Болезнь

You know how one day the mules went mad and rushed with the chariot, how terribly she (the sister of Saint Gorgonia) was overturned, pitifully dragged and broken, how as a result of this the unbelievers were tempted by the fact that the righteous were given over to such misfortunes, and how quickly unbelief was admonished. Gorgonia had all her bones and members broken and damaged, both hidden and open, but she did not want to have another doctor except the one who betrayed her to disaster, both because she was ashamed of the gaze and touch of men (for she maintained decency even in suffering), and because she sought protection only from the One who allowed her to endure such suffering. And, indeed, she received salvation from Him, and not from anyone else. Therefore, some were not so much struck by her illness as amazed by her miraculous recovery and concluded from this that such a sad incident was healed by a higher power, not a human one, and left a legend for posterity, which proves both her measure in suffering and patience in adversity, and even more of God’s love for people like her. For to what was said about the righteous: when he falls, he will not be broken (see Ps. 36:24), - as if now this is also added: although he will be broken, he will soon be restored and glorified. If her suffering was incredible, then her return to health was also incredible, so that the illness was almost completely covered by recovery, and the healing became more obvious than the blow inflicted on her. Such a disaster is quite worthy of praise and wonder! Such illness is higher than health! And the words: he wounded, and he will heal, and he will heal, and after three days he will resurrect (see Hos. 6: 2-3), indicating, as the event showed, something higher and most mysterious, no less fitting for her suffering (1)! And now I must talk about 31 what sympathy for my own flesh and my own weakness prompts me to do when looking at the suffering of others; I must tell you, brethren, that we are obliged to take care of the body, this relative and co-servant of the soul (for although I blamed him as an enemy for what I suffer from him, I also love him as a friend, for the sake of the One who united me with him), and, moreover, to take care of the body of our neighbors no less than each of us about our own, whether we ourselves remain healthy or are exhausted by the same illness. For we are one in the Lord (see Gal. 3:28), whether one is rich or poor, whether one is slave or free, whether one is healthy or sick in body; everyone has one head - Christ, from whom is the whole body (Eph. 4:15-16), and as the members are one for another, so is each of us for each other, and all things for all (see 1 Cor. 12:12-27). Therefore, there is no need to neglect and leave without care those who previously fell under the common weakness of all; on the contrary, we should not so much rejoice at the prosperous state of our body as weep over the bodily suffering of our brothers; We must consider humanity towards them to be the only guarantee of our safety, physical and mental. They must be looked at this way: others are pitiful only because of their poverty, from which, perhaps, either time, or work, or a friend, or a relative, or a change of circumstances will free them; and these unfortunates are oppressed by poverty no less than those, or even more; since, having lost their bodily members, they are also deprived of the means to work and to help themselves in their needs, and, moreover, they are always more afraid of the aggravation of the disease than they hope for recovery, so that hope, this is the only treatment for the unfortunate, almost leaves them without help. But to their poverty they also add another evil - illness, a most terrible and painful evil, which uneducated people most likely end up on the tongue when they curse someone. A third evil is connected with this: many do not want to approach them, do not want to look at them, run away from them, abhor them as if they were something disgusting; and this evil, to see themselves hated simply because they have been exposed to misfortune, is worse for them than the illness itself. I cannot look at their suffering without tears, and at the mere memory of some of them, I become indignant in spirit. Have the same feelings, so that you can get rid of tears with tears. And I have no doubt that those present here really feel this way who love Christ and love the poor, and have the mercy that is characteristic of God and given to them by God (1). Why do we carry illness within ourselves—a mental illness that is much more painful than a physical one? For that one, as we know, does not come according to our will, but this one comes from our will; that one ends with this life, and this one passes with us into another life, into which we are transferred from here; That one is regretted, at least by sensible people, but this one is hated (1). You will show Him (Christ) respect when you appear merciful and philanthropic to the member of Christ. If, either on your way from Jerusalem to Jericho, or in some other place, the robber and tormentor of our souls, attacking you unarmed and unprepared for defense, perhaps wounded you to such an extent that you must say: my wounds stank and rotted from my madness (Ps. 37:6); if you are in such a state that you are neither looking for healing nor know the means for your healing - ah! This is already a truly great plague and extreme disaster. But when you have not yet completely given in to despair and have not become completely incurable, run to the Doctor, beg Him, treat ulcers with ulcers, attract like with like, or, better said, heal greater illnesses with lesser means. And he will say to your soul: I am your salvation (Ps. 34:3); your faith has saved you (Luke 7:50); you have recovered (John 5:14) and he will console you with all the sweetness of the words of love for mankind, if only he sees that you are also loving towards the sick (1). I suffer from illness and my body is exhausted. Other high-ranking people may laugh at my suffering. My limbs are relaxed and my legs walk unsteadily. I don’t know whether this is a consequence of abstinence, or a consequence of sins, or some kind of struggle. However, thanks to my ruler! This may be better for me. But forbid illness, forbid it with Your word, Your word is salvation for me! And if you don’t forbid it, give me patience to endure everything. Let the aphids get the aphids; keep the image: then you will have in me a perfect servant (2). It (illness) also serves as some kind of cleansing for my spiritual part, and everyone has a need for cleansing, no matter how strong he is; because these very bonds convey to mortals a kind of blackness (2). Since you are attacking me, who suffers from illness, then listen to a few words and take a lesson from me. It is better for me to be weak than for you to be strong. I, who am appointed to cleanse the evil, know that illness is a cleansing fire for me, although there is also the highest mystery of suffering. It is better to think this way than, remaining defiled, to cause yourself any harm in vain arrogance. But you are very thin and are not aware of your illness. In order for this disease to be eradicated from you before you die, it must bring you many tears before God. For if such is the light, what will be the darkness (2)? Thanks to the timely illness and slander of the enemies, which made me free, placed me outside the fire of Sodom and the episcopal darkening (2)! I also remember your wisdom, to which you devoted yourself, about which, remembering even now, I come into awe. I (as you yourself ordered, and it was impossible to contradict you) explained to you the seventy-second psalm, in which David becomes perplexed and indignant, seeing the prosperity of evil people, and then turning his thoughts to the judgment courts there and to the awaiting reward for the deeds of this life, thus stopping in his confusion and healing his sorrow. As much as possible, I inclined my interpretation to your suffering, borrowing thoughts both from ours and from external scriptures, because I was talking with a learned and experienced person, moreover, such reasoning was inspired by the Spirit, and grief, which is most inventive, encouraged them. Our speech was flowing, suddenly in the middle of the conversation, as if having received a blow, you stand up, raise your hands to the sky and, turning your gaze to the east, because there was a view there, you cry out: “I thank You, Father and Creator of Your people, that against our will you do good to us, through the external person you cleanse the internal and through misfortunes you bring us to a blissful end by means known to You alone!” And should I repeat all those wise reasonings that you led me to and that I did myself, as if rejoicing in my illness? Then the teacher became your student. But why did I mention this? One thing I cry out to everyone and preach through you, namely: we should mourn vicious people more for their internal illness than for them us, when our outer man is sick, and wise illness is better than unbridled prosperity 32 (2). This passage refers to people with leprosy, but it applies to many other diseases as well. – Approx. ed. From a letter to St. Gregory to Philagrios. – Approx. ed. You might be interested in: