УКРАШЕНИЯ

Let us not disgrace ourselves with unnecessary decorations; all God's creations are perfect, and not a single one needs your correction. If anyone, of his own volition, decided to add anything to the exhibited picture representing the king, he would be subjected to great punishment for such insolence. Why do you correct the creation of God’s hands, when you add nothing to what man has made? It’s true, you can’t imagine the fire of hell, it’s true, you don’t feel the emptiness in your soul! It is as if you have completely neglected your soul, because you exhaust all your care on your flesh. And what am I saying about the soul? And you are not delivering to your body itself what you are trying to achieve. Look: you want to appear beautiful, but your jewelry makes you ugly; you want to please your husband, but this saddens him more and gives both him and others an opportunity to judge you. You want to appear young, but this will sooner lead you to old age. You want praise, but this brings you disgrace, because such a wife is ashamed not only of her equals, but also of the slaves and slaves who know her, and above all, she is ashamed of herself. But what can we say about this? I have omitted here the gravest evil: the fact that you offend God, violate chastity, kindle the flame of jealousy, imitate the harlots of an indecent house. So, having imagined all this, laugh at satanic pomp and devilish tricks, and, leaving these decorations or, better yet, ugliness, prepare beauty in your soul, which is desired by the Angels, and dear to God, and pleasing to your husbands (6). If you agree to endure the need yourself rather than allow the slightest damage to your dear thing, then how can you spare anything to feed someone else? Truly, many are addicted to these decorations, as if they were animate creatures, and love them no less than children. How is this possible, you say? Prove me the opposite, prove it with your deeds: now I see something completely wrong. Which woman suffering from this disease, having acquired a sufficient number of valuable jewelry, stole the soul of a child from death? But what am I saying: children? Did she redeem her own dying soul with these jewels? On the contrary, because of them, many people sell it every day. If a physical illness occurs, they do everything; and if they see spiritual damage, they don’t do anything like that, but they don’t care about their own souls or their children’s souls at all, so that their jewels remain until they rust from time to time. You are showered with countless talents of gold, and the member of Christ does not even have the necessary food. The common Lord of all, the Lord of heaven and all those living on it, still offered His spiritual meal to everyone - but you don’t want to give Him anything from perishable things and you want to remain always bound by these heavy bonds. Hence countless troubles. Hence the jealousy, hence the fornication of husbands - when you do not encourage them to love wisdom, but force them to find pleasure in what harlots adorn themselves with. That is why they are caught very quickly. If you had taught him to have contempt for these decorations and to take comfort in chastity, piety, and humility, then he would not be so easily caught in fornication. Even a harlot can adorn herself in this way and even better, but she cannot clothe herself with virtues. So, teach him to find pleasure in such decoration, which he cannot see on a harlot. How will you teach him to do this? If you take off your jewelry and put on spiritual things. Then your husband will be protected, and you will be honored, and God will be merciful to you; all people will marvel at you (7). Having a disgusting, ugly and black soul, do you really think you can win anything through gold jewelry? Isn't this extreme madness? It’s better to turn these decorations inside and take away your soul with these necklaces. When they lie on the body, they serve neither its health nor its beauty. After all, they will not make the black white, nor the ugly beautiful and beautiful. But if you decorate your soul with them, you will soon turn it from black to white, from disgusting and ugly to beautiful and beautiful. And this is not my word, but the Lord himself, who says this: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:18); and again: “Give... alms... then everything will be clean for you” (Luke 11:41). And you will make not only yourself, but also your husband beautiful, if you act in this way. When husbands see that you have left these decorations, then they will no longer have the need for large expenses; and not having this need, they will completely abandon covetousness and will be more inclined to charity. And then you will be able to boldly advise them to do what they should; and now you are completely deprived of this power. Indeed, with what lips will you tell them this? With what eyes will you look, demanding from your husbands that they give alms, when you spend most of it on decorating your body? Then you will be able to boldly talk to your husband about alms when you leave the gold jewelry. And even if you didn’t have time in this at all, at least you will do everything on your part; However, it is impossible that you will not convince your husband when you tell him with your actions. “Why do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?” (1 Cor. 7:16). Because now you will give an answer both for yourself and for him, so if you put aside all this external splendor, you will receive a special crown and will triumph, wearing the crown together with your husband (8). Try to trample upon earthly pride, elegant clothes, expensive gold jewelry and incense; putting aside bliss, luxury and measured steps, turn all your care to your soul and ignite in your heart a passion for the heavenly. If this love takes possession of you, you will see the impurity and vileness of the present and you yourself will laugh at what now surprises you. After all, it is unusual for a woman adorned with spiritual perfections to desire such ridiculous things. Therefore, having discarded everything that the wives of traders, as well as those engaged in dancing and music, place in their great honor, adorn yourself with piety, love of hobbies, care for the saints, tenderness, and frequent prayers. This is better than golden clothes, more precious than expensive stones and wrists, this makes you respectable before people, and brings you a great reward from God. This is an adornment of the Church, and that of a theater; it is worthy of heaven, and that of horses and mules; Even dead bodies are clothed in those decorations, and this shines only in the good soul in which Christ lives. So, let us begin to acquire such adornment for ourselves that we will be glorified everywhere, and we will please Christ (11). You might be interested in: