Слово 44

For a new week, for spring and in memory of the martyr Mamant An ancient law has been established with a good purpose to honor the day of Renewal; it is better to say, on the day of Renewal, to honor new blessings and to honor not once, but many times, every time the same day returns with a new turn of the year, so that the bestowed benefit does not fade from memory over time and does not disappear, lost in the depths of oblivion. Renewed, as we read in Isaiah, “islands to God” (Is. 41:1); whatever should be understood by these islands, and in my opinion should be understood as the Churches, newly built from the pagans, arising from bitter unbelief and receiving a firmness acceptable to God. The “brass wall” is renewed, in another Prophet (Jer. 1:18), that is, as I think, a solid and golden-shaped soul, newly confirmed in piety. We are commanded to “sing a new song to the Lord” (Ps. 149:1), whether we were carried away by sin to Babylon, into this evil unity, and then happily returned to Jerusalem, and just as there, being on a foreign land, we could not sing a divine song, so here we composed a new song, and a new way of life, or we constantly remained and succeeded in goodness, and we have already accomplished some things, and we are still doing others with the help of the Holy and renewing Spirit. The Tabernacle of Testimony, which God showed, Bezaliel completed, and Moses erected, is being renewed, and quite magnificently, at that. The kingdom of David is also renewed, not even once, but for the first time with the anointing, and the second time with the proclamation of David as king. “Then the feast of renewal came in Jerusalem, and it was winter” (John 10:22), that is, the winter of unbelief. And Jesus came - God and the church, the eternal God, the new church, destroyed in one day, restored in three days and abiding forever, that I may be saved, called back from the ancient fall, and become a new creature, recreated by such love for mankind. The divine David desires a pure heart, created in him, and a right spirit, renewed in his womb, not because he does not have it (who should have it, if not the great David?), but because he recognizes the present as new, constantly attached to the past. But why do I need to talk about more updates? I can explain the real Renewal, which we are now celebrating - passing from death to life. Renewal, renewal is our holiday, brothers; Yes, this is repeated many times for pleasure. And what other update? He who knows, let him teach it, and he who does not know, let him renew his hearing! God is an unapproachable light. It is continuous, it did not begin, it will not stop; He is unchangeable, ever-radiant and tri-radiant; few (I think, hardly many) contemplate Him in all its fullness. The forces surrounding God and the ministering spirits are the second lights, reflections of the Light of the first. And the light that we have not only began subsequently, but is stopped at night, and itself evenly stops the night. It is entrusted to vision, diffused in the air, and itself receives what it gives; for it gives sight the ability to see, and the first is visible through sight, but when diffused around visible objects it imparts visibility to them. God, who wanted to create this world, which consists of the visible and the invisible and serves as a great and wondrous preacher of His greatness, this God for life-bearing beings is Light Himself, and no one else (for is a secondary light needed for those who have the highest Light?). And He will first of all illuminate distant beings and those around us with this visible light. For it was fitting for the great Light to begin the creation of the universe by creating light, with which He destroys the darkness and the hitherto discord and disorder. And, as I reason, at first God did not create this organic and solar light, but not contained in the body and in the sun, and then given to the sun to illuminate the entire Universe. When for other creatures He first created substance, and subsequently clothed it in form, giving each creature an arrangement of parts, outline and size; then, in order to make an even greater miracle, he brought here form before matter (for the form of the sun is light), and then he adds matter, creating the eye of the day, that is, the sun. Therefore, the first, second, third, and so on until the seventh day, resting from work, are counted among the days, and by these days everything created is divided, brought into order according to ineffable laws, and not instantly produced by the Almighty Word, for Whom to think or speak means to already accomplish a deed. If the last person to appear in the world was a man honored by God’s handiwork and image, then this is not at all surprising, for for him, as for a king, a royal monastery had to be prepared, and then the king should be brought into it, accompanied by all creatures. So, if we had remained what we were and kept the commandment, we would have become what we were not, and would have come to the tree of life from the tree of knowledge. What would we become? Immortal and close to God. But since through the “envy” of the evil one “death entered the world” (Wis. 2:24) and took possession of man through deception, then God, having become man, suffers as man, and becomes poor until the perception of the flesh, so that we may be enriched by His poverty. Hence death, and the grave, and resurrection. Hence the new creation and the holiday; and I am again the founder of the celebration, celebrating the renewal of my salvation. “What? - you say. – Wasn’t the day of renewal and the first Sunday that followed this sacred and luminous night? Why do you give this name to this day, O idle lover, who invents many fun things?” “That was the day of salvation, and this is the day of remembrance of salvation.” That day demarcates burial and resurrection, and this one is purely the day of new birth, so that just as the first creation begins on a weekly day (and this is evident from the fact that the seventh day from it is made Saturday, because it is a day of rest from work), so the second creation begins again on the same day; because he is the first among those who follow him, and the eighth among those who precede him - a high day, a wonderful day, because it leads to a heavenly state. It seems to me that the divine Solomon is also guessing about this day, commanding to give “a portion of the seven,” that is, the present life, and “eight” (Eccl. 11:2), that is, the future life, both from the local blessings and from the restoration there. But the great David, in honor of the same day, sings his psalms about the “eighth” (Ps. 6 and Ps. 11), since on the same day of renewal he sings another psalm (29), calling some kind of “renewal of the house,” and this house is we, who are worthy to be, be called, and become the church of God. Here's a word about the Day of Renewal! But be renewed yourself, and having put off the old man, live in “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4), putting a bridle on everything that causes death, training all members, hating or vomiting every unprofitable food of the tree, and for this purpose only remembering the ancient things in order to avoid them. “Beautiful” in appearance and “good to eat” was the fruit that killed me. Let's avoid good-naturedness, let's look at ourselves. Let not lust overcome thee of kindness, lest thou delight in wisdom (Prov. 6:24), if possible, even with a cursory glance, remembering Eve, that sweet bait, precious poison. Will a stranger save him whom his own has destroyed? Let not your throat be satisfied, in which everything that is given to it is swallowed up, and what is valuable before it is accepted becomes worthless upon acceptance. Has your sense of smell pampered you? Avoid incense. Has your sense of touch relaxed? Give up everything that is smooth and soft. Convinced by the rumor? Shut the door to all seductive and idle conversation. “Open your mouth to the word of God” (Prov. 31:81) in order to attract the Spirit, and not snatch away death. If something forbidden seduces you, remember who you were and how you died. If you have deviated somewhat from common sense, come into yourself before you go completely mad and are subject to death, from the old become new and celebrate the renewal of the soul. Be angry only at the serpent through whom you fell. Direct all your passionate power towards God, and not towards anything else malicious and deceptive. Let reason rule in everything, and let the best in you not be carried away by the worst. Do not harbor hatred, and without reason, towards your brother, for whom Christ died and, being God and Master, became your brother. Do not envy someone who has prospered, who aroused envy towards himself, believed that you were envied, and as a result was deposed. Do not despise tears, you who yourself endured what was worthy of many tears, and then received mercy. Do not push away from yourself the poor one who is enriched by the Divine; otherwise, at least do not enrich yourself to the detriment of the poor, for this also means a lot given our insatiability. Do not despise the stranger for whom Christ was a stranger (and with Christ we are all strangers and strangers), lest you continue to be removed from paradise. To the one in need of shelter, food and clothing, provide this to him who takes advantage of it, and beyond his need. Don't love wealth if it doesn't help the poor. Farewell is the one who has received forgiveness, mercy is the one who has been pardoned. Acquire philanthropy while you still have time. May your whole life be renewed, may your ways of activity be renewed. Living under the yoke of marriage! Give something to God too, because you are connected. Virgos! Give everything to God because you are free. Do not be predators of slavish lust, avoiding freedom by living with your husbands, although they are not your husbands. I cannot bear for you to be continually tormented by voluptuous memories. I hate dating over the air. Strong ones, fear the Strongest; you who sit on high thrones, fear the Most High! Do not be surprised at what is impermanent. Do not despise what is permanent. Don’t squeeze tightly what you take in your hands blurs. Do not be jealous of what is worthy not of envy, but of hatred. Do not rise high, lest you fall deeper. Do not count it as a great thing that you seem better than the bad, but sorrow that the good are superior to you. Do not laugh at the fall of your neighbor; Walk as much as you can, without stumbling, but also give your hand to the one lying on the ground. In sadness, do not lose hope for prosperity, and if things go well, expect sadness. There are four seasons in one year; one moment produces many revolutions. Let your pleasure be thwarted by care, and your sorrow by the best hope. This is how a person is renewed, this is how the day of renewal is honored, with such pleasure, with such dishes. “Let them not come,” it is said, “before My face” (κενος) “empty-handed” (Ex. 23:15), but bring with them something good. And now appear (καινος) new, with different morals, completely changed. “The old things have passed away, everything is new” (2 Cor. 5:17). These bear fruit for the holiday, change with a good change, and even in this case do not think highly of yourself, but say with David: “This is the change of the right hand of the Most High” (Ps. 76:11), from Whom is all that prospers in people. The Word of God wants you not to stand in one place, but to be ever-moving, well-moved, completely new, and if you sin, turn away from sin, and if you prosper, strain your strength even more. Yesterday your faith was consistent with the circumstances of the time, now know the faith of God, “how long will you be lame on both knees” (1 Kings 18:21)? How long will it take you to prepare what you need for the building? Finally get started with the construction itself. Yesterday you considered it an honor to appear, now you consider it a great honor to be that in reality. How long will there be only dreams? Take care of reality someday! Yesterday you were a lover of spectacles; now turn out to be a lover of contemplation. Yesterday you were slanderous and insolent, now say only good things and be meek. Yesterday you indulged in drunkenness, now serve chastity. Today you drink wine, tomorrow you drink water. Now “you bask on beds of ivory and anoint yourself with the best ointments” (Am. 6: 4,6), tomorrow lie down on the bare ground and stay awake. From laughing, become thoughtful, instead of smart clothes, put on rags, instead of an arrogant and pompous appearance, take on a simple appearance, from a gold-bearer, become a beggar-lover, from an arrogant person, become one who hangs to the ground. If you reason and act in this way, then there will be a new heaven and a new earth for you, who comprehends both the rest and the basis for this. But let’s move on to celebrating for a decent amount of time. For everything is perfectly prepared for celebration and rejoices. Look what is visible! The Queen of the Seasons comes out to meet the Queen of Days and brings from herself as a gift everything that is most beautiful and pleasant. Now the sky is transparent, now the sun is higher and more golden, now the circle of the moon is lighter and the host of stars is purer. Now the waves are coming into reconciliation with the shores, the clouds with the sun, the winds with the air, the earth with the plants, the plants with the eyes. Now the springs flow more transparently, now the rivers flow more abundantly, having been released from the bonds of winter, the meadow is fragrant, the plant is blooming, the grass is mown, and the lambs are jumping in the grain fields. Already the ship is being taken out of the pier with exclamations, mostly pleasing ones, and is taking wing with a sail; The dolphin, with possible pleasure, catching its breath and rising up, plays near the ship and tirelessly accompanies those sailing. Already the farmer is putting a plow into the ground, raising his gaze to the mountain and calling for help from the Giver of fruits; He is already leading the ox under the yoke - plowing, cutting a lush furrow and rejoicing in hopes. Already those herding sheep and oxen are tuning their pipes, playing a shepherd's song and welcoming spring under the trees and on the cliffs, already the gardener is caring for the trees, the bird-catcher is preparing cages, inspecting the rays, noticing the flight of birds, the fisherman is peering into the depths, clearing the nets and sitting on the stones. Already a hardworking bee, having spread its wings and left the hive, shows its wisdom, flies through the meadows, collects prey from flowers, and another decorates the honeycomb, intertwining hexagonal and overturned cups one on top of the other, and closing them alternately, sometimes straight, sometimes at an angle, together for beauty and for strength; and another puts honey in these storehouses and cultivates the sweet fruit grown without a plow for the visiting guest. Oh, if only we, Christ the beekeeper, would do the same, we who have before us such an example of wisdom and hard work! A bird is already making a nest for itself, one flies into it temporarily, another lives in it permanently, and another flies around, echoes the forest and seems to talk to a person. Everything sings to God and glorifies Him with wordless voices. And through me, thanks are given to God for everything. Thus, their song of praise becomes mine, and from them I also take the occasion for hymn. For now every living thing expresses its joy, and with us every feeling enjoys. Now the proud and hot horse, who is tired of standing under the roof, has broken his leash, gallops across the field and shows off by the rivers. What else? Now the Martyrs are making a solemn procession in the open air, calling the Christ-loving people to the bright altars and proclaiming their exploits. Among them is my crown bearer (he is mine, although not mine; let envy fall! - I say to those who know), the most famous Mamant, and shepherd and martyr. He first milked the fallow deer, which one after the other hurried to feed the righteous man with extraordinary milk; and now the people of the mother of cities are shepherding, and today, among many thousands of people hurrying from everywhere, they celebrate the renewal of spring - both distinguished by the beauty of virtues, and worthy of Shepherds and solemn words. I will say even more briefly: now is natural spring, spiritual spring, spring for souls, spring for bodies, visible spring, invisible spring; and, oh, that we might be worthy of it there, having been wonderfully changed here, and having come renewed into a new life, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be all glory and honor and power with the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God the Father, amen! You might be interested in: