Геенна

Whatever you look at, whatever you turn your mind to, all this shows God’s love for us and good deeds. Gehenna itself, announced to us from Him, benefits us because it frightens us. Let us repent and cry before the Lord, who created us, so that he would have mercy on us and deliver us from it. When you are in a bathhouse and feel how your body is burning and burning, or you are in a fever, or in a fever, or some other serious illness, remember eternal torment, remember how those condemned in the fire of Gehenna will suffer both in soul and body forever and ever. Their worm does not die and their fire does not go out (Mark 9:44). There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30). Remember this evil and may you not fall into it. Descend now with your mind to hell, and may you not descend later in soul and body. The memory of Gehenna will not allow one to fall into Gehenna. Every sin leads to that disaster: beware of every sin, lest it plunge you into that disaster. People there repent, but it’s too late; there people sigh, but it’s too late; people are crying there, but it’s too late. Christian! Glory to God, you have not died yet, you are still living on earth, you have not yet come to this place of torment, by the grace of God you can still be saved and avoid this evil and disaster. Repent now while repentance is useful; sigh and cry, so that you do not come to this sighing and crying; pray and knock on the doors of God’s mercy, so that those that are opened to all who truly repent will be opened to you. Believe undoubtedly and firmly that there will be eternal torment for sinners who do not truly repent and do not have heartfelt faith in Christ. Be confident in this, and when you see fire in the furnace, look with your intelligent eye at the eternal fire of Gehenna, and then you will feel everything new in your heart. Then true repentance, sighing and prayer will arise within you. Then you will not say much, but always listen to yourself, and before God often fall in humility, and sigh, and from the depths of your heart say: “Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord deliver, for Thy name’s sake!” Then all consolation and joy and worldly sweetness will disappear from your heart, and you will shun every sin that leads to disaster, like a deadly poison. Believe me, I am telling you the truth: this will be on your mind, and you will be diligent and concerned about how to get rid of that disaster from which Christ alone delivers us, but delivers those who listen to Him and obey Him, and not those who resist Him. You try to run away from temporary sadness, sorrow, illness, prison, torment, exile and other calamities - won’t you try to run away from eternal and endless calamity? Everything temporary is nothing against the eternal, because the temporary is easy and will end, but the eternal is hard and will not end. Oh, eternal fire of hell and terrible to demons! Deliver us, most merciful Christ, from that. May Your mercy be to us, O Lord, the same as Your Majesty!