Бедствия

I will remember those poor people about whom the holy prophet Micah once spoke, whose skin was flayed by unrighteous judges, whose bones were crushed and whose body was crushed like edible meat (see Micah 3:2–3). O people who suffer in such calamities! Christ now dwells in you as His members, if only you endure with thanksgiving. You are the new martyrs of the last times. This is how the holy Great Martyr George suffered, who was killed by the wicked king for Christ. Heavenly crowns are woven for you, just do not faint in patience, but look at the suffering of your Lord, who suffered even more for us, thank Him for everything and rely in everything on His holy will, saying: “Thy will be done, Lord,” - and the Lord with His love, although invisibly, will always be among you. So that's where He is. The Lord loves those who cry - you are always in tears. So He lives in you: here He is. The Lord loves those who are hungry and thirsty, but you have little to drink and food, and some do not have even half of the bread; it means He dwells in you. Here He is. The Lord also loves those who suffer innocently, but your sufferings are difficult to count: some are beaten until they bleed, others are so tortured by the massacre that in others they can barely even keep their soul in their body. This means that the Lord dwells in you. He, seeing your suffering, prepares eternal joy for them. Here He is. O new sufferers, passion-bearers and martyrs! I exhort you little, do not grow weary of patience, but give thanks to your Christ. After His resurrection, He will come to visit you, and not only to visit you, but even to stay with you inseparably, for the Gospel says about each of you: “We (I and the Father) will come to him and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). Christ both is and will be in you, and you say: Amen (1). Know also this, beloved, that in all troubles, sorrows, sorrows and temptations, considerable joy comes from relying in everything on the will of the Lord, which is naturally good, always wanting the best for us and arranging everything for our benefit. For whatever He arranges with us, although it seems unpleasant to us, is all for the better. So the vinedresser, while clearing the garden, although he cuts the rods, does not thereby damage the tree or grapes, but even makes them even more fruitful: “Every branch that bears fruit, it is said, he cleanses, so that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). So God allows troubles to befall us not to harm us, but to enrich us with spiritual fruits, and when He sees that we endure and We obey His will, then He turns disaster into prosperity and sorrow into joy. Therefore, let us place everything on His holy will, saying: arrange everything with me as you want, so that Your holy will will be done on me (3). You might be interested in: