БЛАГОДАТЬ

You have seen how important spiritual gratitude is, you have also seen the Lord’s love for mankind, how He does not despise anyone, but even in a woman, even in a poor person, in whom He finds a awake and ardent soul, He immediately communicates His grace to him. Therefore, I urge you, we will accept with full attention the promptings of the Spirit, because the teaching we set forth does not belong to us and our tongue does not speak from itself what we say, but through us the love of the Lord works for your benefit and for the building of the Church of God (1). The Lord of all, as soon as he sees the readiness of your soul, will send us the most abundant gifts for your edification, and will give you greater understanding so that you can understand the instructions. The grace of the Spirit is abundant and, pouring out on everyone, does not suffer any diminution in itself, but multiplies even more in the very division between many, and the more of those who partake of grace, the more abundant its gifts become (1). A table that begins and ends with prayer will never become scarce, but will bring us all the blessings more abundantly than the source. Let us not neglect such benefits. It is strange that our servants, having received something from the table from us, thank us and leave with a kind word, but we, enjoying such great blessings, do not give such honor to God, and this is when we should receive a great blessing, because where there is prayer and thanksgiving, the grace of the Holy Spirit comes there, demons are driven away from there and all enemy forces retreat and take flight. Anyone who intends to turn to prayer does not dare to say anything indecent during the table, and if he does, he immediately repents. So, we should thank God both at the beginning and at the end [of the table], especially because, as I said above, if we acquire this skill, we will not easily fall into drunkenness. And if you ever happen to get up [from the table] drunk and intoxicated, then do not give up your habit, but even with a heavy head, staggering and falling, we will pray and will not change our custom. If you pray like this today, then tomorrow you will correct the mistake you made the day before (1). To choose the best, to desire, to try, to undertake any work - this depends on our will, but to bring our desires to the end, to prevent falls and achieve success in business - this depends on the highest grace. God shared virtue with us, did not leave everything to us, so that we would not become proud, and did not take everything upon Himself, so that we would not fall into carelessness, but, leaving a little to our labors, He Himself does most of it. But really, if everything depended on us, then many would become proud and indulge in arrogance; let’s listen to what the Pharisee said, what pride he fell into, how he exalted himself and placed himself above the entire universe (see Luke 18:10–14). Therefore, God made it so that not everything depended on us, but provided something for us, so that we would have a plausible reason to crown us justly. He explained the same thing with that parable in which he says that the master, having found people at the eleventh hour, sent them to work in the vineyard (see Matthew 20). What could they do at the eleventh hour? But even this short time was enough for God to give them a full reward (4). No, truly there is not a single sin that would not be subdued and overcome by the power of repentance or, more justly, by the grace of Christ. As soon as we have time to turn, He already helps us. And if you want to be good, no one interferes - or, better, although the devil tries to interfere, he cannot, when you yourself choose the best, and thus make God himself your protector. But if you don’t want to and resist God, then how will He be your intercessor? He wants you to receive salvation not through coercion and violence, but through free will. If you, having a servant who hates you, turns away from you and often runs away from you, would not want to keep him, despite the fact that you have a need for his service, then all the more God, Who does everything not according to His own need, but for your salvation, will not want to forcibly keep you. On the contrary, as soon as you show affection, he will never want to leave you, no matter what the devil plans against you. So, we ourselves are the authors of our own destruction, because we do not approach God, we do not pray to Him, we do not call upon Him in the proper way. And if we do begin, we do it in a way that we don’t think we will receive—we do not do everything with proper faith, not with intense prayer, but carelessly and carelessly. Meanwhile, God wants us to ask Him, and if you ask, He shows you great mercy. He is the only Debtor who, when we ask Him, shows us mercy and gives us what we did not lend to Him. If He sees that the petitioner is persistent, He will also give what He did not receive from us (6). If we kidnap and covet, if we begin to show injustice and insult and do not give alms, then we will not only lose the opportunity to come there, but we will also suffer the same thing that happened to the virgins. But they could not enter where the Bridegroom was, but withdrew because their lamps had gone out, that is, grace had left them. Indeed, this fire, which we have received by the grace of the Spirit, if we want, we can strengthen; if we don’t want to, we’ll immediately extinguish it. And when it fades away, there will be nothing left in our souls but darkness. Just as when a lamp is lit a great light appears, so when it is extinguished there is nothing left but darkness. Therefore it is said: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19). It goes out when it has no oil, when it is subjected to any strong pressure from the wind, when it is suppressed and embarrassed (this is precisely why the fire goes out); suppressed by everyday worries and extinguished by evil desires. But at the same time, nothing quenches the fire of the Spirit more than inhumanity, cruelty and predation. If we, not having oil, pour in more cold water (and this is extortion, cooling the souls of the oppressed with despondency), then how can it catch fire? And so we will leave here, carrying with us ash and ashes, surrounded by great smoke, which will expose us that we have extinguished our lamps. Where there is smoke, the fire must be allowed to go out. But God forbid anyone to hear this voice: “I don’t know you” (Matthew 25:12). And when can we hear it, if not when, seeing the poor, we remain in the same mood as if we had not seen? If we do not want to know Christ when He is hungry, then He will not recognize us when we need His mercy. And rightly so: whoever despises the unfortunate and does not give his own should not hope to receive anything from what is not his. Therefore, I beg you, we will try and take care in every possible way so that our oil does not become scarce, so that our lamps are decorated and we can enter the bridal chamber together with the Bridegroom (8). It is impossible, truly impossible, for one who is not awake to receive grace. Don't you know what Elijah says to his disciple? “If you see me taken from you, it will be so for you” (2 Kings 2:10), that is, you will have what you ask for. And Christ always said to those who came to Him: Do you believe? - because if we do not get comfortable with what is given, then we will not strongly feel the benefit. So grace did not immediately descend on Paul, but three days passed in advance, during which he remained blind, languished in fear and prepared. Just as those who dye scarlet first prepare the material intended for dyeing with some other substances so that the color does not fade, so God first prepares the waking soul and then pours out grace (10). There is no benefit for us if we, although at least at peace with everyone, are at enmity with God; and again there is no harm for us if we, although in disagreement with everyone, are at peace with God. In the same way, there is no benefit if we deserve approval from everyone, but offend the Lord; and there is no danger if everyone turns away and hates us, but God accepts and loves us. True grace, true peace comes from God. He who has grace from God does not fear anyone, even if he endures many evils, not only man, but the devil himself. And whoever has offended God fears everyone, although apparently he is safe (12). You might be interested in: