Блага небесные (будущие)

Who dares to run away from things that run away? Who will cleave to the eternal one? Who will learn to think about the present as transitory, and about the hoped-for as permanently present? Who wants to separate the truly existing from the apparent, and strive for the former, and despise the latter? Who wants to distinguish a list from the truth, a remote hut from a city on high (see 2 Pet. 1:13; Heb. 13:14), an overnight stay from a permanent dwelling, darkness from light, a deep swamp (see Ps. 68:3) from the holy land, flesh from the spirit, God from the ruler of the world, the shadow of death from eternal life? Who wants to buy the future with the present, the imperishable with perishable wealth, the invisible with visible? Truly blessed is he who, discerning this and cutting words with the sword that separates the best from the worst, believes, as the divine David said in one place, to have set his ascent in his heart (Ps. 83:6), and, running as much as he can, from this vale of weeping, seeks the things above (Col. 3:1), and, crucified to the world with Christ, with Christ he is resurrected, with Christ and ascends to the inheritance of life, no longer changing, no longer deceptive, where there is no longer a serpent that gnaws on the way, bruises the heel and is bruised in the head (see Gen. 49:17; 3:15). And the same David, like some loud preacher, beautifully announces us with a lofty and nationwide sermon, in which he calls us hard-hearted 13 and lovers of lies (see Ps. 4:3) and teaches us not to cling too much to what is visible and not to rely on all earthly well-being solely in the abundance of wheat and wine - these quickly decaying acquisitions. And blessed Amos 14, perhaps, had the same thing in his thoughts and also armed himself against earthly and imaginary blessings when he said: get up and leave, for this country is not a place of peace (Mic. 2:10). And this, even in the expressions themselves, is almost completely similar to the command of our Lord and Savior, what exactly? - Get up, let's get out of here (Jn. 14:31), - He said, not only urging the disciples of that time to move from a certain place to another, as someone might think, but also all His disciples at all times with this appeal, drawing from earth to heaven and from earthly goods to heavenly ones (1). For people there is only one good, and a lasting good, and that is heavenly hopes. I breathe a little of them, but I feel a great aversion to other benefits. And I am ready to provide one-day beings with everything that drags along the earth: the fatherland and foreign countries, thrones and the honors associated with them, loved ones, strangers, pious, vicious, frank, secretive, looking with an unenvious eye, consumed by internally suicidal sin. I yield to others the pleasures of life, but I myself willingly avoid them (2). The great David, in the future blessings to which he raises his thoughts, hides the local sorrows when he says: He hid me in His tabernacle on the day of my tribulations (Ps. 26:5). And it was not sadness that I only put aside when I remembered God and rejoiced (Ps. 76:4). Those who are devoted to the world also complain, even those who work much more for God. But their lamentation remains without reward, while we are promised a reward for suffering if we endure for God’s sake. For let us weigh sorrows and pleasures, both the present and the future, then we will find that the former do not constitute even the slightest part in comparison with the latter - what is best for us is so much more abundant! Therefore, when we are sick, an excellent medicine for us is to remember God, about future hopes and to come to David’s disposition of spirit - to spread out in sorrow (see Ps. 4:1), and not to despair in thoughts (see 2 Cor. 4:8), not to be covered with sadness like a cloud, but then most of all to hold on to hope and keep in mind the bliss prepared for there patient. It will not be especially difficult for us to endure adversity with patience and to rise above many during the tribulation if we consider what we promised God and what we hoped for when we entered into a wise life. Is it wealth? Is it fun? Is there prosperity in this life? Or the opposite of this: sorrow, suffering, hardship, enduring everything, enduring everything in the hope of future blessings? I know that this, and not the first, was what we expected. Therefore, I am afraid that we are breaking our covenants with God, when we strive to have one thing and hope for another. Let us not give up our purchase; let us bear one thing in order to be worthy of the other. Did the haters cause us grief? And we will protect the soul from servility to passions. Through this, one gains the upper hand over those who offend. Consider also what we grieve about—is it not about those who have passed away? But how can we please them? Is it not our patience? Therefore, we will bring this as a gift. For I am sure that the souls of the saints see our deeds. And most of all and first of all, let us consider that it is inappropriate both to be wise without need, and to be unwise in suffering and not serve as an example for others of both gratitude in complacency and patience in grief (2). John Chrysostom interprets this word as callous, base, with a heart and soul that is stubborn and rebellious to everything good and noble. In some manuscripts, instead of the word “Amos,” it is written “Micah.” You might be interested in: