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On this first and famous day, gloriously singing the sacraments of the Only Begotten Son, we cried out in song in the Church, this bride of Christ, proclaiming the victorious rewards of the reverend fathers and singing the praises of the desert dwellers; and we will tell the exploits of those who left the cities and with love wanted to live in the deserts for the benefit of everyone who hears about them. And if anyone is absent, let him be numbered among those present, and let him join in the prayers of the venerable fathers, so that the speaker may be saved by the prayers of the listeners. The venerable fathers are not separated from us, because their love is always with us. Let us not separate them from us as strangers to us, because they always pray for our sins. They are not despised, because they are glorified; not the least of men, because they are honored; and also not ignorant, but for all people they became mentors in good deeds, and they themselves learn from their Master. Wandering through the mountains, eating like animals, they are perfect, filled with truth, because they are members of the Church; they do not separate themselves from the flock, because they are children of Holy Baptism; do not break the law, keep the commandments; They do not resist the law, being ardent in their faith. When the honest priests appear at the Holy Table during the celebration of the Liturgy, then they are the first, stretching out their hands, to accept by faith the Body of the Master, Who is always there and always with them. Like doves they soar on high, and they set up their tabernacles on the cross. Like sheep, they wander in deserted places, and as soon as they hear the voice of the Shepherd, they immediately recognize the good Lord. These are merchants who went to look for a beautiful pearl. These are skilled ascetics of piety. Incline your ears to me and listen now; I will tell you about the lives of the desert fathers. Gather your thoughts into the desert conditions, and there we will see miracles and glory. Let’s go without delay and draw good and wonderful examples of their lives. Their love strongly compels me to go and take from their treasures; their life secretly makes me afraid to approach them; but it is their will that I approach them for a minute. When they kneel to pray, then they can make me, frail, strong. When they stretch out their hands, lifting them up to heaven, then my word will be corrected, and I will sing faithfully. When they say prayer, then my thought is free and delights in their meekness, just as my tongue delights in their life. And if one of them sheds one cloud of tears for my sins, he will immediately be heard. These saints became like Christ Himself, and from Him they acquired homes for themselves in the desert. For Christ never turns away good treasures from those who come at the ninth or tenth hour, but as a good Master gives the first wages to the worker who has toiled in the vineyard since the eleventh hour. And here the treasure is immediately opened, and wealth is distributed to everyone who wishes to begin, in order to be clothed in the glory that those always clothed with it have, and also to borrow for themselves beautiful and glorious examples, and to become imitators of their life. If anyone also strives to go and put on the robe that they have, he will be enriched by their wealth. And if anyone remains with them, he immediately begins to give gifts to those who ask according to their requests, just as they give gifts to all who ask, and supply everyone with what they themselves have. Let us proceed and take from them a wonderful gift - prayer and pleasure together. Let us take their love, which is more glorious than precious stones and glorious emerald, and instead of pearls let us take their faith. You, glorious power with which they wander over the mountains and hills, over dens and abysses, give me the strength, strengthen my tongue so that I can sufficiently retell their lives and not at all diminish their bright feat! So, inspired, let us throw away the weapons of Satan as much as possible, having purified our hearts and made ourselves dove wings, let us fly to look at the original rules of people who left cities and city rumors and loved the mountains and deserts. Let's go take a look at their homes, at how they are imprisoned in them, like dead men in coffins. Let's go and see the pleasure that they always enjoy among the mountains. Let us go to look at those who hated the world and, better yet, at those who loved to live in the desert. Let's go look at their bodies, how they are dressed with their own hair. Let us go and look at their sackcloth, wearing which they glorify God with joy. Let's go look at their faces, how their gloominess enlightens the soul. Let's go with them to see the Angels singing and hymning in great joy. Let's go look at their cups, dissolved by their own tears. Let's go take a look at their meals, always filled with wild stories. Come, let's look at the stones that they always put under their heads. Let's go take the holy Vlas, so that we too may have the favor of the Lord. If a robber sees them, he will immediately fall down and bow, because they are always armed with a cross. If wild animals see their sackcloth, they instantly yield, having a great miracle before their eyes. They trample under their feet every creeping thing, because they are shod with the faith of righteousness. And when Satan sees them, he immediately comes into awe and, crying painfully, retreats instantly, because, pursuing them, he broke thousands of nets, and could not harm the righteous in any way. They were not weak, like us foolish ones, but they all fought bravely against the enemy until they finally crushed Satan under their feet; They turned all his intentions into nothing; and they did not become timid from all his tricks. If they show wealth, they count it as nothing and, having humiliated it, trample it under foot like stones, because they have wealth in heaven together with the Angels. Hunger does not bother them, because they always eat the bread of life - Christ descending from the holy heavens. Likewise, thirst does not burn them, because in their souls, as well as in their tongues, they always have a living source - Christ. The crafty Satan cannot confuse any of their thoughts, because they have laid the stone for the foundation. They live in dens, as well as in the wilds, as if in quiet lodges (bedrooms). And the mountains and hills that are around them are just as pleasant to them as high walls. The whole earth and every mountain serves them as a meal, and likewise the evening (dinner) is made up of wild events. Their primary drink is water from streams, and likewise their wine flows from stone clefts. Their own language serves as a church, with which they always perform their prayers. All twelve hours that are in the day are spent praying to their Lord. The praise sung in the mountains and dens is an auspicious sacrifice offered by them to God. They are priests to themselves, and they heal our illnesses with their prayers, because they are always our prayer books. They do not think high, they do not strive for the first seat (sitting in the first place). Their glory is humility; they are imitators of Christ, who became poor for the sake of us, the poor. They do not give themselves peace in the world, because they are waiting for peace there. Let us become like these inhabitants of the mountains, and also partakers of their life! Like beasts they wander with beasts, and just like birds they fly through the mountains; how fir trees graze with wild animals; and their meal is always ready, because they always eat grains and grains. They rush through the mountains like lamps and illuminate with their light everyone who approaches them with great love. A strong fence is the fathers in the desert, because they pacify the very place where they live. Where you meet one of the fathers, the whole neighborhood around him is at peace. They hover like doves on the hills, and like eagles on high mountains and in dens. For a king a palace may be small, but for them the clefts of the earth are spacious. When wearing a hair shirt, the venerable fathers admire it more than one who wears a scarlet robe. They throw away the scarlet, but the sackcloth, for the patience of the holy fathers, remains respected, because they abhorred pride, and greatly love great humility. They hated all the glory of the vain world; and now they are glorified by all people for their humility and great meekness. Kings do not have the same peace that the fathers found in the wilderness, because their joy is Christ. Like animals, they feed on the past in the desert, because they are waiting for a pleasant paradise. When they are exhausted, wandering through the mountains, then, as if in luxury, they recline on the ground. And, having fallen asleep, they awaken with care and, like trumpets, sing the praises of the longed-for Christ. The ranks of Angels are always with them; they protect and protect them incessantly. The Sovereign grace is always with them and does not allow the enemy to hide from them. When they kneel, they form a swamp in front of them and produce streams with their tears. When they seal their chant, the Lord Himself rises to serve His servants. As soon as morning comes, they immediately raise their wings and soar throughout the entire universe, because the place of residence of the holy fathers is not visible to them; it is in Eden. Where the sun sets, there is a place for them to spend the night, and where night overtakes them, there they create an abode for themselves. They do not care about tombstones, because they are dead, having been crucified to the world out of love for Christ. Where one of them ended his fast, there, in this very place, is his tombstone. Many of them knelt down to pray and quietly rested before the Lord. Others, in the same way, leaning on the stone, gave up their souls to their Master. Another died simply walking on the mountain, and this place became for him a coffin and the celebrant of his burial; another, strengthened by the grace of his Master, hid himself (cleaned up) and gave himself up for burial. Another, eating the Lord’s grain and dozing, gave up the ghost at his meal. Another stood at the praise service again, and the voice of his breath was stolen from him. Another stood on the mountain, singing and praying, and death came and sealed his prayer. They wait for the voice that will awaken them, and they flourish like flowers breathing fragrance. When the earth is commanded to remove the dead, they will immediately emerge (come out), blooming like lilies. And then the Lord, for the many labors they endured out of love for Christ, will forever grant them eternal life; instead of hair shirts he will give them a covering of glorious cloth; and instead of the rags in which they suffered, a glorious wedding robe; instead of the former and meager water, Christ will be their food and drink; and instead of the clefts of the earth in which they lived, Christ will lead them into the great paradise; and since they desired to be sorrowful in the world, it will give them great joy. But it is impossible to describe in words the great joy into which all the saints will enter, who, having voluntarily grieved in this world, resisted unclean passions and defeated the enemy, did not violate the commandments of the Most High God. For this, the Angels please the saints and say to them: “Blessed are you who, out of love for Christ, with your prudence and much patience, perfectly managed your boat, reliably correcting it on land with the commandments of the good Lord Christ; and therefore you went up to a quiet haven, having received the Christ you longed for! Now we rejoice with you, blessed ones, because you escaped the snares of the enemy and came to Christ, who crowned you, and you will inherit His Kingdom, silently glorifying the Holy Trinity, to which belongs all glory, honor and worship forever and ever.” Amen. You might be interested in: