РОСА ПОКРОВА И ЗАСТУПНИЧЕСТВА НЕМОЩНЫХ

“Because he trusted in Me, I will deliver him, I will cover him, for he has known My name” (Ps. 90:14). There is a village near Chernigov called Smolin. From that village, a certain demon-possessed man named Stefan, tightly bound by the power of the demon that was in him, was brought to the Elias Monastery to the Most Holy Theotokos. She covered him so much with Her intercession that he immediately freed himself from the demon that tormented him and returned healthy to his home, glorifying his Patron and Intercessor. Without the Mother of God’s protection and intercession, “whoever is content is saved from the enemy, and even from the murderer” (Antiphon, Chapter 6). Pharaoh once persecuted Israel and, if the Lord had not spread a cloud to cover him, he would have swallowed him alive: “The pillar of cloud... stood behind them, in the middle of the Egyptian army and in the middle of the army of the sons of Israel” (Ex. 14:19-20). Our enemies, visible and invisible, also persecute us, and if the Most High had not given us His Mother, the Virgin Theotokos, to protect us, we would have perished long ago for our iniquities. But She covers us like a kokosh (chicken) covers her chicks, for She is “the Cover of the world, wider than the clouds” (Akathist, ikos 6). Elijah, who fled from the wrath of Jezebel, heard the word of the Lord: “Get out of here and turn east and hide by the brook Cherith, which is opposite the Jordan” (1 Kings 17:3). Why is no other place indicated to him for shelter, but “against the Jordan”? Jordan, according to Jerome's testimony, signified the Virgin Mary. Just as the ark of God passed through the Jordan on dry ground, so the Word of the Only Begotten Father passed through the Virgin’s womb without corruption. And isn’t this the secret why the prophet “against the Jordan” is hidden from the force that persecutes him? Because Jordan is the shadow of Mary. And now, when someone, persecuted by an enemy, hides before the face of that mental Jordan, I say, the Most Pure Virgin, it will be impossible for any evil to overtake him, for the face of Mary is looking at him. Oh, how blessed is he who always hides under Your roof, Intercessor! For “evil will not approach him, and no plague will come near his dwelling” (Ps. 90:10). Glory to God and the Mother of God, who delivers people from demonic torment! But beware, man, that “the last will not be worse than the first, for the devil returns, taking with him seven other spirits more evil than himself” (Matthew 12:45), that is, seven mortal sins: the spirit of pride, the spirit of love of money, the spirit of uncleanness, the spirit of envy, the spirit of gluttony, the spirit of anger, the spirit of sloth, - which torment an unrepentant person worse than the demon and temporarily, but forever he will be plunged into unquenchable fire. And so that they do not enter you, let there be a “waterless place” where the fierce spirit does not find a container for itself, for “it walks through waterless places, looking for peace, and does not find it” (Matthew 12:43). What is a “waterless place”? Saint Gregory understands here the hearts of the righteous, which by mortification of the flesh dry up the passions of the flesh. The devil does not find peace in them, for they are free from evil deeds, which are called a swamp by Saints Athanasius and Theodoret, who interpret the psalm words “swamped in deep mud” (Ps. 68:3), that is, in evil deeds, for just as a pig wants to wallow in muddy mud, so the devil wants the swamp of our sins. But so that the cursed does not find a place in us, it is necessary to dry up the sinful swamp by mortification and especially by the fear and love of God; We must resist him in order to escape from us. How can you resist? Let’s listen to Chrysostom: “How can we fight the darkness? We will be the light. How can we fight the spirits of evil? We will be good. For evil opposes good, and light drives away darkness.” If someone listens to a dirty thought in his heart, he accepts this demon. Father Macarius lived alone in the deep desert, and not far from him, in a valley, many brethren lived. One day he sees the devil in human form, as he walks past his cells, dressed in shaggy clothes, with a pumpkin hanging on each hair. The elder said to him: “Where are you going?” The devil answers: “I’m going to visit the brethren.” The old man says: “What kind of pumpkins are you carrying?” The demon answers: “I bring food to the brethren.” The elder said to him: “And are they all for eating?” He answers: “Yes, if someone does not like one thing, I give him another, and a third, and everything in a row until he enjoys at least one.” Having said this, the devil walked away. The elder remained by the road to guard him until he returned, and, seeing him on the way back, he again began to ask: “Did you go well?” He answered: “Where it’s good. Badly". And the elder asks: “Why?” He answered him: “All the brothers were with me like wild animals, not one listened to me.” And the elder said to him: “Do you really not have anyone there obedient to you?” He told him: “Yes, there is only one, when he sees me, he spins like a porplica (iron crossbar).” Then the father asks: “And what is his name?” And he hears: “His name is Theopempt.” Having said this, the devil walked away. The elder got up and went to the brethren, and they, hearing his arrival, came out to meet him with palm branches, and each prepared his cell, hoping that the elder would want to come in to him. But the elder asked: “Who is your name Theopempt?” And, having found him, he entered his cell. Theopempt received him with joy, and the elder began to speak to him: “How are you living, brother?” He answered: “Thy prayers, father, are good.” The elder says: “Aren’t any evil thoughts bothering you?” “No, everything is truly good,” because Theopempt was ashamed to reveal his passions. Meanwhile, the elder continued: “And I, for how many years I have been fasting, am revered by everyone, even in my advanced years, but the unclean spirit is bothering me.” Then Theopempt was touched and said: “Believe me, father, it bothers me too.” And Theopemptos confessed to him. The elder then asked: “How are you fasting?” He said: “Until nine o’clock.” – “Fast until evening and memorize the Gospel and other Scriptures, and when an unclean thought comes to you, do not heed it. Never keep your mind down, but always point it up, and the Lord will help you.” And, having confirmed his brother, the elder went into his wilderness. After a while he again sees the demon of that future one and says to him: “Where are you going?” He answers: “I’m going to visit the brethren.” And he soon returned. The saint asked him: “How are the brethren?” - "Terrible". The saint says: “Why?” The demon answers: “Because everyone was furious and, moreover, armed themselves against me. Even the one who was my favorite, and he does not listen to me, has become corrupted, I don’t know where, he doesn’t want to listen to me, but he has become the most ferocious of all.” Having said this, the demon left the saint and swore not to go to the brethren until next summer. The elder, entering his cell, thanked the Lord. You might be interested in: