Часть 3

About not giving in to the love of money, but placing your trust in God alone 1. “Even if wealth flows, do not apply your heart,” says the prophet (Ps. 61:11). It is great madness to put your heart into the swamp and trust in disastrous covetousness. So, do not rely on perishable wealth and do not go after gold: “He who loves gold,” it is said, “will not be justified” (Sir. 31:5), but place your trust in the living God, who abides forever, who created everything, and gold and silver are the work of human hands: it will sooner perish than you gathered it. 2. Bound by the love of money, do not be stingy in asking for alms - let unbelief not possess you. Do not be afraid that you will lack anything in the world when you do good. How long has the world stood, and nothing in it has yet become scarce! Neither the sun has changed, nor the rivers have stopped flowing, nor the earth has ceased to produce what is needed - it gives both gold and silver, and will never stop giving as long as the world stands: one goes into the earth, and the other comes out of it, like gold and silver, and everything needed for our life. 3. Don't be afraid of lacking in anything. Before you had nothing, but now you have, and if you don’t have it yet, you will have it. For He who created everything has not become poor and will never become poor. Believe it firmly. He who brought everything from non-existence into existence, who gives food to the hungry and satisfies every animal, has not become scarce and is abundant in everything. Do not be stingy in giving to those who ask and do not turn away from the One in whose name they ask: give everything to you to the Giver - and you will receive a hundredfold from Him. 4. Don’t feast on other people’s things, because you’ll soon leave everything that’s yours. Do not attempt to vainly acquire any things, because when you leave here, you will not take anything with you. You entered the world naked, and you will leave it naked. Many had a lot, but, leaving everything, they left here with empty hands and a naked soul. Do not desire and do not hope for a great accumulation of wealth - lest you be like the rich man who destroyed a small granary and created a large one, and who said: “O soul, have many good things that lie for years, rest, eat, drink, be merry,” but heard: “You are foolish, this night they will extort your soul from You, which I have prepared for you.” ecu to whom they will be,” said the Lord (Luke 12:19–20). 5. Don't chase after a lot and be grateful for a little. For everyone is chasing after a lot, everyone is looking for a lot, everyone is concerned about everything, but even having left the smallest of everything, they cannot take anything from here with them. It is better to have a little with gratitude than to madly chase after a lot: “a little is better for the righteous, rather than the abundance of the riches of sinners,” says the prophet (Ps. 36:16). For everything that you collect here and everything you acquire will remain on earth, and you, having left everything, will lie down in a coffin and go there with your soul naked. 6. Do not attach your heart to gold and silver and any earthly acquisition, lest you yourself descend into the underground: “Where,” it is said, “your treasure, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Do not be bound by the love of money, lest you be rejected from the love of God. Do not be stingy in giving to those who demand, lest you lose all that is yours. Do not clasp your hands. to give alms - so that you do not close the doors of God’s mercy, so that you do not remain outside the palace of Christ. “Blessed is he who is poor and wretched; in the day of cruelty the Lord will deliver him,” says the prophet (Ps. 40:2). 7. Do not be captivated by the love of money, so that God will not count you among idolaters: the love of money is the second “idolatry” (Col. 3:5), says the apostle. One infected with the love of money and stinginess is likened to an insatiable hell: he loves to take from everyone, but does not like to give anything to anyone. If he had acquired the wealth of the whole world, he would not have been satisfied: his eyes are deeper than any abyss, which can never be filled and satisfied. Even if a person has a lot, he desires even more. He doesn't believe himself. Even if he collects countless wealth, he will not be satisfied and will never cease to desire more until he is covered with earth. 8. Be generous and merciful - may you find the Lord merciful to your soul on the day of judgment. Why should you skimp in vain when you won’t take anything with you, but will leave here naked?! Many, many and countless treasures and riches were collected, but they did not take anything with them - they left all their treasures, all their wealth to others on earth: they left here with empty hands and disgraced souls - and they themselves decayed in the grave, and their wealth disappeared without a trace, and their memory perished noisily. 9 . “Every living person is troubled in vain, he treasures treasures, and I don’t know who will gather them,” says the prophet (Ps. 39:7). Truly, he who gathers up treasures on earth fusses in vain, for he does not know to whom to leave them, he does not know who will be their heir. Blessed is the man who places all his treasure, all his wealth, all his hope in God! Such a one gathers up heavenly treasures, “where neither worm nor aphid corrupts, where things are broken into and stolen: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” says the Lord (Matthew 6:20-21). 10. So, do not feast on much of the collection of gold and silver - these earthly yeasts, for everything will remain here, and you yourself will turn into the ground, “from other things you were taken” (Gen. 3:19). Do not be seduced by fleeting things, for you yourself are not eternal. Don’t chase too much after something you will inevitably leave behind. Do not attach your heart to real things, for they will soon leave you. Despise everything above and may you be enriched by things above. Despise the fleeting - so that you may accept the eternal and be worthy of everlasting blessings in Christ Jesus - our Lord. About not envying anyone for anything in this world 1. Do not envy, O man, anyone who lives in the prosperity of this age, for every thing in the world is “grass and flower of the field” (Ps. 103:15). Do not envy the rich, nor the famous, nor the one who abounds in earthly pleasures, but be a smart imitator of the one who prospers in virtues, for why would you envy real prosperity, when everything in this world is temporary and perishable? Whether someone is famous or rich, he will not remain so forever. Whether someone abounds in prosperity and sweets - not forever, but for a short time this is given. 2. So, do not envy anything in this world: do not envy property, wealth, fame and any carnal pleasure. Do not envy rank, honor and all sorts of virtues. Do not envy outer dwellings and beautiful buildings or any abundance. For everything is temporary and perishable, everything soon passes and disappears like smoke. Everything will remain here, everything will turn to dust and ashes. There is nothing eternal on earth. Only prudently envy one thing: if anyone joins the Lord, if he is worthy of the grace of the Most Holy Spirit, for whoever is worthy of this will be the richest of all the rich and the most glorious of all the glorious. 3. Do not envy the one who is honored or glorified; Do not envy someone who is richer than you in some way, but consider it a sleepy dream. Do not envy earthly perishable things, but cling with your heart to heavenly - eternal things. The grace of God does not mean to be abundant in anything or to be honored on earth, but to always be with God. He who abounds in earthly blessings is always in fear and great fear, for often a sudden change occurs and a grave loss of these received blessings occurs. How many famous, rich, brave, wise people were there before?! But now the earth covers everyone, and the memory of them, as if they had never existed, has perished. For “man is like grass, his days are like the flower of a field, so he will blossom, like the spirit that has passed through him, and no one will be, nor will anyone know his place,” says the prophet (Ps. 102:15-16). 4. Know that you would not envy much the one who for a short time - feignedly - took on the image of a king, or the one who became rich in a sleepy dream; I would not envy anyone if someone received some honor for one day, and then was dishonored for a long time. Therefore, if anyone is famous, let him be famous; if anyone gets rich, let him get rich. And listen to yourself. “Let him boast, let him boast in the Lord; let him who is rich, let him grow rich in the Lord,” says the apostle (1 Cor. 1:31). 5. Do not envy the one whom people praise and glorify, but with those who praise the good, you too praise the good, and pass on the evil in silence. Do not envy the one who is pleased and about whom everyone speaks well. For human praise is fickle and very perverse: sometimes people praise, and sometimes they slander, some glorify, and others dishonor; what is praised and glorified is pleasing to some, but not to others. Now someone will be honored, and tomorrow they will suddenly be dishonored. Neither human praise nor dishonor remains in the same measure, but everything soon changes. 6. Will you envy God in the Divine? Do you dare to contradict God in the Divine? Do not envy any person for anything. But take care to be worthy of God in order to receive from God what you will be worthy of. For with God there is no hypocrisy, but with Him is righteous reward according to the wealth of everyone. As far as possible, he moderated all people with the right measure and honored each with his honor: one in this way, and another in another. But above all, “blessed is that man, for whom the Lord his God is” is his part and heritage, says the prophet (Ps. 32:12). 7. Why will you envy the honors and merits of everyone? After all, you yourself cannot embrace everything. Why should you envy the prosperity of this passing age? After all, everything soon passes - everything goes by. This world is seductive, but everything in it is wrong: today there is reverence, and tomorrow there is reproach; today glory, tomorrow dishonor. To the extent that someone becomes especially famous - he is exalted in honors - then he will be especially dishonored, either here or there - in the future life. 8. Do not be consumed by envy at the sight of others who are more revered, glorified and rich than you, for God knows in His destinies what he is doing: to whom he gives what. He Himself knows better who to give what: “Is it not the Lord who wants to do in his own affairs as He wills” (Matthew 20:15). Doesn't the Lord have the power to give one thing and another another? So, do not envy - so that you do not hear the voice condemning you: “Take up what is yours and go; I want to give this last one the same as I gave you.” Therefore, stop envying, leave hatred, so as not to remain outside the palace of Christ, for “he who is envious is judged as a murderer,” someone said. 9 . Envy is the cause of all evil and the enemy of all good. Out of envy, Cain killed Abel, Esau persecuted Jacob, Saul persecuted David, and a great deal of evil is being done in the world out of envy. Envy and hatred close the sky, blind the mind, darken the soul, burden the conscience, sadden God, and delight the demons. “He who is envious and hates his brother... walks in darkness, and who knows where he goes,” says the apostle (1 John 2:11). Envy does not know preference for what is useful: “Where there is envy and zeal, there is disorder,” says the apostle James (James 3:16). 10. So, be grateful to God for your share: dwell on what God has given you, and do not envy the best of you - in prosperity and honor - what you are called and assigned to, abide in that, and do not envy the best. Prefer the people whom God prefers, and be meek and kind towards them. To whomever God has given, do not take away from him with your envy, and do not appropriate for yourself with your pride what is not given to you. “No one can accept anything of his own accord unless God gives it to someone: all authority and honor come from God,” says the apostle (Rom. 13:1-2). About not being angry or holding grudges against anyone 1. “Everyone is angry with his brother in vain, he is guilty of judgment,” said the Lord (Matthew 5:22). Do not be angry with any person, even if you have been greatly offended by someone: “The wrath of a man does not work the righteousness of God,” says the apostle (James 1:20). “Let not the sun go down on your anger: let all sorrow, and anger, and rage, and blasphemy be taken away from you, along with all malice. Show kindness and mercy to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you,” says the apostle (Eph. 4:26, 31–32). 2. Beware of blessed anger - so that you do not darken your spiritual eye with rage: “for my eye is troubled,” it is said, “because of wrath, I have sworn in all my adversaries” (Ps. 6:8). You should not be angry with anyone or for anything, except if someone separated you from God and His love. If no one excommunicates you, then you are angry in vain. No one can separate anyone from God and His love, not only man, but also fire and sword, says the apostle (Rom. 8:35, 38-39). 3. For this reason, “cease from anger, abandon rage: do not be zealous and deceitful, for the wicked will be consumed, but he who endures the Lord will inherit the earth,” says the prophet (Ps. 36:8-9). There is not a single thing in the world about which you would have sufficient reason - to the point of unconsciousness - to be offended and irritated with someone. Even if you thought that this was very necessary and necessary, you will not find anything for which it is really necessary and necessary to be angry with anyone, except for insulting the glory of God and contempt for His commandments. You need to be angry for this, but even then rationally, so that, while correcting others, you do not harm yourself. 4. Nowhere do we hear the Lord showing His wrath and being very angry with sinners, but, on the contrary, everywhere we see Him meek and long-suffering. He Himself said: “learn from Me, not rage and anger, but because I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). When His disciples, angry at those who had sinned, said to Him: “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them,” He forbade them, saying: “We do not know what spirit there is” (Luke 9:54-55). And, teaching us, the Lord said: “If you forgive man their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. If you do not forgive man their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). 5. But you will say: he offended me, slandered me, dishonored me before everyone: he thought evil, he did evil to me - he did great evil to me... But who was offended more than God! Who was slandered, dishonored, blasphemed more than God? They beat Him, they strangled Him, they spat on Him, they crucified Him, they pierced His side with a spear... But He was not angry and did not show malice, but, dying on the cross, He prayed for those who sinned, saying: “Father, let them go, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). 6. Who, being mindful of malice and insanely angry, did anything good? Who, without meekness and long-suffering, has performed any virtue or shown victory over someone? Nobody. If the apostles had been madly furious and angry at those who sinned, they would not have guided anyone on the path of salvation, they would not have led anyone to Christ. If they were ever offended by those who sinned, then without any rage or passion, they wisely corrected and taught them with long-suffering, praying for those who sinned to God. 7. The queen bee was prudently created by God without a sting: if she had a sting, she would kill all the bees with her sting. Here's an image for the bosses! The elders are not allowed to harbor hidden anger and rage, lest they kill all their subordinates with their furious attack. So, overcome evil with good, and not with evil, for you cannot extinguish fire with fire, and you cannot overcome wrath with water and wrath with rage, but with meekness and long-suffering. 8. It is better to correct someone with meekness than with rage, better with mercy than with anger. It is better for your subordinates to love you than to fear you. For from fear comes lies and hypocrisy, but from love comes truth and zeal. If you correct someone with rage and anger, you will not only fail to correct them, but you will also harm yourself and them. One who is angry and angry to the point of madness is no different from a drunken person, for rage and anger produce a frenzy of the mind and change the whole person: “wrath and rage, this is an abomination,” says Jesus the son of Sirach (Sir. 27:33). 9 . He who is furious and angry at someone does not know what he is saying. Someone who sometimes says something in rage and anger, then comes to his senses and takes his words back with shame. Many who have sometimes done something in rage and anger, later repent of it a lot, for allowed rage darkens the mind, saddens the soul, destroys reason and memory and, what may happen later, does not allow one to see. He who is furious and madly angry is blind in everything, but restraining anger and rage will conveniently hold back all evil. 10. So, if you ever happen to be irritated or angry with someone, then it is better not to say anything, but either move away or shut your mouth, so that a fierce flame does not jump out and scorch your soul and cause unexpected confusion in those around you. And when the furious flame dies out and the heart is peaceful, then calmly say that it will be necessary to correct it. In meekness, one word of yours will be more favorable than a thousand words spoken in rage. It is much better to correct with meekness than with rage and irritation: you will wisely admonish others, and you will benefit yourself. About not grieving too much in sorrows 1. Do not grieve, man, foolishly about fleeting things, for everything passes, everything passes by. There is not a single thing that you would grieve inconsolably about. One should not grieve so much not only about fleeting things, but also about the greatest sins before God. Even if your sin surpassed every sin, you should not despair and grieve inconsolably, for there is no sin that conquers the mercy of God: our sins cannot be compared with the abyss of God’s generosity - God will save us with His mercy “tune” (gift). 2. God, our Lord Jesus Christ, took upon Himself the sins of the whole world and forgives them to everyone who repents - but you think that He will not forgive the sins of one person, namely you. He poured out His blood for the whole world - will He not give the remnant of His blood to you alone? Just stop sinning, just repent, just say your sins and you will be justified. Say: “Let us confess the iniquity of the Lord against me; and “abie will leave the wickedness of your heart” (Ps. 31:5). 3. The Lord calls you to Himself not for sorrow and sorrow, but for joy and gladness. “Rejoice,” it is said, “...in the Lord, all who are right in heart” (Ps. 31:11); just as the Lord Himself, after His resurrection from the dead, first of all said to the myrrh-bearers: “Rejoice” (Matthew 28:9). He commanded the myrrh-bearers to rejoice, and not to mourn; for He stopped the sorrow of the Foremother Eve by His resurrection as God. Therefore, you too, rejoice in Him, and do not grieve, rejoice in the Lord and do not be embarrassed. Do not grieve yourself and do not insult others insanely, but be meek and long-suffering towards everyone. “We show kindness and mercy to one another” (Eph.4:32), not selfishly, “but let each of us please our neighbor for good,” as the apostle says (Rom.15:2). 4. Do not grieve if anything in the world is not done according to the desire of your heart. For everything cannot be done according to your thoughts, as you want, because not all your desires are good and not all desires are useful. But did anything happen according to your desire and desire? Fine. But it didn’t happen? Leave it to the will of the Lord. If anything happened the way you wanted? Give thanks. And if not so, do not grieve, for everything here does not last forever, but every thing in this age appears for a very short time. You only need one thing, so as not to be alien to the Lord and His most holy grace. Do not strive intensely for all your desires to always be fulfilled and all your lusts to be fulfilled: this is not in your power, but in God’s. The will of God is different, your will is different, and His destinies are different, which you do not know and cannot understand in all. So, do not grieve over a single thing, but cast everything on the Lord: “Cast your sorrow on the Lord, and He will nourish you, and will never give fame to the righteous,” said the prophet (Ps. 54:23). 5. Do not be cowardly and impatient, wanting everything to be instantly done according to your will. But pray to God complacently and wait, leaving everything to the will of God. Wait patiently, do not force yourself, so that all your desires will be fulfilled, for not every desire of yours is good and not all assumptions are useful. But what is in accordance with the will of God, you can experience with long-term waiting and intense prayer to God. Whatever is in accordance with the will of God, he will give it to you and hasten it, and if not in accordance, he will hinder it and leave it unfulfilled “with the message of destinies” (for your own benefit). You, whether he gives or not, accept everything with gratitude, in meekness of heart. 6. Do not brazenly attack any thing, but do everything with great attention. For any work done slowly and carefully is usually stronger and more useful. If all things could suddenly happen according to your desire, then you would never recognize your weakness in anything, and you would never acquire anything for the benefit of your soul, and you would do everything opposite. That is why the All-Seeing Lord, having mercy and sparing His creation - doing what is useful to everyone, does not always and does not give you everything according to your will, but often hinders and does not fulfill, “as He Himself did” (for your admonition), so that you would recognize your weakness, so that you would be humble, meek and patient, and not cowardly - would leave everything to the will of the Lord. 7. Rejecting and distracting our mind from earthly, unreasonable addictions, the Lord, as a true Doctor, healing our soul, often rejects our desires and lusts. He often turns them into sorrow and grief, so that we seek from the Lord God immortal and eternal consolations that will never be taken away from us. For all this - earthly - exists for a small hour, for a small time, and this - heavenly - has to remain forever and ever, having no end. What benefit will it be to you if all your desires are fulfilled, and in one hour you anger God? What gain will you have if all your desires come true, but you become a stranger to the Lord’s grace? None and nothing. 8. Therefore, as much as you endure with gratitude the unwanted sorrows sent to you from the Lord, you will then receive so much consolation from Him: “Because of the multitude of my illnesses, in my heart, Your consolations have made my soul glad,” said the prophet (Ps. 93:19). Do not be discouraged by the sorrow and hardship sent to you from God at His discretion, but accept it with gratitude as some kind of great healing for the soul. For it is better to endure temporary sorrow here than to then grieve forever—better here than there. Very unhappy is the one who sins a lot and does not endure unwanted sorrows here for his sins with gratitude, but wants everything to be done according to the thoughts of his heart. Know that such a one, even though he will grieve in the future life. 9 . Wanting to heal and cleanse our souls from sin, the Lord often allows various sorrows and sorrows to befall us here, so that, having been purified like gold in a furnace, we would appear bright and so that, comforted here in sorrowful circumstances, we would always diligently run to Him, seeking His help. “When I was in sorrow, I cried to the Lord, and he heard me” (Ps. 119:1). “Having increased their infirmities, I hastened them to this day,” says the prophet (Ps. 15:4). In sorrow we often resort to God, but in joy we forget Him. God, as the All-Wise Physician, heals us in different ways, using both on us: if we do not thank Him in joyful and pleasant circumstances, He allows sorrowful ones to happen to us, let us be prudent and skillful in both respects. 10. God, who has mercy and mercy on His creation in various ways, caring for the best for us, does not want to give us here - on earth - any luxurious life - in sweets, peace and consolation, but gives primarily sorrow and crampedness: “in the world you will not be joyful, but you will be sorrowful,” He said (John 16:33). God wants us in this world to always be in oppression and sorrow, and not in space and sorrow. prosperity, so that we would not be overwhelmed in earthly pleasures and seductive lusts, but from this oppression and sorrow would ascend more diligently and successfully to the heavenly and eternal expanse of the Lord, and there, comforted forever and ever, we would always rejoice in Him and be glad for endless ages, amen. The fact that all the saints spent their entire lives in sorrows and sorrows 1. “Many are the sorrows of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver me from them all,” says the prophet (Ps. 33:20). “Through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter into the kingdom” of heaven (Acts 14:22). “In the world you will not be joyful, but you will be sorrowful,” said the Lord (John 16:33). The righteous are always in sorrow, and the sinners are in joy; the good are in oppression, and the evil are in the open, for the evil always persecute the good, and not the good the evil. The wicked are in abundance, and the conscientious are in scarcity; and do not be surprised at this, “whom the Lord loves, like a Father a child, he punishes and beats every son who accepts him. “If I love them, I rebuke and punish,” says the Lord (Proverbs 3:12, Rev. 3:19). Let the righteous not envy the sinners and the good the evil, for for a very short time they were given this abundance and space, and then suddenly eternal sorrow and oppression will befall them. “Do not be afraid, when a man becomes rich, or when the glory of his house increases, for if he dies, he will not take it all,” says the prophet (Ps. 49:17-18). 2. Often good people are surprised by the evil ones, that the evil ones live in abundance and prosperity, and the good ones in oppression, as the prophet says: “My legs almost shook, my feet almost slipped. For I was jealous of the wicked, seeing the peace of sinners; since God does not turn away from them at their death, and His punishment for them is not strong. They are not at human work, and they will not tolerate scourging with people” (Ps. 73:2-5). Their repositories are full, abundant in both. Their sheep are prolific: they multiply in their pastures. Their oxen are fat. There are no falling fences, no loss, no crying in their squares. They pleased the people who have this. And blessed is that people whose all is the Lord their God (Ps. 143:13-15). Prophet Jeremiah says: “Why is the way of the wicked sung? You planted them, and they took root” (Jer. 12:1-2). 3. All saints spent their entire lives in sorrow and sorrow, in suffering, patience and persecution. Are you the only one who wants to be without any suffering and sadness? Are you the only one who wants to be rejected from the elect of God when you don’t want to endure anything?! Let this not happen! But do not be discouraged in soul: there is no sorrow that will not pass; There is no joy that does not change: “the evening will end with mourning and the morning with joy,” says the prophet (Ps. 29:6). Joy is not connected with joy, and sorrow is not connected with sorrow. This life is changeable: it is like a wreath decorated with different - varied - flowers. Sorrow is not always sorrow, and joy is not always joy. But the Lord usually sends both to His servants alternately, so that they always adhere to One God. 4. What saint lived in this century without sorrow - in space and peace? None. Haven’t we all spent our lives in patience, in sorrows, in troubles, in hardships, in wounds, in prisons, in troubles, in labors, in vigils, in fastings, in hunger and thirst - in long-suffering, as the apostle says (2 Cor. 11:23-29). But the saints, although they endured many troubles and misfortunes, were not offended and were not corrupted - but you are embarrassed by even the smallest thing, grieve madly and become corrupted! The saints, having sinned a little, suffered a lot - but you commit a lot of lawlessness and don’t want to endure anything?! The saints rejoiced in the Lord when they were persecuted, dishonored, beaten, tormented, crushed: the apostles “went rejoicing on behalf of the council, because for the name of the Lord Jesus I was counted worthy to receive dishonor” (Acts 5:41) - and you, having not endured even the slightest thing, are madly grieving, worrying and despairing?! This is your extreme madness! 5. Remember, starting from the prophets and apostles and even to the last servants of God - remember, especially the Lord Himself, who rules over all, how much He suffered and endured for us in this world? He was strangled, spat on, dragged, and finally suffered a bitter and blasphemous death - on the cross. Christ's entire life in the flesh was patience and suffering. And His disciples ended their lives in sorrow and persecution: some - in sorrows and persecution, others - in exile and confiscation of property, others - in illness and wounds, others - in greed and thirst and in extreme poverty: “they walked in fleeces and goatskins, deprivation, sorrow, embitterment, even though the whole world is worthy of them, wandering in the deserts, and in mountains and dens and chasms of the earth,” as the apostle says (Heb. 11:37–38). And no one in this world lives without sadness, for it is impossible to pass from death to life except in this way. Wine, or oil, or wax does not flow except through the squeezing of a sharpener (a machine), and no good deed is accomplished except through heroic deeds and labors. All the righteous whitened their vestments in great sorrow and suffering - they washed their robes in the blood of lambs, says the Seer of Mysteries (Apoc. 7:14). 6. Do not be fearful and unfaithful, fearing sorrow and patience - so that you will not be ashamed in the future life. Do not be afraid of sorrow and patience, having God as your helper, who contains everything, so that you will not be ridiculed like a child. “Do not be afraid,” it is said, “from those who kill the body but cannot touch the soul” (Matthew 10:28); but take courage and be strong, like a perfect man, and be a winner: “He who overcomes,” it is said, “will inherit everything, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.” To the fearful and unfaithful, and to the abominable and murderers, and to those who commit fornication and to perform enchantments, to idolaters, and to all who lie, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and the bogeyman, which is the second death,” said the Lord (Rev. 21:7-8). 7. In any case, do not be angry with those who insult you and do not grieve if someone has offended you in any way, but it is better to pray to God in repentance and humility, for it was not in vain that God allowed this to happen to you, but for your correction and humility. The one who is offended by an educator or mentor who leads him to correction is mad. Do not grieve if you suffer something from someone without reason, but recognize yourself as deserving of it - endure it with gratitude, as some kind of goal for your soul. For it is better to endure something without guilt than to suffer deservedly; It is better to suffer unjustly than with justice; better here than there. It is better for you to suffer from someone for God’s sake than for someone else to suffer from you, for it is not a great thing if you do something evil to someone, but it is a great thing if you, for God’s sake, suffer something evil from someone for no reason. If you endure it as if you were guilty, then you have no praise; If you endure without any guilt - for the sake of truth, then you are blessed: “What praise is there if you endure torment for sin? But if you do good and endure suffering, this is acceptable in the sight of God, for this is why you are called quickly,” says the apostle (1 Pet. 2:20-21). 8. “Have patience with everyone, repaying no one evil for evil, providing kindness to all people, not taking revenge on yourself, loving, but giving place to anger, for it is written: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord (Rom. 12:12, 17, 19). “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” says the apostle (Rom. 12:21). If one is evil, then let the other be kind. If one is mad, then let the other be reasonable. If both are mad, both are evil (rage), then the evil will be indestructible - there will be irreconcilable enmity. “I will require patience, so that having done the will of God, you will send the promise,” says the apostle (Heb. 10:36). When we are darkened by pride and self-indulgence, we become clearer through sorrow and patience. When we are exalted with honor and glory, we are humbled by dishonor and human slander. When we are desecrated (sprinkled with the dust of voluptuousness and carnality), we are cleansed (wiped off) by humiliation and reproach. Therefore, do not be too irritated at the one who insults you, but be more angry at your sin, which stirs up your heart against him. 9 . To endure for Christ’s sake is greater than all exploits and virtuous deeds, and to endure nothing means clearly doing everything evil, and, in any case, such a person is alien to the grace of the Lord. I think that if someone in some supposedly good deed does not have obstacles and sorrow, then it is obvious that his deed is not yet pleasing to God and is not disgusting to the demon. But to always be in patience and sorrow for God’s sake - this alone can unite us with God, the rest is unknown. So, having gratefully endured all the sorrows for God’s sake, you will receive eternal bliss from the Lord - you will be “crowned” on the land of the living. Do not avoid patience and sorrows, for through them you enter into true reason. Do not run from patience and sorrows, for through them you are cleansed from sins. Do not boast of pride and do not overflow with carnal pleasures - so that you do not become like the “woman sitting on the beast” of fornication and all sorts of temporary pleasures and saying: “Behold, I sit as a queen and am not a widow, and I am not able to see weeping.” But all evil will come upon her, and her destruction will be revealed to everyone, says the Seer of Mysteries (Rev. 17:3, 18:7, 8). 10. But do not give yourself over to adversity - do not expose yourself to temptation, but pray to the Lord, saying: “Do not lead me, Lord, into temptation, but deliver me from the evil one!” (Matthew 6:13). The prophet suggests this idea, so as not to spontaneously expose himself to adversity, when he says: “Do not let your feet fall into confusion; below you will slumber, guard...Israel” (Ps. 121:3–4). Don’t want adversity too much so that you can endure it later... And don’t fall into adversity yourself, but gratefully endure what is allowed at God’s discretion. The Lord Himself, teaching us and showing that He is a Man, praying to the Father, said: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26:39). More than once he walked away, saving himself from adversity. But, showing voluntary obedience, he said: “Neither is my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The Lord did this in order to show us an image in Himself, so that we could do the same. To endure everything that happens valiantly 1. “Through your patience gain your souls,” says the Lord (Luke 21:19), “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22). A patient man is like the hardest adamant, and an impatient man is like a reed easily shaken by the winds. “An impatient man is double-minded (and arrogant), unsettled in all his ways,” says the apostle (James 1:8), and will never win any victory, but the patient one will easily win and receive everything. If the martyrs did not have patience, they would not have been crowned and would not have received such glory and honor. 2. The Lord, with His face, taught us patience, showing us the Image in Himself: having been innocent of death, He died for our sake on the cross, so that for His sake we too would endure everything with joy. Whoever we reproach against is not reproached, suffering is not forgiven: “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that sins having been put away...we may live; by whose plague we are all healed,” says the Apostle (1 Pet. 2:24). So, endure everything with joy - so that you can hear the voice saying: “For now you have kept the word of My patience, and I will keep you from the time of temptation, which would come on the whole world” (Rev. 3:10). 3. By patience on the cross, Christ defeated the enemy, with patience condemned death, with patience destroyed hell, drove away darkness, brought about our salvation, in a word: what our Forefather Adam destroyed through intemperance and impatience, our Savior gained by tasting sorrows and enduring the cross. If He suffered so much for our sake, if He endured so much for our sake, then won’t you tolerate even a little for His sake? Let this not happen. Therefore, bravely endure in this temporary life all kinds of sorrows sent from God, so that in the next century you can rejoice in this forever. For he who does not endure sorrows here will not be rewarded with joys later. 4. “Blessed is the man who, when he has endured temptation, will receive the crown of life,” says the apostle (James 1:12). One of the forty martyrs of Sebaste had no patience and suddenly in the bath he dissolved like water, and those who endured received incorruptible crowns: the one who did not suffer a little destroyed everything, but those who endured to the end were crowned forever. An impatient person is always like a madman. If something happens that is contrary to him, that does not agree with the desires of his heart, then he lashes out at everyone, grumbles at everyone, blames everyone except himself, and justifies himself in every possible way. And you, be always nailed to the cross of patience—endure everything with joy. If demons tell you every day: “Come down from the cross of patience and suffering, enjoy your rest,” and as the Jews said to Christ: “come down from the cross and we will believe in You” (Matthew 27:42, Mark 15:32). But you never weaken and do not go down, but always remain on the cross of patience and courage, like Moses, when he had his arms outstretched crosswise, he defeated Amalek, and when he weakened and gave up, he was defeated. And you, when you always remain in constant patience and courage, will overcome the enemy - the mental Amalek, but if you become weak and lazy, you will be defeated by him. 5. “I have endured the Lord and listened to me,” says the prophet (Ps. 39:2). “The patience of the needy will not perish until the end” (Ps. 9:19). The Lord listens to long-suffering, but turns away from cowardice (arrogance). The patient follow after Him, and the impatient - the cowardly - turn away from Him: “many,” it is said, “I return and whoever does not walk with Jesus, saying: The word is cruel, who can listen to Him?” (John 6:60, 66). “Woe to you who have lost patience, and what will you do when the Lord visits?” - says Sirach (Sir.2:14). An impatient and cowardly man, according to the Gospel parable, is like one who builds his church on ice or sand, and not on the stone of patience and hope (Luke 6:48–49). 6. “As much as you, human being, are evil, do not renounce suffering, so that through this evil suffering you can get rid of evil,” someone said. As is the ulcer, so is the healing. As great is the sin, so great must be its purpose. As great is the sin, so great must be the suffering. Therefore, remember your many shortcomings, never renounce the goal of patience. Having seen your mental health, you will then greatly rejoice in the purpose of patience and give thanks to God for this, that He healed you. 7. So, gratefully endure everything that happens to you. If it happens that someone causes you sadness, then do not blame him for it, but yourself. For it was not in vain that God allowed this to happen to you, but (the message of destinies) for your correction: nothing happens without God. God often, while healing you, allows various temptations, and you, accepting this ungratefully, blame others and not yourself! Don't blame anyone, but blame yourself for taking it rightly. A long-suffering husband is better than a strong (strong) man: a patient man is strong (much) in wisdom, and a strong, but cowardly man is without intelligence. 8. Do not be offended by someone who insults you, but rather endure it gratefully. For it is better to be insulted by someone than to insult someone, it is better to suffer dishonor than to dishonor someone, to be reproached than to be reproached, to be offended than to offend. It is not a great thing to offend or dishonor someone, but it is a great thing if you, offended and dishonored, gratefully endure it. For offending and dishonoring another, punishment follows, and for patience there is great reward and honor from God. 9 . What will he learn who, wanting to learn something, does not have patience in learning? Who, not tolerating treatment, will heal an ulcer? Who, without patiently carrying the cross of patience on his shoulders, can follow Christ? Nobody. All who wanted to follow Him prepared themselves for patience and temptation, according to what was said: “If you begin to work for the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation” (Sir. 2:1), - guide your heart and be patient, says Sirach. The boy grieves and is embarrassed when he learns, but when he learns, he rejoices greatly. The sick person grieves and cries, not wanting to endure the bitter application of the ulcers, but when he recovers, he greatly thanks the doctor. It happens in this too. 10. Calling us to Himself, the Lord encourages us to patience and spiritual warfare. “If anyone,” he says, “want to follow Me, let him deny himself, that is, the self-love of his will, and take up his cross, the cross of patience and courage, and let him follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). But he who does not take up the cross of patience and courage and does not want to endure anything even small, how can he follow Him? No way. For he who has not passed through the fire and water of patience, how can he enter to rest? The prophet says: “I passed through fire and water, and brought us into rest” (Ps. 65:12). weapon, defeat hell - the mental Amalek. For you cannot defeat it in any way except through patience and abstinence: with it you will drive away demons, quench the flames of Gehenna, finally tame passions, get rid of torment and sorrow - you will inherit eternal life and be rewarded with everlasting blessings in Christ Jesus - our Lord. About not being lazy, but always being sober—watchful—in the work of God 1. Be, human being, always warm and diligent, burning in spirit. Do not be cold and despondent, so as not to hear the word spoken to you: “Even though you are warm, not cold..., but as if you were stupefied, the imam vomited you out of my mouth” (Apoc. 3:16). Take care, stay awake - be sober, do not waste in vain the time of your life, given to you for the correction of your soul, for the acquisition of eternal blessings. See to it that not a single day passes idlely. For if you destroy in vain, you will not have anything else later: if it has already passed, it has passed, and you cannot return the lost time. Therefore, do not waste your days in vain, but proportionate your correction as your days pass. It is not for nothing that this temporary life was given to you, but so that you always—every day—learn, and prosper, and perform feats of virtue, and so that you never be idle. 2. This age is not peace and repose, but there is struggle and war, market and purchase, school and sea voyage. There is no peace in war and strife; in school and in the marketplace, as well as in sea voyages, one cannot be calm and carefree. Who goes to sea without fear and sadness? Who is in the army without fear? Who is at peace in the marketplace and in school? Nobody. Therefore, do not be lazy in the work of God and do not become discouraged, but strive and work. Now is your harvest; now a market place; now purchase. Reap, buy, so as not to remain without anything, not to be condemned, not to be alien to the grace of God. Having accepted a talent, do not destroy it, but multiply it, so that you do not hear: “O wicked and lazy servant, ... it was fitting for you to give my money to a trader, and when I came, I took what I had with interest” (Matthew 25:26-27); and you not only did not multiply, but also destroyed everything through your laziness and negligence. What will you say on the day of the Last Judgment, when you will be tested in detail in everything? Pay attention to yourself! 3. Do not bury the talent that has been given to you in the land of laziness and insensibility, but try, be sober, be vigilant - constantly add fire to fire, heat to heat, in order to aggravate it, so that, having multiplied and aggravated what was given to you, on that day you can boldly say before the Lord: “Behold, Lord, I have acquired five other talents” (Matthew 25:20) - and hear from The Lord’s sweet voice: “Good servant and faithful, you have been faithful in small things, I will put you over many things; enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:21). 4. If you do not multiply the talent given to you by God, but you diminish and destroy it, if you do not climb the mountain of virtues, but go down, if you do not add fire to fire and zeal to zeal every day, but completely cool down and become petrified, then, finally, your fall will be worthy of crying and sobbing. But it is better for you to do good than evil, it is better to be sober and watchful. For for evil you will suffer torment, and for good there will be great reward, for sobriety and vigor - praise, and for laziness - condemnation and execution. Therefore, watch every day and be sober: “Be faithful,” it says, “until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). The demon is sober, awake, never sleeps, but walks like a lion, roaring, looking for someone to devour from those who oppose him, so you always be sober, stay awake and never rest in carelessness, in order to avoid his nets woven for you. 5. The wise Solomon encourages and teaches you to always work, saying: “Go to the world, O lazy one, and be jealous, having seen his ways, and be the wisest of him: for he is not a farmer, who is inferior to him, who has a lower position under his ruler, prepares food for the harvest, and prepares much in the summer; or go to the bee, and see, since she is a worker, and if she does honest work, even though kings and simpletons use their labors for health, she is loved by everyone and is glorious: although she is weak in strength, she has been produced in wisdom” (Prov. 6:6-8). And he also said: “How long, O lazy one, will you lie down? When will you wake up from sleep? Sleep a little, sit a little, doze a little, embrace your chest with your hands a little: then the traveler will find you like an evil traveler - wretchedness: poverty like a good flow. If you are not lazy, your harvest will come like a spring, but poverty will run away like an evil stream” (Prov. 6:9-11). Therefore, always do everything good, prosper day by day, for the present is a time of doing, and there is a time of retribution, the present is a time of labor, and there is peace, the present is of sorrow and patience, and then of weddings and honors. The present time is a time of weeping and lamentation, but the future is of joy and joy. 6. Do not fall asleep, man, in this age and never be “provided for,” but always be alert and cautious, always be sober and be thorough. For you have one thing ahead of you: either defeat the enemy, or be defeated by him; either to be with God, or to separate from Him; either save yourself or die. It cannot be otherwise. For you will never find peace and quiet in this age, you will not inherit silence and weakness. Therefore, while you live in this century, never be fearless and carefree, but always be ready to fight and fight. This world was created not for peace and rest, but for work and exploits, not for silence and consolation, but for struggle and warfare. So, strive, labor, be sober, while you have time, while you have an hour. You would very much like the time you wasted in vain to be returned to you, but you will not get this if you waste this time. You have one time, but you will never have the other. Therefore, work a little willingly, so that later you do not experience many troubles involuntarily. Work diligently for a short hour, so that later you will receive much grace from the Lord and be worthy of an eternally blessed life. 7. He is worthy of crying who, seeing himself rotting and being eaten by worms, does not bother to destroy the worms, but rather agrees to rot and be eaten by worms than to be healed and healed. All the more worthy not only of crying and sobbing, but also of condemnation is the one who, seeing himself rotting and eaten by worms of various passions, does not care about the complete healing of his mental illness and to achieve a quiet refuge of the Divine love of the Lord and knowledge, does not care with all his soul to be salted with the salt of the Holy Spirit in order to be a perfect dwelling place for the Lord, but agrees better to be rotten and always tormented and eaten by worms of various demonic passionate torments, rather than being healed and united with God. 8. Spare not the flesh for Christ's sake, because He created it; Do not protect your nature from suffering, because He will again heal and renew what is fragmented and scattered. Do not spare Him the opportunity to bring your entire being to Him, so that you may again receive it from Him in deep honor. Do not spare yourself, but suffer for Christ’s sake, just as He suffered for your sake. Do you not see that others spend their lives in great troubles: in great need in this world, they eat bread? They don’t have enough food, they don’t have anything to cover their nakedness, they give great tributes, they endure many sorrows and misfortunes, but they always take care of themselves and do not turn away from God. And you, being free from everything, relieved from everything, do not care at all about your soul, do not try at all to please God, but are lazy and despondent - you do not want to work on earth at all, in labor itself you seek peace, in darkness you seek light, in death you seek life. But know that you will never find this here and will never see it. Eternal rest is in the Lord God alone. 9 . If you were faced with, on the one hand, temporary suffering, and on the other, eternal suffering: on the one hand, for a short hour, and on the other, forever, tell me: which of them would you agree to? I know that I would have agreed to a temporary one, even if it was very difficult. Or if someone said: work for me one day or one week, serve faithfully, and for this I will give you all wealth, all abundant pleasure for a thousand years. Wouldn't you like it? I would wish her, even if the work was very great. For a real small feat, like in one day or a year, God promised to give you a lot of all kinds of wealth and pleasure, “them no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the heart of man has not sighed” (1 Cor. 2:9), - not for a thousand years, not for two, not for three, but for eternity, having no end... Why aren’t you zealous about this?! 10. There is goodness, having worked a little in this timeless age, to gain eternal peace, once having learned and been enlightened, to have it with you forever. It is good, having once acquired eternal wealth, to never – forever – be poor. It is good to grieve and be sad for Christ’s sake for a little while, and then rejoice and be merry forever and ever. Blessed is he who is worthy of this. Blessed is he who receives this. Blessed is the one who in this short time and with his little labor and deed will find eternal life, everlasting pleasure and wealth! About not being lazy and not being discouraged, but always - day and night - being diligent and taking care of yourself 1. Be zealous, man, be zealous for God - day and night - cry out day and night, have unceasing care for yourself: now you have time, now you have an hour, then you will not have anything else, even if you wanted. Do not waste in vain the time given to you to acquire eternal blessings, for time is short and things to do are endless. The market is dispersing - it is a difficult purchase: take care, be sober, have constant care so that you do not find yourself naked on the day of the Last Judgment. Do this today, do something else tomorrow, and thus never lag behind the task - never be idle. Remember how they suffer, how they work, how they care about temporary glory, about perishable wealth, about vain things. How come you do not care, how are you not zealous about acquiring eternal blessings, but are you lazy and restful? I tell you: be diligent, work, worry, while you have time, while you have the hour - so that you do not waste in vain the time given to you to acquire eternal life. 2. You are on the path of this century - go; you are on the spring ice - don’t be careless; you are in the battle of this world - fight; You're at a temporary market - buy. Be careful that you do not return to your eternal home naked—having nothing. You see that others are constantly leaving here - soon you too will leave, they are constantly dying - and you will soon die, but you don’t know at what time, at what hour - today or tomorrow, in the morning or in the evening, at noon or at midnight, so never be “fearless.” The thing before you is not small, but great, not temporary, but eternal. So, strive diligently, do not be lazy, do not lose heart; A feat awaits you, victory awaits you; The hero of heroism looks, the crowns are ready, honor, glory and indispensable pleasure await. The faces of angels, archangels and all heavenly powers “behold” and marvel; The councils of all saints await with strong desire, hoping to receive you. 3. Man, have warm zeal for the Lord, do not be lazy, so that everything you do will be hasty and joyful, so that everything will be desirable and loved. You are lazy and despondent because you do not love the Lord with all your heart, for to those who do not love the Lord the path leading to eternal life seems narrow and regrettable. If someone truly loves Him, he will not have any difficulty in this, but everything will be joyful and desirable to him. The saints, who truly and deeply loved God, considered all work to be easy, sorrow to be carefree, and sorrow to be unsorrowful. Some, inflamed by Divine love, could not satisfy their desire for God even during sleep, just as they despised food and drink itself; could not get enough of His most holy name, His most pure Divine words. Did they so inflame their souls with Divine love that they forgot whether they were in the body or outside the body? And with joy - for the sake of Christ - they gave themselves up to death. So some were inflamed with Divine love that, as in other people’s bodies, they labored in fasting, prayer and vigil, for the sake of strong love for God they gave themselves over to wounds and killing and did not feel pain, for for the sake of the beloved everything is loved and desired. But to us, who do not truly love our Lord, precisely because we do not love, even an easy task seems difficult, and an easy task seems difficult, and a convenient task seems inconvenient. Let us love the Lord truly - and everything with us will be hasty and desirable, everything with us will be joyful, kind and convenient: “to him who loves God, all things work for good,” says the Apostle (Rom. 8:28). 4. Ascend - day by day - to the highest levels: succeed in virtues and deeds; Don’t be lazy, don’t indulge in wickedness, don’t give yourself rest, don’t give in to weakness, don’t give in to repose. For the present time is not a time of peace and repose, but a time of effort and diligence. Demons do not rest, but are awake and constantly preparing snares and snares along all the paths of your march: they watch, look out for your death, expect your separation from the flesh, and use various tricks, wanting to put an obstacle for you and catch you with something so that you do not escape from their nets. Do not think that in this age there is peace and quiet: here there is struggle and warfare. Therefore, always be awake and do not indulge in carelessness. You will calm down when you win, when you free yourself from the enemy’s snares, when, having filled your soul with holy love for God, you unite with Him. 5. Remember how much people suffer and worry for the sake of perishable and fleeting things, do not get enough sleep at night, never give themselves rest - in merchants, in art, in arable farming, in wars, in sea voyages, in traveling to distant countries and in other various cares and labors! And you, for the sake of eternal and immortal blessings, do not want to work hard, but you are lazy and become insensitive. But wake up, be sober and take care of yourself. Why are you lazy? Why do you remain feeling nothing? Why are you wasting your time? Or have you already finished everything? Or have you already won? Or are you already free from warfare? Or have you already united with God? Pay attention to yourself: what are you doing? What do you buy in the marketplace of life? The market disperses; the sun is setting towards evening; the court awaits at the door; the harvest comes; your life is coming to an end day by day. Why are you sitting idle? Why are you worried in the hustle and bustle? Who, sleeping or sitting, at the time of sowing, at the time of harvest, gathers the fruit? Who takes away the grapes he has not planted? Fruits are the property of those who labored, and honor and crowns of those who won, as someone says. 6. Why don’t you cry out earnestly to God, on Whom you depend entirely? Why are you sitting idle? Why don’t you collect “good” while there is time, while there is an hour? Timelessness will come when you will not be able to do. Your time is like one day. Cry out to God, be sober, work, buy, make, gather, reap, while there is a harvest, while the weather is fine, before night falls, until winter comes, during which, although you would like to do something, you will not be able to. Who, being lazy and not caring, acquires temporary wealth? Which of the careless and careless enjoys honor and glory? Who, without doing anything, receives a bribe? Nobody. If this temporary thing is not given to those who do not try, who do not care, much less will it be given to such people that endures forever. 7. Your age is ending, death is near you, the grave and judgment are ready, the demons cannot wait; Why are you sitting idle? Why do you laugh at vanity and remain as if immortal? Rise up, rise up, sober up, open your eyes, open your ears, open your memory, come to your senses, look at the sun, look at the moon, look at the heavenly elements: they are constantly moving, showing the diminishment of your life, they never rest, they “do not rest.” Why are you lazy? Why do you always rest, “rest”? Remember how the saints worked, what zeal and zeal they had for God! Remember what exploits and deeds they showed - they labored as if in other people’s bodies, they despised fame, wealth, bodily pleasures; they despised the flesh and their very health; we loved nothing in this world; they preferred nothing to the love of Christ... Why are you so cold and sad? But wake up, wake up and take constant care of yourself: not only be zealous today, but don’t stop tomorrow, not just today, but don’t be lazy tomorrow; always be equally awake, always equally sober and never give yourself rest - so that you will be rewarded with eternal life. 8. Hurry diligently to Christ, do not stop at anything temporary - follow Him diligently. You see that this world is deceiving and perverse. You see that nothing in him is permanent and unchanging, but everything, as in a sleepy dream, changes: now there is silence, and tomorrow there is confusion; today there is joy, and tomorrow there is crying; Today there is joy, and tomorrow there is sorrow; today health, and tomorrow illness; today life, and tomorrow death. Nothing here is permanent, everything is changeable. Every day brings change. If you are joyful today, then expect sadness in the morning; if you are healthy today, expect illness tomorrow. If you are alive today, then expect death tomorrow. You will not always be in the same position as you are now, but expect a sudden change every day. Therefore, go diligently to Christ, for in this alone there is unchanging silence and eternal peace; in this alone there is indispensable joy and ever-present pleasure - and nowhere else, for everywhere is vanity, charm, lies and impermanence. 9 . Always be ready, as if you were going on a journey, and have constant care about this. Isn’t someone who wants to go on a long—temporary—journey diligently preparing? Doesn't he who goes to buy something earthly prepare what he needs? Aren’t you preparing to set off on the inevitable journey – to the eternal marketplace?! Why are you lazy and despondent about this? This is the effect of your petrification. On your way to immortality, you are lazy! Marching towards eternal glory, you become discouraged! Hurrying towards everlasting pleasure, you lament! Who is lazy when going to an earthly feast? Who mourns, having the honor and glory of this world to receive? Who is afraid, wanting to accept temporary wealth? Nobody. But everyone is excited, everyone is diligently caring about this and trying. And since it is vain and short-lived, you should always be zealous in the work of God. Do not grieve and do not be discouraged, but have fun and do not be embarrassed, because for a little work you will have a great and eternal reward. 10. So, get ready, man, - constantly prepare to meet the heavenly Bridegroom, the sweet Lord Jesus - so that you can meet Him with the burning lamp of your heart and a warm soul. This alone will stay with you forever. Always light the lamp of your heart. Watch that it does not fade away in you and does not leave you in the darkness of insensibility and laziness. Be careful that the doors of the Lord’s mercy are not closed to you and that you remain outside the palace of Christ. Prepare to receive the Lord of glory within you. Open your heart, expand your soul - accept Him who stands at the door of your heart, constantly pushing into your soul and saying: “Behold, I stand at the door and talk, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door of his heart, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me,” says the Lord (Rev. 3:20), to whom be glory and honor now, and ever and ever, amen. About always arousing yourself to the zeal and warmth of the Lord 1. Come, O man, and see! Come and glorify your Lord! Come and sing praises to your Lord! Come, fall before the Lord and weep before him who created you! Come, fall down and confess to His Holy Name! “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 33:9). “Sing to His name, for it is good!” (Ps. 134:3). 2. Come, you hungry and thirsty, be satisfied with Divine food! Come, darkened one, enjoy the ever-present light! Come, you who are in chains, enjoy freedom! Come, mortal, cleave to the Immortal - so that you will be delivered from eternal death and be honored with eternal life. 3. Come, mournful and sorrowful, enjoy everlasting joy! Come, sad and petrified, and you will burn like fire! Come, beggar, and may you be enriched with eternal wealth! Come, naked, so that you may be clothed with immortal glory and clothed, like a robe, with the light of the grace of the Lord! 4. Arise, arise, O man, and be sober! Rise up and fall to the Lord God, who created you! Arouse your feelings and light the lamp of your heart - may it not go out for you and may it not leave you in the darkness of insensibility! 5. Open, open, O man, your soul to receive the Lord of glory: behold, the Judge stands at the door of your heart and knocks so that you open to Him and He comes in to you, and eats with you, and remains with your soul forever and ever, never leaving you. 6. Excite, man, excite your feelings! Wake up, don't be lazy, don't be discouraged! Do not spare the flesh, do not spare the soul - may you receive the crown of incorruption! Lift up your eyes to the Lord and recognize His grace and all the mystery about you. 7. Do not ignore the time given to you to acquire eternal blessings, “for the Lord is coming soon upon the clouds, with glory and much power, to reward everyone according to his deeds. And every eye will see Him, and those who are like Him will cry, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn for Him” (Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7, 22:12). Blessed is he who keeps the commandments of the Lord. Blessed is he who keeps His commandments. He will come, he will come, and will not tarry. 8. Raise, raise, O man, the intelligent eyes of your heart to God and kindle your heart to His Divine love. Arouse your soul to His Divine desire. Like a blind man, you continually cry out to God: “Son of David, Son of God, have mercy on me (Luke 18:38–39), show mercy to me, teach me to understand, teach me to do Your will—your commandments! And I will live." 9 . Have all your desires, all your desires in God. Place all your trust and hope in God: there you will be completely saved, there you will remain completely and always - for this purpose you were created; hurry there day and night; do not give yourself even a little rest and slumber until you receive what you are looking for, until you find a place for the Lord - “a habitation for the God of Jacob” (Ps. 132:5). 10. Let nothing tear you away, let nothing hinder you, let nothing forbid you, let nothing cut you off from the love of the Lord and from His Divine desire, neither tribulation, nor distress, nor famine, nor persecution, nor fire, nor sword (Rom. 8:35). For He is your life, He is your salvation, He is your joy, and gladness, and everlasting pleasure, and eternal peace. About directing all your desire towards God and clinging to Him with love 1. Always cry out unceasingly to the Lord your God with all your heart so that you may be united with Him. Raise all your desires and intentions to Him - so that you always have Him with you. Sigh to Him day and night, so that you may be completely immersed in His love. 2. How can you not cry out to God? How can you not direct all your desire to Him? How can you not love Him with all your heart? How can you not cleave to Him with all your soul and with all your strength? For He is your God, your glory. Your salvation, your eternal life. 3. Fall with burning love towards your Lord; cleave to Him with all your heart; love Him with all your soul and put nothing above His love. For this is eternal life for you, that you may know the Lord your God, and love Him with all your heart, and cleave to Him with all your soul. 4. Have a heart of grief toward God, turning away from everything earthly, as unreliable and deceptive. Nail your heart where you will be with Him forever. Strive there, where you have your beginning and existence. 5. Look around and you will see that there is nothing reliable in the world except to always be with God and enjoy His Divine glory with Him, forever having fun about Him. Everything else is vain - everything will perish, but this alone will remain forever. 6. Do not be discouraged, man, do not be discouraged, and do not grow cold in the Divine love of the Lord, but always burn and flame in His love, always inflame your heart, always cry out to Him - so that you will not remain in the darkness of insensibility and petrification. 7. Arise, O man, ascend in love to the Lord your God. Every day, believe in your heart a successful ascent - so that you ascend to Him unceasingly, day and night, with desire and love, and cleave to Him with all your soul. 8. Have your heart wounded with love for God. Always turn to Him the longed-for words of the Lord: “I am wounded by your love and kindness, my sweetest bridegroom! I flow after You, into the stench of Your peace, which my soul desires, which my heart loves” (Song. 1). 9 . Have all your desire and consolation in God and always cry out to Him with the prophet: “In the same way that the trees desire the springs of water, so my soul desires You, O God” (Ps. 41:2). And: “My God, my soul thirsts for Thee in the morning, since my flesh multiplies in Thee!” (Ps.62:2). 10. May the Lord alone be your goal and intention, His most holy love your refuge and hope. Be captivated by desire and love for Him in order to receive what you seek and boldly say: “Come and see, I have received what I was looking for, and I have found what I desired, the sweet Lord Jesus!” About having love for the Lord alone and not esteeming anything higher than His love 1. May your heart always be wounded by Divine love, so that you can follow Christ with zeal, day and night. Cling to Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that everything for you will be successful and free from failures, so that everything will be desirable - “good” and joyful, so that you will not doubt your salvation. 2. Burn and inflame with Divine love, so that this will always be your consolation. Direct all your zeal and desire to Him - so that you will be completely immersed in His love and remain “one” with Him, never being separated. 3. Let nothing separate you from the Divine love of the Lord, let nothing hinder you, let nothing stop it in you - neither fire, nor sword, nor surface, nor persecution, nor depth, nor height, neither present nor future, but let it alone always remain in your soul. 4. Try, be sober and apply diligence to diligence every day - may you always ascend to Him with desire and love, may you always inflame your heart towards Him, may you be all in God and God in you, may you find a quiet refuge for your soul and be worthy of eternal blessings. 5. Seek the Lord day and night with all your heart and with all your soul - yes, having found Him, you will find eternal treasure and wealth and be filled with all good things: “those who seek Him will not be deprived of any good” (Ps. 33:11) and will receive great grace and mercy. 6. Have all your hope, all your treasure, all your wealth in God; Place all your glory and delight in Him. This alone is neither seductive nor vain. This alone will remain with you in the future eternal life, and you will receive the good part, which will not be taken away from you forever. 7. Always - day and night - cry out unceasingly to God, morning day and night to God, day and night seek God - that you may find Him, that you may find the One you seek, “if you seek, He will certainly find, and if you ask, He will receive without a doubt, and it will be opened to the one who interprets,” said the Lord (Matthew 7:8). Remember that all the saints had great zeal and unquenchable love for God. Because of their strong love for God, they sometimes even forgot: do you have anything in the body that you could say on the day of judgment? 8. Why does not the most holy name of the Lord Jesus become sweet to you? Why doesn’t your stony heart kindle and flare up? Why do you prefer the seductive dark vanity to the joyful - sweet - cry to the Lord? Why do you prefer accursed, relaxing laziness to a zealous and warm exclamation to God? Cry, cry, do not be lazy, cry out to Him carefully - “without feeling tired.” Do not let your eyes sleep and the apples of your eyes slumber. Until you find the One you are looking for, and receive what you want, and unite with the Ever-Existing One. 9 . Love your Lord with all your heart, with all your strength and with all your soul, so that you may be capable and zealous for all God-pleasing deeds. Now you are burdened and discouraged in the creation of a work pleasing to God because you do not sincerely - “not truly” - love your Lord. If you truly loved God, you would not be lazy in glorifying His most holy name, you would not lose heart in a work pleasing to God: “If you loved Me,” said the Lord, “they quickly rejoiced in Me” (John 14:28). If you love Him with all your heart, you will not be lazy. If you cleave to Him with all your soul, everything will be joyful, loved, and desirable for you, for to the one who loves God, everything is loved and desirable for His sake. 10. All the glory and riches of this world are vanity; all pleasure and lust of the flesh are deception; all external, earthly love is a lie and hypocrisy. There is only one thing that does not have even a shadow of deception: to love the One God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, to cleave to Him and not consider anything higher than His love. This alone will remain with you forever; This is only one thing that is alien to seduction. In this is eternal life for you; This is endless joy and everlasting pleasure. May He Himself alone be your consolation and eternal pleasure, may His most holy love be your joy and gladness. You won’t find anything better and more honest than this, either on earth or in heaven. Have this more than all treasures, more precious than all the valuable margaritas and adamants. May this alone be your eternal consolation, and joy, and gladness, glory and pleasure. For to this belongs all glory, honor and power with His beginningless Father and with His Most Holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen. This is the end of thirty-three chapters. These chapters are compiled according to the number of years of the Lord’s earthly life. Let him who has read these chapters take care with diligence, leaving behind childish wisdom, to become a “perfect man” and reach “the measure of the stature of the fulfillment of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). The following five-sensory chapters so that the one who reads them every day, always, raises his deep - five-numbered - feelings (External and Internal) to God and, having become above everything visible and intelligible, flies with his mind “on the wing”, and, being immersed in the depths of the mind and mysterious knowledge, being, moreover, inexpressibly and unknown, united in a secret union with the invisible, incessantly with the heart and mind always lifted up these verses, fervently crying out: “I will love You, O Lord, my strength, the Lord is my strength” (Ps. 17:2-3), and so on. The first verse of a kind invocation to God 1. “I will love You, O Lord, my strength! The Lord is my strength, and my refuge, and my Deliverer, my God, my Helper, and I trust in Him, my Defender, and the horn of my salvation, and my Advocate; I will call upon the Lord with praise, and I will be saved from my enemies” (Psalm 17:2-4). 2. “How beloved is Your village, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs and ends for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh rejoiced in the living God. Blessed are those who live in Your house; they will praise You forever and ever. Better is one day in Thy courts, O Lord, than a thousand. I would like to sneak into the house of my God rather than live in the villages of sinners” (Psalm 84:2-3, 5, 11). 3. “If I have loved Your law, O Lord! I have my teaching all day long. How sweet is Your word to my throat! More than honey to my lips. For this reason I have hated every path of unrighteousness. The lamp of my feet is Your law and the light of my paths. Your justifications are desirable, O Lord, more precious than gold and stone, and sweeter than honey and honeycomb” (Ps. 119:97, 103–105, 18:11). 4. “How good is the God of Israel with a right heart! Since You have hidden the great abundance of Your Goodness, O Lord, from those who fear You, You have made them trust in You, before the sons of men! Hide them in the secret of Your face from the rebellion of man... Otherwise, obey God, my soul, for from Him is my patience, for He is my God and my Savior, my Intercessor: I will not move forever” (Ps. 72:1, 30:20–21, 61:6–7). 5. “O God is my salvation and my glory. God is my help and my hope is in God. Trust in Him, the whole multitude of people. Pour out your hearts before Him, for God is our Helper. Do not trust in falsehood and do not desire admiration. Even if wealth flows, do not apply your heart. By one word, God, I heard these two: The power of God is beyond you, and Your mercy, O Lord, for You have rewarded everyone according to his deeds” (Ps. 62:8-9, 11-13). 6. “O God, my God, to You in the morning: my soul thirsts for You, since my flesh is a multitude of You, in a land that is empty and impenetrable and without water. Thus I appeared to You in the Holy One - to see Your power and Your glory, for Your mercy is better than life. My lips will praise Thee, so I will bless Thee in my belly. I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul draws after You, but Your right hand welcomes me” (Ps. 62:2-5, 9). 7. “In the same way that the trees of the springs of water desire, my soul desires for You, O God; my soul thirsts for the mighty living God: when will I come and appear before the face of God? Prayer to the God of my life, a river to God: Thou art my intercessor, why havest thou forgotten me, and when I go lamenting, the enemy sometimes insults me?” ( Ps. 42:2–3, 9–10 ). 8. “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? I have asked one thing from the Lord, this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy church. I will seek my face for You; I will seek Your face, O Lord” (Ps. 26:1, 4, 8). 9 . “My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing and sing in my glory. Arise my glory, arise the psaltery and the harp: I will arise early. Let us confess to You among the people. Lord, I sing to You among the nations, for Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches to the clouds. Ascend into heaven, O God, and Thy glory is throughout all the earth” (Ps. 107:2-6). 10. Thou art, O God, my power, who wilt my womb and my heart, for Thy mercy is before my eyes. Send Thy light and Thy truth: she will guide me, and lead me to Thy holy mountain, and to Thy villages, and to the altar of God, to God, who rejoices in my youth. Let us confess to You in the harp, O God, my God. How sorrowful are you, my soul, and have you troubled me forever? Trust in God, for we will confess to Him, the salvation of my face and my God” (Ps. 25:2-3, 42:2-5). Second verse of a conversation dear to God 1. May my heart, O Lord, always be wounded and wounded by Thy Divine love, and may I always say with the Prophet these zealous words: “I am wounded by Thy kindness, my sweetest bridegroom, I flow after Thee, into the stench of Thy world, which my soul desires. Where do you graze, and where do you rest at noon? Where do you shine the light? Where do you enlighten the darkness? Where do you console your loved ones? Where do You give peace to Your caretakers and fulfill their Divine desire?” (Song.1). 2. O most exalted Lord of lords! O most sweet in worldly sweets! O most beloved among those who are dear, surpassing every mind and every thought! O love, who is worthy to love You? Who is worthy to cleave to You with all his heart? Who is worthy to accept You into his heart? O Thy Divine desire! O Divine glory of Your ever-present radiance! 3. Oh my God! What do we have in heaven? And what more did You desire on earth? Let us continue to live in Your Divine desire. This alone may be my treasure and eternal wealth. Let this be one and the same for me: food, drink, and everlasting pleasure. This is exactly one thing: may there be glory and praise for me, splendor and a bright robe, so that, having been stripped of the flesh, I will not be naked on the day of Your terrible judgment; but with You, my Lord and God, I will remain forever and ever, never being absent. 4. God! Let all my desire and sighing be in You. May all my desire and zeal be in You alone, my Savior! Let all my will and my thoughts deepen in You, and let all my bones say: Lord, Lord! Who is like You, who can match Your strength, grace and wisdom? You have arranged all things wisely, righteously, and kindly for us. 5. Open my womb and my heart, for Your mercy is before my eyes. Open my belly and my heart, O God of my life. Lighten and soften my soul, so that everything will melt and be poured out before You, Lord, so that I will be entirely in You, and You are in me, my Benefactor! Yes, having been united with You - my God, I will never distance myself from You and Your Divine love. 6. Where should my soul have an indispensable resting place? Where is the mind's refuge? Where is the undeniable peace and quiet of the heart? If not in You, Lord, if not You Yourself give rest to my soul and grant everlasting consolation?! All the joy of this world is crying, all its consolation is sorrow and sadness, all earthly pleasure is sorrow and heaviness of the soul, all carnal love is lies and hypocrisy, not a single sweetness of this world is characteristic and known to my soul; but You are the One, may You be our joy and gladness, and eternal ever-present pleasure. 7. May I not commit adultery in my heart from You, my Lord, and the creation; but may I cleave to You with all my heart, Who created all creation, and may I prefer nothing more than You; I will love nothing more than You, my Lord, the source of life. May I not love the glory of this world, nor the wealth that has disappeared, nor the beauty of the body, nor the temporal pleasure of the flesh; but You alone may be my glory and praise, wealth and treasure, food and drink, and everlasting consolation. 8. How can you not love the imam, my Lord, who created all of me? O my God, why should I not cleave to You, Who created me? How can I not join You, who support me with everything, live, nourish, satisfy, care for and provide for, do all that is good and saved for me, and with your mania, like weight, arrange everything for me to benefit? How can a damned heart not fall apart? How can a gloomy soul not unravel? How is it that my entire inner being does not burn in Thy Divine desire and love? 9 . How can this grass be added to the Divine Fire, O my God? How can temporary decay be united to You, who is always ever present? How gloomy will I cleave to You, the unevening light? How will mortal be attached to the immortal? Join me, O Lord, as you weigh me, my benefactor! Enlighten, teach me Thy holy will, dissolve, enliven my soul with Thy Divine love, so that I may love nothing else but You, the One Source of life and immortality. 10. Oh my God! Shine upon me the light of Your mind, enlighten my dark soul, dissolve and kindle my heart and my womb, like fire, to Your Divine love, O my Creator, may I glorify, magnify and glorify Your most holy name and ineffable love for mankind. For You have always been merciful to us, gracious to us and protected those who trust and hope in You. For You are due all glory, honor and worship, with the beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen. The third verse of a zealous cry to God 1. Why don’t I love You, my Lord, with all my heart? Why won’t I give all my desire and desire to You? Why am I not deepened in Thy most holy love with all my soul and all my thoughts? You created everything for me and you gave me everything. I am all from You, I am all Yours, let me be all in You! Why do I refuse and not come to You with great zeal? You have brought me from non-existence into being and are constantly concerned about my soul, O my God! You feed me, live me, protect, preserve, covering my soul, grant me strength, health, nurture, admonish, enlighten, assist and instruct me in every good deed, do all that is good and saved for me, oh, my God! 2. Why should You not love the Imam, my Lord? Why should I not cleave to You? You are the One God, the Source of life and the giver of all blessings, my Creator and Lord. All who move away from You will perish, all who do not seek You will not be saved; For Thou hast consumed every one who commits fornication from Thee. All riches are in carnal passions; those who truly do not seek You are poor and hungry; but those who seek You will not be deprived of any good. The same day and night I come to You in the morning, day and night I thirst for You, O my God, and I love You with all my heart! I have asked only one thing from You, my Lord, that I may live in Your house all the days of my life, that I may behold Your beauty and attend Your Holy Church. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord. I seek You upon my face. I will seek Your face, O Lord. 3. How can you not love the imam – my Lord? You are my life, You are my salvation, You are my glory and praise, You are my wealth and eternal treasure, You are my joy and eternal peace. Is it better for me to love a vain thing, an unknown thing, a perverse thing, a destructive thing, a false thing, than You, my true life? For this sake, may I place all my hope, all my hope, all my desire in You alone, O Lord, may all my heart, all my soul, all my thoughts be deepened in You Imam, all my inner being, limbs and brains, may I pour out to You alone, so that I may be all in You, and You in me; May I see and know You truly, the only true God and Lord, whom You sent Jesus Christ, and in Your light I will see the light of the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit. 4. Where shall I go from You, my Lord? And do I flee from Your presence? - Once I ascend to heaven; You are there; Even if I go to hell, there you are; If I take up my wings early and dwell in the last seas, and there Your hand will guide me, and Your right hand will hold me. Where will I go and where will I find eternal life, if not in You, my Creator? Where else will I find consolation and joy, refuge and peace of my soul, if not in You, Lord my God? Where can I go from you? You are the verbs of the life of the eternal imashi in Yourself. You are the source of life and the giver of all blessings. My soul has thirsted for You, my heart has thirsted for You, O God of my life! May Your most holy name, my most sweet Lord Jesus, be delighted, may my soul be wounded by it, may my heart be wounded, may there be nothing more dear to the imam in all my life than Your most holy name. May Your words be sweeter to my throat and to my lips than honey; and may your justifications be desirable to us, O Lord, more precious than gold and stone, and sweeter than honey and honeycomb! 5. What then will my soul love in this time? What does he desire? What will one desire to be consoled about, if not about You, my only Lord God? If he loves food and drink, he is deceived; the essence is temporary and perishable. Even if he loves the glory, beauty and veneration of this world, he worries in vain, passes away and dies soon. If he loves gold and silver, God knows who collects it, everything here on earth will be left behind, turned to dust and ashes. There is nowhere in these known consolation and peace, for the soul, having been rejected from its inherent properties, can have peace and rest nowhere, unless it turns back to You, its Lord, and has nowhere to have its existence; - if he does not love You with all his heart, - if he does not participate in the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit, - no one can be comforted and rejoice. 6. Every living person is troubled in vain; do not love You, your Lord; Every earth-born labors in vain; do not cleave to You with all your heart, and do not seek You day and night. Why does a person live? Why was he born into the world? Even if he wears out his days in vain; For it is in vain that it flows, - He calls Your holy name in vain; You do not love You - Your Lord, the Source of life and the giver of all good things. Vulture my soul with Your Divine love, O my Creator! Praise my heart, the Creator of all creation! If I do not cleave to You, my Lord, what will I do? If I am not united to You, what will I do without knowing? If I turn away from Your right path, I will fall into the last evil; If we join You, we have a belly. Alienation from You means eternal death, destruction and endless torment. Join me You Yourself, Lord, in the image of your destinies, as a lover of mankind and a generous Lord. 7. Why do I prefer vanity and perishable sweetness - do I prefer temporary glory, stinking beauty, vanished wealth? Do I prefer every evil thing to You, my Lord, the most generous Benefactor? What is my madness? What is my blindness? Alas for me, a sinner! Alas for me, wretched one! Alas for me who is darkened! But grant me this, O my God! For I will love nothing in this world except You, my Lord; let me not love wealth, glory, sweetness, beauty and corruption; but I love You exactly, my only Creator, with all my heart and with all my soul, and I prefer nothing more than Your love. 8. Why should the imam love anything other than You, my Lord and Creator? Who created all of me, and with Your mania supported me, nourished, lived, and arranged everything for usefulness, just as You Himself weighed, Lord? Or is it better for me to love a vain thing, a perverse thing, than You, my Lord and Creator? Or is it better for us to love a creature more than You, the Creator of creation, a creature, more than You, the Creator? If I don’t love You, my Lord, with all my heart, what else should the Imam love? Will I cleave to something else? Or will I be enslaved by some other thing? 9 . Is it not better for a drop to be with a fountain, a rod with a root, and a blow with a head? Everything is better for her, Sitsa and with You - my Lord God - isn’t it better to eat? You are my only Lord, my refuge and consolation, - You are my only hope and hope. I don’t know any other refuge and consolation, I don’t know any other hope and hope other than You, my God. You are my protector and patron; You are my glory, and power, and everlasting joy. 10. But I pray to Your mercy, O my Creator, Lord! Accept me into Your holy love, enlighten my soul, clarify my mind, O my Benefactor! May my soul be touched by Your Divine love, may my heart be wounded, may it be bound more tightly by it, and may it all be captivated by Your Divine desire and love. May it pierce and permeate my entire soul, in all parts, so that not a single part, and not a single cell of my soul will remain except it, may you open all the rivets of my soul, may you enlighten all my feelings, may you strengthen and rest me in my soul, may I be wholly in You, and You in me. Yes, I glorify, sing and magnify Your Most Holy Name, with Your beginningless Father, and with Your Most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, always, now and ever, and forever and ever, Amen. The fourth verse of the desired exclamation to God 1. May my heart be wounded by Your Divine love, O my God! May I seek Thee, my Lord, day and night; may I be united to You with all my soul; May my soul be burning and burning with Your Divine desire; May this be a consolation to the imam of my soul; May this imam forever give himself a quiet refuge and immutable peace. Let all my desire and zeal be in You alone, Lord! May I be completely immersed in Your Divine love and united once again; I will never separate myself from You, my Lord! 2. Let nothing separate me, let nothing separate me from Thy Divine love, O my God! May he cut through nothing, neither fire, nor sword, nor famine, nor persecution, nor depth, nor height, nor present, nor future; Let this alone abide in my soul! Let me desire nothing else in this world, O Lord; but day and night may I seek Thee, my Lord. And, may I find, I will receive eternal treasure, and I will acquire wealth, and I will be worthy of all blessings. 3. Let all my hope, all my hope be placed in You; all my treasure, all my wealth is in You and Imam; May all my glory and pleasure be in You alone, Lord! I will not be seduced by this one thing, I flow in vain, but may this one thing remain with me forever and ever! May I receive the good part, which will not be taken away from me forever and ever; Day and night, let me cry to You without ceasing, O my God! Yes, with the Prophet I always say: From the morning my spirit goes to You, God, for the light of Your commandment is upon the earth; day and night may I seek Thee, my Lord, for I will find Thee the Source of life, and quench the thirst of my soul! 4. With the Prophet I always say to You, O my God! I will not give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my every side, ... until I will find a place for You, my Lord, a habitation for the God of Jacob (Ps. 132:4-5); I will not give you rest, I will not give you rest, until I find you what you seek and receive what you want; For all the glory and wealth of this world is vanity; Every earthly pleasure and lust is carnal delight. This is the only thing that is not charming, if You alone, my Lord, love with all my heart and with all my soul; I prefer nothing more than Your love, for this is the only thing I can have to remain in eternal consolation and joy. 5. So that my heart may love something else in this world? What else will he desire besides You, my Lord, who is most beloved and praised of all intelligent creatures? Food and drink are temporary and perishable, wealth and property are perishable and perishable, glory and honor are changeable and changeable. Nothingness is constant and immutable, although You alone are eternal and unchangeable. For this sake, may my soul desire and love the only One above all else and with all my heart; Everywhere I will be empty and naked, if I do not cleave to You with all my heart, I will be sick, sorrowful and sad everywhere. Intercede You Yourself, O Lord, as You weigh, and wound my heart with Your Divine desire. Join my soul and all my thoughts to Your Divine love, my Creator - Lord! 6. Where will my soul go? Where to apply? Where will you find a quiet refuge? Where will he find unshakable peace? If not in You alone - my Lord God. What else will I love? What else do I desire? Or will I cleave to something else? If not to You alone - my Lord. For you are my God, Lord and Creator. You are my glory, power and splendor. Let not my soul wander about this, let not my heart commit fornication in vain things, let not be bound and captivated by fleeting things, let not be enslaved and captivated by vain and perverse things; but let You adhere to the One Quiet Refuge with all your strength, and never leave. 7. Fill my soul with Your Divine love, O my God! Pour out Your most holy mercy on me, irrigate the water of Your Most Holy Spirit, give me the water of Your most holy grace, give me this water, Lord, so that whoever does not thirst, I will not come into the corruptible treasures of this sweets, to the sworn student Jacob; For everyone who drinks from this water will become thirsty for earthly delights, and whoever drinks from the water of Your grace, which You yourself give, will not thirst forever, but there will be in him a source of water flowing into the eternal belly, which is the Holy Spirit. May I be a partaker of Your Divine grace-filled water and be satisfied, and Your glory will appear at some point! 8. Lord, restore our captivity, like the floods of the south; melt the ice of my frozen soul; blow the south of Your generous love for mankind; may the waters and rivers of Your grace flow from my damned heart. Pierce and wound my soul with Your Divine desire, so that I will not commit fornication in my heart about vain things. Satisfy my soul with Thy Divine manna, so that whoever will not return to the Egyptians of this world with corruptible sweets, below may I wish for many rebellious cauldrons and Egyptian garlic, darkening the mind; but may this manna of the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit be to me for all good pleasure, and eternal joy, and joy of my soul. Where else can the imam look for joy? You are my true joy. Where can Imam inamo look for the stomach? You eat my belly. Where else can the imam look for wealth? You are my wealth and eternal treasure. 9 . Grant to me, my Creator, that You may truly know the One True Lord my God, and for His sake You have sent us into the world - the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, and a partaker of the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit, so that I may know my affinity for You, as I should know, - so that I may join You, as I am entirely from You, for my flesh is not mine, but Yours, Lord, my soul is not mine, but Yours, my Savior, all my feelings: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling - not mine, then Yours, the whole essence, my Lord. My whole being is, my whole belly is not mine, but Yours, Lord, my whole being is not mine, but Your whole essence, my Benefactor! Tune has received everything from You, Imam, Tune has received everything from You. 10. My refuge, my wall and my intercession – may You alone be, O Lord! My refuge and consolation is Your Divine love; You are my only Lord, You are my strength, You are my God, You are my joy, You are my glory and splendor. You are my praise and hope, you are all desire, all you are sweetness, O my God! You remain forever and ever, but you have never changed. You alone are my consolation and eternal pleasure, O Lord! Joy and gladness is Your Most Holy Divine love. There is nothing better and more honest than this, neither on earth nor in heaven, but the imam. Let this be more honest than all treasures, more precious than valuable adamants. Moreover, I desire nothing more than this; I will require nothing more than this; but with this alone I will be satisfied in this world, and even more so in the future. The fifth verse of thanksgiving to God about His benefits 1. I thank You my Lord, the most generous benefactor, for You created me in Your image and likeness, and You brought me from non-existence into existence, You crowned me with glory and honor. You did not create me as a beast, nor as a beast, nor as any other animal, but as a man, a rational creature; You have honored my soul with immortality and autocracy. Even if we are temporarily separated in the flesh, we pass on to a better relocation, but in our soul we remain immortal forever, not for a thousand years, not for two or three thousand, but forever and ever, without end. Even if someone is grateful and guilty as a doctor for something small, such as healing a certain illness, how much more, Lord, who brought me whole, active, alive, and healthy from non-existence into being, and created me for endless ages! 2. I thank You my Lord, the most generous Benefactor, for Thou hast created everything for me: for my sake - the sky, the earth, the sun, the moon and all the starry celestial adornment; for my sake - animals, cattle, birds, all kinds of animals; for my sake - seas, rivers, springs, lakes, fish, great whales; for my sake - forests, oak groves, various deserts, fruitful trees; for my sake - potions, roots, seeds, vegetables are different; For my sake - everything visible and invisible was created, O my God! 3. I thank You, my Lord, the most generous Benefactor, for you have arranged all righteousness and mercy for me, and you constantly provide for my soul: protecting me, preserving me, covering me, interceding for my soul, granting me strength, health, living me, admonishing me and enlightening me, helping and helping me, guiding me, and instructing me in every good deed. You have arranged all righteousness, mercy, and kindness for me. 4. I thank You, my Lord, the most generous Benefactor, for You are the omnipotent God, for my sake, You were man, and You united me into One. You did not disdain to take ours for Xia, as if you had given everything to us. For my sake, you were placed in a manger; For my sake you wrapped yourself in swaddling clothes, clothed the sky with clouds; for my sake - you were circumcised in the last days; For my sake you fled to Egypt; for my sake, you were baptized into the Jordan; for my sake, you bowed the most pure head of your Forerunner, so that you lifted up grief for me; without demanding baptism, you were baptized for my sake, and grant me cleansing through baptism. 5. I thank You my Lord, the most generous Benefactor, for for my sake you were beaten, dishonored, spat on, strangled, bound, bound with a crown of thorns. For my sake, You poured out Your most pure blood. For my sake you died in the flesh, and having revived me in spirit, give me eternal life. For my sake, you were laid in a tomb. For my sake, you rose from the grave for three days, so that you may grant resurrection from the grave to all of us. 6. I thank You, my Lord, the most generous Benefactor, for even though I sin in darkness before You, You have mercifully accepted me as I repent. How many times have I sinned before You? You don’t just sweep me away. How much am I trespassing before You? You don't turn me away. How much am I falling? You restore me, are long-suffering, do not put me to death, even until my last breath, even until my last death, when I turn to You, when I fall to You, repenting: You are more merciful than a repentant one. 7. I thank Thee my Lord, the most generous Benefactor, for Thou hast given Thy law before my eyes, Thou hast given me to see Thy Holy will, Thou hast not rejected me from baptism, Thou hast not forsaken me in heterodoxy, or been immersed in a destructive heresy, Thou hast made me a partaker of Thy most pure mysteries, and redeemed me with Thy blood. Thou art, thou hast made me heir to the kingdom of heaven! 8. I thank Thee my Lord, the most generous Benefactor, for Thou hast plucked me from the rumors and rebellion of this world, and brought me into the enclosure of Thy verbal sheep, and Thou hast chosen me to serve Thyself; Thou hast made me a servant for Thyself, even though I am unworthy. You have extended Your grace abundantly over me, You have shown me a convenient path to salvation. “You have revealed everything to me, you have offered everything before my eyes, you have left nothing hidden from Me. 9 . I thank You, my Lord, my most generous Benefactor, for Thou hast left me poor in nothing, but in abundance in everything: I do not endure hunger and the filth of corruptible things for the sake of things, I do not worry, I do not drown in rivers, I do not endure troubles on the way for the sake of worldly things, great debts do not bother me, the royal green tribute does not fall upon me, They drive me out to the needy work, the needy voyages of the sea are not before me, I endure nothing from this, like other people endure, and suffer through darkness, giving much tribute, enduring sorrows and misfortunes. I am outside of this, by Your most holy grace, freedom, even if I labor in anything, and endure little; but not for the sake of those who perish, but for the sake of those who endure forever. So, I say, you have shown me a convenient path to salvation, Lord, you have conveniently established the kingdom of heaven, you have given us everything! 10. I thank You, my Lord, my most generous Benefactor, for for the sake of some small favor, You promised to give me eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven. He Himself created, He Himself created me, and gave everything to please, granting eternal life, not for a little time, not for a short time, not for a hundred years or a thousand, or a thousand, but forever and ever, without end. Glory to Your inscrutable mercy, Lord! Glory to Your wonderful dispensation, Most Holy King! Glory to Your ineffable and incomprehensible goodness and wisdom, O Lord of humanity! For all glory, honor and power are due to You, with the Father and with Your Most Holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen! Tombstone of St. Demetrius of Rostov, Stephen of Yavorsky, Metropolitan of Ryazan Look with diligence, corruptible man; As your age passes and death is not far away; Prepare for every hour, cry with tears, That death will delight you with your deeds; Your guardian angel informs you, The finger shows the brevity of your life; The sun will soon move west from the east, Time and summer pass in the blink of an eye; Hold the sword of vengeance in Your right hand He always admonishes you and says to you: Fear this sword, repent from now on, May evil not cut you off - be terrified! This book was first published (anonymously, according to historians) presumably at the beginning of the 18th century, with the title “The Spiritual Alphabet” and was subsequently reprinted many more times. This title comes from short teachings on each letter of the alphabet at the beginning of the book, which precede the main text. And this name has stuck to this day. However, it was originally called differently. The first title of this book has been preserved: “The spiritual ladder according to the God of monastic life, containing in itself thirty and three chapters in the image of the Lord in the flesh on the earth of life, there are thirty and three degrees, laboriously compiled for the benefit of the spiritually zealous and attentive to the monastic life, written by the Venerable Isaiah of Kopinsky, who lived in postnicity and silence, walking the path near the cave of our venerable father Anthony, also in Kyiv, after the former metropolitan of the same God-saved city of Kyiv.” Then, as historians suggest, the manuscript of St. Isaiah (Kopinsky), by mistake of the publishers, ended up in the collected works of St. Demetrius of Rostov; This happened because it was among the saint’s manuscripts, but with a note indicating that it belonged to Isaiah (Kopinsky). This error has not been corrected to this day: “The Spiritual Alphabet” continues to be published under the name of Demetrius of Rostov. It is necessary to pay tribute to Metropolitan Isaiah (Kopinsky) and restore justice by recalling this again. “Works that did not belong to him were attributed to Dmitry of Rostov. In particular, in the Life of the saint it is stated that he wrote the “Spiritual Alphabet”, but the author of this work was Metropolitan. Isaiah (Kopinsky),” notes D. Shlyapkin in the list of individual works incorrectly attributed to Demetrius of Rostov. It is known that after the death of St. Seraphim of Sarov, the “Spiritual Ladder” - the book in the hands of which the holy elder began and ended his ascetic life - was found in his personal belongings. These things were distributed as a blessing, and the book went to N.A. Motovilov, as he testifies in his “Notes.” It is possible that young Daniel Tuptalo, the future Saint Demetrius of Rostov, learned spiritual laws from this manuscript. In the second chapter of “The Spiritual Ladder,” the author refers those who want to more conveniently come to the knowledge of nature, themselves and God to a book called “The Weekly Diary,” which, unfortunately, has not survived. Thus, indirectly, we learn about another work of Saint Isaiah. It can be argued that Saint Isaiah (Kopinsky) was one of the few followers of the hesychast tradition in southwestern Rus' in the 17th century. Since at this time “in spiritual life, the break with Byzantium causes a weakening of the patristic tradition, “internal work” is forgotten in asceticism, the feat takes on a more severe and external character, and the general spiritual level of monasticism decreases significantly,” writes I. Kontsevich. M. Grushevsky characterizes Isaiah (Kopinsky) as “a meaningful, interesting person - a person who clearly reflected the ideological current, although outdated and condemned to oblivion, but still alive and popular among the broad masses” of that time. This movement, as defined by J. Stratius, is “Athos mysticism, the concept of the Gospel life in truth,” which was the path to deification. In this work, the bishop sets out his understanding of the ways of “knowledge of the world, man and God.” This knowledge is accomplished, according to the author, “through self-deepening, internal self-contemplation. The concept of self-knowledge goes into the theory of smart doing, which provides for self-improvement, purification, enlightenment of the mind and ascetic self-contemplation up to the acquisition of the Grace of God, to knowledge and mystical union with God (hesychia).” Therefore, we can say with confidence that “The Spiritual Ladder” is a strictly ascetic, monastic work, and is a true storehouse of spiritual wisdom and ascetic experience. It is not known what kind of spiritual literature Saint Isaiah was familiar with; not much was available at that time (the Bible was a rarity then), but what he wrote is completely consistent with the spirit of the patristic works of the first centuries of monasticism. From the first lines of his little book, as the Bishop calls it, he calls on the reader to rejoice only in the one Lord. “If you want to rejoice, rejoice in nothing else, only in the Lord alone, for all joy that is not in the Lord is a lie and deception.” You might be interested in: