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Fulfilling these commandments, let us send their fruits there, for they are fulfilled here, and precede us, beloved, there. Here, brothers, they seem small, but there they are preparing a great and incomparable reward. There every commandment precedes, waiting for the one who fulfills it. Every commandment and every good deed, whether great or small, go there, and they are deposited in the heavenly treasuries, “where neither worms nor aphids corrupt, and where they do not break through” (Matthew 6:20). There we will try to preface the good deeds of our deeds, so that when we finish this many-sorrowful life, we can go there boldly and joyfully, in anticipation of the meeting in the clouds, and be worthy to enter where all the saints reign in great joy, begging the Master for us, so that we too may be worthy to enter into this unspeakable, incomparable, indescribable joy into which the Angels wish to delve into, where are the faces and ranks of the righteous. There Abraham's bosom receives those who have endured sorrow, like Lazarus; there the treasures of eternal blessings are opened. There, the heavenly Jerusalem is the mother of the firstborn, like an adorned bride receiving those who fulfill the Lord’s commandments. There, in the blessed land of the meek, where everything is quiet and serene, where everything is light and pleasing to God, where there is neither the offender nor the oppressed, where there is no sin and grief, where the light is unapproachable and joy unspeakable, where there is no labor, no tears, where there is no care, no care, no lamentation, where “there is neither male nor female” (Gal. 3:28), where there is no devil, neither death, nor fasting, nor sorrow, nor enmity, nor jealousy, but in the highest degree there are joys, peace, joy, where there is water of rest and a green place, and a four-part spring, and grapes cultivated by the God of all, on that blessed land that bears beautiful fruits, produces the tree of life, is watered by sources of spiritual gifts, on which the true grapes grow, the maker of which, as we hear, is the Spirit; unalloyed life, unspeakable and unnameable goodness, where is that inexpressible beauty, where is the true light and source of all goodness, all-exceeding power, the only longed-for, everlasting joy, eternal joy, unevening light, the never-setting sun, where is the city of the King, about whom “the glorious word was spoken” (Ps. 87:3), where is the voice of those celebrating, where are the hidden treasures of wisdom and reason. There, my beloved brethren, are great gifts and incomparable joy, about which it is impossible for human lips to speak, there are ten thousand angels, the triumph of the firstborn, the thrones of the apostles, the chairs of the prophets, the scepters of patriarchs, the crowns of martyrs, the praises of the righteous; There, those who walked the narrow and cramped path abide in great glory and triumph, and those who exhausted themselves with fasts, vigils, tears, in deserts, mountains, dens and abysses of the earth rejoice with the Archangels. The Father of orphans and Judge of widows accepts orphans and true widows into eternal settlements. There the reward of every ruler and authority is observed, and a place is prepared for bishops, priests, deacons, subdeacons, readers, kings, princes, soldiers, rich, poor, virgins living in virginity without a vow, slaves, freemen, widows and orphans - there their rewards and fruits, and the deeds that each one sent there, are observed. written: “For we and our words are in His hand” (Wis. 7:16). And the Apostle also says: “Everyone’s work will be revealed” (1 Cor. 3:13); and in another place: “For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap” (Gal.6:7). So, knowing this, let us sow here works of righteousness, and sow with the hands of the poor, widows and orphans, so that there we may reap eternal life: “...until the time is imam, let us do good” (Gal. 6:10), and let us each send there, according to our strength, alms, compassion, hospitality, repentance, tears, fasting, vigil, abstinence, prayer, psalmody, innocence, indifference (not prone to argument), patience with sorrows, reclining on the bare ground, virginity, and most of all the following three virtues: not desecrating the faith by heresy, love for the poor and, finally, forgiveness of sins to brothers, keeping oneself from enmity against anyone. Doing this and similar things, my brethren, let us send down each one what he can: some one commandment, some two, some five, some ten, some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred. The God of generosity, who accepted the widow’s two mites, accepts both much and little from everyone, and will reward everyone according to what is written: “Everyone will receive his reward according to his labor” (1 Cor. 3:8); If only no one turns out to be completely infertile. On the contrary, every day looking at these eternal blessings and thinking about the terrible day, with the desire for blessings and the fear of torment we will keep our feet from every evil way and, as it is written, “with fear and trembling” we will work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12). Burning in the Spirit, working for the Lord, rejoicing in hope, enduring sorrows, abiding in prayer, communing with the demands of the saints, holding on to hospitable love (Rom. 12:11-13), do not leave the church either in the evening, or in the morning, or at noon; husbands and wives, rich and poor, slaves and free, old and young, flow diligently to the Divine Liturgy, offering to the Lord from the labors of your hands to bless the home and everyone in the house. And stand with great fear and trembling, not talking to anyone, but like Angels in heaven...work for the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling (Ps. 2:11), shedding tears, sighing, praying, crying out with all your heart, asking that no one be found unworthy to receive the Divine Mysteries; but, as the Apostle Paul says, let each one tempt... himself... lest it be a judgment upon him, nor shall sin be added to him; And the sky and the earth and the sea and everything that is on them trembles and retreats; and you come shamelessly? Pure Angels serve with trepidation and, covering their faces, do not dare to raise their gaze; and you, unclean and unrepentant, do not feel shame and do not shudder? You assure people, but what will you say to the Searcher of hearts? So, retreat, brother, cry, wash your vessel, defiled by sin, promise not to sin again - and you will be healed, because God is the God of repentants. As you commemorate the saints, remember also those who are in weakness, widows, orphans, strangers, the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, as our Lord commanded; and you will be blessed, because they have nothing with which to repay you, but you will be rewarded at the resurrection of the righteous. A wonderful and godly holiday - repentance with tears. This is a holiday where the Lord will celebrate. He is God, and he has become poor: honor the Lord's holidays, flock together with diligence, celebrating not magnificently, but divinely, not in a worldly way, but in a worldly manner, not in a pagan way, but in a Christian way. Let us not crown the vestibules, make up faces, decorate the markets, soften the ears with pipes and harps, dress in soft vestments, shine with gold; but, as the Lord commanded, we will not have any copper in our belts (Matthew 10:9); do not goat-speaking and drunkenness, do not ruin the work of God for the sake of carnage (Rom. 13:13; 14:20), do not deprive yourself of the Holy Liturgy, working in a cookery for an insatiable belly, for you do not know whether you will be worthy to see another Liturgy. But let us leave this work to those for whom God is their belly and glory. You might be interested in: