Благо

We believe, children, that real human life means nothing at all; We do not at all honor and do not call good that which brings us perfection in this life alone. We do not recognize the fame of our ancestors, nor the strength, beauty and greatness of the body, nor honors from all people, nor the kingdom itself, nor anything else that is called human, as great, even worthy of desire, and we do not pay attention to those who have this, but we extend our hopes further and do everything to prepare for ourselves another life. Therefore, what helps us towards it, we say that we should love it and strive for it with all our might, and what does not pass into it, we should despise as worthless (1). If someone takes into account and puts together all the happiness of people since the time of their existence, he will find that this is not equal to the slightest part of the blessings of that [future] life, but on the contrary, all the blessings here are much more distinguished in dignity from the least of those blessings than a shadow and a dream are poorer than reality. It is better to say (I will use a closer example), just as the soul is more honorable in everything than the body, so is the difference between one and the other life (1). What does it mean that the apostle said: so that you may know what the will of God is, good, acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:2)? There are many things that God wants. He wants something else out of patience and kindness, and this is good and is called good; another in anger for our sins, and this is called evil. For he says: I form light and create darkness, I make peace and bring disaster (Is. 45:7), - not that evil for which we are punished, but that by which we are admonished. And what admonishes and leads to conversion through a feeling of sorrow serves for good. Therefore, what God wants through long-suffering and kindness, we must also want and imitate. For he says: be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). And the apostle says: therefore imitate God, as beloved children, and live in love, just as Christ loved us (Eph. 5:1, 2). But what he sends out in anger for our sins and what, as I said, on the basis that it arouses a feeling of sorrow, is called evil, that, without a doubt, we should not do. And when it is the will of God that people often die from hunger, from plagues, from war or from anything else similar, we do not need to serve this will. For in such cases, God also uses evil servants according to what was said: He sent His furious wrath upon them: wrath and anger and sorrow, brought down through the angels (sending) disasters (Ps. 78:49). Therefore, we must first seek what the good will of God is, then, when we know the good will, we must investigate whether this good will is pleasing to God. For something else, taken in itself, is the will of God and the good will, but when it is done either by the wrong person, or at the wrong time, it is no longer pleasing to God. For example, it was the will of God and the good will that they should burn incense to God, but it was not pleasing to God that Dathan and Aviron should do this. And one more thing: it is the will of God and the good will that they do alms, but if they do it for the sake of glorification from people, then this is no longer pleasing to God. And one more thing: it was the will of God and the good will that the disciples should hear whatever was heard in the ear and preach on the housetops (Matthew 10:27), but that they would talk about something ahead of time, this was not pleasing to God. For he says: do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man rises from the dead (Matthew 17:9). And in general, every will of God is good and then acceptable when what is said by the Apostle is fulfilled in it: do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), and: only everything should be decent and orderly (1 Cor. 14:40). But again, if something is the will of God, and a good will, and a pleasing will, then in this case one must not indulge in carelessness, but strive and take care so that it is perfect and without shortcomings, to the extent of both the deed itself, whether it is exactly in accordance with what is commanded, and the strength of the one doing the deed. For it is said: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27), as the Lord taught in the Gospel of John (John 23:34). And love every commandment, as it is written (Deut. 6:6). For it is said: blessed is that servant whom his Master, when he comes, finds doing so (Matthew 24:46) (5). One constant good is desirable and praiseworthy. And this is an honor with God. The human is more intangible than a shadow, more deceptive than sleepy dreams. For youth passes faster than spring flowers, and bodily beauty fades either from illness or from time; Wealth is unfaithful, fame is fickle; The very pursuits of the arts are successful only for the duration of real life. And what is most desired by everyone, art in words, is pleasing only to the ear. The exercise of virtue is a precious possession for those who have, and the most pleasant sight for those who see. By taking care of this, you will make yourself worthy of the blessings according to the promises prepared by the Lord (6). Health and illness, Wealth and poverty, fame and dishonor, since those who possess them are not made good, are not by nature good; since they bring some convenience to our life, the previously named ones are preferable to those opposite them, and a certain dignity is attributed to them. And they are given to others from God at the disposal of others, like Abraham, Job and others like them. And for the bad, this serves as an incentive to correct their morals, so that those who, even with such benevolent attention from God, remain in unrighteousness, unquestioningly admit themselves to be guilty of condemnation. However, the righteous does not cleave to Wealth when it exists, and does not seek it when it does not, because he is not a consumer, but a manager of what is given. None of the smart people takes the trouble to divide someone else's property, unless they have human glory in mind, because they marvel at and compete with those who have some kind of power. The righteous take illness as a feat, expecting great crowns for patience. But to attribute the management of this to someone other than God is not only incongruous, but also wicked (6). You might be interested in: