СОН

This is why the Lord hid the day of our death from us, in order to dispose us to constant sobriety and vigilance and thus further encourage us to care for virtue. “Watch,” He says, “for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13). But we do the opposite, and constantly sleep in a deeper sleep than natural sleep. The one who sleeps in natural sleep becomes incapable of doing either evil or good; but we sleep in a different sleep, we sleep for deeds of virtue and are awake for deeds of evil; We commit evil deeds absurdly, but in good deeds we show great negligence and drowsiness. And so we do, seeing every day that some leave here, while others undergo many changes in real life. However, this impermanence of life does not sufficiently enlighten us, does not sufficiently arouse in us the desire for virtue, disposes us to despise present goods and to desire future ones, so that we prefer truth to shadows and dreams. After all, real blessings are no different from shadows and dreams. So, let's not deceive ourselves and chase shadows; but, at least someday, we will take care of our salvation, and we will begin to spend our wealth on those in need, so that for this we will receive reward from the man-loving God (1). The wealth of the wicked will be, says Isaiah, like a dream (Isaiah 29:7). Our present situation is no different from a sleepy dream. Yesterday health, today illness; yesterday power, today humiliation; yesterday wealth, today poverty; yesterday the pinnacle of glory, and today complete insignificance. Everything fluctuates, everything changes; and not only human works, but also heaven and earth will pass away; only My words, says the Lord, will not pass away (Matthew 24:35) (9). Real life is a dream and what happens in this life is no different from sleepy dreams. And just as those who sleep talk to themselves and often see something completely unreal, so we do. And even much worse than that. Anyone who has done or said something obscene in a dream, freed from sleep, is usually freed from shame and is not subject to punishment. This will not happen to us after this life, but the shame and punishment will be eternal. In the same way, those who become rich in a dream, when the day comes, are convinced that it was in vain that they flattered themselves with wealth; in real life, confirmation often comes before daylight, and before we move from here, these dreams have already dissipated. So, let’s finally shake off this evil dream. If the day [of the Last Judgment] catches us sleeping, then we will become the prey of undying death. And until that day comes, it will be easy for all the local enemies - both people and demons - to attack us; Even if they want to kill us, no one will stop them from doing so. If there were many awake, then there would not be such a danger, but since now here and there one and the other, having lit a lamp, are awake, all the others, as in the dead of night, are immersed in sleep; then we need perfect vigilance and complete caution so as not to suffer terrible disasters (11). You might be interested in: