Беседа 14

Spoken to the people in the Church of St. Apostle Peter on the second Sunday after Easter. Reading the Holy Gospel: John 10.11–16. John 10.11–16. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. But a hireling, not a shepherd, whose sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and runs; and the wolf plunders the sheep and scatters them. But the hireling flees because he is a hireling, and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know Mine, and Mine know Me. As the Father knows Me, so I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep which are not of this fold, and these I must bring: and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one Shepherd. 1. Dearest brethren, from the Gospel reading you heard edification to you, and you also heard about our danger. For here is the One who is not a random gift, but is essentially good, says: “I am the Good Shepherd.” And regarding the image of this very kindness, which we must imitate, he adds, saying: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” He did what he exhorted, demonstrated through experience what he commanded. The Good Shepherd laid down his soul for his sheep so that in our Sacrament His Body and Blood would be inexhaustible, and so that the sheep whom He redeemed would be content with the nourishment of His Flesh. – We have been shown the path to contempt of death, which we must follow; a rule has been proposed that we must adhere to. Our first duty is to mercifully spend our external blessings on His sheep, and the last, if necessary, even to die for those same sheep. But from this first, smaller duty, a transition is made to the last, larger one. But since the soul with which we live is incomparably higher than the earthly being, which constitutes our external possession, who will not give this being for the sheep, when he has the obligation to lay down even his soul for them? - And yet there are some who, when they love a more earthly creature than sheep, then they justly lose the name of shepherd. About them it is immediately added: “But a hired hand, not a shepherd, whose sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and runs.” 2. The one who shepherds the Lord’s sheep not out of inner love, but for the sake of temporary rewards, is called not a shepherd, but a hired servant. For a mercenary is one who, although he occupies the place of a shepherd, does not desire the benefit of souls, is addicted to earthly benefits, rejoices in the honor of preference, feeds on temporary acquisitions, and delights in extreme respect from people. Because this is the essence of the mercenary’s reward, so that for the very fact that he works in the herd, he will find here what he is looking for, but in the Hereafter he will be alien to the inheritance of the herd. But whether someone is a shepherd or a mercenary, this cannot be known for sure unless there is a case of necessity. For during times of calm, for the most part, both the true shepherd and the hireling stand guard over the flock; but the coming wolf reveals who stood guard over the herd with what disposition. For the wolf comes among the sheep when some unrighteous and predatory man oppresses some believers and ordinary people. But the one who seemed to be a shepherd, but was not one, leaves the sheep and runs away, because when he is afraid of danger from him, he does not dare to resist his injustice. However, he runs around without changing places, but without giving any consolation. He runs because he sees injustice - and remains silent. He runs because he hides under silence. It is well said to them through the prophet: “You do not enter into gaps and do not fence around the house of Israel with a wall, so that you can stand firm in battle on the day of the Lord” (Ezek 13.5). Because to go out in opposition means to go with the free voice of reason in defiance of any authorities acting unlawfully. And on the day of the Lord we stand in war for the house of Israel and oppose the wall, if, on the basis of justice, we defend the innocent believers against the injustice of the corrupt. Since the mercenary does not do this, he runs when he sees the wolf coming. 3. But there is another wolf, which constantly every day torments not bodies, but souls, that is, an evil spirit that besieges the courts of believers and seeks spiritual death. About this wolf it is immediately added: and “the wolf plunders the sheep and scatters them.” The wolf walks, but the hireling flees, because the evil spirit torments the souls of believers through temptation, and the one who held the place of shepherd has no concern for saving. Souls perish, and he enjoys earthly benefits. The wolf plunders the sheep when it attracts one to lust, inflames another to stinginess, arouses another to pride, disposes one to anger, beats another with hatred, and overthrows another by seduction. So, it is as if a wolf scatters the flock when the devil strikes a people of believers with temptations. But against this, the mercenary is not inflamed by any jealousy, not aroused by any heat of love, because when he seeks only external benefits, then he carelessly looks at the internal harm of the herd. Therefore, it is immediately added: “but the hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and does not care about the sheep.” For there is only one reason why a mercenary flees, because he is a mercenary. It is as clear as it was said: he cannot stand in danger for the sheep who, in leading the sheep, does not love the sheep, but seeks earthly gain. For when he loves honor, when he delights in temporary benefits, then he is afraid to put himself in danger, so as not to lose what he loved. But when our Redeemer exposed the guilt of the imaginary shepherd, then again he shows a model with which we must conform, saying: “I am the good Shepherd.” And he adds: “and I know Mine,” i.e. I love them, “and Mine know Me.” Clearly, he seems to say this: those who love obey. For whoever does not love the truth has not yet known it. 4. So, beloved brethren, since you have heard about our danger, weigh your own danger against the words of the Lord. See if you are His sheep, see if you know Him; see if you know the light of truth? “But you know, I say, not by faith, but by love?” – You know, I say, not by belief, but by activity? For the same Evangelist John, who speaks about this, testifies, saying: “I speak as one who knew Him” (I. Christ), “whoever says: I know Him, but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and there is no truth in him”; (1 John 2.4). Why, in this very place, the Lord immediately adds: “As the Father knows Me, so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." Clearly He says, as it were: that I know the Father, and the Father knows Me, this consists in the fact that I lay down My life for My sheep; that is, by the love by which I die for the sheep, I show how much I love the Father. - But since He came to redeem not only the Jews, but also the pagans, He adds: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and these I must bring: and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” The Lord foresaw the conversion of us who came from the pagan people when He said that He would bring other sheep. This, brethren, you see happening daily in the conversion of the pagans, you see this daily in experience. For He, as from two flocks, makes one sheep flock, because in His faith He unites the Jewish and pagan people, according to the testimony of Paul, who says: “For He is our peace, having made both one and destroyed the barrier that stood in the middle” (Eph 2.14). For when He chooses the simple from both peoples to Eternal Life, then He brings the sheep to sheep's ownership. 5. Of these genuine sheep He again says: “My sheep obey My voice, and I know them; and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10.27–28). About them he says a little higher: “I am the door: whoever enters through Me will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10.9). He will enter into faith, and will come out from faith to vision, from belief to contemplation; the pasture will find itself in eternal peace. So His sheep have pasture, because whoever follows Him with a simple heart eats food of eternal freshness. What kind of pastures are these sheep, if not the inner joys of an ever-green paradise? For the pastures of the elect are the real sight of God, Whom, when continually contemplated, then the mind is satisfied with the endless food of life. In these pastures those who have already freed themselves from the chains of lustful temporality are delighted with the contentment of eternity. There are choirs of Angels singing a song to God, there is communication between the highest citizens. There is a joyful triumph of those returning from the sad labor of this journey. There are the foreseen hosts of Prophets, there the number of Apostles appointed to be judges; there is a victorious army of countless Martyrs - the more there are of them, rejoicing, the more cruelly they were tortured here; there is the constancy of the Confessors, consoled by the receipt of their reward; there are faithful men in whom the pleasure of the age could not exhaust the strength of their courage; there are holy women who, together with this age, conquered sex; there are youths who here exceeded their years with their morals; there are elders who, although the years have made them weak, have not abandoned their virtuous activity. 6. So, beloved brethren, let us seek these pastures in which we could rejoice together with the council of such citizens. May the very triumph of those who rejoice prompt us to this. So, if somewhere people were celebrating a triumph, if, following the announcement of the celebration, they flocked to the consecration of some Church, then we would all rush to be there together, and everyone would be concerned about their presence at it, would consider it a harm to themselves if they did not see the triumph of common joy. - Here in heaven there is joy among the chosen citizens, everyone in their assembly mutually greets each other, and yet we, indifferent to the love of Eternity, do not flare up with any desire, do not strive to be among such a triumph, we are deprived of joys - and we are glad. So, brethren, let us inflame our souls, let faith in what we have believed become incandescent, let our desires for the Most High blaze—and thus, to love means to “go.” Let no trouble distract us from the joy of inner triumph, because if someone wants to go to the intended place, then no trouble on the way changes his desire. Let no caressing happiness divert us from the path, because that stupid traveler who, looking at the pleasant meadows on the way, forgets to go where he was aiming. So, with full desire, let the soul strive for the Highest Fatherland, let it not desire anything in this world that it is known that it will soon leave, so that we, if we are truly sheep of the Heavenly Shepherd, because we are not attached to the pleasure of the path, upon arrival, be content in the Eternal Pastures, with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: