Глава III. Христианская добродетель по учению святителя Тихона

Actually, the first (and one of the main for the saint) virtues - repentance - has already been said. But before we talk about others, let us dwell on the saint’s understanding of virtue as such. “Virtue,” he writes, “is every word, deed and thought that is in accordance with the law of God,” that is, “our true and valuable good, which is neither subject to decay nor separated from us; lives with us in peace, and departs for another age, and leads us to God, the highest good” 55 (27, 305). A Christian is encouraged to live virtuously by love for Christ, which reveals itself in imitation of His virtues, in fulfilling His commandments, and the word of God, commanding both to evade evil and to do good (Ps. 33:15) (27:305–306). Virtue in its Christian understanding is cognizable only by a soul reborn by the grace of God in the Sacrament of Baptism, enlightened by Christ Himself; as a gift of God, it is strengthened and nurtured by those grace-filled means, which will be discussed specifically. Individual virtues are only manifestations, different aspects of a single Christian virtue. Therefore, they are all interconnected, so that any attempt to arrange them in one sequence or another is very conditional and is made, as a rule, either to discover certain patterns in spiritual life, or for the convenience of describing that single virtue, which in the most general sense can be called a correct and worthy Christian life. The beginning of wisdom, which can serve both as a synonym for Christian virtue and at the same time as a designation of the goal of a virtuous life, according to the word of the prophet, is the fear of the Lord (Ps. 110:10). The saint writes what the fear of God is and how it reveals itself in the soul of a Christian man. The very title of Christian necessarily requires that we “walk everywhere before God, as He is omnipresent and we are present everywhere, with fear and all reverence, following the example of how we stand before an earthly monarch” (27, 994). The fear of God “is like a faithful guard who always watches and protects the spiritual home from all evil; like a strong and high wall, quenching the arrows of the enemy. The fear of God does not allow one to be seduced by the beauties of this world, does not allow the mind to wander freely, the tongue to speak a lot, the eyes to see everything, the ears to listen to everything” (3, 233–234). The fear of God is born and strengthened in the soul first of all “from the consideration of God’s properties. The Omnipresence of God shows you that God is everywhere with you, above you and before you. His Majesty is insulted by your pride, His holiness is insulted by your uncleanness; His mercy is insulted by your hard-heartedness, His long-suffering by your impatience, His love by your hatred and envy. He is righteous: how can you not be afraid to violate the truth before the righteous? He is generous: how are you not afraid to shut your womb to those who demand before the generous? He is good, meek and long-suffering: how can you not be afraid of the good, meek and long-suffering to be angry, angry and remembering malice? Finally, He is your Creator, your highest Lord and King, your Father: how can you not be afraid and ashamed before your Creator, King and Lord to act fearlessly?” The fear of God is born “from the reflection of His terrible former destinies, which appeared on sinners, such as: Cain, Pharaoh, Dathan and Aviron,” and remembering that “temporary punishments show that there will be eternal punishments for faulty and bitter sinners” (2, 152; 3, 235-237). But what actually gives rise to the fear of God in the human soul, just as the above admonitions make effective, is “the grace of God alone” (27, 1001). The saint notes the following signs that the soul has the fear of God. “He who has the fear of God,” he writes, “is openly and secretly guarded from all sins 56 . He willingly listens to God's word and every instruction and reproof, so that he can discern the sins that are within himself. He does not look at the sins of others, but looks into his own conscience, cleansing it with diligent repentance. He constantly and earnestly prays and sighs so that God Himself will guide him on the path of salvation. He moves away from everything that can lead to sin (“amusement, games, evil conversations”), “he shirks the honor, wealth and joy of this world”, “he uses food and drink not for sweetness and luxury, but for need,” and so on. Finally, “not only is he not afraid of any temporary misfortune or human fear, but he is not afraid of death itself, and he deigns better to suffer and die than to sin” 57 (3, 234). On the contrary, the lack of fear of God, or “fearlessness,” opens the way to all evil and lawlessness. Just as a fierce horse, having no ruler, runs wherever it wants, so a person, by nature inclined to all evil, when he is deprived of the fear of God, like a good ruler, rushes towards all evil” (3, 237). And such a state is not only dangerous, but also painful for the sinner. “I often hear,” the saint writes in one of his letters, “that the holy David sings: there I was afraid of fear, where there was no fear (Ps. 13:5). People fear man, but they do not fear God; they are afraid of losing a temporary belly, but are not afraid of losing an eternal belly; they are afraid of losing wealth, fame, honor and success, but are not afraid of losing eternal blessings, honor, glory and the consolation of heaven; They are afraid of bonds, prison and temporary exile, but they are not afraid of eternal prison, bonds and exile. And so this song befits them: there they feared fear, where there was no fear” 58 (6, 302-303). Such fear, the fear of the flesh, which even the wicked have, according to the saint, is not involved in love. And therefore, what is done according to it is not pleasing to God. This fear is driven out of the heart by faith, where by faith the fear of God is implanted - the fruit of the knowledge of God and spiritual wisdom. The virtue that is the starting point for all others, according to St. Tikhon, is faith. The saint speaks in detail about the meaning of faith for a person, its signs and fruits, the means of preserving and strengthening it. The saint defines faith as “that which we do not see or do not comprehend with our minds, but we believe to exist,” and explains: “so we do not see God, but we believe that there is a God, there is one. We do not comprehend with our minds how God is one in nature, but three in persons, but we believe, being instructed by the word of God. We do not see Christ, the Son of God, the eternal life, the Heavenly Kingdom, but we believe... In these and other mysteries of God, reason must follow faith, and not faith in reason, so as not to test with the mind that which requires a single faith, but to captivate the mind into the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10, 5)” (4, 6-7). To believe in Christ “is nothing else,” the saint writes, “than having learned from the law and heartily acknowledged one’s poverty and wretchedness, and having known from the Gospel the grace of God, to resort to Him alone, that is, Christ, under the protection and patronage, to recognize Him alone as the Deliverer and Savior from that calamity and to have, in Him alone, all the hope of eternal salvation, to steadily and relentlessly affirm” (4, 125). Through the action of the grace of the Holy Spirit, faith, as “a certain Divine seed, is implanted in the heart of everyone who is baptized at baptism” (27, 131). In his works, the saint repeatedly returns to the question of the relationship between faith and good deeds. “Whoever wants to be saved must absolutely maintain Orthodoxy, or the right faith,” we read in one of his letters. - But this alone is not sufficient for salvation. For even the demons believe and tremble, according to the words of the Apostle. Just as a good tree comes from good fruits, so true and heartfelt faith is known from good deeds” 59 (6, 255). The saint contrasts it with “dead” faith, about which the same apostle writes: Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead (James 2:26). This is the main, but not the only difference between true faith and false, hypocritical one. Let us cite here, following the saint, other signs of “living faith.” Such faith teaches “God, whom He sees and cleaves to Him, like a little child of its mother, to honor from the heart in spirit and truth, and to honor His One above all light, as the whole light is like nothing before Him, from which true and sincere obedience to Him will follow.” True faith encourages us to “shun unfeignedly from all sin” and live worthy of the Christian calling and the Gospel. She “thanks God for all the benefits shown and shown from the heart 60, unfeignedly calls on Him, resorts to Him and asks for help in all kinds of needs, distracting from the hope of creation” 61. True faith “has boldness and trust in the mercy and love of God 62, frees the believer from sin, death, hell, the devil and other disasters, and knows as its Redeemer the only Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world.” Living faith encourages a Christian to “follow Christ, bearing his cross. She cleanses the heart from everything that belongs to the world, and from every sinful custom, but always looks to future and eternal blessings, teaching us to philosophize, to desire those, to be comforted by those. “For living faith,” the saint writes, “comes from heaven and then arouses and moves the faithful soul to heaven.” Such faith “softens suffering and sorrow, but creates joy and gladness in the heart of the believer, joy in the Lord, his Savior, joy in the Holy Spirit. For where there is faith in God, there is love for God, there is joy in Him” 63. Finally, “faith is humble, patient, meek, merciful, peaceful, etc., and is known in the heart through such actions.” Renewing a person, it “mysteriously unites the soul of the faithful with Christ, like the bride with the groom, which is why the essence of Christian bliss lies in faith” (4, 9–15; 5, 150; 6, 261–262). On the contrary, the signs of unbelief are “depraved and lawless living and contrary to the law of God; contempt and abandonment of Christian virtues; hope in oneself and other creation; addiction to temporary things." Also “contempt and abandonment of hearing or reading the word of God; abandonment and prayers; removal from communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.” Finally, “a clear sign of unbelief is the despair of God’s mercy,” which “proves itself either by a very depraved life, or by immeasurable sadness” 64 (4, 18–20; 6, 150–151). These conditions, disastrous for the Christian soul, do not arise on their own or suddenly. “The holy faith is subject to many different temptations,” writes the saint, mentioning in his works both these temptations and ways to overcome them. “The flesh tempts faith with its passions and lusts. The temptations of this world, that is, a corrupt teaching that is contrary to the word of God, an example of a corrupt life, are forced to extinguish its spark. Satan and his servants are trying to quench this spark with a flood of troubles, misfortunes, persecutions and sorrows of many.” Finally, “there is no greater and more difficult temptation for faith than when confusion, fear and horror of God’s Judgment, despair, fear of Gehenna and hell come upon a faithful heart; when the conscience is forced to feel cruel stress and torment, a faithful soul; when thoughts, like waves, rise up and strike the faithful heart with despair: there is no salvation for him in his God (Ps. 3:3)” (27, 149). These kindled arrows of the evil one are reflected by the shield of faith, which the saint advises to strengthen by encouraging oneself to often reverently remember the incarnation of the Son of God and reflect on the work He accomplished of our salvation; remember that God is everywhere, sees everything, and before Him we do everything, think, say that He provides for us as well as for everyone. The saint writes: “In order to have living faith in Christ, everyone must recognize and recognize their spiritual poverty and wretchedness” and diligently awaken in themselves the memory that there will be “a worldwide Judgment of Christ, that there will be eternal torment for sinners who truly do not repent and do not have heartfelt faith in Christ.” After all, we are “strangers, strangers and captives in this world, but our fatherland is not here, but in heaven.” “Faith is strengthened and grows through fervent and frequent prayer,” in which it is necessary to remember without a doubt that “you stand before God and ask Him for your needs, and talk with Him as a subject stands before his king and asks him, and then a spirit of humility, and fear, and hope will be born in you.” Faith is strengthened and increased by “diligently reading or listening to the word of God, with the firm thought that it is the true word of the mouth of God. From there will follow in your heart,” says the saint, “reverence for the veneration of the word of God, zealous keeping of His holy commandments and faith in His saints and merciful promises and revelations.” The saint considers the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ to be the most important in strengthening the faith 65 . “Be sure and confirm,” he writes, “that truly there is the Body of Christ and His Blood in the most holy Eucharist. Then you will be amazed at the goodness of God and thank Him from your heart for this sacrament; you will not want to defile your conscience and soul with sins, but you will strive in every possible way to live as a Christian deserves.” Then, “without a doubt, a living faith will be awakened in your heart, operating through love, thanksgiving, patience and other virtues” (4, 122; 5, 150; 6, 255–260). The saint compares living faith in the heart of a Christian to a lamp in a house. “The lamp of faith is lit by the Holy Spirit through hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). Christians who have the lamp of faith burning in their hearts will go out to meet the Bridegroom Christ, like wise virgins. And those who do not have this lamp in their hearts will hear from the King Christ: we do not know you (Matthew 25:12). This is a terrible word for Christians to hear from Christ: we don’t know you! Let us therefore turn to God with all our hearts, so that our lamps will be lit by His grace. Arise from your sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will illuminate you (Eph. 5:14)” (27:136). In the works of Saint Tikhon we do not find a definition of love for God. And is it even possible? Knowing in the heart the love of God for man and the reciprocal love for God is a matter of spiritual experience, and those who have such experience do not need definitions, but those who do not have his words will not be able to give what is revealed only to a pure heart. “What God’s love is and what its sweetnesses,” writes the saint, “words cannot describe, since this love is the work of the Holy Spirit.” And at the same time, the saint does not speak so much about anything else as about man’s love for God and neighbor. As coming from God, it is precisely a gift of God’s grace, and not a matter of human effort; however, to kindle an already smoldering spark, to maintain and strengthen the fire of divine love is the purpose of the shepherd, and the saint in his creations, animated by holy zeal for the glory of God and for the spiritual prosperity of his flock, tirelessly, directly and indirectly, does this. In one of his letters, the saint speaks of love for God as the complete and indivisible desire of the human soul to always remain with its Creator, Redeemer, Provider. Reflecting on the words of the psalm, what are we in heaven? and what did You want on earth? (Ps. 72:25), the saint writes: “A pious soul, not only on earth, but also in heaven, wants nothing but God. To her, heaven is nothing without God, just like the earth. Let those who are wise on earth be content, some with gold and silver, some with honor and glory, some with the wisdom of this age, others with luxuries and sweets: may that be a consolation to them. Nothing makes me happy; My heart turns away from all this; I seek and desire nothing but You, my God and my Creator! You are my only one. Then I will be satisfied when I see You; then I will cease to desire when I find You; then I will be comforted when I come to You; Then I will be satisfied when I appear before Your face!” (6, 304). These words, like few others in the works of the saint, convey that thirst of the human soul for God, the quenching of which by communion with God is love for the strong, living God (Ps. 41:3). Saint Tikhon not only describes, but also comprehensively explores the state of a soul that loves God. In particular, he highlights those signs by which one can find out whether love for God abides in the human soul. The main thing the saint calls is the fulfillment of God’s commandments, according to the word of the Lord Himself: if you have My commandments and keep them, you are the one who loves Me (John 14:21). “Where there is love for Christ, there is inseparable obedience to Christ; where there is obedience, there is careful fulfillment of His commandments; Where the commandments are fulfilled, there is the creation of good deeds” (27, 471). At the same time, the one who truly loves God “seeks to fulfill the will of God not for fear of punishment, but in order not to offend his loved one.” He “loves every person for God’s sake, knowing that every person is God’s, and God loves him; is protected from all sin; God always embraces and carries God in the heart. Death is not scary for such a person: he wants, like the Apostle Paul, to be allowed to live with Christ” (Phil. 1:23). A soul that loves God has constant remembrance and contemplation of God, “which is why He always remembers His holy name with love and reverence, rejoices in Him, thanks Him, praises, sings and glorifies Him with joy, without hypocrisy” (27, 457). He who truly loves God “turns away from the love of this world, seeking in everything the glory of God, and not his own; for the honor of God he plunges himself into every misfortune and death itself; endures every misfortune and adversity without complaint, but when he sins out of weakness, he greatly regrets it, grieves, gets angry with himself and submits himself with loving humility before his Creator and Heavenly Father” (3, 255-256). A soul that loves God always strives to remain in divine love, which is why “a true lover of God often prays, sighs, cries, with a prophet in his heart crying out: in the same way that the trees desire the springs of water, so my soul desires You, O God (Ps. 41:2)” (27, 457). Finally, a sign of true love for God is a desire to become like God, the stronger the stronger the love. “Christian! - exclaims the saint. – Let us be imitators of God, our Heavenly King and Father; let us follow His divine morals and do what He does, and so please Him. He loves everyone: we strive to love Him with all our hearts and love each other. Holy is: let us also be holy. He is righteous: let us also be righteous... Thus let us become like Him, thus we will be children of Light, thus we will show that it is not in vain that we call Him Father” (27, 458). Although love for God, as stated above, is a gift of the Holy Spirit, taught through baptism, hearing the word of God and faith, it is vouchsafed to his heart, purified by repentance, prepared by the labors of the person himself as a worthy vessel (5, 328–329). “Whoever truly loves God,” the saint writes, “seeks Him with all zeal and diligence, and uses a means and method for this, and runs away from every obstacle.” The obstacle is “sinful custom and the love of the vain world” (27, 474). The saint also points out “the reasons that, with the help of God’s grace, arouse God’s love. 1. God is the highest goodness, natural, eternal and infinite, which in itself already attracts everyone to the love of God. 2. God is love, and His Divine love itself attracts the human heart to love. 3. God is the beauty of all beauties, which the angels and all God’s saints cannot get enough of. 4. God, by His sole goodness, without any need or benefit of His, created man from non-existence and brought him into existence,” honoring him with His image and granting him royal dignity in the created world. God, our Father, not only saved and renewed fallen man, but through the atoning sacrifice of Christ and rebirth by the Holy Spirit, he made him worthy of more in comparison with the first-created people. As the Provider of the human race, He “calls those who are lost and turned away with every desire and expects them to repent.” The very calling of God Father, according to the saint, cannot but move a person to love, for what kind of son is that who does not love his father, especially the Father, who is unconditionally worthy of love to the highest degree: after all, He “does all this (listed above - I.N.) and other unknown good things out of love alone.” Finally, “God wants people to love us and thus enter into friendship (which is mutual love - I.N.) with us” in order to give us bliss 66 (3, 256–258). Following the Holy Scriptures, the saint says that “both the natural and the written law there is no other end than love alone” (cf. Matt. 7, 12; 22, 37–40). “Other gifts, such as speaking many tongues, performing miracles, and so on, are nothing without love (1 Cor. 13:2). Without love,” says Saint Chrysostom, “all gifts do not benefit those who have them” (27, 459, 461). Just as fire always strives upward, just as a sunflower always directs its flower towards the sun, no matter in what part of the sky it is located, so “an inflamed heart always strives towards its center, its most loving being, and neither beauty, nor sweetness, nor glory, nor fear, nor death are strong enough to hinder it (Rom. 8:38-39). For such love, the sweetness of this world is sorrow, beauty is stench, glory is nothing, the kingdom is bondage and captivity. Such a person is on earth with his feet, but in heaven with his heart; He lives with people, but in spirit he stands before God dearly and worships Him” (27, 464–465). But not all love for God is true and saving love. How is it possible, believing that we love a person, to actually love ourselves in him: his love, self-respect, and in general the benefits that come from him; how can one, while loving science and art, actually love oneself in science or art; This is how you can, thinking that you love God, actually have “dreamy” love and love your feelings, views, your position in life 67. Therefore, the saint writes about “how and in what way we should love God.” Man is called to love God “not only more than all creation, more than all man, but also more than himself; I must dedicate my soul and body, my whole heart and mind, memory and will, intention, undertaking, word, deed and thought to God in love, as I have received all this from God. Since God loved man so much without any benefit, then man should simply love God without any benefit of his own.” One who loves God must “presuppose God’s will over his own will” (prefer – I.N.). Finally, “not only one’s honor and glory and all well-being, but also one’s very life must be despised and abandoned when the honor and glory of God demands it” 68 (3, 258–259). The saint speaks separately about love for Christ. The separation of the Christian’s relationship (“Christian duty”) “to God” and “to Christ, the Son of God” 69 is one of the features of the theology of St. Tikhon. But this division is methodological and can be explained, in our opinion, firstly, by the desire of the saint to emphasize both the historicity and divinity of the Person of Jesus Christ, to recall the work of the Savior’s redemption of fallen man, as opposed to the theistic and deistic views in the modern saint’s Christianity 70 . “The very name Jesus, that is, the Savior, attracts our hearts to His love, Orthodox Christian!” - writes the saint, then briefly depicting what the Lord did to save a person who had left God (4, 127-129), wanting to remind Christians, who over the centuries have become too accustomed to “their” faith, of its essence - not just about God, but about Christ. We also see the opposite: through faith in Christ, the Son of God, the believer comes to the Father 71. Thus, discussing faith, reviewing Sacred history as a matter of salvation for the human race, arousing love for the Savior, the saint says: “And so everyone, receiving Christ with true faith, believes in God who sent Him; believes in the Son, believes in the Father, and comes to the Father (John 14:6)” (4:112–126). Secondly, a separate presentation of the “Christian duty to Christ” can be explained by the desire of the saint to more clearly present, thanks to the divine-human nature of the Savior, the proper (or, conversely, improper) attitude of a Christian towards other people. Thus, speaking about the Gospel commandment about love for enemies (Matthew 5:44), the saint seems to anticipate a possible objection: “How can I love someone who is hostile to me?” and answers: “It is true that the carnal, spiritual man reflects this correctly about himself. But when you love Christ, Who died for you and me, His enemies, then with eagerness and love you will listen to what He commands to me and to you: love your enemies. The lover loves the one whom the beloved loves. For when you love Christ, you must also love every person, your friend and your enemy.” Otherwise, the “signs” of love for Christ, which the saint further indicates (“the lover always desires to be inseparable from the beloved,” “does the will of the beloved,” “is careful not to offend the beloved,” “follows the beloved’s disposition,” “he thinks at one with the beloved,” “desires glory and honor for the beloved,” etc.) coincide with those given above (4, 127–145). In conclusion, let us present the saint’s reasoning, as if responding to the widespread reproach to Christians that God’s desire for love for Himself is supposedly incompatible with both His transcendence and His self-sufficiency and all-bliss, which do not depend on anything external. “Although God wants,” says the saint, “for us to love Him, he does not want it for His own benefit, but for our benefit. God is blessed in Himself, but twofold benefit will follow from God’s love. In this age, spiritual joy comes from the gracious dwelling of God in a heart that loves. And since perfect love cannot exist here because of our weakness, this joy will be accomplished in the next century, where the faithful will be endlessly satisfied with that sweet vision” (3, 259-260). Love for one's neighbor is inseparable from love for God. “Whoever loves God certainly loves his neighbor,” says the saint and continues, as if answering the question of the evangelical lawyer: “Who is my neighbor?”: “Every person is one another’s neighbor. When I demand help from you, then you must be my neighbor, and when you demand help from me, then I must be your neighbor” 72 (3, 306). Therefore, “it is not kinship, but need and poverty, not the proximity of blood and flesh, but the union of love and mercy that makes us neighbors.” Christ Himself, the Son of God, according to the saint, “seeing our poverty, became our neighbor.” On the contrary, “this name – neighbor – is renounced by those who, seeing a person’s poverty, coldly or, even more, shamelessly say: “What do I care about his needs?” Moreover, “those who not only do not help the poor, but also inhumanly deprive them of the latter” (3, 306–307). Saint Tikhon speaks in detail about “the reasons that encourage us to mutual love.” Love for our neighbor is an expression of our love for God (1 John 4:20-21). All people are brothers to each other, as having “one Father God, one Christ the Son of God and one Holy Spirit, one Trinitarian God, Provider, Lawmaker and Judge”; as having one parent according to the flesh - Adam; as partaking of the one Holy Mysteries, listening to the one word of God, as members of the one body of Christ - the holy Church. He who loves his neighbor unfeignedly is “a true disciple of Christ” (John 13:35) and “abides in God” (1 John 4:16). Whereas without love (both for God, as mentioned above, and for one’s neighbor - I.N.), other gifts do not benefit us anything, for, according to St. John Chrysostom, “love is greater than all sacrifices and offerings, and God does not accept any sacrifice without love” 73 . The one who does not love his neighbor is directly called by the holy Apostle John the Theologian a murderer 74 (1 John 3:15) and abiding in death (1 John 3:14). On the contrary, “the general well-being of mutual love flourishes. Oh, if everyone would live happily if they loved each other mutually! - writes the saint. - Then there would be no theft, robbery, murder, violence, deception, guile, slander, slander, ridicule, curses; the cages would not have been strengthened to preserve the estates; locks would not have been needed; there would not be so many crying, the plaintive voices of crying widows, orphans, poor and helpless people would not be heard to the sky; the prisons would not be filled with prisoners for debts, bills and arrears; Finally, there would not be poverty and wretchedness, but everything would be safe, calm, and peaceful. Oh, love, love, union of perfection - love! How many blessings we are deprived of when we don’t have you! With you everything is good and prosperous, but without you everything is bad and unprosperous” (2, 158–159). Christian love is manifested to an even greater extent in caring for the spiritual needs of our neighbors, “for the body and bodily benefits cease, but spiritual salvation endures forever, and for this moreover, we must take care of both our soul and our neighbor’s, when we want to love our neighbor as ourselves” 75 (27, 483). The saint also speaks in detail about the fruits of Christian love, borrowing their names and sequence from the 13th chapter of the first letter of the holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. “Love is long-suffering,” the saint writes, “and he who loves his neighbor does not take revenge on him for the insult inflicted on him, but generously bears it, and prays for the offender and sympathizes with him, attributing that insult to the common enemy the devil. In this he imitates Christ, who prays: Father! let them go: they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). Love is merciful, and he who loves his neighbor has compassion for the suffering; he is in distress with those in need and strives to help his misfortune; he does not spare himself in order to help his neighbor’s misfortune, and so he suffers his misfortune, and shares his well-being with him in half. To this end, Christ exhorts us all: Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful (Matthew 5:48) 76. Love does not envy. Envy is about grieving about your neighbor’s well-being and being sad about joy. In love, this spiritual ulcer has no place: it counts the happiness of its neighbor and misfortune for its own, weeps with those who weep and rejoices with those who rejoice (Rom. 12:15). Love is not exalted, it is not proud. Pride's job is to despise one's neighbor and elevate oneself. Lyuba is not like that: she humiliates herself, puts others above herself, respects everyone, humbles herself before everyone, is obedient to her superiors, courteous to her equals, condescending to her inferiors 77 ; He condemns himself before others, reproaches himself and not others, just as the apostle writes: do one another more honor to yourselves (Phil. 2:3). Love does not act outrageously, but it is not afraid of shame for the sake of its beloved, it is not ashamed of being dressed in rags, although it itself is decorated with purple and fine linen; she is not ashamed to enter a stinking prison, although she herself dwells in the palaces 78 . Thus Christ, the Son of God, hid the majesty of His Divinity under human flesh, so that he could more conveniently help our distress. Love does not seek its own. True love strives with joy and joy to do good to the beloved, and to do good without any benefit of its own. In this she is likened to a fruitful tree, which feeds not itself but others with its fruits; is likened to the sun, which shines not on itself, but on us and warms us; or rather, will he follow that eternal and uncreated Love and Goodness, Which gives us all good things without any self-interest. True love is not irritated, 79 and is not angry with one’s neighbor, although it will accept offense from him. And not only does he not repay an insult, but he also does not have anger in his heart against the offender. And not only does he not do this, but he thinks less of evil. Although sometimes he manifests his anger, his anger is aimed at sins, and not at a person. Shepherds and leaders need this kind of anger 80. Their job is to meekly endure their own offense, and when God’s law is violated and an offense is inflicted on their neighbor, to stand strong, not to remain silent, but to pacify the rapists. Love does not rejoice, but is pained by injustice, when an offense is done to one’s neighbor, since it blames the neighbor’s well-being and misfortune for its own 81. Love rejoices in the truth. This is how the holy angels and all the saints of God rejoice when sinners repent of their sins and do good deeds. Love loves everything, does not exclude the good and the evil from its good will and goodness, in which it imitates the Heavenly Father, Whose sun shines on the evil and on the good, and rains on the righteous and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Love has faith in everything. Love is sincere, not deceitful, not flattering, and for the sake of what it is itself, it thinks about others and has no suspicions. Love trusts all, endures all, love never falls away. Today the faithful believe, hope and love; but in the next century they will see what they believe, they will receive what they hope for, and only love will not cease, for they will see God forever, Whom they will love; and they will be together with each other forever, and so they will love each other. – A loving soul abounds with these fruits of God and neighbor! Humble in herself, but exalted by God; poor on the outside, but rich on the inside; despicable on the outside, but honorable on the inside; diminished from the world, but exalted from God!” - this is how Saint Tikhon ends his song of Christian love (2, 157-158; 3, 307-311). The saint also sees a distinctive feature of Christian love for one’s neighbor in the fact that it must be in agreement with love for God and God’s law. “Otherwise,” he writes, “love for man must yield to the love of God. One must love God more than any creature, more than any person, and more than oneself” (27, 485). Finally, like love for God, love for neighbor “must be in the heart and not on the tongue. He has love in his heart who, seeing the need of his neighbor, helps him” (27, 487). If the heart is not warmed with love, then only external piety will not bring any benefit. Prayer, fasting, and the decoration of churches, according to the saint, are commendable in themselves, but only as tools for acquiring love, “which is hidden in the heart, but is known through deeds.” The highest feat, which likens the one who labors in it to the Savior Himself, is love for enemies, by which “we mean those people who, by word or deed, do us any harm” (3, 336). And they, having a need for our forgiveness and prayer, so that hostility towards us may not be imputed to them, are our neighbors. “It is a difficult thing, I confess,” says the saint, “it is a difficult thing for our corrupted nature to love our enemies, but this is what the Christian position requires” (2, 159). The saint writes about the very possibility of love for enemies, as if answering an imaginary interlocutor who says: “It is impossible for me to love my enemies and do good to them.” “It’s not true. Perhaps it was David, who wept for his dead enemies Saul and Absalom. Perhaps it was Saint Stephen, who prayed for his enemies who stoned him: Lord, do not put this sin on them. It was possible for all the saints, so it is possible for you too. You are a man, and they were men; you are weak, and they also had weakness” (27, 500). In addition to the general incentives to love our neighbor, the saint specifically cites “reasons that excite us to love our enemies.” “Christ commands us to love them, the will of the Heavenly Father wants us to, God’s eternal truth demands us.” Through the fulfillment of this command, the one who loves his enemies becomes like Christ Himself and becomes a son of God by grace, “for such is the disposition of the Heavenly Father, Who depicts His sun on evil and good.” Love for enemies is the highest degree of love, and “Christian virtue does not consist in loving only those who love, but everyone without one’s own benefit.” By learning this, a Christian conquers himself, and “this victory is glorious and more glorious than defeating cities and states.” The examples of the holy saints of God encourage a Christian to love his enemies. He who forces himself to love his enemies also benefits from a moral and ascetic life: “Our enemies humble us,” the saint writes, “they overthrow our pride, vanity, and self-love, bring us to the knowledge of ourselves and our weaknesses, excite us to fervent prayer, and so, although they do not persecute us with this good intention, they enrich us with the good of our souls when we overcome their malice with their love.” And our conscience is “calmest when we do not take revenge on our enemies. Just as fire is not extinguished by fire, says the saint, so anger is not overcome by anger; Our true enemy is the devil, and we must arm ourselves against him.” People, “who are seduced by his cunning and persecute him, should sympathize with the spirit of love that they listen to him.” Moreover, they do not act without God’s permission and “they are like a scourge with which God punishes us,” calling for repentance and correction. “In addition, it often happens,” the saint repeats the general patristic thought, “that our enemies later regret and repent for persecuting and embittering us,” and through this they receive forgiveness, and we, not knowing this and condemning those already justified by God, ourselves fall under condemnation. But even if this does not happen, still “one should feel sorry for the enemies rather than be angry with them, for they persecute themselves rather than us, and they destroy themselves more than us” 82 (2, 159–160; 3, 336–340). The saint no longer looks at truly Christian love as a feeling (always passionate in one way or another), but as a property of the soul: a person who has acquired it is likened to an oven that gives off its warmth to everyone who is near it: warmed by love, the soul that has acquired it exudes it to everyone” (27, 496). Such love, in contrast to a natural, innate feeling, is precisely the property of a soul transformed by the grace of God 83 . But acquiring such love requires work, which may seem overwhelming to some. And the saint, as if addressing such people, says: “Children who learn to read books first learn letters, then writing, and then they learn to read. Thus, Christians must first learn to repay good for good, which is gratitude; then do not repay evil for evil, insult for insult, and do not take revenge either in word or in deed on the offender; and further, to love enemies, and to do good to those who hate, and to repay good for evil. This is the ladder by which Christians ascend to perfection, that is, to the love of their enemies” (27, 501). Faith, presenting “the good future as the present, and the invisible as visible,” gives birth in a Christian to hope for forgiveness of sins, God’s help in the matter of salvation and achievement of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the works of Saint Tikhon, two main aspects can be distinguished in the understanding of Christian hope. Firstly, this is the hope of God’s almighty help given in all circumstances of a Christian’s life. Secondly, this is the hope of God’s mercy and forgiveness of the repentant sinner. “Not everyone has the same hope,” writes the saint. “Some hope in princes and sons of men, others in wealth, others in their own reason... There are only one true Christian, having abandoned everything else, they place their hope in one God” (3, 295). Both hopes cannot be in the heart at the same time: “he says falsely to God: Lord my God, in Thee does he trust, who trusts in His creation and other things besides God, for hope is known from works, like faith, and not from words” (2, 198). However, even for the person himself it is not always obvious in whom he really has hope. The true hope of the heart is clearly revealed mainly in trials and tribulations. “Here it is known,” writes the saint, “who trusts in whom. He who, in times of trouble, does not retreat from Christ in hope, but runs to Him and asks for help, truly and heartily hopes in Him. And whoever is in trouble, leaving Christ, to the creature, that is, to man, wealth, honor, etc. evades and seeks help from there, he has no hope in Him, although he confesses with his lips” (2, 189-190). Therefore, Christian hope “can be called such a virtue that strives against the wiles of the devil, against relying on oneself, on one’s own strength, reason, piety, wealth, in a word, against relying on everything that exists besides God, and strives to be established in only love for mankind, omnipotence, and the truth of God; or there is faith that takes our heart away from hope in ourselves and in other creatures, and leads us to one God” (3, 297). But why is hope not in God a sin? The saint gives the following reasons. “He who trusts in creation” already violates the first commandment of the Decalogue: I am the Lord thy God; also falls under the curse of the prophet, who says: cursed is man who trusts in man (Jer. 17.5), as well as in any other creation. It is impossible for one who places his hope not in God to pray properly: God does not accept the prayer of a heart divided towards earth and heaven as being offensive to Him and unsaving for man (James 1:8). He who trusts in someone or something other than God deprives himself of peace, “for every creature is subject to change, and therefore impermanent, itself requires the help, reinforcement, and preservation of God. Thus, he who trusts in the prince is afraid lest he lose his mercy; The rich man is afraid of losing his wealth. One hope in God is not afraid of anything. For God is unchangeable and abides forever.” Finally, true hope is only in what a person can rely on at the hour of his departure from this life. But “everything will leave us then; Christ alone, our Redeemer, will not leave us.” Thus, only hope in God is true, truly Christian hope, and the saint exhorts to be affirmed in it by reflecting on the properties of God. “God is eternal, living and immortal, and hope in Him is unshakable. God is almighty and can do everything for us. God is wise and knows how to help, deliver and save. God is most kind and merciful, and wants to do good to us and have mercy on us. God is true, and He cannot lie in His promise to those who call on Him to help and save.” Hope is strengthened by reverent reading or listening to the Holy Scriptures as a source of Christian hope and consolation, by the memory of the omnipotence and omnipresence of God, as well as by “reflection on God’s former blessings” (3, 295–297). An indispensable condition for holding true hope in the heart is integrity of conscience. “What hope is there to be there,” asks the saint, “where the conscience, irritated by sins, constantly threatens the judgment of God? Hope has its home in a conscience that is at peace from sins” (27, 587). But “sinners who cease to sin and repent,” God hears, just as he heard Manasseh, the Ninevites, and Zacchaeus, and therefore “such should not put aside their hope, but without a doubt expect the mercy of God in Christ Jesus” (3, 299). What is this hope based on, is it legitimate? Undoubtedly, for “God Himself calls to repentance and is patient with us, not that some should perish, but that all might come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9); He declared in His holy word that Jesus Christ will judge the whole universe with righteousness, thereby mercifully warning and encouraging to repentance; He promised not to remember the sins of those who repented and confirmed His promise with an oath, so that they would not hesitate to come to Him in repentance. As I live, says the Lord Adonai: I do not want the death of the sinner, but to turn the wicked from his way, and I live to be him” (Ezek. 33:11). Undoubtedly, as evidenced by “the examples of those who repented and received mercy from God,” the parables of the prodigal son, the lost coin, and the lost sheep. Undoubtedly, for “Christ came into the world for this purpose, to save sinners 1 Tim. 1, 15), and the Heavenly Father rejoices with all the angels over the sinner who repents (Luke 15, 10)” (2, 145–147). With these discussions about Christian hope, however, “there is no occasion or reason for fearlessness and laziness, but the path to despair is stopped.” Christian hope, according to the saint, is equally rejected by both the one who despairs of his salvation and the one who unduly trusts in the mercy of God, blithely neglecting to correct his life. “God is merciful,” says the saint, “but to those who repent; but God’s judgment befalls the fearless and unrepentant” (3, 211; 27, 588). Christian hope encourages us in labor, danger, and temptation. “The hope of freedom cheers the one sitting in prison, the hope of return comforts the one who is absent from home and fatherland, the hope of health revives the sick. Even if the hope of a person is so strongly inspired by temporary blessings, O Christian, the hope of eternal blessings will not encourage us, which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Christian hope strengthens us in heroic deeds and consoles all sorrow. “All present sorrow and dishonor, although it continues throughout life, the end will be death; but there will be no end to future joy and glory. Then a person will forget all troubles and misfortunes; one will have one consolation, joy and unceasing joy without end” (27, 584–585). “True mercy is the fruit of Christian love,” writes St. Tikhon. How high this virtue is, we see from the Holy Scriptures, when, depicting the Last Judgment of God, the mercy shown to others, “Christ attributes to Himself.” On the other hand, by grace a person “becomes like the merciful God” (3, 318). The saint singles out the works of “spiritual mercy” (“to comfort the sorrowing,” “to guide the erring on the path of truth,” “to bring to reason the one who hesitates,” etc.) and “corporal mercy” (“to feed the hungry,” “to give drink to the thirsty,” “to clothe the naked,” etc.). About the need for a Christian to do works of “spiritual mercy,” the saint writes: “The saving will of Christ our God demands from us that we seek both our own and our neighbor’s salvation and encourage each other to repentance and to please God. The honor of Christ also requires Christians to admonish each other and lead them away from disorderly living, so that the name of God and Christian teaching do not suffer reproach from the pagans.” The Holy Scripture blesses the merciful: blessed be mercy, for there will be mercy (Matthew 5:7), just as it warns the hard-hearted: judgment, for without mercy he who has not shown mercy (James 2:13). Brotherly love moves a Christian towards mercy towards his neighbor, from which he also learns love for Christ. “Christian society, or the Church,” writes the saint, “is like an army. In the battle of this world, one warrior encourages and strengthens another who is exhausted: so in the Christian battle, victory is impossible without mutual help” 84 (3, 319). The surrounding nature seems to indicate to the saint the necessity of works of mercy towards all people equally. “The creation of God,” he writes, “serves everyone equally by the command of God. The sun, the month, the stars shine equally for the rich and the poor; The clouds give rain to the rich and the poor alike, the earth gives fruit to the rich and the poor alike. For we learn from this that the rich and the poor alike must be content with the good things of this world.” After all, we, “whatever good we have, is not ours, but is given to us by God, which is given to us not for the sake of us alone, but also for the sake of our neighbors” 85 (3, 321). Both God’s commandment and “natural law require that we do to our neighbor what we want for ourselves. We ourselves want to eat, drink, dress, and rest, so we must do the same for our brethren. Even the pagans, driven by natural law, show mercy on the poor.” If even this reasoning does not move the stony heart towards mercy, then the saint warns that the one who does not hear someone else’s prayer will not be heard by God in his prayers. “How can you say: Lord, have mercy, when you yourself do not have mercy? How will you ask with others: give, Lord, when you yourself do not give, but can give? With what mouth will you say: hear me, Lord, when you yourself do not hear the poor, or even more so, in the poor, Christ Himself, crying out to you?” Works of mercy, like deeds of other virtues, being performed on earth, ascend to heaven. “Now it is favorable to sow these good seeds,” says the saint, “so that on the General Resurrection we will reap with joy the incomparably multiplied and best fruit that endures forever.” The wealth “that is squandered here in the name of Christ will be found in heaven with great growth. He who shows mercy to the poor gives back to God. How kind and joyful it will be for the merciful to appear before the face of the merciful and meek Son of God with His many brethren, whom in His name here He fed, gave drink, clothed, and gave rest to! How much more desirable is it to hear this favorable voice from the righteous Judge: Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you (Matthew 25:34). On the contrary, how terrible it will be unmerciful to hear the terrible voice of the righteous Judge: depart from Me, the curse, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angel (Matthew 25:41)” (2, 164; 3, 318–323). But those who want to take care only of themselves in earthly life and avoid eternal condemnation at all times seek justification for their unmercifulness. And the saint shows how unfounded their arguments are. The saint also asks the question, “What is mercy and how to create it?” Not every good deed is a deed of mercy. “There is mercy when good is done to those who in no way deserve it from us, otherwise there will be no mercy, but reward. When good is done without any expected gain from the one who accepts it, otherwise there will be bargaining or mutual giving.” “Mercy should not be done for the sake of vanity, so as to gain praise from people, but in the name of Christ, for the glory of God and for the benefit of one’s neighbor.” The mercy shown should not be exalted, but the good done, as much as possible, should be forgotten: we give God’s, and not our own. Genuine mercy “is not done through compulsion, but from loving will, zeal and heartfelt compassion for those who require mercy.” Alms should be given “not from theft and unrighteousness, but from our estates, given to us by God.” Thus, unselfishness, voluntariness and the mystery of giving, the humility with which it is given, as well as the “goodness” of the means from which the good deed is performed - these, according to St. Tikhon, are the necessary conditions for godly mercy, which Christians are commanded to do 87 . Although “mercy should be given to everyone who requires mercy,” it is also necessary to take into account the “need of the one who requires” it, as well as the capabilities of the benefactor: let the heart of one who has nothing to give, let him not be embarrassed, preserving only his good disposition: “not only the deed is considered mercy, but also the very zeal and desire to do mercy” 88 . In conclusion, the saint, citing the words of the Lord without Me, you cannot do anything (John 15:5), adds: “Why every true good comes from God, therefore it must be attributed to God. To that one, as the good Source and Giver, is due thanksgiving, honor and glory” (2, 163–164; 3, 328–330). Closer than others to the word “mercy” is the word “alms”, in a broad sense denoting any act of mercy and, as mentioned above, even the very desire to do it (27, 515). But in a narrow sense, alms is what is given to poor people. Those “who are truly beggars according to God’s Providence” can ask for alms without sinning against the law of God and their conscience; or who squander their possessions and give to the poor, and so spontaneously deign to endure poverty for the sake of the name of Christ” (3, 332). Almsgiving involves prayer for those who give it or are asked to pray for. But the saint advises not to be embarrassed by the unknown whether those who receive alms will pray, for “alms given simply from a pure and loving heart pray silently, and pray more than all men” (27, 516). Perhaps it is through the example of works of mercy that one can see the insufficiency of ascetic work alone without its fruits - Christian virtues. “It is better for God to hear and accept alms done,” writes the saint, “than prayer, song and praise offered. What is prayer without alms? Like a voice without power. Without our mercy towards our neighbor, all our deeds are incomplete, like a tree without fruit.” “I know some,” St. Tikhon quotes the words of Saint Basil the Great, “who fasted, prayed, sighed and showed other virtues, but did not give a single penalty to the poor: what is the use of that?” 89 (27, 515–517). According to the saint, a beggar resorts to the mercy of a rich man just as every Christian resorts to Christ (27, 615). The Lord gives to everyone, without reproach or conditions, as an example to those who have what to give. While we expect mercy from God for ourselves, let us show it, incomparably less, to our neighbor. And by doing so we will not “earn” God’s mercy, but will only show ourselves ready and capable of receiving it. The saint himself was constantly engaged in the creation of alms. Having experienced extreme need in childhood (he was almost given to be raised by a coachman, since his widowed mother had nothing to feed her family) and in his youth (while studying at the seminary, the future saint dug beds to feed himself and send help home), the saint until the end of his life did charity to those in need. “One year,” writes Metropolitan Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov), “when there was a crop failure near Zadonsk and, therefore, the high cost of bread, the most salutary thing for the poor was his help. Every day, at the gates of the monastery and at his cell, greedy people appeared, to whom he sometimes distributed money, and sometimes bread, begged by him from good landowners, of whom he taught many to be philanthropic and give alms. Those who received pleased him with heartfelt thanksgiving and prayers, and this humane act glorified his name throughout all surrounding areas. But from this very fact he became more secluded, began to show himself less to the people, and was often forced to do charity not personally, but through the hands of his cell servants” (6 “Notes”, 50). A I. Efimov notes that the saint “that day on which he had no one from the poor, he was extremely bored, so that he seemed to be sad about the loss of some pleasant thing” (6 “Notes”, 36). The saint’s desire to serve his neighbors even after his death is remarkable. “Two years before his death, he wrote a will about the images of the passion of Christ and about his small property, such as shirts, sweatshirts and other clothing. He handed over the will to one of his cell servants so that after the death of his Eminence, the icons of the saints would be given to his famous benefactors as a blessing, and the sweatshirts (of which there were 8) would be distributed to poor orphans; a simple carpet, which was stuffed with straw and on which he slept, and two of his own pillows, a sheepskin sheepskin coat with which he dressed instead of a blanket, several shirts, and two old duckweeds, a third silk duckweed, worn, two cassocks, a small number of pewter and wooden utensils, all of this, according to his will, was sold, and the entire amount, and the remaining after it 14 p. 50 k. were distributed to the poor. From the first years of his stay in the Zadonsk monastery, he sold his previous silk attire, cold and warm cassocks and cassocks with fox fur and other things suitable for the rank of bishop, a robe, a down jacket with down pillows and good blankets, only for the purpose of distributing money to the poor for food; and also, having sold the best dream cassock that had once been given to him, he used the money for poor widows and orphans” (6 “Notes”, 38-39). But even higher than mercy for Saint Tikhon is peacemaking: the merciful are promised only mercy from God, but peacemakers will be called sons of God (Matthew 5, 7, 9). In this regard, we present the testimony of Metropolitan Eugene about this side of the activity of the great saint. “A remarkable thing,” writes the Metropolitan, “is said about his visits: he often came to his friends uninvited, and usually on such occasions when his presence was very necessary for them due to circumstances, so that without that they themselves would have wanted to call on him. This happened especially during family discord, during the division of inheritances, when children were upset, and the like. When he appeared between them, he was greeted as a messenger of heaven, kissed as a benefactor and friend, and listened to as a father and mentor. All his conversations were animated by meekness and teachings of brotherly love. No one dared to express hostility in front of him, and whoever he found guilty unquestioningly admitted himself. He did not leave such a house until he tamed the obstinate, until he reconciled everyone and established harmony. Then his pleasure and joy were complete, and leaving them, he invoked God’s blessing on everyone” (6 “Notes”, 58). The saint did the same in the monastery. “When any quarrel or irreconcilable disagreement occurred between the monastic brethren due to the machinations of the enemy and the innate weakness of man, he, having heard about it, called those of the brethren who were quarreling to him in their cells in order to reconcile them, with the destruction of hatred from their hearts. And when he himself, being either busy with the thoughts of God, or due to poor health, was not able to speak much, then, having heard about the quarrel and enmity between the brethren, he sent a cell attendant to the quarrels to reconcile them on his own behalf, in which, many times, with God’s help, he succeeded; after reconciliation, he called such people to himself, talking with them about the proper Christian and monastic life” (6 “Notes”, 43). Truly Christian love is impossible without humility. “If the highest of the virtues, love,” the saint writes, “according to the word of the Apostle, is long-suffering, does not envy, is not exalted, is not irritated, and never falls away, then this is because it is supported and promoted by humility.” It is born from the fear of God, “as he who fears God humbles himself under the mighty hand of God” (3, 238). Much about humility can be inferred from what was said in the section on its opposite, pride. Therefore, here we will make only the necessary additions. Humility, like all Christian virtues, is a gift from God to the soul, in which the Lord foresees the desire and ability to accept this gift, the readiness to multiply what is received and bear fruit. “Man does not have true humility from himself,” writes the saint (just as he does not have “from himself” faith, love, fear of God). - God's grace shows him his poverty, squalor, poverty, wretchedness and insignificance; and so, recognizing himself, a person humbles himself and, not relying on himself in anything, surrenders to the sole omnipotence, wisdom, goodness and mercy of God” 90 (27, 947). The saint speaks about the “reasons” that lead a person to humility. To the one to whom the Lord has revealed the depth of his fall, “many different cunning and hostility of the devil” are also revealed. This evil enemy sees through networks and intrigues and is evaded by one single humility.” Seeing a variety of evil both in himself and around him in the world, a person is even more humbled by the knowledge that “without the grace of God he cannot do anything pleasing” and “whether he is forced to avoid evil or does good, to attribute everything to the grace and mercy of God.” The Holy Scripture also exhorts the Christian to humility (the parable of those called to supper, etc.), as well as the memory that the gifts of God are not only poured out on a humble heart, but only in it, surrounded by the grace and fear of God, as in a treasury, are preserved; whereas “arrogant pride destroys what it has.” Without humility, true repentance is impossible (which in itself, as evidence of awareness of one’s fallenness and inability to get rid of sin through one’s own strength, is already a sign of humility); Prayer that turns into “crazy verbs” of the Evangelical Pharisee is also useless. “Our beginning and end also lead us to humility,” the saint continues. Thinking about this end will not allow us to become over-excited and, more than others, to be exalted: for all, masters and slaves, rich and poor, should, after death, have one home - the earth, and everyone’s body should turn into stench and earth and crumble.” Finally, “whoever does not have humility and does not strive to have it must be wary, lest he fall with the devil, the leader of pride, and with him be eternally rejected from the mercy of God” (3, 239–243). Like other virtues, humility can be true or false. Saint Tikhon calls the latter, like other imaginary virtues, “hypocrisy.” This, in turn, can also manifest itself in different ways. The saint's first observation concerns relationships that take place mainly in the world. “We see how a person seeks to dominate others,” he writes, giving examples of outwardly good deeds (acquiring military valor, zealous labor, studying science), but those done “to an unkind end,” with the vain goal of “being called a winner and ascending to rank,” “to be revered as wise and wise, or to sit in a high place.” “The root of all these unhelpful, and especially harmful, plans is worldly pride” (3, 238). The “spiritual pride” that replaces it, the Pharisaic one, and humility as the only weapon against the latter were discussed in the corresponding section. The saint also speaks about “hypocrisy,” which more often manifests itself in the relations of Christians, meaning those “who appear humble on the outside, but are not humble on the inside. Many put aside the ranks and titles of this world, but do not want to put aside their high opinion of themselves; they deny the honor and dignity of the world, but want to be revered for the sake of holiness. Many are not ashamed to call themselves sinners before people, or, what is even more, most sinful of all, but they do not want to hear it from others, and therefore they only call themselves such with their lips. Others wear a coated neck like a sickle, but raise their mind inwards. Others give low bows to their brethren, but they are adamant in their hearts. Many speak little and quietly, while others do not speak at all, but with their hearts they constantly defame their neighbors. Others cover their bodies with black cassocks and mantles, but do not want to cover their hearts... All such people do not have humility in their hearts and, according to the word of Christ, are like a heaped tomb, who appear red outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27).” The saint offers only one treatment for this illness - true humility, which “one should not only show on the outside, but especially should try to have on the inside” 92 (3, 244). The saint also points out the signs of true humility. “A humble heart,” he writes, “sees its sins, poverty and insignificance, and from all this it recognizes its unworthiness and damnation.” Therefore, he does not expect any benefit for himself; on the contrary, he considers himself worthy of all suffering. When the latter befalls the humble, he is not angry with the offender, does not grumble or be indignant, but courageously endures every calamity, contempt and dishonor 93 . He does not condemn the sinner, since he has personally experienced the weakness of human nature and the power of temptations. “A humble heart,” writes the saint, “shows obedience to superiors; it does not despise its equals or inferiors, but treats everyone as brothers. Humility bows down to everyone, just like love” 94. The humble “does not seek a better house, better clothing, better food, etc., but is content with what he has, for he judges himself to be unworthy of this too.” “In a meeting, at dinner, he chooses to sit in the last place; doesn’t speak unnecessarily, and even then touchingly and meekly, and so on.” The humble person, no matter what benefit and good he receives from God, sees that he receives it without any merit and by His sole mercy, which is why he sincerely thanks God for everything, and whatever good he does himself, he attributes it all to God, seeing his weakness.” And the last thing the saint writes about, listing the signs of humility. “In true humility, there is a constant hunger and thirst for God’s grace: humility does not look at what it has, but reasons and seeks what it does not have. Just as those who learn from books and teachers, the more they learn and become skilled, the more they see their ignorance, because they do not know much more than they have learned, so those who study in the school of the wisdom of God, the more wretched they become, the more they partake of the gifts of God; for they see that they do not have much, which is why they seek with humility and sighing.” The latter, obviously, can be said in relation to all Christian virtues (2, 441; 3, 244–245; 5, 178–179; 6, 103). In order to acquire true humility, the saint advises “to talk more often about the majesty of God and about one’s spiritual weakness,” as well as about the humility of Christ, incomprehensible to the human mind; repeats what was said above: “do not look at what good you have,” attributing it to God and thanking him, “but what you do not yet have”; “remember past sins and reason that you can sin even more and more gravely when the grace of God does not help you”; finally, “when you see or hear a brother sinning, then think not only about his sin, but also about what else he does or has done, and so you will see that he is better than you.” The fact that the main weapon of a Christian is love, and against pride - and humility combined with the first, is especially clearly evidenced by two incidents from the life of St. Tikhon. Here is the first one. “A rumor reached the saint that one of the neighboring landowners was oppressing the peasants. The saint went to admonish the landowner to his house. The hot-tempered nobleman argued. The saint answered with meekness, but firmly. The landowner lost his temper more and more and finally forgot himself to the point of hitting the saint on the cheek... The saint left. But on the way, faithful to the commandment of the Gospel, he decided to ask forgiveness from the one who had offended him for “leading him into such temptation,” and when he arrived, he fell at his feet. This unexpected act of the kindly shepherd so amazed the daring landowner that he himself fell with tears at the feet of the saint, begging him to forgive him, and since then has completely changed in his relations with his peasants” (6 “Notes”, 55). A similar incident took place in the Zadonsk Monastery, when the saint was in retirement there. One day, a novice of this monastery, who was copying the works of the saint in his cell, was summoned by the abbot. “The saint answered that he would release him immediately, as soon as he wrote a few lines. The impatient abbot, proud and hot-tempered, sends another time. The scribe, having finished, ran to the abbot, to whom the saint followed him, so that if the abbot was angry with the scribe, he would intercede on his behalf. As soon as he approaches, he hears a noise and, opening the door, sees the abbot, inflamed with anger. Before he has time to cross the threshold, the saint receives a strong slap in the face from him - and immediately throws himself at his feet and asks for his forgiveness. Amazed by this act, the abbot abandons his temper, is ashamed of it and throws himself on his knees before him, asking for forgiveness, and thus the saint’s humility makes the lion a meek lamb” (6 “Notes”, 50-51). The constant companion of Christian faith, hope and love is patience, “which overcomes every disaster that happens and awaits either deliverance or relief from the disaster” (27, 1040). The saint defines patience as “a virtue that in all suffering is entrusted to the will of God and His holy Providence” (2, 175). It “deigns to suffer rather than to sin before God, strengthens us in the deed of the cross, preserves us from indignation and murmuring, and is nothing other than faith itself” (3, 271). Patience is one of those virtues, the need for which is natural and understandable to all people. “Human life from birth to end is filled with all sorts of troubles,” says the saint, “and against every disaster there is a fair remedy - patience” (3, 270). But the Christian understanding of patience differs from any other in two main ways. The saint writes about the first one as follows. “True patience is not only not to take revenge, but also not to want to take revenge on the offender, without feeling resentment and illness in your heart 95. Such a one has truly died to the world, the flesh and sin, but lives to Christ,” having a heart regenerated by the grace of the Holy Spirit, having learned through the good feat of practicing virtue to submit without hesitation to the will of God (27, 1040). The second and main feature (which for the first is a condition and basis), the saint sees in the fact that “true Christian patience comes from faith,” why, avoiding both vindictiveness, indignation, and despair, “surrenders in everything to the will of God” (3, 270-271). Knowing how difficult the feat of Christian patience is, the saint exhorts him in many ways. The first thing that needs to be remembered is that “all troubles, disasters and suffering happen according to God’s Providence. Good and evil, life and death, poverty and wealth are from the Lord,” St. Tikhon quotes the words of Jesus, son of Sirach (11, 14). But since God Himself is good, nothing but good can come from Him. Therefore, “only to our carnal reasoning does disaster seem to be evil; but, as long as good is sent from God for our benefit, there is good,” and “punishment, through troubles and adversity, is a sign of God’s mercy towards us.” Further, patience from a Christian “is required by the truth of God” (it is better for a sinner to be punished here and endure with thanksgiving, than to be endlessly tormented in this century) 96 ); “requires the honor of God” (“so that for her sake we endure every calamity that befalls us,” as all the holy saints of God endured after denying themselves for the sake of Christ); “the love of God also requires” (on the one hand, in patience we imitate the Lord, who endured the torments of the cross for us, as if sharing them with Him, which is a work of love; on the other hand, love prompts us to desire to constantly remain in the will of God, bearing our cross 97. Finally, true love is tested by sorrows, in which it is revealed through patience for God’s sake). With patience, we at least partially imitate the long-suffering of God shown to the world. “How many terrible blasphemers are there,” says the saint, “who belch terrible blasphemies against His holy name? How many atheists are there who deny His eternal existence? How many persecutors and heretics... How many other sinners who are not afraid to violate His holy law openly and fearlessly! But the goodness of God endures everything. Through His great long-suffering we also learn to endure our enemies.” And by imitating God in long-suffering towards the world, which lies in evil, and the Lord in His bearing of the cross, a person is granted grace-filled help and consolation, and becomes “conformed to Christ, the Son of God, as the Head.” With patience, a Christian defeats his enemies, the “old man” in himself, defeats the devil himself (as the story of righteous Job testifies), but in his courage he remains invincible 98 . Although the suffering that is allowed is truly great, our sins always make us worthy of incomparably greater things, and the temptation allowed by God, according to the word of the Holy Scriptures, never exceeds our strength (1 Cor. 10:13). When they dry up, and it seems unbearable to endure, “descend with your mind into hell,” the saint exhorts, “and consider how the condemned are tormented and will be tormented forever, who, if it were possible, would like to burn here in fire even until the end of the world, just to be freed from eternal torment.” On the contrary, “raise your intelligent eyes to the heavenly villages and examine all the inhabitants: you will not find a single one, no matter who comes there through patience. Remember also the terrible suffering of the martyrs of the saints. It is true that they endured all this with the help of Christ; but the same help of Christ is now ready for all who endure.” Finally, the saint, from the point of view of common sense, encourages his readers to generously endure sorrows. Their multiplication is a ubiquitous phenomenon for the time when “iniquity has multiplied, and the love of many has already dried up (Matthew 24:12). In such circumstances there is nothing to expect except violence, anger, persecution.” Besides disasters and sorrows, another distinctive feature of recent times is the extraordinary development of pride in people. And since “in prosperity a person is exalted, for this reason God sends a cross to a person so that he humbles himself and thus does not lose eternal bliss. There is no other way to heaven except the path of the cross,” but the long one, according to the word of the Gospel, leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). Patience also “brings great benefit to society,” preserving the love and consent of its members. “Suffering is eased by patience,” writes the saint. - Suffering one, look at those who have greater sorrow and illness, but endure. Think like this within yourself: “After all, I have endured until now, so you can continue to endure in the same way”; such reflection will establish patience.” Again, “to endure or not to endure and to grumble in suffering, however, we cannot escape what God’s judgment has determined for us; but impatience ruins the reward.” Finally, “if the suffering is cruel, it will soon end with death, which ends all suffering and misfortune, even if it lasts for a long time; if it’s light, it’s tolerable to eat, and you can endure it comfortably” (2, 175–177; 3, 272–278). For those who acquire it, patience, according to the words of St. John Chrysostom, becomes “a haven of joy.” Patience, “like an anchor,” writes Saint Tikhon, “which, cast into the depths of God’s mercy with faith, will not allow our ship to be destroyed” amid the stormy troubles of the sea of ​​this world. And so “the patient soul always remains in peace and quiet, and the more it endures, the greater peace and quiet it feels within itself,” finding them in Him who calls to Him those who labor and are burdened, Whom it is possible to achieve only through patience alone (27, 1039). Although in his works Saint Tikhon “did not discuss” obvious and gross sins, however, in the 18th century, which went down in history with its free morals, it was impossible to completely ignore the topic of chastity. Touching on it, the saint believes that “everyone is convinced by natural law and conscience to avoid such (obvious - I. N.) sins” (3, 153), and therefore he pays main attention to the state of the heart, neglect of which can lead to a fall in the deed itself. According to the saint, a Christian must maintain purity, for he is in the Church, which is the Bride of Christ. The following “means” for protecting the heart from unclean thoughts and impressions are offered. “Eat and drink little,” writes the saint in “Admonition to a Certain Brother.” – Never be idle, but do something. Always remember that you walk with God, and beware of sinning not only in deed, but also in thought. Whenever a bad thought comes, immediately drive it away and pray: Lord, give me humility, chastity and other virtues! Protect your eyes from looking at red (beautiful - I.N.) faces and your ears from bad songs and do not be seduced by them. While standing in church, do not look around, but look at the ground and towards the holy altar, and raise your mind to God. Our feelings, especially hearing and vision, are like doors through which all evil enters our heart, and whether we want it or not, it strikes it and draws us to what either the ear has heard or the eye has seen” (2, 225; 27, 1175) 99 . Chastity is an adornment of the Christian soul, a weapon against the “lust of the flesh” and one of the signs of “spiritual wisdom.” On the contrary, panache is a sign of “carnal wisdom” and indicates a lack of chastity (27, 1152). “Where true virtue is,” says the saint, “there is love; where there is love, there is a good and calm conscience; where there is a calm conscience, there is peace, consolation, joy, gladness and sweetness” (27, 305–306). The one who does not sin before people, but sins secretly, has not the fear of God, but the fear and shame of man, “pleases people, not God, and is a hypocrite.” In the 19th century, the so-called “Tale of the terrible second coming of Christ,” which was attributed to St. Tikhon, became widespread. As it was established later, it did not belong to the saint, but this fact does not make less valuable (in the context of the conversation about the fear of God and the fear of man) the note that was placed at the end of one of the lists of this Word (see: No. 21, Chapter II of the appendix of this work). “People like this act like little children,” says the saint. - Children of faces and other monsters, not scary in themselves, written, are afraid, but are not afraid of fire and other things that cause harm and destruction; they laugh when robbers enter the house, and are careless when the house is plundered, and only cry when these villains steal their children’s play. Thus, those who have no fear and sadness about eternity are afraid of losing temporary well-being, but are not afraid of eternal well-being. Satan, like a thief, plunders the home of the soul, takes away everything from bliss and the eternal life found by the blood of Christ - and they are careless about this, not noticing that destruction follows from there. And when something temporary is taken away from them, which must be left behind at death, they cry inconsolably, and sob, and grieve over what they should not grieve about, and do not grieve over what they should grieve about” (27, 998). This is how the saint talks about this elsewhere. “If anyone had said that true faith is the right content and the confession of right dogmas, he would have told the truth; for the faithful absolutely need to have Orthodox dogma content and confession. But this single knowledge and confession does not make a person a faithful and true Christian. The content and confession of Orthodox dogmas always lies in the true faith in Christ, but the true faith in Christ does not always lie in the Orthodox confession,” and quotes the words of St. Augustine: “With love (faith) there is a Christian faith, without love there is a demonic faith. Holy faith is the root and source of good deeds” (4, 20–22; 27, 143). And “the good deeds of God, generally shown to the whole world from God, attracts and appropriates them. If Christ loved everyone and gave Himself up for everyone, the saint writes, then He loved me and you, and gave Himself up for me and you, so that both I and you are one of all. Christ died equally for everyone, although His death only benefits those who accept Him with true faith and show Him a grateful heart” (27, 145). This was the saint’s constant hope. “He had such a living and great faith,” recalls I. Efimov, “that when there was a shortage of something necessary both for his own person (even in sugar and tea, which, although he used little by little, but which, due to his weakness, was necessary), and for those living with him (in bread and other food), he, according to my report about the lack of those things that were needed for food, did not deign to make an order for the purchase, but urged patience. It sometimes happened that, due to the lack of necessary food for himself and for those living with him, we were already inclined to grumble, but after enduring two or three days, you see, everything he needed was sent from his benefactors” (6 “Notes”, 45). We find an example of such daring faith in the memoirs of the same cell attendant of the saint. “There was a certain man from the common people at his (St. Tikhon’s) cells, who was in great need of him. Due to a cold, he became so ill that he himself already felt the approach of death, received Holy Communion twice and wished to receive the final archpastoral blessing from the Right Reverend. Through force he was brought to the cell of the Right Reverend, he fell, as they said, with tears at his holy feet, demanding his prayers for himself, that the Lord God would not forsake him with His grace, and at that he said: “Holy Master! Although I am completely dying, if my small and unworthy services are needed for you and my soul is saving, then I believe that the Lord God will hear your prayers and restore my health.” At this, the bishop said with tears: “Go, and God will have mercy on you.” And after a short time, the patient, without using any medications, was freed from his illness. This saint had great and living faith, and the Lord God listened to him on many occasions” (6 “Notes”, 43–44). “Faith has the fear of God and spiritual joy and joy,” the saint writes, further citing an observation undoubtedly from his own experience, the experience of a soul that truly loves and fears God. – And this changes in the faithful soul, that is, it feels fear and trembling, then it feels joy and joy. Sometimes faith is hidden, and then the soul fears and trembles; sometimes it appears, and then the soul is consoled, rejoices, is glad and exclaims in spirit” (27, 994). “However,” notes the saint, “whoever repents for sins and immeasurable sadness, trusting in God’s mercy to overcome and strives to win, - there the struggling faith has not yet faded, although it is in great weakness” (4, 20). I. Efimov recalls that the saint himself, “when he was healthy and was not yet secluded, often on Sundays and other holidays he partook of the Holy Mysteries, usually during the early Liturgy, in priestly vestments; when he was in solitude, the monk would bring the chalice with the Holy Mysteries to his cell, and when he was already lying on his bed, he began to approach the Holy Mysteries even more often, and with so much faith that he began not just crying, but also with great sobbing, but after that whole day he was cheerful and joyful” (6 “Notes”, 31). “We consider it great for a subject to have friendship with the king of the earth; since it is incomparably more possible for man to have friendship with God, for a wretched creature to have friendship with the Creator, for earthly and earthly creatures to have friendship with the Heavenly King! The honor of sowing cannot only be described in words, but it is also impossible to understand with the mind.” Thus, a once sincere, living religious feeling, kindled in a converted heart by the grace of God, in the absence of an incorrect spiritual life, over time, imperceptibly transforms from a living knowledge of God in the heart into serving an idea dear to a person and jealously defended, often only because it is his faith, his convictions, his way of life. For example, “when an evil tongue blasphemes the name of God, then we must not remain silent, but stand for the honor of His name and stop the blasphemous slanderous lips, even until the shedding of blood and the deprivation of our lives” (27, 466). The names, respectively, of the 3rd and 4th articles of the second book “On True Christianity”. In the 18th century, atheism was still significantly inferior to deism. But if the world was still thought of as a huge clockwork mechanism, created and once put into action by a brilliant Creator, then even in Russia, talking about Christ and redemption was considered a sign of outdated views, and sometimes it was simply forgotten. The basis of not only the hypostatic distinction between the first and second Persons of the Holy Trinity, but also the knowledge of the Father through the Son is undoubtedly evangelical. No one will come to the Father except Me, says the Savior (John 14:6). In another place: Whoever receives this child in My name, accepts Me; and those who accept Me, accept Me who sent Me (Luke 9:48). “Love,” notes the saint, “does not look at faces, does not discern rank; she puts aside the benefits of her title there, where the need of the poor demands it.” How faithful the great saint was to this Gospel teaching is shown, by the way, by the following incident. “Tikhon was visiting Yelets. One day a poor Yelets woman with five young children comes to the saint. “I don’t have a piece of bread, not a penny of money,” she says to the saint, “and I can’t work: I’ve lost my strength with them, with the children. Help, lord, in any way you can.” The saint was keenly touched by the situation of the family: he took the boys into his care, helped the rest with money... But it is remarkable: contrary to the then prevailing exaltation of “his nobility, his names and titles,” the saint did not leave even later, when he came to Yelets, to personally visit the poor bourgeois woman. When he doesn’t find the mistress of the house, he will leave the money on the table and leave” (6 “Notes”, 54). “What good is prayer without love? - asks Saint Tikhon. - What about praise and singing? What is the creation and decoration of churches? What is mortification when your neighbor is not loved? Very insignificant... To such Christ answers from on high: as you go, learn what to eat: I want mercy, not sacrifice" (Matthew 9:13). The saint strengthens and reveals this often only metaphorically perceived naming. “Not only the killer who kills with his hands, sword or some other weapon, but also who lays the path to death or does not save from death when he can. You don’t help someone drowning in water when you can: there is a killer. Do not let the shaking scum into your house: there is a murderer. You take away from your neighbor the clothes with which he is clothed, you take away the food with which he is satisfied: there is a murderer. You slander and slander your neighbor; you pierce him with your tongue like a sword. And you, and the other, and the third did not help him in his misfortune; you are to blame for his destruction, for you could have averted his destruction with your help, but did not want to; they didn’t want to, because they didn’t have love” (3, 313–314). And first of all, the problem of such spiritual help relates to the saint’s answer to the question of an imaginary interlocutor: “I am a sinner myself: how can I exhort others?” “It’s true,” the saint answers, “no one is without sin. But in this case, you should imitate a good doctor, who sometimes himself is unwell, but heals the sick person. And when you show such love and mercy to your neighbor, then you yourself will receive from God, according to this: blessings of mercy, for there will be mercy (Matthew 5:7). Love will find words with which you can build up your neighbor: it will present you with a way, and it will guide your mind and tongue” (27, 483–484). This link in "Creations" is erroneous. In the indicated place in the Gospel of Matthew: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. The words quoted by the saint are quoted by the holy evangelist Luke (6, 36). But the parallel is remarkable: the Lord Himself, whose words the evangelists convey, identifying mercy and Christian perfection, shows what true mercy is, and what true perfection consists of. “I will now announce,” writes V. Chebotarev about the saint, “about his merciful and merciful deeds. He willingly listened to the voice of those crying out to him: he nourished the orphans and the helpless, he was merciful to poverty and squalor, in a word, he gave away everything, somehow: the money he received from the treasury (a pension of 500 rubles, assigned to the saint upon leaving the department - etc.). N.), and what the elders of the Don Cossacks brought to him; also from the cities of Voronezh and Ostrogozhsk, nobles and rich merchants sent a considerable amount of money, but he gave away not only money, but also the linen itself, and all that remained was what he had on himself, and the bread that the benevolent gentlemen of the landowners sent, but even that was still not enough: he bought more and distributed. The poor and needy received both clothes and shoes from him, for which he bought fur coats, caftans, linen, and for some he bought huts, for others he bought cattle. Not only that, he even borrowed money. When he has distributed everything, he will say to me: “Perhaps go to Yelets and borrow money from such and such a merchant; I will give it to him when I receive it from the treasury, but now I have nothing; So my poor brothers and sisters come to me and leave without consolation, I feel sorry even to look at them.” Sometimes it happened that he would refuse a poor person who came, but would only ask where he was from and what kind of person he was; the next day he would come to regret, call me and say: “Yesterday I refused such and such a poor man, take the money, maybe take it to him; So, perhaps, we can console him.” And all the poor who came to him had a very convenient attack (6 “Notes”, 13). Noting the saint’s cordiality towards everyone who came to him “of both sexes and different ranks,” I. Efimov recalls that “dealing with commoners was always more pleasant for him. He would sometimes go out onto the porch or locker of the cell, sit them down next to him and talk, sometimes about the state of their lives, and with elderly men about past times. It happened that a commoner did not even know with whom he was talking, for the simple attire of an eminence hid his hierarchical rank. Having poor qualities and excellent spiritual qualities, he did not disdain to eat food from the same dishes with these commoners in his cells; for he often prepared a table suitable for their condition to receive them” (6 “Notes”, 27). V. Chebotarev writes about the saint: “He did not leave those sitting in prison with his visits; in the city of Yelets, he deigned to personally visit the prison twice with his special one and consoled the prisoners in custody with useful instructions, supplied them with money and other things” (6 “Notes”, 15). About the same visits, I. Efimov adds: “The Right Reverend loved to go there at night, hiding his dignity under a simple robe, both to visit sick convicts and to give alms; and on the first day of Easter, when he came to prison, he made Christ with everyone” (6 “Notes”, 27). The saint often repeated “his favorite thought that “everything comes from non-love”; that “if we had love, there would be no beggars and wretches, people would not walk around in rags and half naked: love would dress them up; would not have wandered without homes: love would not have allowed them to do that, but would have given them a place of rest.” Not limiting himself to one-time benefits to those in need, the saint established an almshouse for the poor in Livny, Oryol province. It is remarkable to what extent the saint was occupied with this matter. (It is also remarkable how love is revealed here, “not seeking its own,” “not being irritated,” but in its very concern for the benefit of the cause, preserving true Christian humility). He was involved in the smallest details in the organization of this institution. The slightest failure robbed him of his peace. When the local priest, who was entrusted with the immediate supervision of the work, informed him that due to the muddy roads this matter could not be corrected in the current autumn time, and would it be good to postpone the transportation of materials until the journey, the saint answered him with a letter in which he begged him “for the sake of Christ, try to see if it is possible to build now, so that there will be somewhere for the poor to rest in a decent place” (6 “Notes”, 56). In the “Additions to the Notes” of V. Chebotarev we read that “in the judicial rulings the saint was seen not so much as a judge punishing sin, but as a shepherd caring for the correction of the guilty. “Although it should be,” the saint wrote (November 1764), “the priest (for a serious quarrel) should be transferred (to another place), however, he remains in the same place so that the house does not go bankrupt... Let him go with a subscription, so that he is extremely careful of a quarrel, in which one should not approach the altar, according to the word of Christ” (6 “Notes”, 48). I. Efimov recalls a story that took place already under the saint’s successor in the department. “Two brothers of the clergy, due to slander, were given into military service and sent to the remotest border places. Quite a long time has already passed. One day the Right Reverend (St. Tikhon) was walking behind the monastery, deep in soul-saving thoughts, and suddenly he saw these little church children sitting in a grove (which was near the monastery) crying and sobbing. Convinced by pity and compassion, he approached those young children and asked about the reason for their tears. Having explored the circumstances of the denunciation and accusations and finding their punishment unjust, he stood up for the orphans and made every effort to find these churchmen and return them from service... What? After all, through his diligence, those churchmen were returned from the service and assigned to their places” (6 “Notes”, 31–32). “In your enemy, enmity and malice are worthy of hatred,” the saint admonishes, “but he himself is worthy of love.” I. Efimov writes: “The Reverend had such qualities of soul that when he was scolded, reviled, slandered and slandered, he only wept bitterly for such; regretting them, he blamed everything on the enemy of God and the Christian, the devil. And when one of these, having felt himself, and admitting his guilt, asked him for forgiveness, he would embrace him with joyful tears, kiss him and forgive him from a heart filled with love.” This was the case with one captain, who, having secretly left his wife and children, lived inseparably with the saint for more than a year and enjoyed his love and trust. But having only the appearance of piety, this man once, having forged the signature of the saint, sent letters to many of his benefactors, as if on behalf of the saint, asking for help in view of his supposedly proposed trip to his homeland. The deception was revealed, however, “the Eminence, being loving to everyone, and to the enemies themselves, according to Christ’s words, out of sheer humility forgave him and patiently endured everything from him. But how he could not tolerate lies and deceit, and although he was meek, humble in heart and generous, he could not allow a deceiver and a deceiver to come into his sight, and sent him a letter to him” (see: letter No. 14; 6, 292) (6 “Notes”, 33). I. Efimov recalls the saint: “It happened that when he himself was distributing money to the poor with his own hands, of whom sometimes a sufficient number was collected, and having learned the needs of each, he would give more to another and less to another, then this one, complaining about the extra alms for another, began to scold the Eminence to his face and call him very obscene words; but the Eminence, not only to be offended by such scolders, but smiling, as if at small children, sometimes gave the following answer: “Well, scold, scold more!” Then he will give more to him, for the sole purpose of being satisfied with the alms and leaving him without complaint” (6 “Notes”, 33). And he gives another example. “When one person in a material body is weak, then another helps the weak one. So in the spiritual body, without helping one’s neighbor, the health of the entire organism is impossible.” “Consequently,” the saint writes, “they will give back to God those who do not share the good given from God in honor of the Giver, but either keep it to themselves, or squander it on luxury and other indecent expenses.” Without being able to give these objections and the answers to them in full, we will only indicate the places where these wonderful examples of the pastoral wisdom of the saint can be found: 3, 319–321 (about works of “spiritual mercy”); 3, 323–328 (about works of “corporal mercy”); 5, 64–65, etc. The saint himself, as already mentioned, did charity from what his admirers donated, as well as from the pension assigned to him by the Holy Synod, and always secretly. This is how Metropolitan Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov) describes the saint’s visit to prisoners. “Sometimes he visited Yelets so secretly that even his friends there did not know about it. In case of a secret arrival, he stopped his cart across the river and walked on foot to the prisoners in the dungeons. At the entrance, he first greeted them as if he were his children, sat down with them, asked each one about the guilt of their imprisonment and, examining each one’s conscience, first consoled them, then exhorted them to generous patience; finally, upon leaving, he gave alms to the criminals, and gave ransom money to the prisoners for debts and hastily left the prison for the almshouses with the same alms, and then from the city itself. Soon the citizens also learned about this; everyone tried to see him, looked for him, but he was already far away and stopped on the way only to change carts” (6 “Notes”, 54). Just as the opposite is true: “not only the predator who actually kidnaps, but also the one who wants to kidnap, but cannot.” What has been said about prayer applies to both fasting and vigil. But, I think, such a opposition is more of a polemical device than an antithesis in the literal sense. Ascetic deeds are not only a means to the acquisition of virtue, but they themselves are the most important Christian virtues, grace-filled states of the soul. Genuine prayer is being in conversation with God, contemplating Him; true fasting as complete abstinence “from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,” so that the grace of God does not depart from the soul; exercise in patience for the sake of love for Christ, in imitation of Him - all this cannot be essentially opposed to good deeds (“virtue-deeds”), in particular, giving alms. A heart that has experienced, through prayer, learned the mercy of God towards the whole world and towards itself, and therefore loves God and its neighbor as itself, cannot be stingy; insensitive - a soul humbled and “calmed” by fasting. Contrasting prayer and mercy, by the first the saint obviously means only external prayer, which does not deeply affect, and therefore does not change, the heart of a person (without making such a reservation due to the almost universal just such a superficial understanding of prayer, or, we repeat, strengthening, often involuntarily, his point of view). V. Chebotarev recalls how the saint said: “I never thought about this important rank, to be a bishop, but my thoughts were certainly to retire somewhere to a deserted monastery; but fate so pleases the Almighty that I am unworthy – a bishop” (6 “Notes”, 4). The saint quotes the words of Blessed Augustine: “Behold,” says Augustine, “he has spread countless nets before our feet and filled all our various paths with deceptions in order to ensnare our souls. He laid out nets in wealth, laid out nets in poverty, laid out nets in food, in drink, in sleep and in vigil; I have spread the net in word, in deed, and throughout our entire life” (3, 240). Outwardly, true humility must be manifested first of all in obedience to God, which “consists in the fact that a Christian should try to submit his will to the will of God in everything and, whatever God commands, should be willing to show himself to do so and not look at what is pleasing to the world or the flesh, but what is pleasing to God” (27, 752). After leaving the see, Saint Tikhon did not serve the Liturgy, perhaps due to “the dislike of his successor; apparently, he did not visit his secluded brother and even asked the Holy Synod whether the dismissed bishop could be allowed to officiate if he so desired? The Holy Synod found even the question of this inappropriate, since Tikhon was dismissed from office at his own request, and ordered that the saint be provided with the sacristy necessary for his ministry; but one such question was enough to forever keep Tikhon from serving as a priest in a diocese that was already alien to him, so as not to arouse the displeasure of its new primate” (6 “Notes”, 53–54). These signs of humility towards others are very close to the signs that are inherent in genuine love (see section 4 of this chapter). Examples from the life of the saint in which these virtues were fully revealed are also similar. V. Chebotarev recalls: “The humility in him was amazing: from the villagers who came, he seated the old ones with him and talked to them affectionately and a lot about their rural life, and, having provided them with what they needed, he sent them away joyful. Also, near the monastery, living poor peasants, and especially widows and orphans, he supported them on his kosht, paid taxes for them, fed them with bread and clothed them with clothes. In a word, he helped them in all their needs... I can boldly say: he was, according to Job, blind in eye and lame in foot” (6 “Notes”, 13-14). Not out of contempt for the offender, which considers the offender unworthy of revenge, but out of sincere regret for him and forgiveness, born from love for Christ. “Here God punishes and consoles, but there is no consolation,” says the saint, “here the punishments are light, fatherly, and there they are cruel, here they are short-lived, and there they are eternal.” Especially by fulfilling the commandment to love your enemies. Such an example of the saint’s humble patience is found in the “Notes to the “Notes” of I. Chebotarev.” One day the saint walked through the monastery courtyard, where workers were chopping wood. Previously, the saint had denounced them for some sins, and now, remembering this, they began to revile him: “There’s our bigot, walking around the monastery, still being a bigot!” Not limiting themselves to abuse, they even began to throw logs towards the saint. Despite his grief, which Saint Tikhon later told his close friend Fr. To Mitrofan, having every right to demand punishment for those who had annoyed him, the saint generously forgave the offenders, saying only: “The Lord said to us: love your enemies and bless those who curse you” (6 “Notes”, 51). “The patient may be deprived of all existence, he may be banished, he may be beaten, he may be imprisoned, he may be killed, but he cannot be defeated.” An unexpected in this sense view of one of the creations of St. Tikhon is found in Bishop Barnabas (Belyaev) in his work “Fundamentals of the Art of Holiness.” “What benefit and how a person can receive from the contemplation of visible things,” he writes, “showed St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. He worked for three whole years on the large volume “Spiritual Treasure Collected from the World.” In it he pursues two goals. One is how “from every case and from every visible creature to the invisible one can turn reasoning and use it spiritually.” The other is to show how a person, without going into the desert and being in the world, can free himself from bad impressions that fall on the soul, like some sticky and vile imprints from surrounding things, persons and events” (19, 50). This ability probably became a skill for the saint. Maybe that’s why, as I writes in his “Notes” Efimov, the saint, “when gentlemen and other ranks who were zealous for the fulfillment of the Christian office of both sexes resorted to him for advice, did not have such qualities as to persuade anyone to become a monk, but he advised against many who wanted to enter this rank, pointing precisely to the general rules of Christian life” (6 “Notes”, 30), - not least, apparently, because he found a way to protect the inner world Christian from external impressions harmful to spiritual life (which he proposed in the named creation). The Monk Seraphim of Sarov N.A. spoke about the same thing several decades later. Motovilov: “The Lord listens equally to a monk and a layman, a simple Christian, as long as both are Orthodox and both love God from the depths of their souls, and both have faith in Him, even like a grain of peas, and both will move mountains” (quoted from: 20, 205).