A word about patience

The authorship of the essay “The Word on Patience” is attributed to St. Athanasius the Great. The central idea of ​​the work is that true piety is inextricably linked with patience and self-sacrifice. These qualities allow a person to become like God and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. The author especially emphasizes the importance of virginity as the highest manifestation of self-denial. The vow of virginity takes a person “to heaven” and brings him closer to the rank of angels. As examples of true humility and patience, such righteous people as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the three youths in the cave, and the Maccabee martyrs are cited as examples. The author does not limit himself to Old Testament images. He also turns to the New Testament tradition, recalling the patience of the apostles, persecuted for the name of Christ, and the many martyrs who preserved the purity of their hearts. The work ends with the theme of lamentation over sins (both personal and of the entire nation), as well as reflection on the patience of Christ (the highest example that all Christians are called to imitate). Our teacher Apostle Paul commands us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable to God” (Rom. 12:1). Although this commandment is general; however, it especially applies to those who strive in chastity. A virgin, by nature, of course, is similar to all other wives, but by her good will, she surpasses nature. Desiring to unite with the Most Holy Being, if she successfully completes this great feat; then he will truly perform a great miracle. If he does not persist in his intention; then her fall will be the most disastrous. For it is much harder for one standing on high to fall than to fall down, and the higher the vow, the lower the fall; and the vow of a virgin transcends nature, lifts her to heaven, and joins her to the host of Angels. The superiority of this good intention is also revealed by the fact that after the resurrection of the dead, as the Savior says, those who are worthy to enter into another life will “neither marry nor commit violence” (Matthew 22:30); that is, famous people, due to their vow of virginity, already receive and acquire in advance what is promised only in the future life in heaven. And this is because the saints, who directed all their thoughts towards God and tasted heavenly food, considered this world a prison, handed over their bodies to torture, and so that God would deign to dwell in them, they kept their souls pure. That is, these people endured, “but he who endures to the end,” as the Lord says, “he will be saved” (Mark 13:13); or as the Psalmist says: “he will labor forever, and he will live to the end” (Psalm 48:9). For to the extent that the saints placed their hope in God, they no longer cared about bodily peace, which could separate them from God; but they constantly remained in labor, fearing nothing, and not the least doubting the promises of God, but on the contrary, willingly endured sorrows, remembering the One who said through the mouth of the Apostle: “and accepted the plunder of your possessions with joy” (Heb. 10:34). Moreover, this is also said about those who did not accept “deliverance” (Heb. 11:35), and having returned back, did not want to inherit the kingdom of heaven. We should not at all cleave to worldly things, but must renounce them in order to unite with God. So, beloved brethren, do not now indulge in negligence, and do not become like the people who sinned in the time of Moses in the short space of forty days, when he ascended the mountain to accept the law of God; why, as guilty, they fell in the desert. On the contrary, let us imitate Moses, who fasted for forty days and nights, eating neither food nor drink; and, moreover, he fasted not only for these forty days and nights, but also for the same number of days, having his heart and eyes and very flesh directed towards God. Let us not lust like the Israelites who fell in the wilderness; “I have yet to destroy in their mouths,” says the Psalmist, “and the wrath of God will come upon them,” “and kill their multitudes” (Psalm 77:30-31): but let us preserve ourselves like the one who gave them commandments, or like the sons of Jonadab, who received such a promise from God: “the man shall not fail from the sons of Jonadab, the son of Rechabel, stand before Me all the days of the earth" (Jer. 35:19). They did not build themselves houses, did not plant vineyards, and were a reproof for the people of Judah; and therefore, when the whole multitude of this people was taken into captivity, these few were saved by God. And you also, who walk in the path of your fathers, consider yourselves sons of the sons of Jonadab. Like the courageous and complacent Naboth, let us preserve the legacy of our fathers. Naboth, with all the threats of Ahab, who wanted to take away his grapes and turn them into a vegetable garden, did not want to listen to him, and bravely resisted him; was killed. But God himself avenged him; because Naboth did not want to turn his vineyard into a vegetable garden, where onions, garlic and other plants would be born, of which he was disgusted, but preferred the vineyard to any other joy, he wanted to have a strong mind, and not scattered or weakened, like garden mallow, or “undercooked beets” (Isa. 51:20), to which today’s treacherous people are likened. For if Naboth had given up the vineyard; then his soul, perhaps, would have lost his fatherly piety, since he was called an Israelite, because he had a mind that saw God. And those who now do not tolerate anything regrettable or difficult, betray their garden, planted with true grapes, to Ahab, and it is filled with all kinds of bad plants. Let us not be lovers of money, like the youth Elisha, who for this reason was struck by the leprosy of Naaman; but it is better to endure sorrows and hardships in order to receive peace from our labors; for no one will enter the kingdom of heaven without sorrow. Let us imitate our holy ancestors. The first righteous man was Abel, who offered sacrifice to God from his firstborn sheep and from their fat, and against whom his brother was indignant for this. What harm did Abel cause to Cain? The reason for Cain's envy was that his sacrifice, since it was brought incorrectly, was not accepted by God. That is why he killed Abel, thinking in this way to extinguish God’s love for him, and not knowing that his soul would cry out to God (Heb. 12:24). Our Savior himself in his Gospel remembers Abel (Matthew 23:35), meanwhile the memory of Cain has long been destroyed. And now they also kill innocent Abel; but his blood cries out to the Lord, and we firmly hope that the blood of so many martyrs will not be silent. The present time is indeed similar to that time. Let us also remember the patience of Enoch, who for three hundred and sixty years had his thoughts directed towards God, until God betrayed him. Let us not weaken in vigor, especially since the time of our life is not long. Noah lived five hundred years in perfect righteousness in the midst of general corruption, until God commanded him to build the ark, and even during the many years of its construction he was disturbed by obstinate people. However, these wicked scoffers perished in the flood; and Noah, who trusted in God, was saved with all his household, and was the savior of the world. Abraham, obeying God, left his home,” and for this he was honored with great promises. His temptation was so great that he was commanded to sacrifice even his beloved son to God; for which he was honored to receive the name of friend of God. The Philistines upset Isaac so much that they buried all his wells and argued with him about water; when he departed from them, God spread him, and his lips were filled with blessings. There are still people today who are trying to block the springs; but do not allow them to do this, but take the youths of Isaac and dig up treasures, that is, use the power of the Apostolic teaching, since the Apostles are champions of the truth. Jacob was pursued by his brother Esau, so that he was forced to retire to Mesopotamia, where he tended Laban's flocks, staying awake day and night, and like a poor mercenary, generously enduring long-term labors. Here, with special skill and prudence, he placed speckled vines into the trough, in order to thus multiply for himself sheep of different breeds. Subsequently, God enriched him; for he came to Mesopotamia alone, and returned from it with great property. Here he acquired children and wealth, and not only acquired this, but entire legions of Angels were ready to protect him. One day the true Jacob will come with the heavenly angelic army, that is, the Shepherd of the verbal sheep will come and reward everyone according to his deeds. Joseph's own brothers, children of the same father as him, were moved by envy and sold him for money, which they divided among themselves. Look what a crime they committed! But the righteous man patiently and generously endured this misfortune, and not only endured the envy of his brothers, but also the passion of his famous wife. And God finally installed this long-suffering man as the ruler of Egypt. Thus, he became the heir not only of the earthly kingdom, but also of the heavenly one. There are still people today who betray their brothers and divide their price among themselves. Let us also remember the patience of Job, who, neither in happiness nor in various temptations, did not deviate from righteousness, but endured everything generously until he was especially rewarded by God. A testimony about him has been preserved even to this day, that is, that he endured all this, so that it would be obvious to everyone that he was a righteous man (James 5:11). Moses also did not want to acquire wealth in Egypt, but fled from it and was a stranger in a foreign land, that is, he left the temporary in order to receive the eternal. Why were both these men considered worthy of the kingdom of heaven? But we would not have enough time if we wanted to remember every saint. Therefore, in order to quickly finish our speech, let’s briefly talk about Elijah, who was persecuted by Jezebel, and who was taken to heaven for suffering insults. Elisha and his disciples ate only garden plants; but since he had the living word inside him, his dead bones also resurrected the dead; and from this it is clear that the hope of the righteous never perishes. Jeremiah, due to the envy of the false prophets, was cast alive into the abyss. Ezekiel lay on one side for a whole hundred and ninety days, eating only bread and drinking wine in moderation, and did not even turn to the other side until the Lord commanded him. Those who deviate from God turn to the other side for their own peace of mind, for which they receive their reward. So recline you too on one side until the Lord commands; just as for Ezekiel the strongest bonds were the strongest words of God. The satraps accused Daniel, thereby wanting to turn him away from prayer; but since he did not want to stop it, he was thrown into the ditch to be devoured by lions, whose mouths, however, were blocked by God. There are even now the same people who accuse us in order to divert us from prayer to God; this is evident from the fact that they persecute us and our fathers, the Bishops. Blessed is the righteous man for whose accusation no other pretext was found except that he prayed to God. This is what it means to endure to the end! So let none of you become weak. Moreover, think about the three holy youths who did not worship the image of Nebuchadnezzar, and with their holiness and patience extinguished the fiery furnace, so that even in their clothes it was impossible to smell the slightest smell of fire. Let there also be no smell of Nebuchadnezzar’s fire or the unclean and corrupt thoughts of the devil in your clothes. Let not the food deceive you; Let no one say: I am old, and therefore I cannot fast. Let such a person remember Elder Eleazar, who, by any tricks, was not inclined to taste even slightly unclean food. Let the young ones among you bring to mind the seven courageous and complacent Maccabees, and let them mutually encourage each other, that is, brother to brother, until they endure martyrdom, and thus become like pillars of light in the church of God. In the same way, let mothers admonish their children, imitating the mother of the Maccabees, who admonished her children not in a fit of madness or blindness, but in order to lead them into the kingdom of heaven and inhabit them with her. If your enemies were pursuing you and wished for your destruction; then it is enough for you to know that your body has become the church of God. Remember the Apostles, who were once persecuted and thrown into prison, and who nevertheless joyfully thanked God for being deemed worthy to “accept dishonor for His name” (Acts 5:41). Remember also about the great multitude of holy martyrs, whom they treated so cruelly that they either completely gouged out their eyes, or left them with only one eye: but even in this state their hearts knew God, and the words of the Savior accurately befitted them: “Blessed are the pure in heart, that they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). On the contrary, today there are people who clearly discover that they cannot endure sorrows and sorrows, and especially for three reasons, i.e., because of the love of money, the satisfaction of carnal desires with food and drink, and finally, because of vanity or lust for power, and the fear of man. I wrote this for your admonition; However, everyone has his own measure, depending on his lifestyle. Therefore, each of you should try to acquire for himself a friend who is higher than himself. For the Scripture says: “Let him be a friend to you at all times; let your brethren be helpful in your need; for this is why they are born” (Prov. 17:17). Thus, anyone who imitates the men we mentioned above will become their joint heir and will have them as friends in case of need. If you are a Presbyter; then imitate Timothy, who was a good presbyter, who acquired for himself a high rank and much boldness in Christ. If you are a deacon; imitate these seven men who, together with Stephen, were entrusted with this official position, and who were faithful and filled with the Holy Spirit. If you are a reader; imitate the one who said: “My tongue is like the reed of a scribe” (Psalm 44:2); or fulfill the commandment of Petrov: “If anyone speaks as if he is the word of God” (1 Peter 4:11). The words of the righteous, like the words of the Lord, are “pure” and are like “kindled silver and purified by sevenfold” (Psalm 11:7). Let the monks who are already accomplished have these saints as their friends: Elijah, Elisha and John; let the youngest among them imitate the three holy youths and the Maccabees. Let the virgins expect heavenly crowns together with Mariam, the sister of Aaron, with the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, with Thekla, who trampled down and rejected carnal lust, and also with the four prophetic daughters of Philip. Let widows spend their lives like Devorah, who once judged the people of Israel and was called mother in Jerusalem; or like Judith, who, distinguished by her prudence and purity of life, struck the proud Holofernes; or finally, like Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, who served in the church with fasting and prayer for eighty-four years, and then confessed the Lord. Elders in age, in showing hospitality to others, let them imitate the good old man Abraham, as well as Isaac, Jacob, Job and Lot. Let the old widows be jealous of the widow of Sarepta, and the one who put two mites into the church treasury. But now, beloved about the Lord, instead of talking a lot, we need to cry. “And it came to pass that Israel was carried into captivity, and Jerusalem was devastated, and Jeremiah the Prophet sat down weeping, and wept with this lamentation over Jerusalem, and said: How is this one city, multiplied by men? become like a widow” (Lam. 1:1). This is how the saints cry about the fall of man. But behold, now the Church of God has become, as it were, a widow; behold, the paths of Zion are weeping now, because there are no longer those who walk on them for the feast; behold, its priests sigh, the virgins are taken into captivity, the celebration of the Sabbath and the new moon are stopped. In another place, the Prophet cries like this: “I will weep for you, the grapes of Aseriml, with the tears of Iaziri! Your summer flowers have gone through the sea, you have touched the cities of Jazir, your harvest is attacked, and your wine collection is attacked by a predator. Joy and gladness were taken away from Carmel, and from the land of Moab, and wine was taken away from the winepress; No matter how much he drives out the vine, he will sing a song according to custom” (Jer. 48:32–33). And in another place the Prophet cries like this: “Who will give my head water, and let me comb out the source of my tears, and cry day and night for my people who were beaten by the daughter? The leaders of my people have not known Me; they are sons and fools, they are wise, they do evil, but they do not know good” (Jer. 9:1, 4:22). This is how, I say, saints cry over human sins! In a similar way, the Prophet Ezekiel wept for all the fallen, as he was commanded: “Son of man, weep for the prince of Thirsk” (Ezek. 28:12). He wept not only for the King of Tire; but mourning him, he meant many others here; because holy people watch over everyone and mourn everyone. Likewise, David cried about the fall of the strong: “How did the mighty fall? Do not proclaim it in Gath, but tell it at the going forth of Askalonikh, so that the daughters of foreigners may not rejoice, nor may the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice” (2 Kings 1:19-20). So now the mighty have fallen and the vessels of war are broken, for which we should cry! David also wept for Absalom himself, not because he died, but because he sinned. Let us also cry not for the dead, but for those who have renounced their faith. Let us also delve into the word of the Prophet Joel, and fulfill his commands, with which he instructs us to cry for those who are going to destruction. “Let the groom depart from his bed,” he says, “and the bride from her palace. Between the levels of the altar, the priests serving the Lord will weep and say: Spare, O Lord, your people, and do not give your property to reproach, so that the pagans do not possess them, and do not say among the nations: “Where is their God?” Perhaps after this this will also be told to us: “The Lord is jealous of his land, and has mercy on his people” (Joel 2:16-18). In the book: Lamentations of Jeremiah, we read: “Let the walls of daughter Zion pour out tears day and night like a stream” (Lamentations 2:18). Is this really being said to the walls and stones? No, this is especially said to the saints who make up the walls of the Church. And this was definitely fulfilled over all of them: for their tears flowed everywhere like springs. So, let us now pay attention to the words of the Psalmist: “they walk and weep, throwing away their seeds,” like the current Primates and Shepherds of the Church, who do not have anywhere to throw their seeds; but, the Prophet continues, “in the future they will come with joy, grasping their own hands” (Psalm 125:6). In truth, “blessed are those who mourn”; because “they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:5). Let us also remember this saying of the King of the Prophet: “Weeping may endure for an evening, and joy comes in the morning” (Psalm. 29:6) So the Apostles wept in the evening and rejoiced in the morning. And Mary Magdalene, leaning to the tomb, wept; but the Lord who appeared to her took away the tears from her eyes, and thus what was said before was fulfilled: “And the Lord will take away every tear from their eyes” (Is. 25:8). His own clothes and clothed Him with a scarlet robe; they placed a crown of thorns on Him, they spat on Him, they mocked Him; the servants beat the Lord of all on the cheek. Then He was hanged on a tree, filled with bile and stool; in His eyes they divided His clothes, pierced Him in the side with a spear, and after this He gave His spirit into the hands of the Father, and His body was laid in the tomb. Finally, He rose on the third day and ascended with glory into heaven, as the holy Angels foretold about Him, saying: “Lift up your gates, O princes” (Psalm 23:9). So, look mentally at the One who showed such patience, so that each of you could imitate Him, sit down with Him, and be, according to His promise, a joint heir with Him in the kingdom of heaven forever and ever. Amen. handles - church word: sheaves. You might be interested in: