522. Монах терпит скорби, которых мир не знает. Монах не на скорби и труды должен смотреть, а на то, что следует за ними

M. St. O. n. G.I.H.B.n. p.n. Revered Mother Fevronia in the Lord! I received your letter in which you describe your sorrows. This is God’s definition, He said: “You will have sorrow in the world, but take heart: I have overcome the world,” that is, endure with trust in God’s help, and your sorrow will be transformed into joy. The Lord said: “In your patience ye will win your souls.” If you do not endure sorrows, or even if you do endure it, only with grumbling, with anger, with vexation, with irritation, what kind of patience is this? This is only the rooting of malice, anger, and from this - pride. It is not surprising that the monk endures sorrows that the world does not know. The path to the Kingdom of Heaven is narrow and thorny, along which the first Savior of the world Himself walked, and everyone who wants to be in the Kingdom of Heaven has no other way into it than the narrow and regrettable one (for a short time). So, my joy, a monk should not look at sorrows and labors, but what awaits behind the sorrows - there is unspeakable eternal joy, there the light of the Trisunlar Deity never, never ceases to cheer those who suffer in the vale of the earth. May the Lord help you to bear His cross without grumbling. You might be interested in: