of the blessed martyr, to visit his house for a blessing. The saint of God could not refuse the invitation of Fortunatus, made with all his heart. Therefore, having performed a solemn service, he came to his house for a meal. But before he had time to perform the usual pre-meal prayer, a beggar with musical instruments appeared at the door and began to beat the cymbal, asking for alms. Listening to the sounds with displeasure, the saint said: -Oh, what a disaster that this unfortunate man will soon die! I came to a pleasant meal and before I had time to open my mouth to praise God, he appeared with his music, - then he added: - Give him food and drink with love, but know that he is already dead. Indeed, as soon as bread and wine were taken out of the house of this unfortunate man, and he walked away, a huge stone fell from the roof of the house and hit him in the very crown. He was barely alive from the blow. They raised him up (but there was nothing they could do to help him), and the next day, according to the saint’s prediction, the poor fellow said goodbye to life. So judge for yourself, beloved Peter, what reverent fear we should have for holy people, in whom, as in a church, God is clearly present! And if a man of God becomes angry about anything, to whom should we attribute it if not to the One who invisibly dwells in the soul of this saint? Chapter 31: About there, that expiration in a dream occurs for various reasons The elder was asked about discharges in a dream. He replied: “You shouldn’t think about it at all and perceive it as if you were injected. If you walked down the street past a tavern and smelled the smell of meat, did you eat it or not? You will answer no. So it is with desecration in a dream. After all, if the enemy sees that you are frightened, he will attack you even more so that in your thoughts you combine with the thought. Therefore, when you wake up, do not remember your dreams and then you will not be compatible with them.” If at night you are tempted by an imaginary image of copulation, guard your heart so as not to think during the day what kind of bodies were in these dreams, otherwise you will be defiled by lust for them and incur cruel anger upon yourself. Entrust yourself to God with all your heart, and He will help you - God is merciful to human weakness. Some say that demons touch certain parts of the body in a dream and thereby arouse prodigal passion, others believe that passion begins its action in the mind through memory, in which the experience comes to life. Some believe that demons appear in dreams in the form of women, and then by touching parts of the body, they arouse lust, and from this dreams arise. But others think that, on the contrary, lust inspired by demons evokes a reciprocal passion, and thus the soul is ignited by thoughts and revives visions in memory. In this case it is similar to other passionate ideas of the mind. So, different researchers give different explanations, but in none of the named ways can demons bring passion into the soul if there is love and self-control in the soul, regardless of whether the body is awake or asleep. The elder said: “Train your heart little by little to say about each brother: “Truly, he has gone ahead of me in fulfilling the will of God.” And also: “He’s harder than me.” So you will begin to consider yourself lower than everyone else, and the Spirit of God will dwell in you. If you humiliate a person, the grace of God departs from you and consigns you to defilement of the flesh; your heart becomes hardened, and no tenderness will linger in you.” 2. Abba Pimen was asked about the desecrations. He replied: “If we monitor our actions, that is, we stop the action of sin and become diligently sober, in a word, we begin to see our thoughts, then we will also get rid of defilements.” 3. The elder said: “The devil is extremely jealous of people. Since he is unable to turn the dreams of God's chosen people into shameful thoughts, no matter how much he presents shameful dreams to people, he receives nothing from it. A miscarriage cannot become the father's heir, and dreams also cannot be counted as sin to God's chosen ones. Do not go to bed if you have something in your soul against someone, otherwise shameful visions will confuse you in your sleep. Chapter 32: About the fact that crying is a great thing, and about what types of crying there are and what is the difference between them Peter: I ask you, honest master, to tell me how many types of contrition there are? Gregory: There are several types of heartfelt contrition, when the penitent mourns each of his sins. Therefore, Jeremiah speaks on behalf of the repentant: My eye pours out streams of water (Lamentations 3:48). But mainly there are two types of heartfelt contrition: firstly, when the heart, thirsting for God, is contrite from fear, and, secondly, when it is contrite from love. In the first case, the soul grieves bitterly when, remembering its sins, it fears being subjected to eternal torment for them. But when prolonged sorrow and anxiety erase this fear, a certain calmness is established in the soul from the premonition of deliverance. A love for heavenly joys is already kindled in her. And as before she cried, fearing torment, so now she mourns with even greater sorrow that she is outside the Kingdom. For the soul contemplates the faces of angels, and the mutual communication of blessed souls, and the greatness of the eternal vision of God. She weeps about her separation from eternal blessings more strongly than before, when she was afraid of eternal torment. Thus, complete contrition from fear leads the soul to contrition from love. This is beautifully presented in a true sacred historical narrative. Achsu, the daughter of Caleb (Joshua 15:13-20), came down from the donkey’s colt. Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” She said:... you have given me the land of midday, give me also springs of water. And he gave her upper springs and lower springs (Joshua 15:17-19). Akhsu, sitting on a donkey, is the image of the soul with its unreasonable carnal aspirations. Just as she, sighing, asks her father for wet earth: so we, with great groaning, must ask the Lord for the gift of tears. For some have received the gift of openly defending and teaching the truth, protecting the oppressed, helping the poor, being zealots of the faith, but have not yet achieved the gift. They possess a midday and dry land and still need wet land. Let them zealously do good deeds that exalt them: it is absolutely necessary for them, whether out of fear of torment or out of love for the Kingdom of Heaven, to mourn the sins they have previously committed. As I said, there are two kinds of contrition; the father gives them wet soil, above and below. The soul acquires the highest earth when the desire for the Kingdom of Heaven arouses sorrowful tears in it. The soul acquires the lower earth when it cries, fearing the torments of hell. However, the lower land is given first, and then the upper land. But since the contrition of love is higher in dignity, it was necessary to mention first the earth above, and then the earth below. The beginning of crying is self-knowledge. Let our crying not be human, not for show to people, but before God, who knows the secrets of the heart. He called those who weep blessed. Let us have a bright face when we meet people, but we will cry and grieve in our minds. Crying builds and protects us. Crying washes the soul with tears and makes it pure. He gives birth to chastity, cuts off pleasures, and perfects virtues. What can I say? God pleases crying, and angels console people with it. Grant me, O Lord, tears of tenderness, the only good and merciful one, so that with these tears I weep over myself and prayerfully cry out for Your mercy. Cleanse me from the filth of sin! Woe is me! How can I withstand fiery hell and outer darkness? Woe is me! How will I survive tartarus and eternal torment? A poisonous and never-ending worm? Woe is me! How will I withstand the terrible threats of angels appointed to torment sinners? They are fierce and merciless. Who will give my head moisture and my eyes sources of tears, so that I can sit down and cry day and night, beseeching God, whom I have angered? You have sinned, my soul, you have sinned. Repent. Our days pass like a shadow, a little more and you will leave here. You have to go through terrible trials. Can you, my soul, get past all this? No one there will give you help: neither father, nor mother, nor brother, nor friend, nor any of your relatives. Only by your deeds will you overcome the leaders of darkness. They are not afraid of kings, do not honor rulers, are not ashamed of anything small or great, but only of those who have lived in piety and therefore for their good deeds and are clothed with the protection of God. They run away in fear from the face of such a person and make way for him. Ahead of such people, their righteousness will march before their eyes, and the glory of God will become a shield for them. Lord, remembering that hour of death, I mentally fall before Your goodness. Do not hand me over to my offenders, lest the enemies, O good Lord, boast of their victory over Thy servant, gnashing their teeth and frightening my sinful soul. Let them not say: “You are in our hands. We have been waiting for this day.” Lord, do not forsake Your mercy, do not repay me for my iniquities, and do not turn Your face away from Your servant. You, Lord, instruct me, but show mercy to me, for I am weak. Let the enemy not rejoice, but diminish his threat and abolish his power and let me walk the path to You shamelessly and comfortably. Comfort me, good Lord, not because I am righteous, but because You are generous and gracious beyond measure. Save from death the soul that calls on Your holy name. Remember, most merciful Lord, that although I sinned, hurting myself to death with sin, I did not resort to another doctor, I did not turn with a prayer to an alien god, but only to Your goodness. You are, Lord, the Lord of all, ruling over every breath, cleanse me, Lord, before my death from all sin and do not reject my prayer, good Lord. Let me cry to You with unclean lips, a nasty heart and a soul mired in sins. Hear, Lord, me, unworthy, according to your many and unspeakable mercy and give me pure and true repentance. After all, my current repentance is false, and I anger You. Establish my heart in fear of You, good Lord, establish my feet on the rock of true repentance. May Your goodness, Lord, overcome all the evil in me, may the light of Your grace overcome the darkness in me. God! You have opened the eyes of the blind. Open the darkened eyes of my heart. You cleansed the lepers with a word, and cleanse the uncleanness of my soul. May Your grace be in me, O Lord, like fire that consumes my sins. You are the only doctor of souls, light above all light, joy, peace, pleasure, true life, salvation forever and ever. Glory, honor and worship are due to you, now and ever and forever. Amen. I ask you, beloved chosen ones of God, to pray before His goodness for me, a sinner, as the apostles prayed for the Canaanite woman, the worthy for the unworthy, those in honor for the wretched and worthless. May my prayer come to God through your acceptable prayers, and may I be given forgiveness and freed from devilish oppression. And may my name be written in the book of life, and may I become worthy to be worshiped shamelessly before the throne of His Kingdom, for His is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen. Woe is me, woe! I have not yet freed myself from Gehenna! Those who drown me in fire still work successfully in my flesh, and all its deeds are converted in my heart. I have not yet known where I come from and where I am going. The direct path has not yet been prepared. I have not yet freed myself from the actions of those who, for their evil actions in me, will put obstacles in the air for me. I have not yet gained courage towards the Judge. There is no evidence that I do not deserve to die. I did not retreat from atrocities. An evildoer cannot rejoice when he is imprisoned. He cannot do his will when he is shackled. He who is locked in stocks will not teach another, he who is exhausted in suffering will not remember peace, he who wears shackles around his neck will not eat with pleasure. Such a person will no longer think about what evil he might do, but will only cry with heartache that he has sinned. No matter how much he is tormented or tortured, he will say: “Yes, I deserve it.” He will think only about his end, exploring what punishments will follow his sins, and he will not condemn anyone. And the pain of torture gnaws at his heart. Alas, such a study of oneself will be sad: it does not encourage, but plunges into despair. Such a person will not think about what to eat, but is content with alms from merciful people. If he is reproached for something, he will not respond angrily to his detractors. The laughter left his lips forever. He just shakes his head with sighs, remembering how he will appear at the Court. If they tell him something, he will not answer whether it is right or wrong, and will not even listen to these speeches. Tears flow from his eyes because of the difficult conditions in which he finds himself. If his parents are noble, this upsets him even more, because he will be ashamed to appear in court before them. When a court hearing is held, he does not look at the people to see who is good and who is bad, but his heart trembles, and his legs can barely support him. If other prisoners were brought along with him, he does not look at them or talk to them, although he can do this. While awaiting the verdict, everyone carries their own burden and looks at everyone from under their brows. None of the defendants say anything in their own defense, because they are afraid of torture, but they confess everything and expect a worthy condemnation for all their sins. Why am I drunk without wine and forgetting everything when I have a trial? The cruelty of my heart dried up my eyes and the distractions of my mind made me forget everything until the very hour of my gloomy death. Weep with me, all of you, my brothers, my acquaintances, and pray to God that He will give me help beyond my strength. This help, coming to me, will be able to free me from the evil ones who are dragging me into Gehenna. Brothers, let us try to let Martha and Mary live in us, that is, suffering and crying. Let them cry in the face of the Savior, so that He will raise Lazarus, that is, our mind, entangled in the many burial shrouds of its desires. The Savior will show mercy and erect it for them. But their duty is to untie and free him. When Lazarus becomes free, the zeal of Mary and Martha will be revealed. Afterwards Lazarus, free from worries, will sit and listen to Jesus; Martha will perform her service carefully and joyfully, and Mary will bring alabaster of peace and anoint the feet of the Lord. The Lord accepts our cry as ointment. Suffering in knowledge destroys previous negligence, and the sorrow of feelings heals the wounds inflicted by mental enemies. This is what those who truly mourn do. They focus the mind and senses, distracting themselves from visible phenomena. They do not judge their neighbor. After all, one who has enough of his own sins no longer looks at another creation of God in order to condemn it. They do not repay evil for evil. They don't get angry when a neighbor does something without their knowledge. They do not create their own will. They do not say about someone that he is a good person or a bad person: after all, it is shameful to know that someone can be worse than you. They don't want to know about anything that doesn't concern them. They don't mind being scolded. They do not get angry if they are deprived during a general distribution. They are not embarrassed when people slander them and make false accusations, but they immediately say: “I’m sorry.” They do not approve in their hearts when someone glorifies them. They endure insults without pain. They do not seek to make friends with the famous people of this world. They do not insist on their own, even if they are right, and do not argue with anyone. All this and what follows shows that man has acquired true mourning. With intelligent eyes he recognized himself and his weakness and comprehended the glory of God, realizing that he could not please God with his glory. Therefore, he leaves only sorrow for himself, mourning himself and not paying attention to the creation of God, whom God will judge. Therefore, he preserves in integrity the structure of the soul that gave him crying. Sorrow for the sake of God, capturing the whole heart of a person, brings him to his senses. And, having demonstrated sobriety, she keeps the sensual abilities of the mind intact. When a person has not yet been brought to the Judgment and has not heard the verdict and has not learned what his place is, he cannot free himself from care and trust himself. Therefore, whoever is still in the body must work unceasingly. Blessed are those who did not rely on their work, as supposedly pleasing to God, and therefore were ashamed to appear before Him at the Judgment. They always mourned themselves that they could not completely do the will of God, as He desires. Such people truly found untold consolation. When the heavenly powers testify about them that they have passed the leaders of darkness, then their memory will be together with the heavenly powers. And while the war is going on, a person is gripped by fear and trembling: today he may be victorious or defeated; tomorrow he can defeat the enemy or be defeated. Therefore, military labor always oppresses the heart. And dispassion is irresistible. The dispassionate man has received his reward and has no more worries. Its three components: spirit, soul and body were reconciled with each other and united. When these three parts become one, according to the word of the apostle (Eph 4:4), thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit, they can no longer be separated. Christ, as it is said, died and rose again and will die no more; death no longer rules over Him. His death became our salvation, for sin was put to death by His death, and His Resurrection became eternal life for all who believe in Him. Don’t think about yourself that you are dying as a victim of enemies, in reality or in a dream. You, a pathetic person, have entered the field, do not give up and, seeing what lies ahead of you, do not rely on your deeds. An unreasonable person only knows that he falls, thinking that he will win, and drops out of the competition. Therefore, the Lord, once sending his disciples to preach, told them: Do not greet anyone on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say: peace to this house; and if the son of peace is there, then your peace will rest on him (Luke 10:4-7). Even the apostles had to be careful. 2. He said that our enemies cause us so much trouble because we did not admit our mistakes and did not realize what crying is. If we cry openly, then He will reveal our sins to us, and if our enemies begin to tell us about our sins, then we will feel ashamed. We won’t even be able to look women who sell themselves in the face, because they are much more honest than us. They commit their sins boldly and do not know God. But for us, believers, our hearts have become accustomed to sins. 3. He also said that a person who always sees his sins will not be able to talk to any other people. 4. He said: “Woe is me, wretched soul! There is sorrow in me and unremitting pain in my heart. The enemy's fiery arrows pierced me and blinded the inner man, and the shadow of death covered me. Woe to me, pathetic soul, who chose sorrow instead of joy, earth and dirt instead of the pleasure of heaven and the kingdom of heaven. Who won't cry for me? Who will not mourn me bitterly if I have wasted my whole life? Have mercy on me! Have mercy! Have mercy on me, brothers, pray with all your might for me for the sake of my liberation from the evils that are familiar to me. Pray for me to the long-suffering and kind Lord Christ, that He may heed your prayers and have mercy on me and drive out the terrible darkness of the hater of evil, the devil, from my mind. Then I will see into what hole I have fallen and cannot rise. I don't have long to live, and this deprives me of all hope. My pain has surpassed all pain, the wound of the soul has surpassed every wound, the sorrow of the heart has surpassed all sorrow. For my iniquities have gone beyond my head (Ps 37:5). I am mired in a deep swamp, and there is nothing to stand on (Ps 68:3). Woe to you, soul, see clearly and see that everything present is temporary and will soon pass. Think about the future, eternally stable and abiding, from what great blessings you fall away and the heir of what torments you make yourself, hopelessly and inconsolably. Before the sun darkens over your head, hurry up, come, fall down in lamentations and tears, pray and beg the Giver of immortal light. May He free you from that unbearable and dark flame and all other punishments. For He alone can forgive sins and forgive iniquities to us, unworthy of His mercy; and His is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen. Some tears burn, others bring relief. The first comes from fear, the second from love. The first come from sin, they dry out and scorch the body and are accompanied by pain. Often even the ruling part of the soul finds an obstacle for itself in these tears. And the latter can arise in a person when he has shed a lot of the former and, by the grace of God, has washed away his sins with them. They happen without coercion and with joy. The soul tastes divine grace and sheds it in joy and thirst for love without pain. They make the body light and free, wash it with affection, and even the person’s facial expression changes. As the Scripture says: A merry heart makes a cheerful face, but with sorrow of heart the spirit becomes sad (Proverbs 15:13-14). If we want to experience the second tears, let us strive, as much as possible, to acquire the first. Then we will soon gain these second tears by the grace of God. Question: But is it possible to always cry? Answer: Possibly. After all, the entire teaching of a monk in his cell is nothing more than lamentation, and his deeds are sorrow. This is the calling of a monk, his prayer and destiny, which is why he is called “sorrowful,” because there is sorrow in his heart. All saints left this life in tears. If even the saints constantly cried, then how can one who constantly harms himself not cry? Your soul, worth more than the whole world (cf. Matthew 16:26), is killed by sins and lies dead before you, but how can you not weep? The monk's consolation is in tears. Passions will not confuse the one who cries incessantly. And whoever loses passions from memory is purified and, thanks to purification, is rewarded with consolation from God. The Lord promised to give this consolation to those who continually weep. – How to cut off verbosity and hold your tongue? “We’re crying,” answered the elder. - How can I keep crying if I move around among people and think about the responsibilities that are entrusted to me? - asked the brother. – Is it possible to cry only with your heart and not shed tears? “It’s not crying for the sake of tears, but tears for the sake of crying,” was the answer. – A person living among people, if he cuts off his own will and does not pay attention to the sins of others, will find tears. Then his thoughts will gather together, and in such concentration they will give birth to divine sorrow in the heart, and this sorrow will be tears. – How does crying come to a person? - Crying is a habit. You need to devote a lot of time to find it. The mind should always think about the sins that a person has committed and the torment for it. One should constantly remember about the coffin, that all the former fathers have died, and they are no longer on earth. – Should a monk remember his parents if they have already died? - If you see that the memory of them gives your soul tenderness, dwell on it, but when a tear comes out, transfer all your attention to something else - to your sins or to some other good memory. 2. I knew a laborer’s brother, who, due to his hardness of heart, often beat himself and began to cry in pain, and then began to remember the place of torment and all his sins. 3. I knew another brother who, having renounced the world, settled on Mount Nitria. He lived not far from the cell of another brother, and he heard his brother continuously mourning his sins every day. And when the tears dried up for a while, he asked his soul: “Are you not crying, unfortunate thing, are you not crying? Know that if you don’t want to, I will force you.” And getting up, he took a hard rope and whipped himself until he began to sob in pain. The neighbor could not be surprised at this and prayed to God to reveal to him whether his brother was doing the right thing in torturing himself. And one night he saw his brother standing with a crown on his head in the face of martyrs. And a voice said to him: “Here is a good sufferer, who tortured himself for Christ’s sake and was crowned with the martyrs.” 4. All the time of his life, when he sat down to do needlework, Abba Arseny put a handkerchief made of rough fabric in his bosom to wipe away the tears that constantly flowed from his eyes. The most glorious monk Pimen, seeing this, said to him: “Blessed are you, Arseny,” you mourned yourself in this world, and therefore there will be no crying over you there. They say that Bishop Theophilus of Alexandria remembered him when he was dying. He said: “Blessed are you, Arseny, because even at this hour you did not stop remembering your sins and crying inconsolably.” 5. The brother asked Abba Ammon: - Say the word how I can be saved. - Go and reason like the villains reason in prison. They constantly ask people where the ruler is and when he will be, and they cry because they cannot wait for him. Likewise, a monk must always listen to his soul and say: “Woe is me, how can I appear before the court of Christ and how will I be justified before Christ?” If you think about it all the time, you can save yourself. 6. Abba Longinus said: “Fasting humbles the body, vigil purifies the mind, silence brings crying. Crying, a person is washed in a font of tears, becoming sinless.” Abba Longinus himself was always in great contrition during prayer and psalmody. One day a student asked him: – Abba, is it a spiritual rule that a monk should always cry during worship? - Yes, child, this is the rule that God requires. God created man not for crying, but for joy and happiness, so that he would glorify Him with a pure and sinless soul, like the angels. But a person who has fallen into sin needs to cry. Only there is no need for crying, where there is no sin.” 7. Abba Macarius of Egypt said: “When I was a child and together with other children were herding calves, we went to steal figs. And when we were running away, one fruit fell, I picked it up and ate it. And when I remember this, I sit down and start crying.” 8. Abba Moses said: “When we are overcome by bodily passion, let us not neglect repentance and let us mourn ourselves before the sorrow of the Judgment overtakes us.” 9 . He said: “Through tears a person acquires virtues, and thanks to tears comes the remission of sins. When you cry, do not raise the voice of your groaning, and do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing (Matthew 6:3). The left hand is your vanity.” 10. The brother asked Abba Moses: – What to do with every approaching temptation and thought inspired by the enemy? – A person must cry in the face of God’s goodness so that God will help him. And then he will soon find peace if he reasonably asks God. The Scripture says: I trust in God, I am not afraid of what man will do to me (Ps 55:12). 11. Abba Pimen, on his way to Egypt, saw a woman sitting at the tomb and crying bitterly. “If,” he exclaimed, “all the pleasures of this world appeared here, they could not rid the soul of this woman of her sorrow. Likewise, a monk must always retain sorrow within himself.” 12. The brother asked Abba Pimen: – Abraham, when he entered the promised land, bought himself a tomb and inherited the land from this tomb. Brother asked: – What does the word “tomb” mean? – A place of weeping and sorrow. 13. And this is what he answered to another brother, who also asked how he could be saved. “If God visits us,” said the elder, “then what else should we worry about?” “About sins,” the brother remarked. “So,” said the elder, “let’s go into our cell, sit down to do our work and remember our sins before the All-Good God until He shows us His mercy.” 14. Abba Isaac said: “Once I was sitting with Abba Pimen and saw him go into a frenzy and cry. Since I had great boldness towards him, I bowed to him with a request: Yielding to my requests, he said: – My thought was where Holy Mary the Mother of God stood and wept at the Cross of the Savior. And I wanted to cry like that forever. 15. Abba Paul said: “I am immersed up to my neck in a pit of sewage and I am crying before Jesus - have mercy on me.” 16. Abba Silouan kept crying incessantly and never left his cell. And if he had to go out when necessary, he pulled the doll over his eyes. If he was asked why he was doing this, he answered: “Why see this temporary light, from which I have no benefit?” 17. Abba Theodore told us that a brother who lived in Kellia acquired the gift of tenderness. One day, out of heartbreak, he shed a lot of tears. Noticing this, he said to himself: “It is a true sign that the day of my death is near.” As soon as he thought about this, the tears multiplied, and he said with confidence: “Indeed, the time has come.” So every day, thinking about this, he increased his crying. Since we received great benefit from the elder’s story, we asked him about tears: – Why sometimes they come on their own, and sometimes only with the help of heartfelt efforts. “Tears,” he answered, “are like a storm and a downpour, and a monk is like a farmer.” When the tears come, he must fight so that not a single drop is lost, but that everything falls into the garden of the heart and gives it water. I tell you, children, that there is often only one rainy day in the whole year, but it saves the entire harvest. Therefore, if we understand that tears have come, we will try our best to preserve them, persistently praying to God. After all, we never know whether such rain will fall again. - How, father, can you maintain tenderness when it comes? – On that day or hour, you don’t need to meet anyone and keep your heart and womb free from dreams that, they say, such and such is crying with all his being and is immersed in prayer and reading. When grief comes to us, it itself will teach us what promotes tears and what hinders us. “I knew a brother,” continued Abba Theodore, “who lived in his cell and forged ropes. When tears came to him, he stood up to pray, but immediately his prayer met obstacles. He sat down again, began to twist the rope and concentrate his mind, and immediately the tears came. The same thing happened when reading. When he was distressed, he rose to pray, and immediately the tears left him. And as soon as he picked up the book again, the tears came again. Then the brother said to himself: “The fathers said correctly that grief is a teacher. For it teaches a person everything that is useful for him.” I think,” he added, “during prayer the tears stopped for two reasons. First of all, he had not yet acquired pure and dreamless prayer, he was dissipated in the dreams of the mind and lost his former tenderness; and when he sat down to do needlework and read, he could better concentrate his mind. In addition, this was necessary so that he would not attribute to himself the merit of crying, as if he had secured this virtue for himself through his diligence and prayer. Crying is a gift that depends only on the mercy and grace of God. This prompted him to thank the merciful God and humble himself even more, and humility allowed him to hold back his crying longer. If something similar happens to us,” the elder advised, “tenderness of the heart and hot tears, then we should immediately forget about everything and rush to prayer, and be very persistent in prayer until we feel that a heart fire has flared up in us. Otherwise we will not succeed in spiritual life. 19. The elder said: “If you see that God has given you tenderness ahead of time, at that moment forget about your handicraft, as you understand that tenderness is useful for you, that is, you will find in it a reason for crying. Then dedicate yourself to crying, because perhaps the hour of your exodus is near, and therefore God gave you tears in order to receive at least a little mercy for yourself. At the end of a person, Satan hastens to destroy him. And God often at the end of a person gives him forgiveness in order to save him.” 20. The elder said: “Just as we carry our evil with us everywhere, that is, passions and sins, so we should always have crying and tenderness with us, wherever we are.” 21. The brother asked the elder: “Cry constantly,” said the elder. “It so happened that one old man fell ill and forgot himself, and then came to his senses. We asked him to say what he saw where he was moving away. The elder said that he heard the loud crying of those who were constantly saying: “Woe is me, woe!” So, we must never give up our grief. 22. Two brothers according to the flesh renounced the world and gave themselves over to obedience to their spiritual father on Mount Nitria. God gave both the gracious gift of tears and tenderness. One day the elder had a vision. Both brothers appeared before him - they stood in prayer with lists in their hands and watered these lists with their tears. For one, the names were easily erased, but for the other, things were difficult: it seemed that his names were written in indelible ink. The Elder of God prayed that the vision would be interpreted to him. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and explained: “The words on the lists are their sins. One sinned by nature and therefore his sins were easily erased, while the other, through uncleanness and vile falls, desecrated himself contrary to nature and therefore needs much greater effort for repentance and a lot of humility.” “Work, brother, for your sins are ingrained like caustic ink and are difficult to erase.” The elder, although he did not tell his brother about the vision until his death, so as not to stop his zeal, but always repeated: “Work hard, brother, for your sins are like those written with a hot iron.” 23. A certain very zealous brother, when he was doing the rule together with his brother, he was so overcome by tears that he was unable to recite the verse of the psalm. One day his brother asked him to say what he was thinking about during the rule, crying so sadly. He replied: - Forgive me, brother, during the rule I always see the Judge and myself as a defendant, whom He asks: “Why did you sin?” But I don’t know what to answer in my own defense, my lips close, and I forget the verse of the psalm. I'm sorry I upset you. If it’s more convenient for you, let each of us create the rule separately.” - No, father, I’m not upset at all, but when I look at you, I think how insignificant I am. And God, seeing his humility, granted saving sorrow to his brother and to him. Let us also try to listen to those of us who cry in order to acquire the same gift as that brother. 24. The elder said: “Every sin that a person commits happens outside the body. But he who commits fornication sins against his own body, for defilement comes from the body. Likewise, every activity that a person performs is outside the body. And the one who cries cleanses his own soul and body. Crying, descending from above, washes and sanctifies the whole body. 25. He said: “Talking about faith and reading dogmatic works dries up a person’s tenderness and destroys it. And the lives and words of saints enlighten the soul, filling it with spiritual tears.” 26. The elder said: “A man sitting in his cell and carefully reading the psalms is like a man standing outside the palace and waiting for the king. And the one who prays to God with tears is like the one who, hugging the feet of the King, asks for mercy from Him, like that harlot (Mark 14:13), and will soon wash away all his sins with tears. 27. The elder said: “If a person is an ascetic by nature, God requires him not to have an attachment to any bodily thing, even to a small piece of cloth. After all, this can confuse his thoughts and distract him from listening to Jesus and from crying.” 28. One elder took his disciple to the city to work. They lived there for a week and saw how, from early morning, men and women went to the graves and mourned their dead until the third hour. The elder said to his disciple: – Do you see, brother, why they get up? Believe me, if we do not do this, then destruction awaits us. Returning to the cell, they dug their graves at some distance from each other. Every day they sat down in the morning and mourned their souls, as they mourn the dead. And if in the morning hours a student fell asleep during the service, the elder called out to him: “Brother, get up. The townspeople are already doing business at the graves.” One day the brother said to the elder: “Abba, my soul has become hardened—I can’t cry anymore.” “Don’t you know,” the elder said in response, “sorrow is like a lit lamp: if you don’t shelter it from the wind, it will quickly go out.” Thus, sorrow extinguishes the abundance of food, long sleep interferes with it, and kills condemnation and verbosity. Simply put, all carnal pleasure destroys sorrow. So, whoever loves God must dedicate a part of everything he does to Christ. -What does this mean, father? - asked the brother. – Do you want to know how to dedicate part of your business to Christ? Then listen. When bread made from pure flour is served on the table, leave it for someone else and eat bread with impurities for Christ’s sake. And if the wine turns out to be good, mix a little vinegar into it and drink for the sake of Christ, who drank vinegar. And do not be full, but eat only part of the food, saying: “And this is for Christ.” And if you have a soft pillow, put it aside and put a stone under your head - for Christ's sake. If you sleep in the cold, be patient and say: “Others don’t sleep at all.” If you are insulted, remain silent for the sake of Christ and say that He was also insulted for our sake. If you cook something for yourself, taste a little and say that other worthy people do not even see bread, but I am completely unworthy and must eat dust and ashes, but I eat boiled food. Simply put, mix a little sorrow into each of your deeds and live with humility, remembering how the saints lived, so that when the hour of death comes, we will remain in sorrow and distress, and thereby find peace (Luke 16:25). Then the elder added: “If you left your cell, set off on the road, but noticed that your crying has weakened even a little, either from too good food, or for some other reason, return quickly and take on the previous feat, so that the crying in you resumes, and you no longer lose it.” 30. He said: “If you want to gain sorrow, try to ensure that all your property and, in general, all your things are beggarly, like those of our brothers sitting in the square and begging for alms.” 31. He said: “If there is no tenderness in you, know that you suffer from vanity or lust. They do not allow the soul to come to tenderness.” 32. He said: “If God has given you weeping, do not think that you have done something great: do not allow thoughts of vanity to enter your heart. Otherwise, God will take away your tears, and your heart will remain cruel and unrepentant.” 33. He said: “If there are graves in the place where you live, go there constantly and meditate on those who rest there, especially in times of carnal struggle; and when you find out that some brother is going to the Lord, go and stay there to see how the soul is separated from the body. This will give you peace." 34. He said: “When Satan sees that God has mercy on you and gives contrition to your soul, he will come up with a task for you in your cell, as if it were the most urgent, saying: “Do a task today that can no longer be done.” Or: “Get up and go to so-and-so to help him,” or some other good excuse, supposedly for your own spiritual mood. He does all this to prevent you from remaining attentive in your cell and tasting the sweetness of sorrow. And if you unravel the cunning of Satan and begin to preserve yourself, listening to prayer and reading, immediately expect temptation either from people or from demons. For Satan fights fiercely with a person when he fights well. Anger most of all destroys contrition and humility of the soul.” 35. He said: “When God struck Egypt with plagues (Exodus ch. 12), there was not a single house there where there was no weeping. So if fear and the word trample upon sin in us, we cannot stop crying. Crying is twofold: it creates and protects us. Therefore, we must pray for the gift of crying.” Chapter 33: About the fact that at the end of life demons attack a person more strongly and therefore he should be especially vigilant A scholastic from Alexandria named Eulogius, who loved God, renounced the world, gave away his property, leaving himself little means for living, because he could not work. He began to think about how to manage himself. He had no desire to join a monastic brotherhood, but he also was not confident that he could live alone. Thinking about this, the scientist saw a cripple without arms and legs abandoned by everyone in the market. Only his tongue remained intact, and he begged for alms from passers-by. Eulogius, seeing the unfortunate man and being touched by his heart, prayed silently to God and made a vow: “Lord, in Your name I will take this cripple to me and will take care of him until his death, so that through him I too may be saved. Give me, Lord, patience for such service.” Then Eulogius approached the cripple and said: “Would you like, my lord, for me to take you into my home and take care of you?” “You are merciful,” he replied, “but I am not worthy of your mercy.” “Now I’ll go, get the donkey and take you away from here.” The crippled man agreed with great joy. Eulogius brought a donkey, put the cripple on it and brought him into his house. He helped the cripple in all his needs, washed him and anointed him (with ointments), carried him in his arms and willingly served him for fifteen years. Then the demon viciously attacked the crippled man and aroused in him an insane hatred of his benefactor. The unfortunate man began to scold Eulogius and abuse him with abusive words, humiliating him in every possible way: - You parasite! He probably stole other people's money! An insignificant slave, he certainly robbed his master, and now you want to hide behind me! You took me home with you to pretend to be a benefactor, hide your crimes and want to save yourself at my expense! Eulogius began to calm him down: - For God's sake, don't say that. Tell me how I upset you, and I will correct myself. But he continued with irritation: - I can’t stand your sycophancy! Take me back to the market! I'd rather beg than be with you! “I beg you, my lord,” Eulogy begged, “tell me what upset you so much.” He became even more angry and yelled at him at the top of his voice: – What should I talk to you about? I need listeners! - I will take you to where there are many brothers. The cripple, turning pale, shouted: - What should I do, unfortunate thing! I can’t see you, and you want to classify me as one of the same slackers and gluttons as yourself! – and, without restraining himself, began to scream. - I don’t want, I don’t want! Only to the market! I don't tolerate violence! Take me back to where you found me! If I had hands, I would not have asked you, but would have immediately hanged myself or stabbed myself with a sword - this is how the devil burned the poor fellow. To get out of the difficulty, Eulogius decided, on the advice of the closest ascetics, to go with the cripple to Anthony the Great, tell him about everything and, as he said, do so. He managed to persuade the cripple to set off, and they reached the monastery of the disciples of the great Anthony by boat. It was known that the saint descended from the mountain, sometimes once every ten days, and sometimes once every twenty days, to give useful instructions to everyone who came to the monastery. It so happened that the very next day after their arrival, late in the evening, the great saint in his leather robe came down from the mountain, as Cronius, who was present, told me. Having greeted everyone, he sat down and immediately called out Eulogius by name, having never seen him before or heard anything about him. Eulogius, although the saint called his name three times, did not respond, thinking that he was calling someone else whom he knew well. But Anthony the Great said to him: – I am addressing you, who has arrived from Alexandria. Only then did Eulogius respond: -What do you want me to ask? -Why did you come here? – asked the great saint. “If the Lord revealed my name to you,” he answered, “then he revealed everything else about me.” “I know why you came,” said the saint, “but tell all the brothers so that they too know.” Then Eulogius told everyone in the presence of the cripple the following: “Man of God, I saw this cripple in the market, abandoned and forgotten by everyone. I felt sorry for him and I prayed to God to grant me the grace of patience with him. I promised Christ to take care of him until his death, so that he would find peace thanks to me, and I would be saved by his prayers. I took him into my home and have been serving him as best I can for fifteen years. And now, after so many years, I don’t know how I offended him, he scolds me endlessly and asks me to take me back to the market, directly forcing me to do this. That is why I came to your holiness, so that you would advise me what to do and pray for me - the poor fellow scolds me very severely. Anthony the Great reprimanded him sternly: - Do you want to leave him, Evlogy? He who created him does not abandon him, but you dare to abandon him? God will send someone else who is better than you, and he will do him good. Eulogius, hearing the words of the saint, was dumbfounded and could not utter a word. Then the saint turned to the cripple and began to scourge him with the words: - A cripple, a freak, unworthy of earth and sky! When will you stop fighting God and angering your brother? Don't you see that Christ is serving you? How dare you speak such things against Christ? Wasn’t it for Christ’s sake that he became your slave and servant! Having properly scolded the cripple, he left him and began to talk with other brothers about their spiritual needs. Then he again turned to Eulogius and the cripple with the words: “Return, children, in peace and do not be separated from each other, but, leaving behind any resentment that the demon has instilled in you, in pure love return to your cell in which you have lived for so many years.” This temptation was arranged for you by Satan, because he saw that together you would endure to the end and be rewarded with crowns from God, you thanks to him, and he thanks to you. Don’t think about anything else, but only about one thing: when the angel whom God sends for you comes, you must be together, otherwise you will both lose your crowns. The husbands hurried back and returned home in perfect love for each other. Three days later, blessed Eulogius died, and after another thirty-seven days the cripple also passed away to the Lord. He remained crippled in body, but became strong in soul. Cronius, who spent time in the monasteries of Thebaid, arrived at the Alexandrian monasteries forty days later. It so happened that on this day the brothers celebrated the fortieth commemoration of Eulogius and the commemoration of the third day of the cripple. Having learned about this, Kronius was amazed and told his brothers what Antony had predicted about these people. After all, he was a translator there: Eulogius addressed Anthony in Greek, and he answered him and the cripple in Arabic, like all the guests, because he did not know any other language. Chapter 34: That there is nothing more unbecoming for a believer than insolence and laughter, and also about reverence and its distinctive properties One day a brother came to Abba Agathon and asked: – I want to live with my brothers. Please advise how I should behave with them? “From the very first day you settle with them,” the elder answered, “be like a stranger all the days of your life and avoid insolence and familiarity in your communication.” – What can happen from insolence in communicating with brothers? – asked Abba Macarius. “Insolence,” answered the elder, “is like intense heat.” When it comes, everyone runs away from it into the shadows, and the fruits on the trees burn. – Is insolence really such a serious sin? – asked Abba Macarius. “There is no more destructive passion than insolence,” answered the elder. – It gives rise to all other passions. 2. They said about Abba Pamvo that he never laughed. One day the demons, trying to make him laugh, tied a feather to a piece of wood and carried it away, making noise and shouting loudly: Abba Pamvo saw them and laughed. The demons began to jump for joy, saying: - Hurray! Pamvo laughed. “I didn’t laugh, but mocked your powerlessness - there are so many of you, but you carry only one feather.” 3. The elder said: “Boldness and laughter are like fire consuming reeds. Just as fire will soon consume all the reeds, so will boldness destroy virtues.” 4. Abba Moses advised: “Let us acquire reverence, respect, meekness and knowledge towards all people, so that we may avoid insolence - the mother of all evils.” 5. Abba Nisferoy said: “A monk cannot swear, lie, curse, mock or laugh.” 6. One of the elders saw the young monk laughing and said to him: “Don’t laugh, brother, you are driving away the fear of God.” 7. The elder said: “Reverence with humility is always good. Otherwise, someone will rejoice at something and think that they have gained joy. If he thinks this way more than once, he will deserve censure. But a reverent person preserves himself through humility and therefore is always in honor.” The beginning of a monk's downfall is laughter and insolence. If you see yourself laughing or being impudent, know, monk, that you have plunged into the abyss of evil. Don't stop praying to God to save you from such death. Laughter and insolence ruin all the works of a monk and plunge him into shameful passions, not only of the young, but also of the old. Laughter drives away the bliss of crying, grieves the Holy Spirit, drives away the fear of God, the memory of death and torment. It destroys everything that is built and leads to final destruction. Take away from me laughter, Lord, and grant me the crying and weeping that I owe to You. Laughing is generally prohibited for Christians, especially for monks who crucified themselves for the world. If anyone, - said the Lord, - wants to come after Me, deny yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24). Can one pierced by the sweet nails of the Cross have fun and laugh? We are not called to dreams and laughter, and not in order to inherit grief, like worldly pagans, but to incessant crying, in order to find consolation through it. If someone says something funny in a conversation, do not allow yourself to laugh out loud - this is a sign of bad manners and lack of fear of God. If you laugh, it means you are not taking care of yourself. Therefore, in our days wrath came into the universe. Don’t praise someone who works with his body and lets his feelings go. By senses I call hearing, as well as lazy and intemperate lips and dreamy eyes. Simplicity always comes from love. A loving person not only keeps himself within the bounds of decency, but most of all turns out to be strict with himself. You, brother, be sober in everything, even speak reverently with your friends. Then you will benefit both yourself and them. After all, with reverence you guard your soul. Just don’t take the reins from controlling yourself. It is a sign of bad manners for a monk to sit among his brothers and expose his knees. He is a reverent man and sits decently. 2. When a young monk begins to visit the brothers' cells, he not only gets used to idleness, but also becomes curious and talkative. He talks about things he shouldn't. And whoever remains silent with humility of mind is loved by everyone. Just as a golden necklace adorns a distinguished husband, so a monk is adorned with reverence. 3. Brother, run away from joking people, otherwise they will make you shameless. And shamelessness is the mother of intemperance. 4. The elder saw a laughing man and said to him: “We will give an answer about our entire life before the highest and lower creations, but you laugh.” Chapter 35: About the fact that you shouldn’t be angry at a person and shout at him and about the origin of anger and how to heal it Abba Agathon said: “An angry person, even if he raises the dead, is not pleasing to God.” 2. Abba Pimen said: “He who complains about life is not a monk. He who takes revenge is not a monk. He who is angry is not a monk. Such people cannot be monks, even if they consider themselves such.” 3. Abba Isidore said: “Once I went to the market to sell my products. But I see that anger is ready to flare up in me. I threw the products and ran away." 4. One day the Arians came to Abba Sisoes on the mountain of Abba Anthony and began to accuse the Orthodox, but the elder did not answer them. He called his disciple and said: “Abraham, bring me the book of St. Athanasius and read it aloud.” And although the elder did not utter a word, the Arians realized that they were in heresy, and he let them go in peace. 5. One hermit became a bishop. Because of his reverence and silence, he did not punish anyone, but patiently endured everyone’s mistakes. And his steward managed the church property very unreasonably. The bishop was asked: - Why don’t you punish the housekeeper who is so careless? The bishop adjourned the case to the next day. The next morning those who incited him against the steward came to him; The bishop, having learned about this, hid. They entered and did not find the bishop there. They looked for him for a long time, and when they found him, they asked: - Why are you hiding from us? “What I accomplished in sixty years, praying to God, you want to destroy in two days,” he answered. I think the elder was forced to become a bishop, which is why he continued to think according to the law of hermits, and not according to his position. 6. Abba Pimen heard about a man who performed strict fasting six days a week to overcome his anger. Abba said: “He learned to force himself for six days, but did not learn to suppress his anger.” 7. The brother, angry with someone, stopped in prayer and began to ask God for mercy towards his brother. The temptation passed without affecting him, but he immediately saw a stream of smoke coming out of his mouth. Brother, if someone upsets you in any matter, and you need to reprove your brother, but you notice that he is angry and irritated, do not talk to him, otherwise you will anger him even more. Only when you see that you both have found calmness and meekness, then start a conversation, but do not denounce him, but point out his mistake with all humility. The passion of anger is usually supported and strengthened by pride, and is not easy to fight. If anyone wants to completely destroy this house of iniquity, which the evil one creates in the soul every time, let him know that the evil one uses various plausible and unseemly pretexts as stones, and all sorts of circumstances and words from our thoughts as coverings. This is how he builds his evil structure in his soul. And you need to acquire Christ’s humility in your heart and remember this all the time. We need to think about who He is, that for our sake he became a man, from what height of the Divine Light, which is revealed in power to the heavenly beings and is glorified in Heaven by every intelligible nature, to what depth of human humility he descended, driven by His ineffable goodness! Our Master was not ashamed of the entire visible and invisible world in order to accept human nature, which was condemned by God's decision and fell into ungodly passions. He humbled Himself and became like us in everything, only without sins and passions. And everything that, after the crime of the commandment, was sent to man as punishment by the verdict of the Master: death, labor, hunger, thirst and the like - He accepted all this and became like us, so that we too could become like Him. God the Word became flesh, so that the flesh could become the word by grace. He became like us in everything, so that we too might become like the Word in all virtues. And (not to be verbose) For our sake He accepted wickedness, reproach, scourging, spitting, ridicule, and finally was crucified, pierced with a spear, died and descended into hell. If we briefly list the fruits of His Passion, i.e. the resurrection from the dead, the trampling of hell and death, souls resurrected with the Lord, the Ascension into heaven, enthronement at the right hand of the Father, honor and glory that surpasses all power and principality and every name that can be named, the worship of all angels of the First Born from the dead, because of the Passion, as the Apostle announced to us (Cf. Heb 2:5-18). Whoever keeps the memory of all these events in his heart, willingly rushes to them in thought and does not forget anything, will never be overcome by the passion of grief and anger. By reflecting on the humility of Christ, a person will destroy the very foundations of the passion of exaltation. Then this whole structure, all this lawless anger, will easily collapse on its own. No matter how cruel and petrified the heart may be, if it constantly remembers such great humility for our sake of the Only Begotten Divinity and lists all the terrifying Passions that He endured, it will be crushed, humbled, touched, become earth and dust to be trampled under foot by every man. And in such a contrite soul, how can anger and grief prevail? I think that only in one case can a person be overcome by anger: if oblivion, the mother of all evils, steals these saving and life-giving thoughts from a person’s heart. Ascetics must always keep their minds free from worries. Only then will the mind be able to deal with the thoughts spinning in the mind in order to put into the storehouse of memory everything that is good and sent from God, and sweep away what is false and demonic from the deposits of human nature. When the sea is calm, fishermen see every movement in the water, right down to the very bottom, and passing fish are not hidden from their eyes. And if the winds disturb the surface of the sea, then the gloomy confusion of the waves will hide the depth, which is only transparent when the sea laughs under the glare of the sun. No matter how skilled the fishermen are, they have nothing to do at sea during a storm. The same can be said about the contemplative mind, when unrighteous anger completely disturbs the depths of the soul. Anyone who wants to conduct spiritual warfare according to all the rules must shun all sins, especially anger and irritation. Let him listen to what the Chosen Vessel said: Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and crying and slander be put away from you, along with all malice (Eph 4:31). He said all anger, that is, anger cannot be justified as “necessary” and “righteous.” Anyone who wants to correct a sinning brother or punish him should try not to get irritated himself. Otherwise, wanting to heal another, he himself will become seriously ill. This is stated in the Gospel: Doctor! heal yourself (Luke 4:23). And again: Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not feel the beam in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3–5). How are you going to look at the speck of sin in your brother's eye when you are hindered by the beam of wrath in your own eye? After all, the angry movement, having flared up, blinds the eyes of the soul and does not allow it to see the Sun of Truth. If you put coins over your eyes, you won't see anything. Whether you put in gold coins or coppers, you are still blind. Gold will not ennoble your blindness. Also, “righteous anger” is the same blindness of the soul as any other anger - you become inflamed from it, and the vision of your soul is darkened. We have the right to use our rage only in a natural way: by taking up arms against voluptuous and passionate thoughts. The prophet David teaches us this when he says: If you are angry, do not sin (Ps 4:5), which means: direct your anger against your own passions and evil thoughts, but do not sin, because anger inspires you to commit sin. This idea is confirmed by the words of the Psalmist that immediately follow: Ponder in your hearts on your beds, and be comforted; in a word, when evil thoughts come into your heart, drive them away, being angry with them, and after they are driven out “on your beds,” that is, being in silence, repent and achieve repentance. Blessed Paul also agrees with this, relying on the testimony of the Psalmist. He said: Let not the sun go down on your anger; and do not give place to the devil (Eph 4:26), that is: let not the Sun of righteousness, Christ God, set in your souls because of your anger. After all, you were angry because you were combined with evil thoughts, and they entered your hearts. That is why it was ordered not to give room to the devil. So, people who follow the divine laws must fight with all their might against the spirit of anger, against the disease that has settled within us. There is no need to be angry with people, but one should prefer desert and loneliness. There, nothing will move us to anger, and in solitude we can easily achieve the virtue of patience. We become angry with pride, not agreeing to reproach ourselves and attribute our indignation to our own negligence. Therefore, we will flee from among the brothers. While we are full of thoughts and grievances and attribute to others our weakness and negligence, blaming others for everything, we will not be able to achieve perfect long-suffering. We improve not because our neighbors tolerate us, but because we ourselves become kind. But if we rush into desert solitude in order to win patience for ourselves, we must not forget that in the desert passions flare up even more strongly, especially anger. In the monastery, other people can rein him in, and therefore among people there is at least a shadow of patience and generosity in us. As we associate with our brothers, we acquire some fleeting image of patience. And when we are not corrected by the rules of human relationships, we lose this image. Therefore, those who are planning to acquire meekness should try not only not to be angry with people, but also with dumb creatures and soulless things. I remember living in the desert and venting my anger at the reeds because they were too thick or too thin to suit me. I was also angry at the tree when I wanted to cut it down, but I still couldn’t cut it down right away. I was angry at the flint because the spark did not fly out immediately and I had to strike it several times. Anger controlled me so much that I became angry even at inanimate objects. So, let us put all anger away from ourselves, fearing the judgment of the Lord. He clearly said in the Gospel: he who is angry with his brother in vain is subject to judgment (Matthew 5:22). This is exactly how the words of the Lord are given in the most reliable lists, and the word “in vain” was added later by those scribes who did not want to completely cut off the passion of anger. The Lord set a goal to completely eradicate every passion from its very beginning. He demands from us to pluck out and throw away this passion by all means. Therefore, no preconditions for anger should remain in us, otherwise the beginning may be plausible, and then we will fall into the madness of reckless anger. Complete healing from depression consists in not arousing either righteous or unrighteous anger in yourself. This dark passion darkens the whole mind: we no longer discern the light, we cannot make the right decisions, we cannot direct ourselves to the path of righteousness. The Holy Spirit leaves us, afraid of our inner turmoil. So, we must always have before our eyes the hour of our death, unknown to us, and cease to be angry and abandon rage completely, as the prophet advises us (Ps 36:8). We know that neither chastity, nor renunciation of all material things, nor fasting and vigils, nor other suffering will bring any benefit if we are possessed by anger and hatred, and for this we will be guilty of the Last Judgment. The lustful part of the soul, if it is often irritated, introduces into the soul an irresistible habit of voluptuousness. And if you often incite the angry part of the soul, it will make the soul timid and cowardly. Voluptuousness is healed by the intensified feat of fasting, vigil and prayer, and anger is healed by goodness, philanthropy, love and mercy. The elder said: “The passions to which people committed themselves contrary to nature were deified by the pagans. They began to worship them, and those who did not worship were given over to torture and killed, making them, against their will, martyrs. And if we are enslaved by passions, we are no different from idolaters. He who is overcome by anger and rage serves them, and does not cut off the madness of this passion from himself, renounces Jesus and makes Ares (the ancient Greek god of war) his idol. He worships this idol of madness, like the pagans. And the lover of money, who has closed his womb, does not have mercy on his brother and does not have mercy on his neighbor, is the same idolater. He made Hermes his idol and worships the creation, not the Creator. The same can be said about other passions. Whoever is conquered by someone is his slave (2 Peter 2:19), according to the words of the apostle, who called the love of money another idolatry. And whoever conquered these passions and drove them away from himself or restrains himself from them, trampled on idols, renounced superstition and became a bloodless martyr, confessing a good confession (Cf.: 1 Timothy 6:12). 2. Blessed Zosima said that the beginning of curbing anger is to be embarrassed, but not say anything. Then, by God's grace, a person comes to the point of not being embarrassed at all. Abba Moses, when the first time the fathers began to humiliate him and say to him: “What is this Ethiopian doing here among us?”, he was embarrassed, but did not say anything, as he himself later told us, answering our question. А через некоторое время, когда клирики его унизили и выгнали из алтаря, он не только не смутился, но стал упрекать себя: «Так тебе и надо, черномазый. You’re not a human being, but you’re still messing with people?” We have become much lower than the ancient fathers because of our great negligence. Therefore, we consider their commandments too difficult and impossible to fulfill for ourselves. We say: “How can you never be indignant?” We do not listen to the prophet who said: Prepared and not dismayed, keep your commandments (Ps 119:60). We do not even want to lay a secure foundation, which is courageous freedom and generosity that attracts God's grace in response. And by grace, what seems very difficult turns out to be completely easy and is given without difficulty. One day I was sitting with Blessed Sergius, abbot of the Plain, and reading the book of Proverbs. Having reached the words: Where there is no more wood, the fire goes out, and where there is no earpiece, discord subsides (Proverbs 26:20), I asked Blessed Sergius to explain their meaning. “Wood,” he said, “is the basis of fire. If you don't add wood, the fire goes out. Likewise, passions have a reason. If you remove it, there will be no passion. The reasons for anger are the desire to receive benefits through exchange, the desire to do one’s will, to teach others, to be proud, to consider oneself the most prudent. If a person cuts off these causes of anger, then the passion of anger will weaken. Abba Sisoes also spoke about this when his brother asked him why his passions did not leave him.” “Because the vessels of passions,” answered Abba, “that is, their causes, are inside you. Give them their dowry (i.e. reasons), and they will leave you behind.” And the lover of passion, in whom the abuse does not subside, is the one who is not satisfied with the first indignation and incites himself to repeated anger. If a person flares up in anger, but immediately comes to his senses, realizing his boundaries, and begins to repent to his brother for his indignation, he is not angry. Indignation in his soul subsides, and after repentance, friendship with his brother does not stop and in the future will enter a peaceful and serene direction. And whoever gets angry forgets himself and becomes even more angry, encourages himself to anger and even regrets that he did not say more, he is called an arguer. The battle in him never ceases: his heartfelt turmoil is followed by rancor, grief and deceit. And in the future, anger and angry confusion in him increase and multiply even more. Anger grows more and more every day and, in the end, finally takes possession of the unfortunate man, driving him into a frenzy. May Jesus Christ, our good Master and Lord, free us from such a fate.” 3. He said that we need a lot of sobriety and understanding in order to resist the various tricks of the devil. He makes a person become indignant without any reason, even the slightest, and sometimes he will give some good excuse so that the person thinks that he was angry righteously. All this is revealed only by the devil’s misanthropy. A person who sincerely strives to follow the path of saints should completely stop being angry with people. As Macarius the Great said: “It is completely alien to brothers to be angry and angry.” 4. Abba John Kolov said: “Once I was walking along the road from Skete with a camel driver who was carrying my handicrafts on a camel. When I noticed that with his conversations he was pushing me towards anger, I forgot about the products and ran away from him.” 5. Abba Iperekhy said: “He who cannot restrain his tongue during anger cannot restrain his passions.” 6. Abba Ammon (Azzouao) said: “I spent fourteen years in the Skete, praying to God night and day that He would grant me victory over anger.” 7. The elder was asked: “What is anger?” He replied: “Envy, lies and ingratitude.” 8. Anger for a person is an abyss. He who has overcome anger has filled the abyss. Blessed is the man who meekly bore the yoke of the Lord Christ to the very end, while the arrogant man spreads hostility and hatred around himself. An angry person who raises his voice often swears in vain, but a silent person is always reasonable. Anger is an immodest and shameless passion; anger is followed by resentment and annoyance. Resentment eats away at the heart of the offended. An angry person will never find peace in his mind, and a restless person is alien to any joy. Calmness of mind is perfect health, and anger is hostile to it. An angry person is sick with a serious illness. Human! It is not a good or useful thing to want to help others, but to plunge yourself into great danger. Anger is not a sign of wisdom at all, but one of the diseases of the soul. It is a sign of limitedness and narrow-mindedness. It makes a person stagnant in ignorance. If you want to heal the sick, know that they need mercy and care, not punishment. The Scripture says: We who are strong must bear the weaknesses of the weak (Rom 15:1). And the same apostle advises correcting someone who has fallen into sin not with anger, but in a spirit of meekness (cf. Gal 6:1). Chapter 36: About the fact that it is not harmless for those striving for perfection to be indignant in their hearts at offenders and insulters 1. From the life of Saint Pachomius When his brother John heard about the life of Pachomius, he went in search of him. They met and kissed with great joy. After all, after Pachomius was baptized and numbered among the chosen ones of Christ, preferring the monastic life, he never saw his relatives. John decided to head towards the same goal as his brother. So they remained together, always thinking about the law of God, and never saying a word about what was happening in the world. Pachomius remembered the promise that the angel gave him that through him countless souls would be saved. He and his brother began to build a large monastery for those who want to renounce the world and come to God. While they were building, Pachomius decided to enlarge the courtyard of the cell. But John, considering himself a hermit, on the contrary, wanted their home to remain cramped. Being older than Pachomius, he became angry and said to him: – Stop expanding the yard for show. He, having heard, flared up that he had been insulted in vain, but did not say anything, but meekly remained silent. The next night, having gone down to the place where part of a large monastery had already been built, he wept bitterly, confessing to God: “Woe is me, the thought of the flesh still lives in me, I obey the flesh. I took on such a feat, and again anger stole me. Have mercy on me, Lord, so that I do not perish. If you do not confirm me in Your long-suffering, the enemy will find his destiny in me and will immediately begin to carry out his plans. I will become his tributary, as the Scripture says: Whoever keeps the whole law and sins in one point, he becomes guilty of all (James 2:10). I believe that Your compassions are great, Lord, help me and teach me to walk in the way of your saints, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead (Phil 3:14). All the saints from the ages, having received Your grace to help, put the enemy to shame and shone forth everywhere. But how will I teach, Lord, those whom You promised to call to monastic life? After all, I have not yet overcome the passions that overcome the soul through the flesh, and I do not keep Your law impeccably. I believe, Lord, that by giving me help and protection, You will forgive me all my sins.” So Pachomius repented, crying all night until the morning. He shed so much sweat and tears (it was summer, and the earth was completely dry from the heat) that the soil under his feet turned into a viscous swamp. The saint stood in prayer, raising his hands to the sky, and did not lower them, as if crucified on the Cross. So he exhausted his body in order to return his soul to sobriety and, thanks to considerable meekness, maintained peaceful relations with his brother. If we want to acquire perfect meekness and be worthy of the bliss commanded by the Lord (cf. Matthew 5:5), then we must cut off from ourselves not only the manifestation of anger, but also confusion in the mind. A person should not so much restrain his lips in a moment of anger and not utter crazy speeches, but rather cleanse his heart of rancor and not keep evil thoughts against his brother in his mind. The Gospel teaching calls for tearing out the roots of sins, not the fruits. When anger is eradicated from the heart, neither hatred nor envy will actually appear. He who hates his brother is called a murderer in Scripture. He mentally kills his brother, treating him with hatred (Compare: 1 John 3:15). An angry person does not shed his brother’s blood with a sword, in front of people, but kills him with an inner movement of his heart, in front of God. God rewards or punishes not only for deeds, but also for thoughts and wishes. As He Himself said through the prophet: “I come to gather together their deeds and thoughts and desires (Is.66:18). We also learn this from the words of the apostle that their conscience and their thoughts will accuse and justify in the day when... God will judge the secret deeds of men (Rom 2:15-16). Chapter 37: That a brother should be generous to those who insult him and not take revenge on his offenders It was said about Abba Isidore, the presbyter of Skete: if a weak, cowardly and rude brother lived in someone’s cell and the elder wanted to drive him away, then Abba Isidore would say: “Bring him to me.” He accepted this brother and saved him with his long-suffering. And when he preached a sermon in church, he always repeated one thing: “Brothers, forgive, and you will be forgiven.” 2. The Fathers told about one great elder that when someone came to him for advice, he used to say: “Behold, I take upon myself the role of God and sit on the judgment throne. How do you want me to judge you? If you say have mercy on me, God will say to you: “And you have mercy on your brother.” If you want me, God, to forgive you, forgive your neighbor too. For how can there be injustice with God? No way. But our salvation is in our power.” 3. The offended brother came to Abba Siso and said: “My brother offended me, and I want to take revenge on him.” “No, child, leave vengeance to God,” the elder advised. “I will not calm down,” the offended man persisted, “until I take revenge myself.” “Let’s pray, brother,” the elder suggested, stood in prayer and said, “Lord, we no longer need Your care for us.” We can take revenge for ourselves. When the brother heard this, he fell at the feet of the elder and exclaimed: “I won’t fight with my brother anymore, forgive me, Abba.” 4. A certain brother from Libya came to Abba Silouan on Mount Panetho and said: - Ava, I have an enemy. He did me a lot of harm. He even took the field from me when I was still in the world, often plotted all sorts of intrigues against me and persuaded me to poison me. I want to deliver him into the hands of the ruler. “Child, it’s better to leave him alone,” the elder advised. “But,” the brother objected, “if he is punished, it will bring considerable benefit to his soul.” “Do as you see fit, child,” said the elder. “Father, let’s get up, pray, and I’ll go to the ruler.” The elder stood up, and they began to read “Our Father,” and when they came to forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors, the elder said: “And do not forgive us our debts, just as we do not forgive our debtors.” “But it’s not like that in prayer, father,” his brother stopped him. - Isn’t it so, child? - asked the old man. “But you decided to go to the ruler so that he would avenge you, and Silouan cannot say another prayer for you.” The brother repented and forgave his enemy. 5. Someone saw a laborer carrying a dead man on his back and said to him: “Why are you carrying the dead? Better carry the living." 6. The brother came to the elder who lived in the desert and saw the guys behind the fence of his cell, grazing cattle and swearing loudly. He revealed his thoughts to the elder, and, having benefited from the elder’s spiritual guidance, remarked: - How can you, Abba, still tolerate these guys? Why don’t you discourage them from such unbridled behavior? “Truly, brother, every day when I want to reprimand them, I forbid myself and say: “If I cannot bear their words, then how can I bear the temptations that may befall me?” So I don't tell them anything so that I can be prepared to bear future temptations. 7. The elders said that one elder lived in the same cell with a young brother and, once seeing that he was doing things to his own detriment, said: - Don't do this next time. But he did not listen to him, and the elder waved his hand at him, deciding: “Let him answer for himself.” One day the young man locked the door to the cell where the bread was kept and left the elder without food for thirteen days. But the elder did not ask him where and why he was leaving. They had a neighbor who, as soon as he noticed that the young man was missing and the elder could not enter the cell, prepared some food and passed it over the fence to the old man so that he could eat, and among other things said: - Brother is delayed for some reason. “He will return when he can,” answered the elder. “I want to undergo martyrdom for God’s sake.” “If you tolerate your neighbor in difficult times,” said the elder, “it is tantamount to the martyrdom of three youths in the oven.” 9 . The elder said: “If someone says an offensive word to you and then denies it, do not irritate him by reminding him that you said so. After all, he will flush and say: “Yes, he said it, so what?” And you will have a serious quarrel. Let this word remain with him, and then the peace between you will only strengthen. It was said about James, the brother of John the Theologian, that the judge who sentenced him, seeing that he was being led to death, repented and fell at his feet with the words: Jacob stopped and said: “Peace be with you,” and kissed him. The judge immediately declared himself a Christian in front of everyone, stood next to the condemned man and shared the highest reward with him. Brother, if you hear that someone has done you harm, hasten to contrast your good will with his evil. Do not reward in your heart the one who upset you, do not blame him, do not judge him, do not slander him, do not spread rumors about him. If you still have the fear of Gehenna, destroy the thought that inspires you to take revenge on your neighbor. Say to yourself: “Pathetic man! You must pray for the forgiveness of your sins. God still tolerates you and does not reveal your sins. How dare you, in anger at your neighbor, spread rumors about him? If you do this, God will not forgive you your sins and will declare them to everyone in the world.” This reflection will soften your heart, and by refusing to take revenge on your neighbor, you will find favor with God. And if your evil heart is hardened towards your neighbor, know that you still have no memory of sins before God. You are cowardly, you are afraid to even repent of your sins, what kind of forgiveness are you counting on? Let us not be angry with our neighbor because he said something to us without thinking. He did not say this of his own free will, but under the influence of the one who incites our brothers against us: so that we would hate each other and find ourselves under his power. Let us heed the holy commandments of our Savior, cutting off our own will. If we love only those who honor or obey us, how are we different from the pagans? If we pray only for our benefactors, the publicans do the same. If we are only happy with those who praise us, any sinner does the same. If we hate someone who offends us, disobeys us or hates us, then we still remain Jews. Remember that you were baptized into Christ and into His death and no longer promised to live for yourself, but for Him who died and rose again for you. Consider yourself, are you following in the footsteps of Christ? Christ is sinless, He is your example in everything. He was content with poverty, but you cannot stand poverty. He didn’t have a place to lay his head, and you just have to leave your native place, and you’re already uncomfortable. He did not take revenge, but you cannot restrain yourself from taking revenge. He was not angry when he suffered for us, but you are angry even when something annoys you. He calmly endured all the humiliation, but you don’t know peace, even when everyone is kind to you. He humbly called sinners to himself, but you scold the people who love you. He endured all the hardships with joy, but if you hear about even some small trouble, you immediately lose your temper. He was gentle with the worst sinners, but you are arrogant over those who are much better than you. He gave Himself to death for those who sinned against Him to atone for them, but you cannot sacrifice anything for those who love you. Look what He has given you and what you have given Him back. Know Him by His works and yourself by what you have created. If you died with Him in divine Baptism (cf. Rom 6:3), then why do you sin? How are you going to answer Him on the day of His glory, when He will appear from heaven, visible to all the people in the greatness of His glory, bearing on His body the signs of suffering for us? (Cf.: Hebrews 2:9–10). How will you appear before him if your body has not undergone any suffering? He will certainly tell you: “I don’t know you.” You will see all the saints who died in His name and suffered for Him, and you will be ashamed before them. Consider the life of any saint and you will see how much suffering they endured, but never took revenge. These are prophets, apostles, martyrs and other saints. The blood they shed cries out for vengeance to all who live on earth (Cf. Rev. 6:9-10). All of them, having endured the most severe suffering, were never angry, although they were stabbed with swords, stoned, burned with fire, executed on the scaffold - they were generous to their tormentors and prayed for their forgiveness. They knew that the executioners were not acting of their own free will. All injustice comes from the devil: he darkened the minds of the tormentors, forcing them to execute the martyrs. Consider yourself, beloved, whether you have any vindictiveness in you. You won't be able to hide anything at that hour. No one will then be able to portray everything as he wants, but everyone’s deeds will declare themselves for what they are. When the Resurrection occurs, everyone will rise, clothed in their own deeds as clothing: in evil or in righteousness. They will tell about a person and determine the place of each. Blessed is the one who accomplished the feat and plunged those who dragged him into Gehenna and put on the clothes of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostle said: We know that our earthly house will collapse like a tent, but we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal, in heaven (2 Cor 5:1). One learned lawyer asked an ascetic: - Please explain, I would like to know why the monks believe that there is no need to judge offenders? “Not to take revenge on offenders is God’s commandment,” answered the elder. – He said through the prophet: Vengeance is Mine, and I will repay, says the Lord (Rom 12:19). And in the Gospel He said: If you forgive..., then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matthew 6:14-15). This is repeated in many places in Scripture. Is it really possible to propose a more righteous law than God’s, and prematurely considering oneself sinless, judge the offenders? “But rulers,” the lawyer objected, “punish offenders in order to restore justice to the offended.” “Judges do not sin by punishing offenders,” the elder noted. – But whoever delivers offenders to judges, and not to the court of God, is the one who sins. First of all, the evil that accumulates in a person calls for repentance, and not for revenge. Then, even if you have suffered injustice, you should, according to God’s command, forgive the offender so that your sins will be forgiven. And human retribution will make your evil unforgivable. Rulers, as the apostle said, are terrible not to those who are virtuous, but to those who do evil. They do not force pious believers to bring their offenders to justice, nor do they punish people for refusing revenge. Those offended are not required to go to court. Retribution is achieved only by those who want it. Rulers honor and treat with kindness those who are long-suffering for God's sake, considering them to be reasonable and virtuous people. Since rulers do not force those who do not want to go to trial, they do not sin when they punish those convicted. Therefore, wise interlocutor, it is necessary, in addition to external laws and rules, to study the spiritual law. We must endure all sorrowful troubles, and not punish the guilty, but love them and apply only the law of love to them. Love, as Scripture says, thinks no evil, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor. 13:5-6). Love cannot judge those who commit injustice. We have all acquired love to varying degrees, some more, some less. But none of us has achieved the dignity of love, and therefore we expect that by the grace of Christ our shortcomings will be filled, if we do not neglect the work that is in our power. The wise only pay lip service to the idea that only those who commit injustice sin. And those who are wise in spirit blame themselves for injustice if they do not endure injustice with courage. They know that their current sorrows came from their ancient sins, and therefore they have nothing to be offended by. He who avenges himself accuses God of injustice. And the one who bears the grief that befalls him as his own admits to his past mistakes, because of which the current disasters befell him. Those who are offended by people must avoid sin, and then consolation will erase all their sorrow. He who believes in Christ, who forbade revenge, endures any injustice with faith. He who prays for his offenders throws demons into confusion. And whoever resists the offenders is powerless before the demons. It is better to be trampled by people than by demons. He who pleases God always comes out victorious. And whoever is angry with his neighbor because of money, because of fame or because of pleasure, has not yet understood that God justly manages all affairs. Don't listen to the misfortunes of your enemies. He who listens with joy to evil speeches will later reap the fruits of his vindictiveness. We cannot forgive another person for his sins from the bottom of our hearts if we do not have the right knowledge. Correct knowledge shows that a person is to blame for all his troubles. If someone insulted you, and you not only didn’t say anything, but didn’t even think, you acquired true knowledge and showed firm faith in the Lord. The sons of men make mistakes when they decide what is fair and what is not. After all, God rewards everyone with justice, therefore the offender will not retain advantages and the offended will not lose. A person who does not understand this lives in a world of his own imagination. His confusion is not good for him. A generous heart will be worthy of generosity, and the merciful will be shown mercy. And the opposite will be followed by the opposite. I have heard from reverent men that we should not allow anyone to plunder what we save for our food and to help the poor. Especially if we endure this from Christians: so that, because of our gentleness, we do not become the cause of the sin of the unrighteous. But I believe that there is no need to so far-fetchedly put your property above yourself. If I give up prayer and guarding my heart and start speaking in courts, then soon I will simply move into courthouses. One cannot consider the restoration of justice to be a more important matter than one’s own salvation, even if one does not recall the Savior’s commandment (Lk 6:27). I will not be able to follow the Gospel commandment from the one who took what you have, do not demand it back (Luke 6:30), if I do not look with joy at the plunder and plunder of my property. The apostle speaks about this (Heb. 10:34). After all, even if you return your property, the thief will not be free from sin. And perishable judgments cannot encroach on the imperishable judgment of God. If a person is guilty before the law, then he should justify himself before it. But it is better for us to endure the violence of those who offend us, and to pray for them, so that through repentance, and not through the return of what was stolen from us, we renounce the guilt of excessive acquisitions. This is what God’s justice requires of us: liberation of the rich from sin through repentance. Whoever says that he has left the world, but at the same time sues people, just so as not to lose some of his things, is completely blind. After all, he voluntarily left the entire church body and is now fighting only for one part of it. Know that forgiving debts to debtors is a matter of righteousness: then a person will see that peace has shone in his mind. When you rise above the path of righteousness, then you are freed from all things. Those for whom the world has died endure all temptations with joy. And for those who live in the world, it is impossible to endure injustice. Overcome by vanity, they become angry or suffer from grief. Oh, how difficult it is to accomplish this virtue of patiently enduring injustice! But what great glory those who have it acquire before God! Whoever wants to acquire this virtue must first distance himself from his neighbors and go to a foreign land, since you will achieve nothing in your own country. You need to have great strength to withstand insults when among relatives. This can only be done by people for whom this whole world has died, and all consolation has gone without return and disappeared forever. Blessed Zosima said: “Once I met with Blessed Dionysia. One brother asked her for alms, and she gave him as much as she could. But since she did not give him as much as he asked for, he began to scold her and me with inappropriate expressions. Hearing his words, the poor thing was upset and began to think about how to teach him a lesson. When I realized what she was up to, I said: - What are you doing? You are plotting against yourself and destroying every virtue of your soul. For what can you truly learn from what Christ endured for you? I know, madam, that money is trash for you, because you give it away to everyone. But if you do not acquire meekness, you will find yourself like a blacksmith who hits a piece of iron, but the product does not come out. - And he added, - Ignatius the God-Bearer said: “I need meekness, which destroys all the power of the prince of this age.” Not being indignant is a sign that you have rejected the world. For it happens that a person neglects many centinariums (coins), but values ​​one needle. Passion makes this needle more valuable than money, he becomes a slave of a needle or a doll, or a book and ceases to be a servant of God. One wise man noted well: as many passions as the soul has, there are as many masters. And the apostle added: Whoever is overcome by someone is his slave (2 Pet 2:19). Hearing this, she looked at me with admiration and said: – You will find the God for whom you passionately strive. 2. The blessed elder also said: “God’s commandments are naturally very easy, but our evil wills make them difficult. And while they act in us, the soul cannot fulfill the commandments, but if we abandon wickedness, then they will turn out to be simple and not at all difficult. It is difficult for a person to give up attachment to worldly things and quarrels over the possession of these things. To grow rich in God and trust only in the God who created us and cares for us, and to desire His Kingdom is the only thing we should strive for. Usually, when we find ourselves in a storm at sea or if robbers approach us, we leave everything, abandon all our property, because we know: we need to save ourselves as quickly as possible and for the sake of a short life we ​​sacrifice everything and consider it happiness, even if everything perished, but we ourselves were saved from robbers or from the storm. The one who recently went crazy over a penny now gives up everything just to save his temporary life. But why don't we think the same about eternal life? Why don’t we willingly, from the bottom of our hearts, despise and throw away everything earthly, just so as not to lose eternal life? Why is the fear of God not as strong, as the saint said, as the fear of the abyss? To confirm what has been said, Abba Zosima told the following story, which he learned from someone. 3. “A certain jeweler took precious stones and pearls with him and, together with his servants, boarded a ship to carry out successful trade in foreign lands. During the voyage, the master became friends with the cabin boy, who served him and ate with him at the same table. One day, the cabin boy overheard the sailors whispering and agreeing to throw the jeweler into the sea and take away his precious stones and property. The young man was very sad. When he, as usual, came to the jeweler, he noticed that the young man was gloomy and withdrawn, and asked: - Why are you gloomy today? At first the cabin boy did not want to say anything and hid from him what he heard. And the next time he also remained silent. But since the jeweler persistently tried to find out the reason for his gloomy mood, the young man could not stand it - he burst into tears and told what the sailors had planned against him. The jeweler asked: “Indeed it is so,” they agreed among themselves. Then the master immediately called his servants. “Do everything I tell you immediately,” he said and spread out the sheet. - Now bring me my bags with stones. They brought it. He opened them and began pouring stones out of them onto the sheet. Shaking everything out of them, he said: - And this is human life? And because of this I suffer fear and fight the sea? My life is full of troubles, and I will soon die and take nothing with me from this world? Throw it all into the sea. Together with his servants, he took a sheet with jewelry and threw it into the sea. The sailors stood stunned - all their plans collapsed before their eyes. Let us note, brothers, that as soon as the thought arose in him, this worldly, narrow-minded man immediately renounced his passions and became a philosopher in word and deed: and all in order to gain a short temporary life. But for the sake of the commandment of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven, we cannot endure even a small loss without regret. If we should be sad at all, it is about the death of a person who caused us harm, and not about the loss of property, about someone who acted unfairly towards us and deprived himself of salvation, for the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9). If someone treated you unfairly, then he gave you life, because the Scripture says: Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven (Matthew 5:12). We do the opposite: we grieve over the spiritual destruction of the members of the body of Christ and sit, immersed in thoughts about our brother because of perishable, insignificant things that have no value. After all, by faith God made us members of the body, the head of which is Christ, as the apostle says: All the members of one body, although there are many, form one body, so does Christ (1 Cor 12:12). When your brother upsets you, consider that it is either your hand, or your eye, or some other part of your body that is annoying you. Scripture says that when one member suffers, all the others suffer along with it. If something hurts, the pain spreads throughout the whole body, because all parts of the body are interconnected. But we don’t cut off or throw away a hand or pluck out an eye so that the pain stops. On the contrary, we consider the loss of at least one organ to be a great loss. Involuntarily, we sympathize with the painful organ and try in every possible way to heal it. We place the honest seal of Christ on ourselves, anoint the sore spot with holy oil, and show ourselves to doctors in order to recover as quickly as possible. When the diseased organ gets better, the whole body will stop suffering. We should think the same way about our brothers and treat them the same way. If one of them, instigated by our common enemy, offends us or upsets us by God's permission (when God wants to test us or free us from our passion), then we should grieve not because of the damage or insult, but only because the brother first of all harmed himself. He offended himself greatly, as I have already said, because he pitifully fell away from the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we must grieve and weep and fervently beg the man-loving God for him, so that He will forgive our brother his mistake. By doing this, we will truly become imitators of Christ, who prayed for His crucifiers and asked the Father to forgive them their sin. He is a model for us in everything and in kindness too. Imitating our Lord, let us forgive our brothers everything committed against us in ignorance, so that He may forgive us our sins and make us participants and heirs of His glory. “Once I ordered books from a skilled calligrapher. When he finished his work, he sent for me and said: “I’m finished, send a man and take the books.” One brother, having heard about this, went on my behalf to this calligrapher and, handing over the money, took the books. And I, not knowing this, sent one of our brothers for books with a note and money. That brother had already left, and when the calligrapher realized that the one who had taken the books had deceived him, he became indignant and said: “I’ll go now and teach him a lesson for two sins at once: for mocking me and for taking what did not belong to him.” As soon as I heard this, I sent for the calligrapher and told him: “You know, brother, we buy books in order to learn from them love, humility and meekness. And if the beginning of buying books is discord, I don’t want to buy books, just to avoid quarreling. But the servant of the Lord must not quarrel (2 Tim 2:24).” 5. Robbers came to one hermit, and he screamed in fear. Neighbors came running to his cry, tied up the robbers and sent them to the local ruler. He put the robbers in prison. When the brothers heard this, they were saddened and said: “It was because of us that they were extradited.” They all went together to Abba Pimen and told him how it had happened. Abba wrote to the elder: – Think about the fact that they were given out not for the first time, but for the second time. If you had not given them away the first time with a movement of your lips, showing cowardice due to lack of faith, then they would not have been handed over to the ruler. When the elder read Abba Pimen’s letter, he got up, went into the city, although he had never left his cell before, and achieved the release of the robbers from prison. He was revered throughout the country and freed the robbers in front of the entire people. If your brother owes you a debt and is slow to repay the debt, and you decide to remind him, tell him once. It often happens that a person simply forgot. And if you owe someone a debt, and he doesn’t remind you out of politeness, fear God and don’t appropriate someone else’s property. Scripture says: Do not owe anyone anything except mutual love (Rom 13:8). Chapter 38: That a Christian should not only not punish the offender, but also generously tolerate untruth and shame him with his kindness A most pious man named Livertin from the monastery of St. Honorat, where he was first a student of Honorat, and then became the second person in the monastery, was once riding on a horse. The leader of the Goths, Count Dardas, met him with his army. His men immediately unseated Livertin from the horse he was riding and took it away. The saint bore the loss graciously and even gave them the whip. “Take this too, so that you have something to drive my horse,” he said and began to pray. Dardas' army moved on and soon reached the Vulturni River. To cross it, the cavalrymen began to spur their horses, but no matter how they beat them, the animals did not move, as if there was a deep abyss in front of them. When the riders themselves were tired of torturing the animals, someone said: “This attack comes to us because we have offended God’s man.” Several horsemen immediately galloped back and found Libertinus in the same place, kneeling and praying. “Get up,” they said, “and take your horse.” “Go in peace,” answered the saint, “but I don’t need a horse.” Then the riders got off their horses, picked up Livertin, put him in the saddle and immediately rode off. When they returned, the horses quickly, as if on land, and not as on water, crossed the river, which they could not approach before. One should be amazed both at the humility of the righteous man, who meekly endured injustice, and at the justice of God, who stopped lawlessness and enlightened people through foolish creatures and at the same time wonderfully glorified His servant. 2. From the life of St. Marcian The great Marcian, at midnight, when he thought no one would see him, usually went to a familiar money changer to get copper coins for his gold coins and then distribute them to the poor, and immediately returned to his place. The money changer, for whom the darkness of the night made it easier to obtain dashing profits, used the wrong scales. But Marcian was not indignant and did not even think of incriminating him, leaving it on the conscience of the money changer. This happened many times, and he was amazed at the patience of Marcian, who behaved as if he did not notice anything. And then one dark night, he finally understood what Marcian’s life was about, and ordered the servant to follow the saint when he left him to find out why he needed so many coppers. The servant followed the righteous man. Meanwhile, the divine husband saw a dead beggar lying on his bed, went to a small tavern, took wine, washed the deceased and changed his clothes. At the same time, the dead man even stood up, as we talked about above, kissed Marcian and lay down again and closed his eyes. Seeing this, the servant shook in horror and ran headlong to the owner and told everything how it happened. The money changer was overcome with remorse for what he had done. How many times has he deceived the saint! His conscience scourged him, he cried bitterly. When Marcian came to him again to exchange the spool, the rich man fell at his feet and confessed the evil he had caused and returned everything that he had hidden from him. Thus, a good deed done in silence can touch a person more than many words. Those who are not affected by reproof and persuasion are corrected if they learn about a laudable deed, silent and hidden from human eyes. Their conscience awakens in them, they become better and, of their own free will, begin to learn good things (and there is no other way). Marcian nevertheless said that he did not know this money, and refused to take the shortage: not because he abhorred the money changers (after all, he not only forgave him, but also recognized his act as a matter of love), but because he fled from vain glory, which only brings harm. He did not want any of the people to know about this and kept the secret for God alone. 3. From the life of Saint Spyridon One day a man came to Saint Spyridon to buy a hundred goats. The saint agreed to sell. The buyer named the price and went to select the animals, but he only paid for ninety-nine heads in order to take one goat unnoticed, hoping that the simple-minded and not at all businesslike seller would not notice this. When they entered the pen together, Spiridon, counting out one hundred goats, gave them back and silently took the money. But one goat, obedient to its owner, as if knowing that he had not sold it, ran back into the pen. The buyer pulled her by force, but she again escaped from his hands. The most amazing thing is that she escaped for the third time. The owner had to kick and scream at the poor thing, but the animal persisted. The buyer tried to put her on his shoulders and carry her, but she began to kick, butt, and break out of his hands violently and violently. Thus, the animal clearly showed the buyer’s dishonesty and punished him. Those who were nearby looked at it in amazement, but did not understand the reason. The great saint did not want to expose the buyer in front of everyone. So he said to him in a whisper: - Look, child, maybe it’s not just that the goat kicks and doesn’t want to leave. Check if you paid for it. These words touched the merchant to the very heart, he realized his sin, was ashamed, admitted his deception and asked for forgiveness. As soon as the extra money was paid for the goat, she stopped bleating and resisting, but calmly walked along with everyone else. The great saint, who maintained moderation and imperturbable calm in everything, God-fearingly managed the affairs of the diocese, but did not forget about the goats and sheep. 2. One day, in the dead of midnight, thieves silently entered the sheep pen to steal the sheep. But God, who cares for the shepherd, did not abandon the sheep he grazed. The thieves found themselves tied up in a pen by an invisible force. Morning came, and the great saint, knowing what had happened, came to the thieves. Seeing that their hands were twisted and tied behind their backs, he freed them from their bonds by prayer, then gave them a long instruction on how to earn a living by righteous labors and gave them a ram, saying with a smile: – It’s not in vain that you stayed awake all night. 3. This is what happened to a shipowner from Trimythus. He needed money to go trade overseas. He came to the saint and asked him for a loan. The saint kept all the commandments, including the commandment not to turn away from anyone asking for a loan (Matthew 5:42). He willingly gave this man several gold coins, which were kept in the bishopric in case of need. The shipbuilder took the gold and, having made a safe voyage and earned considerable profit, returned to Trimythus. He came to the saint to repay his debt. The saint did not even check or count the money, as most people do: he simply ordered the shipbuilder to go up the stairs and put the money in the box from where it was taken. The shipbuilder, charmed by the saint's kindness and gullibility, put gold coins in the box, as the lender had told him. And whenever he needed it, the shipbuilder took the money and returned it without guile. He did this many times, but the passion of the love of money turned out to be beyond his strength. He was overcome by suspicion of the man who completely trusted him, and slyness took root in his soul, killing truthfulness. He turned the freedom given to him into evil. One day he pretended to go to repay the debt, but did not put anything in the box, locked it and left, taking the money with him. He spent this stolen money on his business, but it did not bring any benefit. He found himself in need and went along the beaten path to the great saint to once again ask for gold, which he did not return. The villainy of the shipman did not hide from the saint, and he meekly ordered him, as usual, to go and take the money. The shipowner pretended that he had not done anything deceitful or base. He went for the money and, opening the box and finding it empty (that’s how he left it), informed the saint about this, thinking that Spyridon would not understand why there was no money. The saint told him to look for the money more carefully. “After all,” he said, “you put them there yourself.” No one else touched the box. The Apostle Matthew quotes the words of the Lord: “Give to those who ask you, and do not turn away from those who want to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42). The shipbuilder went again and pretended to have examined everything, but since it is impossible to find money that is not there, he said with feigned surprise: – I can’t find them anywhere. The good and meek man said to him: - Friend, if you really put them there, then you should take them there. And if you ask us for what you took for yourself, you are now mocking yourself, not us. When the shipowner heard this, he could no longer bear the conviction of his conscience. He fell to the ground, grabbed the saint’s knees and began to beg for forgiveness. The saint managed to forgive him before he began to speak. He gave him instructions not to set his sights on someone else’s things and not to burden his conscience with villainy and lies. “After all, from this,” he added, “there is no benefit, only losses.” 4. From the life of Saint Euthymius the New from Madito Several sacrileges broke through the wall at night in the church where the Monk Euthymius served and stole sacred vessels. When the theft was discovered the next morning, the entire village rose up and began looking for the villains - the rumor about the theft spread quickly. The thieves were captured and brought to justice. The judges were going to pronounce a sentence without any leniency and demand the most severe punishment for these miserable criminals. When the great saint heard about their decision, he came to the middle and said: “It’s not good for these scoundrels to receive retribution from the Others when the victim is standing in front of you.” Whoever suffered the Damage has the right to be indignant. Hand them over to me, I will punish them mercilessly, so that they will soon die of torment, hunger and thirst. The townspeople decided that he was speaking correctly. When the people dispersed, the saint took the thieves to his home. There he treated them cordially, gave them everything they needed, freed them from their shackles and set them free on all four sides. 2. Another time, during the full moon, when a cold light spread across the earth, the great saint, as usual, after praising God, was making a round of his household, when he suddenly saw two people stealing flour from the basement. One crawled down through the tunnel and from there brought the bags upstairs, while the other accepted them and carried them aside, hoping that no one would notice. He was on his guard and as soon as he noticed the saint, he ran away, leaving his comrade. The Divine Euthymius considered it a great evil to deprive the poor of flour, especially when there was not enough bread, and it was worth almost its weight in gold. And he decided to replace the fugitive and help his comrade. He, not knowing what happened upstairs, continued to serve the bags, and the saint accepted them and folded them. When the thief had removed enough bags and was about to get out, the saint whispered in his ear: -Why are we going without picking up the cheese? - He showed with his finger where the heads of cheese were. Out of fear, he did not guess who he was talking to, and asked: “The bishop spoke about this recently, I heard,” answered Evfimy. The thief began to feel the place indicated to him and got to the cheese. He took the heads and gave them to the saint. But as soon as the unfortunate man saw his hand, he immediately realized who it was, fell to the ground out of fear and shame and began to ask for forgiveness, crawling at his feet. The saint respectfully took him by the hand, lifted him from the ground, hugged him and said: “Don’t be afraid, child, and don’t think that you’ve done something terrible.” The things you take belong to God and to you. If you take a part, know that you are taking your own, not someone else's. If you need more, come and get everything you need. The thief was comforted by these words and left, marveling at the gentleness and compassion of the saint, and told everyone about what had happened. And the saint, due to his great virtue, did not consider his act even worthy of attention, because he believed that a true Christian should consider everything material to be common to all people and consider nothing his own (cf. Acts 4:32). His soul was created by love, and blissful humility preserved; therefore his sum did not become scarce (cf.: Matthew 6:19–20), The brother asked Abba Pimen: – What do the words “one who is angry with his brother without cause” mean in Scripture? (Mt 5:22). – If your brother sinned against you, even very strongly, and you became angry with him, this is a vain anger. If he plucks out your right eye and cuts off your right hand, you should not be angry with him. But if he separates you from God, then get angry. 2. The elder said: “He who was unjustly offended and forgave his neighbor by nature is from Jesus. He who is not offended and does not offend others is by nature from Adam. And whoever offends his neighbor, demands interest from him, and profits from someone else’s misfortune, is by nature of the devil.” 3. It was said about Abba Gelasius that he had a book on parchment worth eighteen nomism. The entire Old and New Testaments were rewritten in it, and it lay in the church so that every brother who wanted could read it. A foreign brother came and when he came to the elder and saw the book, he immediately coveted it, stole it and left. And the elder, although he saw everything, did not chase after him. That man came to the city and began to sell the book. He found a buyer and asked sixteen nomism for it. And the buyer said: “I’ll first ask around what kind of book it is, and then I’ll tell you the price you’re asking.” The stranger gave him the book. And the merchant brought it to Abba Gelasius so that he could evaluate the goods and tell him how much they were asking for it. The elder began to examine the book as if he had never seen it before, then said: – Buy it, the book is good and worth the price. The merchant returned to his place, but answered the seller differently than the elder ordered. “I showed the book to Abba Gelasius. He told me that sixteen nomism was too expensive and the book was not worth it. The kidnapper, hearing this, asked: “Didn’t the elder tell you anything else?” Touched by the elder’s gentleness, the seller said: “I won’t sell it,” he took the book, came to the elder with repentance, wanted to return it back, but he refused to accept it. Then the brother said: – If you don’t accept, I will have no peace. “In that case, I’ll take it.” And the brother remained with the elder until his death, since he received great benefit from the elder’s work. 4. When Abba Euprepius was robbed, he helped the robbers carry out their belongings. They took everything out of the cell, leaving the elder only with his traveling staff. Seeing this, the abba was embarrassed, and, taking it, ran after them to give it back too. But they did not want to take a simple stick and hurried to get away as quickly as possible. Then the elder handed the staff to the first travelers he came across and told whom to give it to. 5. Once Abba Theodore was attacked by three robbers: two held him, and the third carried his property out of his cell. When they took out the books, they wanted to take away the cassock that the elder wore to the service, but he asked: They didn't listen. Then the elder, with one movement of his hands, knocked both robbers holding him to the ground. Seeing this, they got scared. “Don’t be afraid,” said the elder. - Divide my property into four parts, take three for yourself, and leave me one. They did so, and the elder received his share - the service robe. 6. It was said about Abba John the Persian that when his cell was attacked by villains, he brought out a basin and washed everyone’s feet. They were ashamed and left in repentance. 7. Abba Macarius returned to his cell and saw a man who had arrived on a donkey and was carrying out his property. He joined the robber and began loading things onto the donkey as if they were not his. Then, without saying a word, he escorted him out and said: “We brought nothing into the world with us and therefore we will take nothing out of it.” The Lord gave what he wanted, and so it became. May the Lord be blessed in everything. 8. They also said about him that in his absence a robber came to his cell. When Abba returned, he found the robber loading his property onto a camel. Avva began to help carry out his things and, together with the robber, load them onto the animal. When everything was loaded, the robber began to beat the camel so that she would get up, but she would not get up. Abba Macarius, seeing that the animal was not getting up, returned to his cell, found a small bench, took it out, put it on the camel and said: “Brother, that’s what was missing,” and, hitting the camel on the leg, he shouted: “Get up.” The camel immediately got up and, having taken a few steps at his word, lay down again and did not get up until all the luggage was removed from her. The ashamed robber left with nothing. 9 . Once robbers came to the elder’s cell and told him. - We will now take everything from your cell. “Take everything you need, kids,” he said. They took everything and left, and only forgot to take some kind of package. The elder took it and ran to catch up with them, shouting at the top of his voice: - Chad, take this, you forgot this in my cell The robbers, amazed at the elder’s kindness, returned everything they had taken, and, repenting, said: “Truly, he is a man of God.” 10. They said that once the philosophers decided to test the monks. A well-dressed monk passed by, and they said to him: - Hey, come here. Another monk, a Libyan, passed by, and they said: - Hey, monk, old sinner, come here. He immediately came up and they hit him on the cheek. He turned the other cheek. They immediately fell on their knees before him and exclaimed in amazement: They sat him down next to them and began to ask: - How did you surpass us in the desert? Are you fasting? And we fast. Are you awake? And we are awake. Everything you do, we do too. But in what ways are you superior to us, hermits? – We hope in God’s grace and keep our minds. – We cannot store this. Thus, having received spiritual benefit, they said goodbye to the monk. 11. Two monks lived nearby. The elder came to them to test them. He took a staff and began to destroy the vegetables that one of them had grown. Seeing this, the brother hid and did not come out until there was nothing left of the vegetables. Then he went out and saw that only one plant had survived. He said to the old man: “If you want, I will cook it now and we will eat together.” The elder bowed to his brother, saying: “For the sake of your kindness, the Holy Spirit rested on you, brother.” 12. Blessed Zosima spoke about one elder: “When I was in the monastery in Tire, one virtuous elder came to us. He and I began to read the book “The Sayings of the Elders” (we always read it according to our custom) and came to the story about the old man to whom the robbers came and took everything except one small package. It was written there that the elder was chasing them, shouting at the top of his voice: “Children, take it, you forgot this in my cell.” They, admiring his gentleness, returned everything they had stolen. When we read this, the elder said to me: “You know, Abba, this statement helped me a lot.” I started asking him: - When I lived on the banks of the Jordan, I read this statement and, admiring the gentleness and meekness of the elder, I turned to God and said: “Lord, who deigned me to accept the same monastic form as he, deign me to follow in his footsteps and follow, like him, the same path, guided by Your grace.” When this desire took possession of me, after only two days of sitting in the cell, I heard several people approach the cell, stand and knock on the door. I realized that these were robbers. I said to myself: “Thank God, the time has come to reveal the fruit of my desire.” I opened the door and welcomed them cordially, lit the lamp and began to show them things, saying: – Don’t worry, I believe in the Lord that I won’t hide anything from you. - Do you have gold? - they asked. “Yes, three spools,” I answered and opened the drawer. They took the gold and left in peace. “And I,” said blessed Zosima, “thanked the elder for the story and asked him: – What happened then? Did they return, like those robbers to the old man from the story? -God forbid! I didn't want them back. “You see,” Abba Zosima added in conclusion, “to what success and glory before God his desire and spiritual readiness led him. He not only did not regret things, but also rejoiced, as if he had been awarded a great good.” 13. Another old man, who needed clothes, came to the market and bought clothes for numia (coin) and change. He took the cloak, laid it on the ground, sat down on it and, giving it to the seller nomisma, began counting out the coppers, laying them out on a plank lying nearby. Someone came up from behind and began to pull the purchase out from under him. The elder felt that someone was pulling out the robe, but he remained silent and only bent over the coins more and more until the thief pulled out the robe completely and disappeared. And the elder, having paid the full price, left empty-handed. Chapter 39: Those who gratefully endure injustice and do not demand vengeance, God avenges them, and His reward for those who are patient exceeds their hardships. The crafty demon, jealous of the noble way of thinking and the generosity of the wondrous John, inspired the patrician Nikita, who had known the saint for a long time and was friends with him, to think and say completely unworthy things about the saint, disgracing the honor of the nobleman himself. One day he came to the blessed man and said: “Lord, His Majesty needs large funds for urgent public needs, and his expenses are too high. You can see for yourself how difficult all state affairs are. So, give what you spend haphazardly and on who knows what, to the state treasury. John, not at all embarrassed, said: “It would be unfair to give what is consecrated for the Heavenly King to an earthly one.” This is outright sacrilege, a grave sin before God. But if you decide to do so, here are the church property, take whatever you want until your reason forces you to abandon this intention. Only with my own hand I won’t give you a penny. To our surprise, the patrician was not embarrassed, called his companions and ordered them to describe the property. He left the Patriarch no more than one hundred pounds of gold. When, having loaded the property onto carts, the patrician’s people were about to leave, donors of honey came towards the Patriarch to meet them. They brought barrels, some were written “primary”, on others – “unfumigated” (The inscriptions on the barrels “primary” means honey from the first pumping, and “unfumigated” means honey obtained without fumigating the bees). The Patrician, seeing the beekeepers and reading the inscription, told the Patriarch that he needed one barrel (and left). The Patriarch, as expected, gave the barrel for testing. And then a miracle happened before the eyes of the blessed husband! The barrels turned out to be filled to the top with gold. The Patriarch immediately sent the patrician just the barrel of the “first pumping out”. And along with the keg he sent a letter, the meaning of which was as follows: “The Lord, who said I will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5), is false in His promises. Instead of the money that your lordship withdrew, he gave others. This will show you the sent keg. Know for sure that God, who gives food and breath to everyone, is not subject to the limitations of mortal man.” The Patriarch also ordered those who carried the barrel to open it in front of witnesses in front of the patrician and tell him that all the other barrels that he saw were also full of gold. Ambassadors from the patriarch found the patrician in a cheerful mood. They handed Nikita a letter and a keg. Seeing the letter, he remarked: “The Patriarch is probably very angry with me, otherwise he would only have sent a keg.” The porters, as they were ordered, opened the barrel in Nikita's presence and poured out the gold, informing him that the rest of the barrels were also filled with gold. When the patrician read in the letter that God is not subject to human limitations, he was very confused and filled with fear. After all, every noble and virtue-loving soul quickly repents of an evil deed. He exclaimed: - God lives! Humble Nikita will never dare to subject God to his human pettiness! He immediately ordered the return of all the money to the Church, including the barrel sent to him, and from his own funds he added another three hundred pounds of gold. And he himself came to the Patriarch, gave everything and asked for forgiveness for the evil that he did not want to commit. The Patriarch received him favorably and did not reproach him and did not even say a word of reproach to him, but only consoled his soul and strengthened him with spiritual instructions and blessed him at parting. From then on, they were bound by an inextricable friendship, and later the Patriarch baptized his children. Anyone who is offended by someone and does not demand a debt from the offender truly believes in Christ and receives a hundred times more than he lost in this century, and in the next century he will inherit eternal life (Mk 10:30). Abba Gelasius once inherited from an elder who lived near Nicopolis a cell and a field around it. Nicopolis of Palestine was then ruled by Wakat. And so the peasant, who was a relative of the deceased elder, came to Vakatu and demanded this field for himself, saying that it should go to him by law. Vakat, who was his comrade, tried to forcibly take the field from Abba Gelasius. But he, not wanting the monastic cell to pass to a layman, did not yield. Once Vakat noticed that Abba Gelasius’s people were taking out olives on mules from the field that had been inherited to him, he ordered the mules to be forcibly brought to his yard, took away the olives, and drove the animals and drivers away with abuse. The blessed elder did not demand the olives back, but did not cede power over the field for the reason already mentioned. Then Vakat, in his audacity (especially since he had other affairs in the capital), wanting to take the land from the elder through the court, went to Constantinople by land. He arrived in Antioch and decided on the way to visit Saint Simeon of Mandra to seek his blessing for the journey. He heard about Simeon and really wanted to see him. Before he had time to enter the monastery, Saint Simeon, seeing him from the height of the pillar, asked: -Where are you from and where are you going? – I am from Palestine, and I am going to Constantinople. - For what? - asked the saint. “I have many urgent matters,” replied Wakat, “and I hope, through the prayers of your holiness, I will return and worship your holy feet.” “Would you like, most wretched of men,” exclaimed the saint, “to confess: I went against the man of God?” Your journey will be disastrous, and you will not see the threshold of your home. But if you need my advice, go immediately to the monk and repent to him if you manage to return to your hometown alive. Vakat immediately fell ill with a fever, his companions put him on a stretcher and, according to the word of Simeon, went home to repent before Abba Gelasius. But when they arrived in Beirut, Wakat died without reaching home, as the saint had predicted. 2. Blessed Pior, working in the harvest for his owner, constantly reminded him of payment. And he kept putting off the payment, and the abba returned to the monastery without money. When harvest time came again, the abba worked very diligently for this man and, again receiving nothing, returned to the monastery. And in the third year the elder completed all the work and, having received nothing, returned empty-handed. When the Lord sent troubles and many illnesses to the house of this owner, he brought the payment to the monastery and began to look for the saint. And as soon as he saw him, he fell at his feet and, having given payment for three years’ work, confessed: “The Lord rewarded me.” And the elder ordered to take the money to the church to the presbyter. 3. The brother made a master key, unlocked the elder’s cell and took the money. After this, the elder wrote a note: “Mr. Brother, whoever you are, create love, leave me half the money for my needs.” The elder divided the money into two parts and put a note between them. And the brother came in, tore up the note and took all the money. Two years later, this brother fell seriously ill and was already dying. His soul suffered for a long time, but could not leave his body. Then he called the elder and said to him: - Pray for me, father. I was the one who stole your money. – But why didn’t you confess right away? The elder prayed for his brother, and he gave up the ghost. Chapter 40: About the fact that we need to love our enemies as bringing us great benefit, do them good and pray for their salvation 1. From the sufferings of the holy martyr Mina and those with him 1. Saint Mina spoke with great boldness about the power of Christ to the eparch (regional governor) Hermogenes, who had the power to judge and punish. The saint convinced that in the name of Christ and by calling on His name, everything is possible: to heal serious incurable diseases, the healer of which is God alone. The saint called the crowd standing in front of them to witness his words. The bishop turned to him: “Now I will prove that you are a deceiver and an empty boaster.” I will cut off or burn one of your members, and you, who worship Christ, will no longer be able to restore it. How will you appear before people when you promise others what you cannot even deliver to yourself? “I pray, bishop, only that you may experience the power of Christ on me.” I am confident that you will at once relinquish the authority with which you are now vested, and become one of those who live under Christ. The eparch, wanting to vent his anger and expose the saint in front of everyone, ordered the pulp from his feet to be cut off with knives and his legs exposed to the bones to be presented for questioning about the gods. He expected that Mina, struck by unbearable pain to the very heart, would soon become confused in her words and arguments. The saint, when they began to mercilessly cut his legs with knives, cut off blood vessels and tear out the tendons on which the mobility of the body depends, groaned quietly (just when grace retreated somewhat in order to test his feat and give grounds to crown him with a crown of victory, because crowns are the obvious fruits of labor), nevertheless he steadfastly endured the pain. When the torture was over, the saint stood on the bare bones of his feet, chanting: My foot stands on the straight path; in the assemblies I will bless the Lord (Ps 25:12). Blood flowed from the wounds in a stream, but his face shone, because his soul was strengthened for any test. All spectators rejoiced, glorifying the winner. The eparch, wanting to avoid exposure, decided to disarm and immobilize his enemy so that he could be easily dealt with. He ordered the martyr’s tongue to be torn out by the roots. The saint said: “Even if you take away my eyes, I will not stumble.” The lamp is nogam, my law is yours (Ps 119:105). I am confident and boldly declare to you that even if I lose my tongue, you yourself will find a language and glorify the greatness of Christ with delight. Then everything happened as the saint predicted. Christ restored his legs, eyes, and tongue. He appeared at the trial before everyone safe and sound, so that the eparch himself believed and suffered martyrdom along with the Martyr. 2. From the story of the life of the Apostle Peter, written by Saint Clement I, Clement, asked Peter about what philanthropy is, because I did not fully understand it. I wanted to know what Actions need to be performed in order to become philanthropic. Peter replied: – He is a philanthropist who even shows beneficent meekness towards his enemies. Philanthropy consists of two parts - alms and love for one's neighbor. A person's neighbor is every person. A person can be evil or good, enemy or friend. Anyone who perfects himself in the feat of love for mankind is obliged to imitate God, doing good to the righteous and the unrighteous, just as God himself gives sunshine and rain to everyone in this world. If you only want to do good to good people and to torment evil people, you are trying to arrogate to yourself the position of judge. – But isn’t God a lover of mankind, who comes to judge us all? – I asked. “He is both a Judge and a lover of humanity,” answered Peter. – He loves and has mercy on the offended and punishes the unjust. – Will I be philanthropic if I begin to do good to good people and punish unjust people who offend others? – I asked. “If you,” he answered, “had the conduct of future affairs and the power of a judge, this would be correct: after all, then you would have the right to judge.” “You said it correctly, very precisely,” I remarked. - He who does not have foresight cannot judge correctly. Sometimes people seem to be kind, but secretly commit the most wicked acts, and sometimes enemies slander good people, and after that everyone considers the good to be evil. But does the judge, who has the right to interrogate and pass judgment, always judge correctly? It happens that murderers remain silent, despite all kinds of torture, and they are released for lack of proof of the crime. And some, being innocent, unable to withstand the torture, incriminate themselves and then serve their sentence as guilty. “Whoever wants to accomplish all the virtues, as Christ said,” answered the apostle, “must love his enemies, pray for them, bless his detractors and forgive his offenders.” Then the person will faithfully observe all the commandments, and all the sins he has committed for the sake of love for his neighbor will be forgiven. If he understands that enemies, who for some time have caused evil to people they hate, become for these people the reason for deliverance from eternal torment, then he will love his enemies as benefactors. This great commandment can be fulfilled only by loving God deeply, and for this you need to accustom yourself to the fear of God. The Scripture says: The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). If anyone keeps the fear of God in his mind, he will certainly achieve love for God and love his neighbor as himself. Suppose two kings, whose countries border, are at war. If a citizen of one country is caught in another, he will be executed as a spy. And so, if the king replaces the death sentence with one lash and releases the man, wouldn’t we call him a philanthropist? “Of course, we’ll name it,” I agreed. “And if this person also steals something, even from a stranger, and is caught red-handed, he will be obliged to pay four times the value of the stolen property.” And if, instead of taking four times from him and then executing him, they take only double from him and after a lash they release him, then will not the one who let him go show philanthropy? “Now you have convinced me that those who commit injustice themselves suffer injustice, and those who suffer injustice gain a lot from them.” Therefore, it seems to me that what is happening is extremely unfair. Whoever committed injustice harmed only himself, but brought great benefit to those offended. But those who intended to cause injustice suffered injustice themselves. And those who benefited from them did not receive the same reward. “But this,” Peter noted, “if we judge it not from the point of view of the one doing the harm, but from the point of view of the one experiencing the harm.” Having approved what was said, I asked: “My lord, explain to me what you said earlier, namely, that we endure injustices and hardships for the sake of the remission of our sins. “This is how it happens,” answered the apostle. – The more we acquire, the more we strive for, whether we are talking about clothes, food or anything else. But we do wrong when we acquire more and more. He who wants to live righteously must renounce his property. Any property gives its owners a reason to sin, so deprivation of property means taking away a reason to sin. Therefore, God, out of His excessive love for mankind, corrects people who do not arrange their lives according to the will of God. And having graciously endured temporary punishments, we will be delivered from eternal torment. 3. From the martyrdom of Saint Longinus the Centurion When Pilate received a letter from Caesar condemning Longinus to death for his faith in Christ, he immediately ordered Longinus to be handed over to the Jews, willingly handing over the blessed husband to those people who had long wanted to kill him. When the Jews arrived for Longinus in Cappadocia, where, as was known, he led a peaceful life in one of the inherited rural estates, they went to the field and there they talked with Longinus himself. The messengers did not know that standing in front of them was a man, for the sake of whose capture they had come a long way with many difficulties. The Jews asked him: – Where is Longinus and in what field can he be found? At that same moment, the Holy Spirit let Longinus know who had come for him. He calmly turned to them and said in a meek and peaceful voice: - Follow me and I will show you who you are looking for. The blessed man rejoiced in his soul, anticipating the future pleasure of true confession. He welcomed his martyrdom even before martyrdom, and thought: How beautiful are the feet...of the evangelist! (Isa 52:7; Rom 10:15). Now I will see the heavens open. Now I will know the glory of the Father, now I will sweetly enter into the highest Jerusalem, the fatherland of angels, the capital of all the saints, to the sounds of victorious hymns in a glorious procession. Now I take off my mortal garment and renounce the many-tearful bonds of the flesh. Now I am freed from corruption and joyfully put on incorruption. Now I am leaving this temporary, hectic life, in which the waves rise, always threatening with serious shipwrecks. I am heading to the only true haven, where life is comfortable and eternal. Rejoice, soul, you are going to your Creator. Let your face be clear, time is calling you. Accept kindly, Longinus, the blessings bestowed upon you. We are called to the royal feast, which is already ready.” This is what Longinus thought. Meanwhile, he brought the Jews to his house, and, having treated them with all his heart, after dinner he began to ask: – Why is this Longinus wanted? They took an oath from him not to tell anyone about this and told him about Caesar’s letter to Pilate and that they were instructed to behead Longinus and two other soldiers. When they said who these two were who were condemned to death, those who chose to follow Christ rather than be Jewish mercenaries, Longinus immediately went to them, ordering them to come and taste the blessings of martyrdom together. So he hospitably received Pilate’s envoys for two days. Then he led them into the field, where those two warriors were already waiting. When they met, Longinus declared to Pilate's men: “I am the Longinus you are looking for.” At first they didn't want to believe. How can one believe that a person doomed to martyrdom will greet his impending death with such joy? When they had no doubt left that Longinus was in front of them, their souls became heavy. Their conscience tormented them: - Oh, this miserable dinner! Oh, terrifying hospitality! How did you, friend Longinus, conceive of such a thing? You received those who came to kill you in your home. You met death as a guest, and sacrificed yourself during the meal, knowing that your guests were not guests, but robbers. Why have you upset those who must carry out the death sentence so much? How can we repay you with a sword for your hospitality? We feel ashamed when we remember your meal. We feel embarrassed talking to you. Our hand cannot kill you. The mind cannot comprehend how one can kill a benefactor. It’s better to let Pilate punish us than to have our conscience torment us. We are ready to endure everything, just to maintain our gratitude to Longinus. This is what Pilate’s servants said when addressing the martyr of Christ. No matter how passionately they spoke, they still could not convince him. This truly noble man freely addressed them: “Are you, brothers, envious of the great blessings that I will enjoy?” Why are you mourning my death so painfully? She is not death for me, but the beginning of life. For me, death is desired, not the present living of life. Only through death will I appear before my Master and taste His bliss. You give me the end of evils, and not the end of life. I'm leaving for true eternity. Longinus spoke for a long time, urging him to carry out Pilate’s command, and the soldiers sentenced to execution with him listened to him. He looked at them, glowing with happiness, gave them his hand and hugged them. He kissed their eyes and said: – O soldiers of Christ, heirs of the Kingdom, rejoice! Behold, the gates in heaven are open for us, and the angels are waiting to receive our souls and bring them to the only begotten Son,” and he said to Pilate’s servants: “Do what you are ordered.” He put on clean clothes that were brought to him from home, as if he had been invited to a wedding. Together with the soldiers, he hastened to fall to his knees and (oh blessed death!) completed his feat, and after cutting off his head he was canonized as a holy martyr. 4. From the life of Saint Theodora One of the monks who labored together with Saint Theodora, stung by envy at the sight of the heights of virtue the saint had reached, secretly from the abbot ordered her to take the letter to a certain monastery. They said that the matter is very urgent and an answer must be brought as soon as possible. In fact, their plan was that she would go at night and become the prey of wild animals. After all, the road to the monastery is deserted, and only wild animals walk along it. But their attempt failed and the exact opposite of what they had planned happened. The Reverend lost her way. But by God’s will, the beast appeared and escorted her to the monastery where she had been sent. She went to deliver the letter to the abbot, and the beast followed her. He approached the gatekeeper, who screamed in fear. The brothers came running. The blessed one also ran towards the noise and, seeing that the beast was about to tear the monk to pieces, she pulled him away by the scruff of the neck, saving the gatekeeper from danger. She anointed the wounds inflicted by the beast and, calling on the name of Christ, made the gatekeeper completely healthy. And the beast fell to the ground and died. Theodora wanted to hide what happened and therefore did not tell anyone anything. However, early in the morning eyewitnesses came from the monastery and themselves told about how, through the prayers of the monk Theodore, a man was delivered from a cruel death, that someone who was about to be torn to pieces and eaten was delivered from the jaws of an animal. The abbot of the monastery was amazed by this and in bewilderment began to ask who sent Theodore with the letter. Everyone refused. He looked at the blessed one and asked: – Who, Theodore, forced you to go there on a dark night with obvious danger to your life? Now pay attention to this perfect and pure soul - Theodora, wanting to maintain humility and not denounce her brothers, replied that she could not remember those who sent her: it was night, she really wanted to sleep. She could hardly open her eyes, and in her sleepiness she couldn’t really see anyone. His disciple Abba Isaac (they both later became bishops) told about Abba Motia that the elder first founded a monastery in Irakle. Not having time to settle there, he went to another place, where he also built a monastery, but through the devil’s inspiration a brother was found there who began to quarrel with him and oppress him, and the abba went to his native village, where he created a monastery for himself and began to live in seclusion. After some time, the fathers from the monastery founded by Motius went to him, taking with them his brother, who upset him, intending to persuade the recluse to return to the monastery. They passed by the place where Abba Soriy lived, left their coats with the unfortunate brother and told him to wait. When they knocked on the door of Abba Motius, he placed the ladder against the fence, climbed up, leaned over the fence and, recognizing them, asked: “They are there, such and such a brother is guarding them,” they answered. When the elder heard the name of the brother who was annoying him, he grabbed an ax out of joy, broke the front door and ran towards his offender. He was the first to repent before him, kissed him and led him into his cell. For three days he entertained them and sat with them himself, which was not his custom. He returned with them to the monastery, and then became a bishop, for he had the gift of working miracles. And he also made his disciple Abba Isaac a bishop. 2. Abba Pimen said: “You cannot overcome wickedness with wickedness. If anyone does you harm, do him good. By creating good you will abolish wickedness.” 3. One warrior of Christ was betrayed to death by his own slave. When he was led to execution, he saw the slave who betrayed him. Taking the gold ring off his finger, he gave it to her with the words: “Thank you! You have given me so many blessings!” 4. They said about one brother who lived next door to the great elder, that he went to the elder’s cell and stole. The elder saw this, but did not rebuke him, but only worked even harder and said that his brother was probably in need. The elder endured a lot of sorrows in order to earn bread for himself in need. When the elder was dying, the brothers surrounded his bed, and he, seeing the thief, said to him: “Come to me.” He kissed his hands and said: “I bless these hands, for thanks to them I go to the Kingdom of Heaven.” He was moved, repented and became an experienced monk, because he saw the deeds of the great elder. 5. The elder said: “If you hear that someone hates or reviles you, send him a gift that is within your means, so that you can boldly say in the hour of judgment: “Master, forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). 6. One brother, having lost his way, asked those he met for directions. And these were robbers who directed him to a deserted place, and one of them followed him to rob him. At one point he forced him to cross a creek. As soon as they began to cross, a crocodile appeared from the water. The monk, seeing the predator, did not turn away, but warned the robber, and he avoided danger and then thanked the monk, amazed by his philanthropy. 7. The elder said: “If anyone remembers an offender, an insulter or a robber, he should remember him as a doctor sent by Christ and consider him a benefactor. Sorrow itself shows that your soul is sick. If you weren't sick, you wouldn't suffer. You should thank this brother and pray for him, because thanks to him you learned about your illness, and accept his actions as a healing remedy sent to you by Jesus. And if you are offended by him, then you are decisively telling Jesus, “I don’t want to take medicine from You - I want to rot from my wounds.” Anyone who wants to be healed of terrible mental illnesses must endure what the doctor does to him, no matter how painful it may be. Anyone who is physically ill also requires cuts, cauterizations or cleansing agents - even remembering this is unpleasant. Nevertheless, the patient obeys, since without this it is impossible for him to free himself from the disease. He courageously endures what the doctor prescribed, knowing that after short-term pain there will be relief from a long-term illness. The cauterization of Jesus is the one who dishonors or slanderes you and thereby delivers you from vanity. The cleanser of Jesus is the one who causes damage and rids you of excesses. And whoever runs away from a temptation that is useful to him runs away from eternal life. Who would have given Saint Stephen such great glory as those who stoned him brought him?” 8. When Alexander became Patriarch, thanks to him the city was called Feupol. And here's why. One of his notaries stole gold intended for church purposes and fled. During his wanderings, he fell into the hands of cruel Egyptian barbarians, who took the gold and took it to the most remote part of the country. When the Patriarch found out about this, he sent his people to him and ransomed the prisoner for eighty-five nomism. And when he returned, he met him with such philanthropy and mercy that, out of amazement, people in the city began to joke: “There is nothing more profitable than sinning before the Patriarch.” 9 . Blessed Zosima said: “Near the monastery there lived an old man. He was incredibly kind and gentle at heart. And his brother lived next door to him. One day, when the elder was not there, the brother, at the suggestion of Satan, opened his cell, entered and took things and books. When the elder returned and opened the door, he did not find his things. The elder went to his brother to report this, and saw his things in the middle of his cell, because the brother did not even have time to hide them. The elder, not wanting to shame him and expose him, pretended that he had an upset stomach, left and spent a lot of time in the latrine so that his brother could remove all the things from his eyes. And when the elder returned, he started talking about something else, keeping silent about the lost property. A few days later the stolen items were identified, the brother was seized and put behind bars, but the elder knew nothing about it. But when he heard that he was in prison, he could not understand why he was imprisoned. “He came to me,” the abbot said, “as he often came to us, and said: - Create love, give me some eggs and some white bread. -Are you expecting someone to visit? – I asked. In fact, he needed the food to take it to a prisoner. When he entered the prison, his brother fell at his feet and said: “I’m here because of you, Abba, because I stole your things, but your book is there, and your cloak is there.” “Let your heart be informed, child,” said the elder, “this is not what I came for.” I didn't even know you were here because of me. But when I heard where you were, I became sad and went to bring the parcel. Here are eggs and white bread. And now I will do everything to get you out of prison. He begged influential people (the elder was known for his virtue even to high-ranking officials), and they helped free his brother. Chapter 41: About not hating anyone The brother came to Abba Pimen and, in the presence of several people, praised another monk for hating deceit. Abba Pimen asked him: – What does it mean to hate wickedness? The brother thought, but did not find what to answer. He stood up and bowed before the elder with the words: “Tell me, Abba, what does it mean to hate wickedness?” “To hate wickedness,” the elder explained, “means to hate only your own sins, and to justify your neighbor.” A God-loving soul is initially troubled by many passions, especially anger and hatred. The soul endures this not so much because of the demons attacking it, but because it has already succeeded. After all, as long as the soul is shackled by only worldly thoughts, it remains inert and serene, even if the truth is trampled underfoot before its eyes. After all, she is occupied only with her own lusts, and she does not even think about the truth of God. And when she somehow rises above her own passions, then even in a dream she will not allow the truth to be insulted. The soul already despises the transitory and loves God. Therefore, she can become angry at the villains and become confused until she understands that the persecutors of the truth justified their dignity with good intentions. Such a person hates the unrighteous and loves the righteous beyond measure. The eye of his soul already freely penetrates through the bodily shell, which has become completely thin from abstinence. But there is no need to hate the unrighteous; it is much better to mourn their insensibility. Perhaps they deserved hatred, but the mind does not want a God-loving soul to be disturbed by hatred. Indeed, in a soul that is overwhelmed by hatred, knowledge ceases to operate. There is no need to hate the sinner: we are all guilty before God. If for God's sake you cannot restrain your attitude towards the unfortunate person, mourn him, but do not hate him. Hate only his sins, and pray for him to become like Christ. Christ was not indignant against sinners, but prayed a lot for them and wept over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37). We are often fooled by the devil. Why should we hate and disdain that person who was also deceived by the common enemy? If you hate a sinner because he does not treat you righteously, know that you are no less a sinner because you have no love. And in whom there is no love, there is no God, because God is love. There is no need to hate or persecute the sinner, but you need to have compassion for him, becoming a herald of God’s goodness. God guides you, unworthy, and does not reject you, does not turn away, does not demand vengeance for your many sins. Imitate, as much as you can, His compassion and goodness, be generous to the same servants of God. Then for your small compassion you will receive the greatest mercy from God. Chapter 42: About the fact that rancor is destructive, for it not only destroys all spiritual work, but also turns away the mercy of God, and about how to resist rancor 1. On the martyrdom of Saint Nicephorus A priest named Sapriky had a lay friend, Blessed Nicephorus. They loved each other and doted on each other. But due to the envy of the devil, a quarrel arose between them, which destroyed their friendship and brought them to open hostility and even hatred, so that they could not even see each other, and if they met, they turned away from each other, considering it disgusting to even see the face of a former friend. And when great friendship turns into enmity, then love turns into hatred. However, blessed Nikephoros, this kind, patient and merciful soul, quickly got rid of this passion. And although he did not forget about the cause of the quarrel, he still tried ardently and zealously to restore good relations of love. First, he sent his acquaintances to his former friend to ask for reconciliation. He took upon himself all the blame for what happened and began, shedding hot tears, to ask for forgiveness. But Sapriky was adamant and inexorable and did not want to give up hostility at all, even though he was a priest who made a bloodless sacrifice, and a disciple of the kind and merciful Christ. Among other things, he himself taught parishioners that one should not be vindictive. Then the kind Nicephorus, choosing a convenient time, came to Sapricius, fell at his feet and began, sobbing hotly, to ask for reconciliation and the restoration of his former friendship. But the proud man was not moved by his pleas. He could not moderate his anger, although he was the culprit of discord. He pushed Nikifor away and quickly walked past, without even saying a word or deigning to glance at his former friend. And so, when relations between them became strained, and one made efforts to restore their former friendship by all means, and the other did not abandon his hatred, new persecution of Christians began. Emperor Julian ordered that his Christian subjects, if they did not renounce Christ, be tortured and executed. The imperial decree reached the city in which both friends lived. Sapriky, being endowed with the priestly rank and a prominent Christian, was immediately captured. The local ruler put him on trial and began to force him to renounce his faith. Sapricius bravely endured all the interrogations and resolutely refused to worship idols. The ruler, desperate to convince him, resorted to torture. First, he tortured the priest on the rack and, with the help of levers and mechanisms, they stretched him by his arms and legs. The ruler hoped that the priest would quickly become weak and lose his life. But Sapriky steadfastly withstood the torture and did not betray Christ. The persecutor had already given up hope that the Christian would surrender and sentenced him to death, ordering his head to be cut off with a sword. Sapricius was led to execution. Nikifor, having learned that Sapricius was about to be executed, decided that the moment had come in favor of the desired reconciliation, fell at his feet and began to fervently ask and beg not to leave his friend under the yoke of anger and to forgive his sin. He begged, hot tears soaking his feet. But he (woe to the inhuman and vindictive soul!) did not even look at his friend who had fallen at his feet, he was not touched by his suffering and crying. He sealed his hearing with the wax of rancor and hurried on his way, just to quickly leave the suffering and prayers of his friend behind him. The marvelous Nikifor still did not despair. He ran to the place of execution by a shorter route and was in such a hurry that he ended up in the city before the condemned man. And then he began to beg and beg him even more fervently. He did not speak with his tongue or lips, but bared his very soul. His arms and legs, like his whole face, were covered in tears, he cried out for mercy. But Sapriky remained deaf, like a cold rock. Without abandoning hatred and anger, the priest approached the place of execution. When the executioner raised his sword to lower it onto the condemned man’s neck, sparkling crowns of glory appeared above Sapriky’s head, prepared for the hero, who was kneeling and awaiting the executioner’s blow, but his soul, alas, was full of the fierce darkness of rancor. He even forgot where he was and asked why he was being executed, he was so distraught and lost all sanity. “Because,” the executioners answered, “you do not obey the royal decree and refuse to make a sacrifice to our gods.” O grief that befell the Church! To what a terrible fall can vindictiveness lead! Sapriky declared that he was renouncing the faith in order to be the same as his judges, and in front of everyone he began to shamelessly blaspheme Christians. Hearing this, the divine Nikephoros was horrified and began to beg Sapricius even more fervently: - Brother, stop! Father, do not betray God, who gave you life and to whom you will come after separation from your body. Do not trample on the oath of faith and confession that you made before God and the angels. Be ashamed, remembering your past exploits in the name of Christ - terrible torture on the rack and unbearable torture of the body. Respect the great dignity of your priestly office. Don't become a bad example for others, don't be a living example of shame. I beg you, as a friend, I get on my knees and touch your feet. Do not lie in your confession of the Trinity, you already have victorious rewards in your hands, and a martyr’s crown over your head. With these words Nikifor addressed his friend, trying to somehow soften his heart. But Sapricius’s alienation only intensified and his pharaonic heart hardened. He was unmoved by pleas. He decided it was better to give up his faith than to give up his rancor. Then good Nicephorus, burning with zeal for piety and friendship and not knowing what to do, rushed to the executioners and, instead, gave himself into their hands to be tortured for the same faith and to accept the same death by the sword. He himself, with youthful innocence, put his neck under the sword. But the executioners did not accept his impulse, because the local ruler did not yet know anything about him and did not conduct an investigation. But one of those present ran and reported Nicephorus’s words to the ruler, who immediately pronounced a death sentence. When the paper was handed over to the executioners, the glorious Nikephoros accepted death by the sword, inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven in a short time and with little suffering. He truly appeared as Nikephoros, that is, the Victorious, not only in name, but, what is much more important, in deed. What brings us closer to God is not so much exploits, labors and bodily torments, but rather spiritual compassion, philanthropy and love for one’s neighbor. Love is at the head of all good things, as our common Lord and Teacher beautifully commanded us. Abba Macarius said: “If we remember the evil done to us by people, then we weaken the memory of God. And if we do not remember the evil that we have suffered, then we become invulnerable to demons.” 2. The elder said: “Whoever steals, lies, or commits some other sin, often immediately after committing the sin groans, scolds himself, and thus comes to repentance. And the one who has rancor in his soul, even when he eats, sleeps or just walks, burns from rancor, as from a burning poison. This sin became attached to a person so that it became inseparable from him. The prayer of such a person turns into a curse; and his work will never be accepted by Christ, even if he sheds blood for Him.” 3. The brother, tempted by another monk, came to the elder from the Cells and said: “Father, my brother is tempting me, and the demon is tormenting me so that I can take revenge on him.” “Listen to me, child,” the elder advised. - Go to your cell and remain silent. Pray to God for a long time for the brother who offended you, and soon the passion will recede from you. The brother did as the elder advised him. Within a week, God blotted out the anger from his soul, because he forced himself to be free from anger and showed complete obedience to the elder. 4. During times of persecution, two brothers were handed over to torture. And after equal torture they were thrown into prison. But due to the demonic slander, a squabble and quarrel arose between them. Then one of them repented to the other: “We know that tomorrow morning we will accept death. Let’s stop fighting each other and restore love.” But the other brother did not listen to him. The next day they were again taken to court to be tortured. And the one who did not accept his brother’s repentance gave up after the first torture. The ruler asked in surprise: – Why did you endure so much suffering yesterday, but did not give up? “Because yesterday I loved my brother, and the grace of God strengthened me,” he answered. “And now I hold a grudge against him, so God took away my protection and consolation.” Just as an approaching cloud covers the sun, so a vindictive thought darkens the mind. Foxes take up residence in the soul of a vindictive person, and evil predators, that is, crafty mocking demons, have dug holes in his troubled heart. If your brother has done you harm, and someone begins to condemn him in front of you, guard your heart so that evil does not renew itself in you. Before God, remember your sins if you seek their forgiveness and do not take revenge on your neighbor. If you hear that someone has slandered you, and you meet him somewhere or he himself comes to you, try to meet him with joy and generosity. And certainly don't tell him what you heard. The Scripture says: The evildoer... acts in the heat of pride (Proverbs 21, 24). If you are silent in your cell and remember that someone has done you harm, get up, pray to God with all your heart so that your sin will be forgiven, and the thought of revenge will leave you. Never listen to the fact that your offender is in trouble. If you listen to this, then you take revenge on him in your heart. If you harbor malice in your thoughts, it will make your heart impudent. Anger must be destroyed by abstinence and crushed by hope. Resentment is associated with rancor: when the mind looks at the face of a brother with resentment, then it retains resentment towards him. Rancor leads to death, because every vindictive person transgresses the law of God. If you hold a grudge against someone, pray for him and stop the movement of passion. Prayer will distance your passion and drive away resentment from your memory, no matter what evil a person has done to you. You will be filled with divine love, become philanthropic and completely destroy passion in your soul. And if another person holds a grudge against you, communicate with him kindly and humbly, invite him to your place for dinner, make friends with him, live under the same roof - and the passion will pass. Just as smoke drives away bees, so rancor drives knowledge out of the heart. Pray to the Lord, shed tears before His goodness, and rancor will not settle in your soul, but your soul will become like a censer before God. Chapter 43: About not cursing anyone Two monks Florentius and Eutyches, striving for a holy life, settled in the Nursia region. Eutyches, whose spiritual zeal and inner burning constantly increased, strived to bring as many souls as possible to God with his advice. Later, he temporarily (agreed) to become abbot of the local monastery, but at the insistent requests of the brethren he led it for a long time, and with his life he pushed many monks to perfection. For this, after his death, the Lord glorified him with miracles and signs: with the grace of his vestments, droughts stopped and the sick were healed. After his departure to the monastery, simple-minded Florentius remained in the same skete, diligently indulging in prayer. One morning he turned to almighty God with a prayer that He would help him arrange life in this place. After the prayer, the saint left his cell and saw a bear with his head bowed low at the door. There were no signs of malice in the entire appearance of the beast. Thus, he seemed to show that God had sent him to serve man, and the saint guessed the reason for the appearance of the bear, thanked God and led his four sheep to the beast, since he had no other shepherd. “Go, graze my sheep in the meadow,” the saint said to the bear, “and return at six o’clock.” And in fact, the bear drove the sheep to pasture and returned back at the indicated hour. When the hermit wanted to fast, he ordered the bear to return with the sheep at the ninth hour, and he returned at the appointed time. This happened every day, and for a long time the bear grazed the sheep. When the fame of this miracle spread far around, four men from the disciples of the pious Eutyches, at the inspiration of the devil, were inflamed with envy due to the fact that their teacher did not perform miracles, and Florentius acquired great glory by one miracle. They waylaid the bear and killed it. When the bear and the sheep did not return at the appointed hour, Florenty began to wait for him. It was already getting dark, but the bear, whom he in his simplicity called brother, was still not there. The saint spent the entire night in great anxiety. And at dawn he went into the field in search of his shepherd and herd and soon found the bear killed. After a thorough search, he found out who committed the crime. The saint began to cry, grieving over the death of the beast, but most of all over the malice of the brethren. The pious Eutyches, having learned about what had happened, called Florentius to him, hugged him and tried to console him. However, the saint of God, overcome by deep grief, prayed and said: “I trust in Almighty God that even in this life, in the eyes of all people, He will reward them what they deserve for the malice with which they killed my bear, which did them no harm.” These words were immediately followed by God's retribution. The four bear killers were struck by leprosy and rotted alive. When this happened, the saint of God Florentius was greatly frightened: he was frightened by the curse he uttered. And all his life he called himself a murderer of his brothers, cried, begging God to forgive him this sin. We believe that Almighty God allowed this so that this wonderful and gentle man Florentius, no matter how much he suffered from grief, would never throw arrows of curse at anyone. Peter: Is this sin really so serious, even when we curse someone in a fit of anger? Gregory: Why are you asking me about the severity of this sin, when the Apostle Paul warned that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:10). Therefore, think for yourself how serious is the sin that separates you from the Kingdom of God. Chapter 44: About the fact that not only should we not offend anyone, but we should bless those who offend us and thereby humble their anger They told about Abba Macarius of Egypt that at one time he moved from Skete to Mount Nitria. When he approached this place, he said to the student: Having gone ahead of the Abba, the student met the pagan priest and called out to him: He stopped, beat him with a staff so that he was barely alive, and ran away. When Abba Macarius met the priest, he asked: – Why are you in such a hurry, you’re probably tired? He approached the Abba with surprise and asked: – Did you really see something good in me that you decided to console? “I saw,” the elder answered, “that you were exhausted, but you didn’t know that you were working in vain.” “I was touched by your greeting and realized that you are one of God’s people.” And then I met some monk here, cursed me, and I beat him half to death. The elder realized that it was his student. The priest fell at his feet and said: “I won’t let you go until you make me a monk.” They approached the place where the disciple lay, took him in their arms and carried him to the church on the mountain. When the monks saw the priest together with the elder, they were amazed and immediately made him a monk. After this, many pagans became Christians. 2. Abba Macarius said: “An evil word makes even a good person evil. And a kind word makes an evil person good.” 3. One of the fathers said: “If someone insults you, bless him. If he accepts the blessing, it will be good for both of you. And if he doesn’t accept, he will receive his insult from God, and you will receive your blessing.” 4. The elder said: “We see the Cross of Christ and read about the Passion of Christ, why can’t we endure a simple insult?” If someone says a cruel word to you, do not be proud of him in your heart, but hasten to bring him repentance before reproach fills your heart, for we are all quick to anger. If someone insults you, do not contradict him until he shuts up. But if you examine yourself and find in yourself what he called, repent of your sins, and the grace of God will receive you again. Chapter 45: About the fact that you should not lie, but tell the truth – What is the life of a monk? “True lips, a holy body, a pure heart,” answered the elder. 2. The elder said: “A lie is the old man, which is corrupted by its deceitful lusts; the truth is a new man created according to God (cf. Eph 4:21-25). 3. He said: “Truth is the root of good deeds, falsehood is certain death.” The mouth of a truthful person is sanctified by the truth. And truth is the Lord, as He said: “I am the truth” (John 14:6). And he who speaks a lie is defiled by its father, the devil, because lies come from the evil one (John 8:44), the Savior said. Do not praise what you have not seen, and do not speak of what you have only heard as if you had seen it. Train your tongue in the words of God and in the knowledge of them, and lies will flee from you. The love of human glory gives rise to lies. And a humble refusal to lie increases the fear of God in your heart. Keep yourself from lies - they drive away the fear of God from you. The lips of a humble man speak the truth, but he who contradicts it is like a servant who struck the Lord on the cheek (John 18:22). Abba Anuv said: “Since I called myself by the name of a monk, no lie has come from my mouth.” 2. Abba Gregory said: “God requires from every person who has accepted divine Baptism three things: Orthodox faith from the soul, truth from the tongue and chastity from the body.” One night, and it was winter, the brothers were performing urgent obedience. One of them, numb from the cold, returned to his cell, but the other was indignant at this and sent his brother after him. The messenger found his brother with a severe cold and said: – The brothers are asking about your well-being. And don’t worry about the work you left behind, we will do everything for you. “May God remember your love,” he said. “I would so much like to work with you, but my illness won’t let me.” The messenger returned and said: “My brother is feeling too bad, and he told me to tell you that he would like to work with you, but he can’t yet.” So the brother used white lies to avoid evil. Two elders quarreled. One of them fell ill, and the brother came to visit the sick man. The elder asked him: - I’m in a quarrel with such and such an old man, can you talk to him so that we can make peace? The brother went out and began to think about how best to fulfill the request. He was afraid that the elder would not accept the apology, and then the relationship would deteriorate even more. By God's providence, the brother was given five figs and some dates. He took the gift to his cell, selected figs and dates (the best ones), brought them to the elder to whom he was sent, and said: “Abba, these fruits were brought to the sick old man when I was there, and he told me to take them and bring them to you.” Here, help yourself. The elder was very surprised and said: - So he sent them to me? “Yes, Abba,” the brother answered. The elder took the treat and said: The brother returned to his room, took two figs and some dates and brought them to the sick man, bowed to him and said: - Take it, Abba. Your elder sent them to you. The patient was very happy: - Wow, we made peace? “Yes, with your prayers,” said the brother. Thus, friendship was returned to them by God's grace and by the prudence of his brother, who restored peace with the help of three figs and several dates, and the elders did not even know about his peacemaking. 2. One day Abba Agathon asked Abba Alonia: - How can I keep my tongue from lying? “If you don’t lie,” answered Abba Aloniy, “you will commit many sins.” - How is this? - Agathon asked. “Here two people got into a fight before your eyes, and a murder was committed.” The murderer hid in your cell, and the ruler is looking for him and asks you: “Did you see how the murder happened?” If you do not lie, you will put the person to death. It is better to leave him to stand before God, not in chains. For God knows everything. In short, sometimes it happens that a lie is preferable to the truth. Chapter 46: That the sin of slander is great and that it serves to glorify those slandered if they endure slander with gratitude; and that God often punishes slander Once in Caesarea in Palestine, a girl, the daughter of a presbyter, fell and became pregnant, and the seducer taught her to blame the church reader. When the father began to inquire, she pointed to the reader. He reported to the bishop, who called the clergy, brought the reader to the middle and began to ask how it was. But he answered: – I have nothing to do with it. I'm innocent, and I've never seen her before. If you want me to say something that didn’t happen, then it’s your fault. As soon as he said this, the bishop removed him from his position as reader. The unfortunate young man threw himself at his feet, begging: “If you so wish, Mister Bishop, that I am unworthy to be a cleric of your holiness, order her to marry me, because I am no longer a cleric, and she has lost her virginity.” After this, the bishop and the girl’s father decided that the reader was connected with her, and their connection could not be broken, and they married the deceiver to him. The young man took her to a nunnery and asked the abbess to let his wife stay with her until she gave birth, while he went and imprisoned himself in a gloomy cell and began to lead a very harsh lifestyle. In contrition of heart, he turned to Christ and, shedding copious tears, said: - Lord, You are a knower of the heart and you see my deeds, and nothing is hidden from You: the emergence of the things themselves and the desires of each person. You can clearly see his thoughts. You help the offended and punish those who are unfairly slandered. You do not like injustice, and Your scales tip towards righteousness. Master, bring righteous judgment on iniquity and avenge my righteousness. So he spent all his time in prayer and fasting. And now the time has come for the unfortunate liar to give birth. The righteous judgment of God brought sudden and unbearable torment upon her. For seven days the accursed woman was besieged by visions of underground forces and terrible torment, and the baby did not leave the womb. The pain became stronger every hour. She began to piteously beg and desperately scream: - Woe to me, unfortunate one! My soul will perish from two evils: fornication and slander. Someone else molested me, and I blamed the reader. She was neither alive nor dead and could not give birth, and the sisters in the monastery could no longer bear her heart-rending screams. They ran and told the bishop about it. Everyone began to pray in the church, but the prayers of the innocent reader were too strong. The bishop got up and went to where the reader lived in seclusion, and, stopping in front of the doors, began to knock. He knocked for a long time, but the recluse did not answer. Then the bishop ordered the door to be broken down. When he entered, he saw the reader lying on the ground. In his justification, the bishop said: – Brother Eustathius, God’s judgment through your prayers revealed that you were slandered. Have mercy on the one who has sinned against you, she is tormented by continuous torment, forgive her sin. Your prayers are painful for her. Pray to God to free her from painful childbirth. When the reader prayed earnestly with the bishop, the unfortunate woman was immediately freed from her burden and gave birth to a child. She began to ask everyone for forgiveness for their lawlessness against the righteous. Since then, everyone began to revere the reader as a martyr. And he, having abandoned all worldly cares, reached the heights of a virtuous life, so that he was awarded a spiritual gift from God. I told about this so that you know what great torments slanderers are subjected to here, even before the impending punishment in Gehenna, and what great honor and gifts now and in the next century are awarded to those slandered, who with prayers and gratitude endure adversity and resort to God. 2. From the life of St. Gregory the Wonderworker The Great Gregory, having carefully studied Hellenic wisdom and having understood from experience all the doubtfulness, inconsistency and weakness of pagan sciences, became a disciple of Christ's Gospel. Before being reborn in Baptism, he decided to manage his life in such a way that he would approach the font untainted by any abomination of sin. He then lived in Alexandria, where everyone who wanted to study philosophy and medicine flocked. But the young people who studied with him could hardly bear that their young comrade was adorned with wisdom, like the greatest elder. The glory of the pure is a great rebuke to the unclean. They could not justify their intemperance in any way and, in order not to remember in the future that there were people different from them, they thought about how they could dirty the great pure soul. To do this, they persuaded one obscene woman from the whorehouse to slander the saint. When Gregory, as usual, was engrossed in discussing some scientific issue with local pundits, this woman swaggeringly and boldly approached them and pretended to know Gregory well. She said that he underpaid her, adding to this also vulgar abuse. Those who knew Gregory’s life were indignant and tried to reason with the nasty woman. But Grigory was not embarrassed, did not say that he had been slandered, much less show that he was annoyed to listen to her. He did not make excuses, did not talk about his life, did not defend his purity. The slandered man did not deny the accusations and did not denounce the evil of those who invented slander against him, but calmly, without raising his voice, turned to his friend and said: “Give her as much as she demands so that we can continue our discussion without her asking for more.” A friend of Saint Gregory asked the harlot how much she wanted, counted out the money, and thus put an end to the intrigues against the saint. The dishonest woman took the payment, and immediately God showed the youth’s purity and exposed the slander of his fellow disciples. And this is what happened. As soon as she took the money in her hands, a demon took possession of her - she howled like an animal, lost human speech, and fell face down on the ground in front of people. The sight was terrible and terrible for everyone present: she was tearing her hair, scratching herself with her nails, rolling her eyes, and foam began to come out of her mouth. The demon did not let her go until the great saint called on God and prayed for her. This story about the youth of the marvelous Gregory is a worthy prelude to his future deeds. 3. From the life of St. Gregory of Akragantinsky There is a similar story about the great Gregory, Bishop of Akragantina, how he meekly bore the cross of slander. He was kept in custody in a gloomy and stuffy dungeon without windows, but he endured everything patiently and kindly, and therefore was glorified by God at a large meeting, when the girl who had slandered him, and who was possessed by a demon immediately after this, was healed by the saint from possession in front of all the townspeople. Everyone recognized that the slander was false, and the truth shone. Sabina and Criskentina, who figured out how to slander the saint, also suffered retribution. All their slander consisted in the fact that they locked the girl in the saint’s cell while he was in the church, turning midnight prayers to God. As soon as it began to get light, they ran to the cell, rescued the girl and persuaded her to condemn the saint for her captivity. But when the truth was revealed at the trial, at the command of God, they and their accomplices were enveloped in thick black smoke that lasted for several hours. When the smoke cleared, everyone saw that the slanderers' faces had become black and their lips were pale, especially those of the instigators. They could neither compress their lips nor dare say anything. It became obvious that God was punishing them. The punishment became hereditary, their entire family was recognized as vicious, and servants of the Lord were not taken from it. Abba Macarius told about himself: “When I was young and lived in Cell in Egypt, I was forced to become a cleric in the city. And since I did not agree, I ran away to another place. A reverent layman came to me to serve me and help me in my work. It so happened that, through temptation, one girl in the village fell into sin. When she was pregnant, they asked her who the culprit was, she answered: Then the residents went out into the street, dragged me to the village, and hung smoked pots and handles from clay vessels around my neck and sent me to the city, and all the way they beat me and said: - Here is the monk who molested a girl from our village. Give it to him, give it to him. I was beaten so much that I almost died. One of the old men came up and said: - Finally, stop beating the foreign monk! And my novice followed me, embarrassed, for many insulted him and said: – This anchorite, for whom you vouched, do you know what he did? The girl's parents stated: “We won’t let him go until he gives a subscription that he will feed her.” I said I agree. We decided on this. When I returned to the cell, I gave all the baskets to the novice and said: “Sell them and take the money to your wife for food,” he said to himself. - Well, buddy, now you have a wife, and you will have to work more to feed her. And I worked day and night and sent all the money I earned to her. When the time came for the unfortunate woman to give birth, she could not relieve herself of the burden for many days. She was asked: “I know that I slandered the hermit and accused him falsely, and I became pregnant not with him, but with such and such a young man.” My novice came and joyfully said that this woman could not give birth until she admitted that she had slandered you. “The whole village wants to come here,” he added, “to glorify you and repent.” When I heard this, I was afraid that people’s rumors would harm me. I got up immediately and went here to Skit. That's the first reason I'm here. 2. There lived one old man, brotherly and beloved by everyone, who could never even imagine evil in his thoughts. And a certain brother stole things and put them in the elder’s cell, but he didn’t even know about it. A few days later the things were identified, and the elder, who appeared before the brothers, offered repentance: And a few days later the brother who stole the things came and began to talk with the elder, to whom he had thrown them, and said to him: The elder brought repentance before him, saying: Likewise, when one of the brothers sinned and denied it, the elder repented for him and said: - It's my fault, forgive me. This is how reverent and wise the venerable elder was, who did not offend anyone even with a word. 3. The elder said that in the time of the great Isidore, the presbyter of the monastery, there was a deacon, whom Isidore ordained as a presbyter for his virtue, so that he would become a successor after his death. But out of his reverence, he did not touch his new duties and continued to serve as a deacon. Due to the enemy's malice, one of the elders began to envy him. And when everyone gathered in the church for the service, this elder came out and threw his book into his brother’s cell. And then he went and told Abba Isidore that one of the brothers had stolen his book. Abba Isidore was surprised and said that this had never happened in the Skete. Then the old man who threw the book said to him: “Send two fathers with me, and we will search the cells.” When Isidore directed them, the elder led them to the cells of other monks, and then to his brother’s cell. There they found the book and brought it to the presbyter in the church. The brother immediately repented in the presence of all the people before Abba Isidore, declaring to the presbyter: - I have sinned, impose punishment on me. The presbyter suspended him from communion for three weeks. The brother came to every service, stood in front of the entrance to the church and fell on his face in front of all the people with the words: - Forgive me - I have sinned. Three weeks later he was received into church fellowship. And immediately a demon entered the slanderer, and the poor man began to confess and say to everyone: - I slandered the servant of God. Although the whole church prayed for him, he was not healed. Then the great Isidore speaks in the presence of all the brothers: - Pray for him. For you have been slandered. If you don't heal him, no one will. And as soon as the brother prayed, the elder immediately recovered. 4. Father Nikon lived on Mount Sinai, and not far away lived an Egyptian with his daughter. One man went into the Egyptian’s house when he was away, saw his daughter alone and seduced her and taught her how to deceive her father: - Say that Abba Nikon did this. When the father returned and found out about this, his heart was inflamed with anger and sadness. He grabbed the sword and headed into the mountains to the old man. He knocked, the elder opened the door and came out to him. The Egyptian raised his hand to strike with his sword, but his hand immediately went numb. The Egyptian realized that he could not kill the elder, so he went to the elders, and they had already sent for the elder. When the elder arrived, they beat him for a long time and decided to drive him away. But he asked them: “Leave me here, for God’s sake, so that I can repent.” They gave him penance - to repent for three years and not approach anyone. For three years he repented on Sundays in church and asked everyone: Meanwhile, the slanderer was possessed by a demon who began to torment the unfortunate man, and he admitted in the Church that the servant of God had nothing to do with it and that he had committed a sin and told how he had slandered the elder. Hearing this, all the people went to the elder, who was silent in his cell, and brought him repentance: “God will forgive you,” he said, “but I will no longer stay with you.” There was not a single one among you who understood people and would express sympathy for me. And the elder immediately left from there. I think the elder left not only because, as he told the people, he wanted to expose the unmercifulness and promiscuity of these people and call on them to correct themselves, but in order to avoid human praise and glory. After all, everyone would want to glorify him, knowing the height of his virtue and noble courage in the eyes of God. If someone slandered you, do not be timid, but repent with the words: “Forgive me, I will not do this again,” no matter whether you know or not why you were slandered. When the demons see that we despise worldly things, so as not to hate people because of them and not fall away from love, they will immediately erect slander against us, so that, without suffering grief, we will hate the slanderers. There is no test more severe than slander, especially if someone slanderes a person’s faith or way of life. It is impossible not to pay attention to slander at all, unless your gaze is entirely directed towards God, like Susanna’s. Only God, the only powerful one who delivers us from all troubles, will deliver us from slander. He will inform people that it was slander, and he will console the soul with hope. In the meantime, pray with all your heart for those who slandered you, and then God will certainly notify those who were offended by you. Chapter 47: About speech and silence, how and when both should be used, and that idle talk is unforgivable When the great Pamvo was dying, the elders Origen, Ammonius and other holy men gathered at his bedside. They heard him say: - Since I came to this desert, I have never once, until this hour, repented of the word I uttered. But I go to God as a person who has not even laid the foundation for piety. As these men told me, when the great Pamva was asked a question from Scripture or from life, he was in no hurry to answer, but said that he had not yet found the answer. Often even three months passed, and he still did not give an answer and said: Therefore, the elder gave all his answers thoughtfully, as if before God, and all visitors accepted his answers with great fear, as coming from God himself. The elder said: “Sometimes a person seems to be silent, but his heart condemns others. Such a person always talks. And the other speaks from morning to evening, but remains silent, that is, he says nothing without benefit.” – What does it mean: to give an answer for every idle word? - Every word about bodily things spoken without special need is idle talk. And only a conversation about the salvation of the soul is not idle talk. But even in this case, it is better to remain silent. Otherwise you will speak good, and evil will be mixed in with it. 3. The brother came to the elder and asked: - Abba, tell me the word, how to be saved? – If you come to someone, do not rush to open your lips until you know from experience what you are going to talk about. The brother, touched by his answer, bowed to the elder to the ground: “Truly, I have read many books, but nowhere have I found such instruction. 4. It was said about Abba Ammo that when he went to church, he did not allow his disciple to walk next to him, but only at a distance. And if a student approached to ask about his thoughts, Abba, giving a monosyllabic answer, immediately drove him away with the words: “After a useful word, an empty conversation will begin. That’s why I don’t let you get close to me.” 5. It was said about Abba Ammun that he once came to Abba Pimen and said: – If I go to a neighbor’s cell or he comes to me for something I need, we refrain from talking so as not to talk idle talk. “You are doing well,” said the elder. – Young people need to preserve themselves. – What should the elders do? “The elders, having succeeded, no longer have anything alien in themselves or anything hostile to them on their lips, and therefore their conversation is pure. “And if,” asked Abba Ammun, “you need to talk to your neighbor, should you speak in the words of Scripture or in the words of the elders?” “If,” answered Pimen, “you cannot remain silent, then it is better to speak in the words of the elders, and not in the words of Scripture, for the latter can turn out to be very dangerous for the imperfect.” 6. Abba Isaiah said: “Wisdom does not lie in speaking, but in knowing the time when to speak and answer what is appropriate. Show that you know nothing, even if you have knowledge, and then you will avoid many difficulties. Whoever shows himself to be an expert creates difficulties for himself. Don’t boast about your knowledge: no one knows anything.” 7. The brother asked Abba Matoya: - What should I do if my tongue gives me grief? Every time I come to people, I cannot restrain it and condemn people in all their good deeds and reprove them. What should I do? “If,” the elder answered, “you cannot hold your tongue, live alone.” This is your weakness. And whoever lives with his brothers should not be angular, but round, so as not to offend anyone,” and, after a pause, he added, “I live alone not out of virtue, but out of weakness.” Strong are those who move in the midst of humanity. 8. Abba Joseph said: “Once, when we were sitting with Abba Pimen, he called Agathon Abba. We told him: “He’s still young, why do you call him Abba?” “His lips made me call him Abba,” the elder answered. 9 . The elder said: “You will find silence, do not think that you have achieved virtue, and say to yourself: I am not worthy to even speak.” 10. One of the fathers said: “Once the elders sat and talked about spiritual benefits. And among them there was a perspicacious old man, and he saw angels clapping their hands and blessing them. When the conversation moved on to something else, the angels disappeared, and pigs began to circle among the elders, spreading a stench and staring at them. And when the soulful conversation began again, the angels returned and blessed them.” 11. They said about Abba Or that he never lied, did not swear, did not curse a person, and did not speak unnecessarily. 12. He always told his disciple Paul: “See that you never bring an alien word into this cell.” A monk will not stay in one place and will not find peace for himself if he does not first love silence and abstinence. He who multiplies words among brothers breeds quarrels and self-hatred. And whoever spares his lips will be loved by everyone. After all, a wrestler performs with his lips closed. And you do the same: don’t say too much and you will find peace. He who multiplies words becomes vile, but he who keeps them gains universal love. He who spares his lips also spares his own soul, but he who speaks rashly will suffer ruin and experience much grief. As someone said, if the garden is not fenced, it will be trampled and it will be empty. Likewise, the one who does not guard his mouth destroys the fruits of his spiritual work. And as for verbosity, think, monk, that the goal of even thousands of words is silence. Therefore, quickly grab your ultimate benefit, that is, silence, and consider that you have already avoided loss. Silence for a young man is like a bridle for a horse. And an unbridled horse doesn’t get into any kind of trouble. A monk should talk to God a lot, but little to people. Verbosity, forgetting about moderation, exhausts the mind, and it is not only completely deprived of spiritual activity, but also turns out to be given over to the demon of despondency. Therefore, silence is beneficial to us on all sides. The royal treasury grows with gold, and the minds of true monks are replenished with divine knowledge. But someone will ask: “Why then did Paul continue speaking until midnight? (See: Acts 20.7). We can answer. Firstly, the apostle was already about to leave, and secondly, his listeners had just begun to study the Christian faith. This was the very beginning of the sermon and it took a long time to strengthen the listeners in faith. Moreover, Paul himself was filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, so it was not he himself who spoke, but the Holy Spirit who spoke through his mouth. Paul said: Are you looking for evidence that Christ speaks in me? (2 Cor 13:3). Those in whom the Holy Spirit lives speak not when they want, but when they are moved by the Spirit who has taken up residence in them. Even if sometimes they talk a lot, they suffer no harm at all, because they have the grace of the Holy Spirit, which enlightens them and keeps their minds unharmed. But timely and justified silence is also very useful for them. The signs that the Holy Spirit abides in a person are as follows: meekness, love of silence, humility in much wisdom and understanding, lack of aspirations for any pleasures or the glory of this world and an unquenchable thirst for heavenly blessings. If you really need to talk to your brother, talk to him as briefly as possible, with humility and reverence. God always listens to us, and therefore do not want to say or hear that is not useful for you. There is no need to evaluate yourself, but it is better to neglect yourself and remain silent. Then it is clear that you do not listen to passions in order to satisfy your desires, but only to God’s works. Anyone who wants to make speeches in front of many listeners shows that he has no fear of God. The fear of God is the guardian and helper of the soul. He concentrates his mind within himself, so that he is no longer afraid of any enemies. When a person watches his tongue, it shows that he has learned spiritual work. And an ill-mannered tongue means that there is no virtue in a person. Keeping your mouth elevates your mind to God if you remain silent with understanding, while verbosity only breeds negligence and foolishness. Brother, may your soul always weep, humble itself and groan to itself. As an unworthy person, as a simpleton, remain silent all the time and certainly do not speak when there is no need for it. And if you need to say something, then first carefully consider whether it is really necessary and what corresponds to God’s will, speech or silence. Only after this open your mouth, looking down with fear and trembling. Speak respectfully and carefully, and if you meet someone, say a word for love and immediately shut up. And if you are asked about something, give the answer as obedience, and not a word more. Those who often open the doors of the bathhouses release all the heat outside. Likewise, the soul, when it wants to talk too much, even if it says everything correctly, scatters its memory everywhere through the sonorous door of your lips. That is why the soul is deprived of its deep thoughts and now converses with all the random thoughts rushing in in a noisy and senseless crowd. There is no Holy Spirit in her, who would keep her mind from dreams. After all, good always flees from verbosity, which only causes confusion and confusion. That is why silence is so well-suited: it is the mother of the wisest thoughts. He who feigns, concealing his villainy, clothes himself in silence, is hatching an insidious plan against his neighbor. If the deceit fails, such a person falls into the same passion, feeling the pain of resentment. And whoever remains silent for the sake of benefit, having strengthened friendship, leaves with joy, because he has accepted enlightenment that dispels darkness. Anyone who often interrupts a speaker in a meeting clearly suffers from vanity - it encourages him, and he makes thousands of proposals, just to prevent others from finishing their reasoning. Abba Joseph asked Abba Nispheroi: – What should I do with my tongue? I can't hold it back. – Do you get a break from talking? - asked the old man. – If you don’t get rest, why are you talking? Better keep quiet. And if you find yourself in a conversation, listen more and talk less. 2. Abba Pimen said: “If you remain silent, then wherever you go, you will find peace everywhere.” 3. Two brothers from Skete decided to go to Abba Anthony. When they boarded the ship preparing to sail, there was an old man there who also wanted to get to the Abba. But the brothers did not know about this, and while they were on the ship, they talked with each other and in conversation pronounced the sayings of the fathers and words from Scripture and talked about their handicrafts. The old man was silent. When they went ashore, the elder also went to Abba Anthony. When they came to the abba, he told them: “You have found a good companion, this old man.” – Good brothers were with you, Abba. - Yes, they are good, but in their yard the gates are wide open. Anyone who wants can go into the stall and untie the donkey. He said so because on the way they talked about everything that came to mind. 4. They said about Abba Agathon that for three years he put a stone in his mouth until he learned to remain silent. Learn from him, ascetic, and either begin to imitate the elder’s steadfastness, or, if you can’t, humble yourself. 5. Abba Pimen said that if a person remembered the saying from Scripture: By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned (cf. Matt. 12:36), he would always choose silence. 6. He said: “The brother asked Abba Pambo whether it is good to praise one’s neighbor. He replied: “Okay, but it’s better to remain silent.” 7. Abba Sisoes said: “For thirty years now I have not prayed to God for deliverance from sins, whatever they may be; I ask only one thing: “Lord, cover me from my tongue.” After all, every day I still fall spiritually because of him and commit sin. The constant desire to remain silent and remain silent occurs for three reasons: from the search for human glory, from ardent zeal for virtue, or from a person’s internal conversation with God, which is what his mind strives for. If a person does not have the last reasons, that is, the second and third, then the first, undoubtedly, is his illness. If you guard your tongue, you will soon receive from God the grace of heartfelt tenderness, in which you will see your soul, that is, the light of the mind, and you will be filled with spiritual joy. If your tongue defeats you, you will not be able to get out of the darkness. Is your heart unclean? Let your lips be pure, as one saint said. Chapter 48: About the fact that swearing just like that is a sin, but breaking an oath leads to hell, and that the crime of God’s commandment, committed out of impudence, should be canceled by repentance Once upon a time there lived a shepherd, originally from the village of Paran, and his name was Kiriak. He tended his flock in the desert. His fellow countryman, a poor man, entrusted him with ten of his sheep to graze in his flock. A lot of time has passed since then, and the poor man fell into extreme need. Since he had no other property, he decided to sell his small herd in order to somehow improve matters. But, we think, Cyriacus was a crafty man, and he preferred insignificant benefits to the truth. He gave away eight sheep and claimed that he only received eight. And when the fellow countryman demanded the remaining two sheep, Kiriak became angry. An argument began between them, and they almost came to blows. But local residents passed by and offered to take an oath so that this whole dispute would end. Kiriak agreed to take the oath. The poor man demanded that the oath be taken on a shrine with the relics of Euthymius the Great, and they agreed on the day. On the appointed day, Kiriak went to the monastery along with the poor man to take his false oath. They walked along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The monastery appeared. The poor man sees that Kiriak decided to take a false oath to himself, that it was already on his tongue, and, fearing that he might be right, he said: “Let's go back, brother. I believe you, it’s enough that you decided to swear, why add an oath.” The poor man asked him not to swear, but Cyriacus did not listen to him, because he believed that he would look ridiculous if he promised to swear and did not swear. When they entered the monastery, Kyriakos committed his terrible plot right in front of the relics: he uttered a false oath. Truly, he madly said in his heart that there is no God, and perhaps he decided that if he had forgotten God, then God would forget about him. After that, he returned home, as if he had thoughtlessly made a false oath to some Hermes, and, as usual, went to bed. Midnight came, he lay with his eyes open, and suddenly it seemed to him that the door of the house suddenly opened, and some elderly monk entered, accompanied by five novices. The monk held a staff in his hand. A bright light illuminated the house of Kiriak. The monk looked at him menacingly and asked sternly: - Why did you dare to do such a thing at the shrine of Euthymius? Kiriak was speechless and could not say anything in his own defense. The monk ordered his companions to punish Cyriacus. Four stretched the shepherd by the arms and legs in the air, and the elder handed the fifth a staff and ordered him to beat the shepherd with all his might so that in the future he would not despise God, would not make false oaths and would not steal someone else’s property. The young man beat the oathbreaker with all his heart until the elder stopped his hand. Then he took Cyriacus by the hair and said: “Tell me, didn’t you know, wicked one, that there is a God who judges such evil deeds?” Behold, this night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared (Luke 12:20). And having lost it, whose would you become, God's or the devil's? Therefore, I decided to punish you slightly, so that others would become better than you and avoid a false oath, or rather, so that they would not swear at all, but would tell the truth. After these menacing words, the elder disappeared along with his retinue. Kiriak, frightened by what he saw and barely alive from the beating, screamed at the top of his lungs. Everyone in the house came running, he showed them traces of beatings and sincerely confessed to the crime he had committed, bemoaning his dishonesty. He demanded that he be taken to the saint’s shrine, because, as he said, the saint who had beaten him with such unbearable cruelty could easily heal him, as a disciple of the One who by His nature loves to forgive and not to punish, and also because even the most skillful doctors are not able to heal such deep wounds. When his relatives heard this and saw how badly he had been beaten, they were filled with fear for his life. But fulfilling Kiriak’s wish, they came up with a way to take him away. They filled two bags with chaff, tied them to the donkey on both sides, and put Kyriakos in the middle, and so they brought him to the monastery and brought him to the shrine. They told what happened to him and showed the wounds on his back. The monks were so afraid that they said that henceforth they would forbid swearing on the relics of a saint or forcing others to swear. The relatives stayed in our monastery the whole day. When they saw that Kiriak was already turning pale and that there was only a faint hope that he would survive, that death was near, that his entire stomach was bleeding from the blows and he was constantly vomiting blood, so they took him and took him home. The next morning he died. Abba Zosima said: “When I was in the Holy City of Jerusalem, one Christ-loving man came up to me and said: “Since my brother and I recently quarreled and he doesn’t want to make peace with me, I beg you, talk to him.” I happily agreed and, calling my brother, told him everything to restore love and peace. It seemed to me that he agreed with me. But then he said: “I can’t make peace with him because I swore before the Cross.” “Your oath has only one meaning: “I swear by Your honorable Cross, Christ, that I will not keep Your commandments, but will do the will of Your enemy the devil.” We should not only not stand on what we decided for evil, but repent and grieve about it, and condemn our haste, so as not to repeat the same crime. If Herod had repented and had not stood by his oath (Matthew 14:7-8), he would not have committed a great sin and would not have beheaded the Forerunner of Christ. The brother was moved by these words, brought repentance to his brother and to me, and so, by the grace of God, the brothers were again united by love.” Chapter 49: About the fact that not only should you not slander another person, but you need to stop any gossip, without whispering or complaining about anyone Blessed Syncletikia said that slander is an extremely grave and destructive sin, but for some it is food and rest. You, believer, do not become a piggy bank of other people’s evil, but rather take care of the purity of your soul. After all, when you accept the vile uncleanness of words, you will defile your soul and, without any reason, you will hate those who communicate with you. When your hearing is defiled by the condemnation of slanderers, you will not be able to reason sensibly and will consider all people to be bad. So the eye, when it looks at the same color for a long time, then imagines everything visible in this color. You need to guard your tongue and ears so as not to say anything like that and not even want to hear. The Scripture says: Do not listen to empty rumors (Exodus 23:1). And one more thing: He who secretly slanderes his neighbor I will drive out (Ps 100:5). And in another place: Let not my mouth speak of the deeds of men (Ps 16:4). And we’re not even talking about things, but about what didn’t happen. We do not need to believe what they say against others, but we also do not condemn those who speak, and let us do and speak as the prophet commands us: I am like a deaf man who does not hear, and like a dumb man who does not open his mouth (Ps 37:15). Several heretics came to Abba Pimen and began to accuse the Archbishop of Alexandria for allegedly being ordained by presbyters. Abba immediately called his brother, who was usually next to him, and said: “Lay the table, feed them and see them off in peace.” – What is slander and what is condemnation? – Backbiting speaks of the hidden and secret, while condemnation refers to the obvious sins of another. So, every word that you cannot say in the presence of your brother is slander against him. If anyone says: - Such and such a brother is kind and kind, but he does not know how to behave and understands little about anything, then this is slander. But it would be condemnation to say that this brother, for example, is a businessman and a lover of money. You condemn his deeds, and this is worse than slander. 3. The elder said: “If you have slandered your brother, and your conscience denounces you, go immediately, bow down and say: “Forgive me, for I condemned you.” And beware of mocking in the future, for slander is the death of the soul.” 4. He said: “If a brother condemns another in front of you, be careful not to disgrace him and say: “Yes, that’s what he is.” Either remain silent, or tell him: “I, brother, am on trial myself and cannot judge another” - this way you will save both yourself and your brother.” Avoid, brothers, whispering, so as not to lose paradise and end up in fiery Gehenna - by whispering, the snake expelled Eve from paradise. If any brother forces you to slander someone, do not hesitate to refuse this, so as not to sin against God. Tell him with humility: “Forgive me, brother, I am a weak person. Everything you said is about me and I can’t stand it.” If the urge to curse your brother flares up in you, think about the fact that if he heard this, he would be upset. Then you will not carry on the conversation and will find peace. Let good words always come from your lips - and you will not offend anyone. Insult begets insult, and blessing begets blessing. The day you open your mouth and begin to slander someone, you will die spiritually and all your labors will be in vain. Do not think that you slandered your brother out of a pure heart or for spiritual edification. No one destroys his own house to build someone else's. If someone starts slandering your brother in front of you, show your dissatisfaction with all your appearance - and God will protect you. Can't you stop the mouth of someone who curses their neighbor? Try to at least disagree with him. Know that if fire comes out of you and burns others, God will ask you for the souls burned in your fire. If you yourself do not kindle the fire, but agree with the one who lit it and approve of him, then at the Last Judgment you will share his sad fate with him. Do not turn your ear to a slandering tongue and do not use your tongue to satisfy the ear of a curious one, otherwise you will separate yourself from divine love and lose eternal life. Do not accept reproaches against your spiritual father and do not boldly defame him, so that the Lord does not become angry with your deeds and destroy the living from (the face of) the earth. Close your ears to the slanderer, so as not to sin doubly with him, otherwise you yourself will wallow in this destructive passion and you will not prevent him from slandering your neighbor. Anyone who dispassionately points out a brother’s sin can talk about it only for two reasons: either to correct it, or to benefit someone else. Otherwise, if he talks about his brother’s sin to himself and others, he blasphemes the person and brands him. God will leave him if he later falls into the same or another sin. He will be ashamed when others begin to denounce and revile him. If you see arrogant people who cannot stand it when they praise those who are better than them, and, unable to destroy this praise, try to denigrate it with many attacks and the most dishonest slander, consider that they are crucifying the Lord again, burying him and placing soldiers to guard the sealed tomb. But the Word, sweeping away all obstacles, resurrects, flares up even brighter in the struggle and with its Suffering calls everyone to dispassion. Our God is a mighty God, for He is real and is called Truth. The elder said: “Just as one who keeps fire in his bosom cannot help but get burned, so one who meets a lot of people cannot avoid slander.” 2. Abba Iperekhy said: “It is better to eat meat and drink wine than to eat the flesh of brothers by slander.” 3. He said: “The serpent, by whispering to Eve, expelled her from paradise. You are like a snake if you speak evil of your neighbor. You are destroying both yourself and the listener’s soul.” 4. He said: “Let not your mouth utter an evil word. Do they pick grapes from thorn bushes? (Matthew 7:16). 5. The elder was asked what slander is. He answered: “Do not know God or His glory and envy your neighbor.” Brother! Do not tolerate someone who slanderes another, even if he speaks the truth, otherwise you will become an accomplice to his destruction. If someone calls the sinned king “bad” and tells the truth, none of the listeners will tolerate conversations against the ruler. And if someone stands and listens to a blasphemy against the king without objecting, then both the blasphemer and his listener will receive the same punishment at the trial: one will be executed for what he said, the other for what he listened to. The liar accuses, and you offer your ear to him - so death, coming from his mouth, receives your ear, and, having received the poisonous leaven, your heart is fermented by it. How did death enter man? Through hearing. Eve perceived the serpent's words by hearing. From him, from then to this day, destruction has entered the world. The devil, of course, can kill the silent, but only those who speak. Those whom he cannot kill with his lips, he kills with his ears. The Savior forbade demons to speak, even if they spoke the truth. And the apostles did not listen to praise from demons, so that poison would not enter their pure ears, which would then begin to accept all lies. The insidious enemy always mixes lies with the truth in order to deceive the simpletons and plunge them into the abyss of destruction. The snake eats sweet grass, which turns into deadly poison in it, and woe to the one whom it bites. Even from the truth the devil prepares a lie, mixing the truth with the poison of his delusions. His sweet speeches contain a strong deadly poison, misleading many. So Iscariot covered his deceit with the kiss of his lips and humble words, committing the betrayal of the Lord of the Heart. And if the devil flattered even the Creator, then won’t he deceive you, mortal? The Savior gave Himself up to death, but did not listen to the voice of the liar. He opened his mouth and tasted the vinegar mixed with bile, but his ears did not bend to the words of the villain. He allowed the traitor to give Him a kiss, but did not answer the lie. You can let a liar kiss you, but don't listen to him with your ears. His kiss will condemn himself, and the approval of the words of a liar will bring you death. You will do the right thing if you turn away even from the smell of poison. Why do you run away from the acrid smoke, but listen to the speech of a liar with pleasure? Why can't you stand the stench, but sit next to the slanderer? You must protect your body from infection. Do you keep him from fornication? Then spare your tongue from gossip. Your lips lie and report, because they cannot separate from you and go into debauchery - they will drag you into destruction. If even one organ of your body sins, then punishment will befall you all. The soldier covers his body with an iron shell, but if the protection breaks down anywhere and does not protect him from an arrow, the brave man will die. It’s the same if hearing turns into an open door, ready to accept any evil: it will accept terrible inevitable death. The door of hearing is great, therefore death entered the world through hearing - it destroyed entire generations of people and was still not satisfied. Close your ears with bars and shutters so that condemnation does not enter into them. Slander should not be underestimated - it is, they say, something completely insignificant and not entirely harmful. Mariam became covered with leprosy like snow, having said only one word (Num. 12:1; Deut. 24:9). And if the prophetess was so severely punished for her intemperate tongue, how much more are we guilty of punishment for our endless slander? Mariam spoke the truth, but it was not accepted because she expressed it with condemnation. Even if someone slander someone truthfully, his truth is filled with wickedness. Either expose the person to the full truth, or don’t say anything about him at all. The truth turns into nothing if a malicious lie is mixed in with it. You can’t eat food if there is even a drop of poison in it. What was explicit reveals to us the implicit: thus, Mariam becomes an example for us, showing the truth. Her body was covered with leprosy in front of everyone, because she sinned secretly, although with all her heart. The emerging illness allowed everyone to see the harm that can come from a secret. Leprosy is disgusting, and everyone understood how malicious and disgusting it is to condemn a person even secretly. The appearance of the body has become a mirror of the soul, invisible inside. The corruption of the flesh showed how corrupt the heart is when it loves to slander. By appearance one can judge the internal state of a person and his suffering. As she moved away from her brother, so her body ceased to serve her, so that she would learn how great a blessing is unity in love. Her arms and legs did not obey her because she had disobeyed her brother. The obstinacy of her body should have forced her to think about how to find peace and like-mindedness with her neighbor. Chapter 50: About how brothers living together should help each other correct sins, and what sins should be kept silent about and when to talk about which ones From Saint Barsanuphius (questions and answers) “Abba told me to reveal the sins of my brothers, but when I do this, I see how I upset some of them. What should I do to avoid harming myself? My thoughts do not accuse me, because they see the purpose, that I am not doing this out of passion. Still, I am afraid that I will become too zealous and hurt myself. “If,” the elder answered, “you do this from a pure heart, for the sake of spiritual benefit and renunciation of passions, do not take into account the words of people.” To be a mediator, that is, to inform the Abba without experiencing passion, is a good deed. Avva will not trust this to everyone, because it is not useful for many. But you speak for the sake of God, you do not add on your own behalf and do not act on your own behalf. When God is in everything, God's good does not give rise to excessive jealousy. And even if it occurs for a short time, it will soon subside. -And if someone tells my brother about this, should I explain to him that I spoke to the elder out of love, not out of hatred, or is it better to remain silent? “Now,” the elder answered, “you are driven by vanity.” You don’t want to seem like an informer so that you can always be righteous before people. Listen to your heart and know that if it is according to the will of God and for the benefit of your brother, you need to tell the elder. If he finds out about this, then leave the decision to God, and He will inform the brother’s heart as He alone knows. And if the brother himself says, or through someone else, that he knows about your conversation with the Abba about him and is upset by this, then you must humbly inform him like this: “God knows, brother, that I spoke with the elder out of love and for your benefit. Tell me, brother, if I had spoken about you for any other purpose, would it have done me any good? You think that I am not afraid of the sentence: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15). Remember that you need to love your neighbor as yourself (cf. Matthew 19:19). I worked hard for your correction, remembering the words that a brother who receives the help of a brother is like a city surrounded by a moat and a wall. I ask you, if you see my sin, expose me, so that, ashamed, I will repent of it. And if I spoke to the Abba not as someone who wanted to correct my brother, but as a slanderer, then I must first of all condemn myself and ask God for forgiveness.” And if you know for sure that your brother knows everything, approach him humbly and bring him repentance and confess to him: “Forgive me, brother, I became the playground of demons, I slandered you. Pray for me that the Lord will forgive me and give me time to repent for my error.” You need to talk to your brother not feignedly and deceitfully, but truthfully and with humility. And if your brother doesn’t know anything, don’t tell him anything, so as not to plunge him into thoughts. He himself confesses his sin to God and tells the Abba about it. 3. The brother asked the same old man: – If a brother asks me about some word from Scripture or from spiritual life, and I know the answer from hearing or from experience, should I answer him or not? And if he doesn’t ask me, but I see that he’s doing something wrong, should I somehow tell him about it or not? “Try to speak not with pride,” the elder advised, “but only with humility and fear of God.” Answer all questions in detail and indicate to your brother what he should do, if necessary, but only in the presence of the monastery brethren and nowhere else. All the brethren are one body. And if you are outside the monastery, then don’t say anything first and answer the question humbly. – If I see that my heart is delighting in vanity, even if not now, but as I assume, it will delight later, should I turn to silence or not? “To say something to someone with humility,” said the elder, “means to speak not in a teacher’s tone, but by retelling what he heard from the Abba or from the fathers.” If what you are going to say to your brother is useful, and vanity is already overpowering you, instilling pleasure in your words, pay attention to yourself. The devil does not want his brother to hear useful things, so if you remain silent, your brother will remain useless. Ban vanity, treat it with contempt, and then, having spoken a useful word to your brother, repent before God: “Forgive me, Lord, that I spoke vainly.” Do this every time. - Advise, father, if I see that my brother is doing something wrong, should I tell him before they ask? Fathers are not told to speak until they ask. “Brother,” he answered, “the elders take into account the measure of a person.” There is a time when a brother must submit to another in everything for the sake of obedience and obedience, namely, when he is young, imperfect and must demonstrate spiritual life in practice. But the time comes when a person reaches the level of accepting service, and the measure at this age for a person is already different. The perfect is said for the perfect, and the rest is for those who are still under the rule of the law. For now they are under the guidance of this teacher. Sometimes my brother does something that cannot be called a sin, but it confuses me. Should I remain silent and not satisfy the impulse of my heart, or should I speak with love and find peace? If he upsets others and not me, is it necessary to speak for the sake of others and will this seem like cunning? – If the matter has no sin, that is, it is morally indifferent, and you say it to calm your heart, then you will be defeated, because due to weakness you could not bear it. Therefore, it is better to reproach yourself and remain silent. And if it confuses others, tell your Abba about it, and he will either tell him or advise you what to say to your brother, and he will free you from troubles. 7. “But if,” the brother asked again, “not for my own sake, but for the sake of other brothers, I tell the Abba about this, but I have a presentiment that this will outrage my brother, what should I do?” And if I, along with them, grieve about this matter, should I tell the Abba for the sake of the peace of others or should I remain silent so as not to give satisfaction to myself? “About your brother’s indignation,” the elder answered, “if you discussed the issue with the abba, don’t worry - the abba will decide as he should.” If the case does not bother you, then tell the Abba for the peace of mind of others. If you yourself experience with them, so that, although you are interested in others, it is only for your own sake and only so as not to satisfy your passion, force yourself to remain silent. “But my thoughts tell me that if my brother becomes indignant, he will begin to quarrel with me, as with the person who reported him to the Abba.” “Your thought is evil,” the elder remarked, “because it puts obstacles in your brother’s correction, as I already said.” Do not listen to him, but say: “By the will of God, and not for the sake of slander. Patients also complain about doctors when they are being treated, but doctors do not pay attention to their indignation, because they know that later they will be grateful to them. - And if I see in myself the thought that I want to tell the Abba about my brother not for the sake of benefit, but with the goal of informing on him, should I speak or remain silent? “Consider your thoughts,” answered the elder, “that you are speaking for the sake of God, and not for the sake of slander.” And if you are overcome by the desire to talk, then confess this sin to the Abba, so that you can both be healed: your brother from your sin, and you from the desire to condemn. – If I cannot come to confession to the Abba, because my thought is to slander my brother, what should I do? Should I talk to Abba or not? “Then don’t talk to Abba, and the Lord will sort everything out.” You should not talk to Abba to the detriment of your soul; and God, as He Himself knows, will take care of the brother’s correction. - And the sinful brother about whom I or someone else told the Abba, how should one treat the one who spoke about him with the Abba? “If he is faithful and lives according to the will of God, then, even if the Abba was told about him out of a feeling of hostility, he must consider that he received benefit.” He will think that his brother told the Abba about him for his own benefit. This is how the words of Scripture will be fulfilled: A good man brings forth good things from a good treasure (Matthew 12:35). With this in mind, he should love his brother even more and be grateful to him. Anyone who perceives everything this way quickly succeeds in fulfilling the will of God. – And if the brothers under my leadership serve in the hospital and sin in some way, how can I correct them? – If you imprint the will of God in your heart, you will not be embarrassed, but will act like our fathers. And if you are not attentive and get carried away like a person, then confess to God with repentance: “Forgive me, Master, and have mercy on me.” And to those brothers who work with you, say: “Look, brothers, because of this we will be condemned and destroy our souls.” Don't raise your voice when you talk to them, just speak so that those standing next to you can hear. If your heart is broken, God will arrange everything as it should. - I ask you, father, tell me what is the most useful way to correct others? When should you play dumb and not pay attention to what's going on? And if I surrender to sin in this matter, that is, I get carried away and begin to be indignant, how should I curb myself, that is, what kind of penance should I impose on myself? – Always look at people. If you see that the brother under your command is reasonable and will accept reproach for having annoyed you in his service, tell him: “Brother, if we carry out the work of God carelessly, this is the destruction of our soul. So did we do the right thing? We will be diligent from now on.” And if the brother is unreasonable, tell him: “Believe me, brother, that you should be punished for your carelessness. I will tell the Abba, that is, the abbot, and he will assign you a punishment.” And pretending to be a fool is a mistake. If you are still very young, you can not pay attention to anything, but if you are an adult, this is not allowed for you. Do not impose defeat on yourself, do not arouse contempt for yourself, and if this happens, then ask God to forgive you. After all, only negligence is born from contempt. – If one of my brothers or the patients themselves sins, and while correcting him, I say a word to him with irritation, should I apologize to him? And if he gets angry with me and leaves the hospital, what should I do? In general, what sins do you need to apologize for? Exaltation and self-justification darken the mind and do not allow one to blame oneself and repent before one’s brother. But if you bring repentance, then vanity will follow; when you bring repentance, you become proud that you have done a good deed. – Never say anything with irritation. Evil never begets good. What is said with an irritated heart will not bring peace to the listener, will not correct him. Be patient until the thought of embarrassment ceases, and then speak calmly. If he listens to you, good, but if not, tell him: “If that’s the case, then I’ll ask the Abba, and we’ll do as he says,” and then the brother will calm down. And if he gets angry and leaves the hospital, tell the Abba about it, and he will impose penance on him. Do not apologize to him, otherwise you will make him suspect that under the influence of sin you began to talk to him, and he will be at enmity with you even more. And as for the other brothers (that is, those who are not entrusted to you) who perform the same service, if you have sinned against them, hasten to correct yourself. If your sin is great, repent to your brother. And if it’s small, then talk to him alone with repentance in your heart: “Forgive me, brother.” Beware of self-aggrandizement and self-justification, as they prevent a person from succeeding. Vanity also needs to be repented of. If you have fallen into one of these three vices, bring proper repentance with humility, fear of God and a sense of discernment. God will help you with the prayers of our holy fathers, and to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. 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