Беседа 12

Spoken to the people in the Church of St. Agneta on the day of her suffering. Reading the Holy Gospel: Matthew 25.1–13. Matthew 25.1–13. During this time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples: Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who, taking their lamps, went out to meet the bridegroom. Of these, five were wise and five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps and took no oil with them. The wise, together with their lamps, took oil in their vessels. And as the groom slowed down, everyone dozed off and fell asleep. But at midnight a cry was heard: behold, the groom is coming, go out to meet him. Then all the virgins stood up and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish said to the wise, Give us your oil, for our lamps are going out. And the wise answered: so that there is no shortage for both us and you, you better go to those who sell and buy for yourself. And when they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut; Afterwards the other virgins came and said: Lord! God! open to us. He answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.” Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man will come. 1. I often exhort you, beloved brethren, to avoid evil deeds, to avoid the iniquities of this world, but today’s reading of the Holy Gospel encourages you to be wary of even the good that you do, so that through the very thing that you do correctly, you do not desire human protection or favor, so that the desire for praise does not creep in, and so that what is revealed to the outside does not deprived of internal rewards. For behold, according to the word of the Redeemer, there are ten virgins - and all are called virgins, and yet not all were admitted into the door of bliss, because some of them, wanting the glory of their virginity from outside, did not want to have oil in their vessels. But first we need to ask: what does the Kingdom of Heaven mean, or why is it compared with ten virgins, who are also called wise virgins and holy fools? For, when it is known about the Kingdom of Heaven that not one of the wicked enters into it, then why does it seem like even foolish virgins? – But we need to know that in sacred language the Church of the present time is often called the Kingdom of Heaven. What the Lord says in another place: “The Son of Man will send His angels, and from His kingdom they will gather all temptations and those who practice iniquity” (Matthew 13.41). For in that Kingdom of Bliss in which the upper world exists, the temptations that must be collected could not be found. And therefore it is said again: “So whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people so, he will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; and whoever does and teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5.19). Because he breaks and teaches a commandment even when someone does not practice in life what he preaches in word. But the Kingdom of Eternal Bliss cannot be reached by those who do not want to actually practice what they teach. Therefore, how will he be called in it who is not even allowed to enter it? – So, in this thought, what is called the Kingdom of Heaven, if not the real Church? - In it, the teacher who violated the commandment is called lesser, because whose life is subject to contempt, his sermon remains unattended. But each one stops at the five bodily senses, and the doubled number of five is ten. And since many believers are gathered from both sexes, the Holy Church is declared to be like ten virgins. Since in her the evil are mixed with the good and the wicked with the chosen, then rightly she appears to be like virgins - wise and holy fools. For there are many abstinent people who protect themselves from external desires and are carried away by hope towards the internal, they mortify the flesh and strive with full desire for the Higher Fatherland, they desire Eternal rewards, not wanting to accept human praise for their exploits. It is they who do not place their glory in the lips of men, but hide (it) within the conscience. And there are many who depress the body with abstinence, but seek human praise for their very abstinence, teach, generously give away a lot to those in need, and are truly foolish virgins, because they desire a single reward for transitory praise. This is why it is appropriately added: “When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them.” Since the name of oil signifies the pursuit of glory, and the vessels are our hearts, in which we carry everything that we think. So, the wise keep oil in a vessel, because the pursuit of glory is kept within their conscience, according to the testimony of Paul, who says: “For this praise of ours is the testimony of our conscience” (2 Cor 1.12). Foolish virgins do not take oil with them, because they do not have glory within their conscience, seeking it from the lips of their neighbors. But it is remarkable that everyone has lamps, but not everyone has oil, because the wicked, along with the elect, often manifest good deeds within themselves, but only those who seek internal glory for their external deeds come to the bridegroom with oil. Therefore, through the Psalmist about St. The Church of the elect is told: “Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, with Thy glory and Thy beauty” (Ps. 44.4). 2. “And as the groom slowed down, they all dozed off and fell asleep”; because when the Judge delays coming to the final judgment, at that time the elect and the wicked fall asleep in the sleep of death. For to sleep means to die. To doze before going to bed means to neglect salvation before death, because through the severity of the illness one passes to the sleep of death. “But at midnight there was a cry: behold, the groom is coming, go out to meet him.” 3. The cry about the coming of the bridegroom occurs at midnight, because the day of judgment is approaching so that it is impossible to foresee when it will come, which is why it is written: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (2 Pet. 3:10). Then all the virgins arise, for both the elect and the wicked are awakened from their sleep of death. They decorate the lamps because they themselves list their deeds for which they expect to receive Eternal Bliss. But the lamps of the holy fools’ virgins are extinguished, because their deeds, which from the outside seemed glorious to people, inwardly fade at the coming of the Judge. And they do not accept reward from God, because they received praise for them from people who loved them. But what does it mean that then they ask for oil from the wise, if not that at the coming of the Judge, when they find themselves empty inside, they will demand evidence from without? And as those deceived in their hope, they will say to their neighbors: “Since you see us, as if rejected without doing anything, then say about our deeds what you saw.” But the wise virgins answer, saying: “So that there is no shortage for you and us, go instead to those who sell and buy for yourself.” For on that day (which, however, I am talking about some who rest in the world of the Church) there will scarcely be enough evidence for each one for himself; and even less so - both for yourself and for your neighbor. Therefore, they immediately add with a reprimand: “You better go to those who sell and buy for yourself.” Because sellers of oil are flatterers. For they, upon receiving any kind of mercy, offering the shine of glory with their vain praises, as if they were selling oil. The Psalmist truly speaks about this: “This is the best oil, which will not hurt my head” (Ps 140.5). For our main part is the head. The name of the head is the mind that controls the body. Consequently, the oil of a sinner anoints the head when the praise of a flatterer delights the mind. - “When they went to buy, the groom came”; because then, when they seek evidence from their neighbors about their lives, the Judge comes, Who is a witness not only of deeds, but also of hearts. And “those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut.” 4. Oh, if only one could understand from the heart how much surprise there is in the saying: “The Bridegroom has come!” How pleasant: “and... went in with Him to the wedding!” How much sorrow: “the doors were closed!” For He comes who shakes the elements with His procession, before whose gaze heaven and earth tremble. Therefore, He says through the Prophet: “And I will shake all nations, and the One desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts” (Hag 2.7; Heb 12.26). The entire human race is brought to His judgment; Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Principalities and Dominions serve Him in avenging the evil and rewarding the good. Think, beloved brethren, what fear there will be before the gaze of such a Judge on the day when there will be no medicine in punishment; what confusion for one who, by the urgent demand of his guilt, will have to be ashamed in the assembly of all Angels and men; What a horror to see Him angry, Whom the human mind cannot comprehend even when calm! Correctly looking at this day, the Prophet says: “the day of wrath is this day, the day of sorrow and distress, the day of desolation and ruin, the day of darkness and darkness, the day of clouds and darkness” (Zeph 1.15). So, think, beloved brethren, that the Prophet sees how too sad for the hearts of the wicked is the day of the last judgment, which he is unable to explain with so many names. - What joy then will there be for the elect who will be rewarded with the joy of seeing Him, from whose gaze all the elements shake, as they see and go with Him to marriages. They rejoice over the marriages of the Bridegroom, and yet they themselves are brides, because in this dwelling of the Eternal Kingdom God is combined with our vision. This vision will never again be torn from the embrace of love. Then the door that opens daily only for those who repent will be locked for those who mourn. For even there there will be repentance, but it will no longer be fruitful, because then the one who has only lost the favorable time for remission will not find remission of sins. That is why Paul says: “Behold, now is the time acceptable; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6.2). That is why the Prophet says: “Seek the Lord when you can find Him; call upon Him when He is near” (Isaiah 55.6). 5. Why does He not listen to the same foolish virgins crying out to the Lord? Because the door of the Kingdom is locked, He who could have been close will no longer be close. For it is added: “Afterwards other virgins came and said: Lord! God! open to us. He answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.” There, the one who here did not want to listen to what was commanded, who missed the time of favorable repentance, and in vain comes with prayers to the doors of the Kingdom, can no longer earn from God what he desires. That is why the Lord says through Solomon: “I called, and you did not listen; I stretched out my hand, and there was no one who listened; and you rejected all my advice, and did not accept my reproofs. For this reason I will laugh at your destruction; I will rejoice when horror comes upon you; when terror comes upon you like a storm, and trouble comes upon you like a whirlwind; when sorrow and distress befall you. Then they will call me, and I will not hear; They will seek me in the morning and will not find me” (Proverbs 1.24–28). So they cry for the opening of the doors, and being forced by grief over their rejection, they plead in the name of the Lord, saying: “Lord, Lord, open to us.” They offer prayers, but are recognized as unknown, because then the Lord leaves as unknown those whom He does not recognize as His own due to the merit of life. 6. Here the general admonition to the disciples is appropriately added when it is said: “Watch therefore, because you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man will come.” Since after sins God accepts repentance, if everyone knew about the present age, at which time it will end, then he could adapt one time to pleasures, and another to repentance. But He who promised forgiveness of sins to the repentant did not promise tomorrow to the sinner. Therefore, we must always fear the last day, which we can never foresee. We have taken this very day on which we are speaking as an incentive to conversion, and yet we refuse to mourn the evil that we have done. Not only do we not mourn what we have done, but we also multiply what should be mourned. But if any illness befalls us, if the signs of illness tell us about imminent death, then we desire a postponement of life in order to mourn our sins, and with special zeal we pray for this postponement, but as soon as we receive it, we already recognize it as nothing. 7. I, beloved brethren, want to tell you about an event about which, if your love wants to listen with attention, then from thinking about it it will receive important edification. - In the province of Valeria there was a certain famous man named Chrysaorius, whom the people called Chryserius in common language; a very rich husband, but as full of vices as he was full of wealth; overwhelmed with pride, devoted to the pleasures of his flesh, extremely greedy for acquiring things. But when the Lord determined to put an end to such iniquities - as I learned about this from his relative, a certain pious man who is still alive - he was amazed by the relaxation of the body. Approaching his death, at the very hour at which he was supposed to leave his body, with open eyes he saw vile and blackest spirits standing in front of him and terribly threatening to take him to the rivets of hell. He began to tremble, turn pale, sweat and with a terrible cry ask for a reprieve and with extreme, frantic screams, call by the name of his son Maxim, whom I myself, having already been a monk, saw as a monk, saying: “Maxim, quickly: I have not done you any harm, accept me into your faith.” Frightened Maxim came running immediately, the crying and trembling family came together. But they could not see those very spirits from whose attack he was terribly tormented, but their presence was guessed by the confusion, pallor and trembling of the one who was attracted. Out of fear of their ugly appearance, he rushed back and forth on the bed, lay down on his left side, could not bear the sight of them, turned to the wall - there they were. When he was extremely constrained, he already despaired of the possibility of easing himself, and began to shout loudly, saying: “Delay, at least until the morning; delay, although until the morning." But when he shouted this, with these very screams he was torn out from the dwelling of his flesh. It is known about him precisely because he saw it not for himself, but for us, so that his vision would be useful to us, whom Divine patience still awaits. For what benefit was it for him that before his death he saw vile spirits and asked for a reprieve, when he did not receive this reprieve? “So, we, beloved brethren, must now think carefully about this, so as not to waste our time and not desire life for virtue when we are already forced to leave the body. Remember what the Truth says: “Pray that your flight does not happen in winter or on the Sabbath” (Matthew 24.20). Because the commandment of the Law does not allow one to walk far on the Sabbath, and winter itself serves as an obstacle to travel, because the steps of those walking are bound by numbness from the cold. He says clearly, as it were: “See that you do not wish to flee from your sins when you can no longer walk.” Therefore, this time in which one cannot escape should be discussed only when one can. We must always look at this hour of our exodus; this admonition of our Redeemer must constantly be before our eyes: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man will come.” You might be interested in: