ИСПОВЕДЬ

Where it comes to the manifestations of the soul, neither gender, nor age, nor everyday differences and nothing else can serve as an obstacle. Therefore, I ask all of you to dedicate your sons and daughters to this service from a very early age and to prepare for them the wealth characteristic of this life, not by burying gold in the ground or collecting silver, but by cultivating in their souls meekness, chastity, modesty and all other virtues. This service requires such qualities. And if we collect this wealth for ourselves and for our children, then in this life we ​​will enjoy great happiness and in the future we will hear that blessed voice with which Christ glorifies all those who confessed him. And confession occurs not only through faith, but also through works; if this latter is not the case, then we are in danger of being punished on an equal basis with those who rejected [the Lord]. After all, there is not one way of denying, but many and there are different ones, which Paul describes to us in the following words: “they say that they know God, but by works they deny” (Tit. 1:16); and in another place: “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those at home, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel” (1 Tim. 5:8); and again: “flee covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). And if there are so many ways to renounce, then obviously there are just as many, and even more, ways to confess. Let us try to confess [God] with all of them, so that we too may receive heavenly honor through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ (1). You might be interested in: