ПРАВЕДНИКИ

Look how simple and unsophisticated the lifestyle of the righteous was, with what convenience they made their migrations, arranged their lives like wanderers and strangers, and here and there setting up their tents, as if they were spending their whole lives in a foreign country. That's not how we do it. Living in a foreign country, as if in our own fatherland, we erect magnificent houses with porticoes and galleries, acquire estates, build luxurious baths and much more without number. Look how the righteous man has all his property in his household and in his flocks, and how he does not have a permanent home anywhere, but now he sets up his tent in Bethel, now under the oak of Mamre, now he moves to Egypt, and now he is moving to Gerar, and he endures all this with complacency and gives sincere thanks to his Lord for everything. After such great promises and good news given to him from God, seeing himself surrounded by such [difficult] circumstances, being subjected to many and varied temptations, he remained unshakable, like adamant, constantly showed a pious spirit in himself and, despite all the obstacles, did not weaken in the least in activity. Look now, beloved, what temptation befalls him in Gerar, and marvel at the steadfastness of the righteous in virtue. This temptation is unbearable for anyone, so that no one else could even hear about it, he endured without grief, without demanding from the Lord an account of what happened, as many people do, being, moreover, themselves burdened with countless sins. When they are subjected to some kind of sorrow, they immediately indulge in anxiety and inquisitiveness and ask: why did this and that happen? Why did God allow this? But the righteous man was not like that: for this reason he received even more help from above. This is precisely the property of a truly well-meaning servant - not to experience what comes from the Lord, but to accept everything from Him in silence and with thanksgiving (1). We urge your love to carefully listen to what is said, to constantly keep it in memory and constantly keep it in mind, reflecting on the feats of patience of the righteous, about generosity, about their faith in divine promises, when they did not waver in mind due to what happened after the promises, but, firmly trusting in the omnipotence of the One who promised them, meekly endured everything and through this were exalted. So the righteous man, who had mourned Joseph for so many years as if he were dead, finally saw him ruling the Egyptian kingdom; and the venerable Joseph, after slavery, after imprisonment, after all the other sufferings he endured, received leadership over the whole country. And, if we trace all the narratives contained in Scripture, we will find that all virtuous men walked the path of temptation and only in this way received great help from above. Therefore, if we also want to be worthy of God’s favor, we will not be impatient in temptations, we will not lose heart when they befall us; but it is better for us to rejoice and be merry, strengthening ourselves with faith and knowing that we will enjoy God’s Providence all the more if we decide to endure everything with thanksgiving (1). Virtue in itself is difficult and difficult to perform, but especially when the person practicing it is among a small number of good people. Just as travel can be difficult, especially when the traveler is alone and has no one as a companion, so it is the same here. Indeed, the participation and consolation of the brethren is an important matter. That is why Paul says: “Let us be considerate of one another, encouraging one to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). Therefore, the ancient righteous especially need to be blessed not only because they performed virtues, but also because they performed them during a great scarcity of virtues, when the virtuous were nowhere to be seen. Scripture also expresses this when it says: “Noah was a righteous man and blameless in his generation” (Gen. 6:9). We are surprised at Abraham, Lot, Moses because they were like stars in the dead of night, roses among thorns, sheep among many wolves, they walked along the path opposite to everyone else, and did not stop. If this is difficult in a crowd, and when many go in the opposite direction, then one who goes against the crowd encounters numerous difficulties; if during navigation, when the waves rush in the opposite direction, it is difficult to direct the ship to meet them, then even more so in virtues (2). Many rejoice when others fall and envy when they rise, indulging in both passions of cruelty and inhumanity. But the righteous are not like that; free from both passions, merciful and humane, they acquire the opposite virtues; just as the former, out of their cruelty, fall into one and the other passion, so the latter, out of love for mankind, will have compassion for those who suffer and rejoice with those who rejoice (3). You might be interested in: