Поучение падшему брату о воздержании от плотских пожеланий, о борении и великой осмотрительности

Doctors in hospitals do not rejoice at the painful attacks of others, and not one of them humiliates his neighbor for his illness, but everyone, just as he himself tries to get rid of suffering and free himself from the pain he endures, and, if possible, extends a helping hand to his neighbor so that he can endure painful suffering as easily as possible. So we must console and exhort each other, especially during times of temptation, so that we can truly get rid of the bitter slavery of sin and the torment of the devil, and quench his kindled arrows before that unquenchable fire takes us into itself, and then in the illness of our hearts we will weep tearfully, but there will be no one to console us. So, first I ask forgiveness for my sins and mercy, and then I will give you friendly advice, as the Holy Scripture says: “Reprove the wise, and he will love you,” and if you reprove the unwise, “he will hate you.” “Give wine to the wise, and the wisest will: tell the righteous, and he will take it” (Prov. 9:8-9). I marvel at how, after so much admonition, you became careless about yourself, trampled on your covenant with God, and, fearing temporary fear, threw yourself on the sword. Who will have enough contrition to properly mourn this death? It is dangerous to think and shameful to say. Who has enough faith and knowledge to describe the torment that is in store for those involved in this crushing illness, in such dishonest behavior and extreme stench? What kind of excuse is this? You say: “The abbot does not give the brethren peace, and I was afraid that he would do something bad to me.” What blindness, what delusion! Where is the teaching of our Savior God? He said: “Do not be afraid of men who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; fear rather than him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Where is the instruction of the apostles and prophets and the study of the psalms? Before entering into the struggle, the ascetic anoints himself so that during the struggle he may prove worthy of the crown. Before starting a war, a warrior practices military affairs in order to prove himself skilled during the war. And we, warriors in times of peace, pilots in times of good times! Have you forgotten why you left the world and moved away from your carnal parents? Has worldly fear taken possession of your soul? I grieve for you, brother. But you said: “Their words relax my mind.” Let us remember what the Inflower says: “honey... drips from the lips of a harlot’s wife,” by honey meaning the sweetness of desire. And what else does it add? “... even the larynx delights for a while: you will find something bitterer than gall, and a cunning sharper than a two-handed sword” (Prov. 5:3-4). And in another place Scripture speaks of people clothed in sheep’s clothing, who “inwardly... are ravening wolves,” workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:15, 23). For the Apostle said that “words and blessings deceive gentle hearts” (Rom. 16:18). Can’t you imagine that even if we serve debauchery for a hundred years, then after these years death will crush us, and after death – Judgment? If you say that you are a noble man, then imagine that those who rebelled against blessed Susanna in Babylon were leaders of the people, and blessed Joseph was a purchased slave from an Egyptian woman. Haven’t you heard him who said: “Do not put your face on your soul, and do not be ashamed of your fall. For there is shame when sin brings, and there is shame in glory and grace” (Sir.4:26, 25)? There is no excuse for us, because we do not live in an impenetrable desert. To whomever is being forced, give your voice - and a multitude will gather to help. But let us pay attention to whether the cause of the offense is not in us. And this is a vile and serious matter. See if we are controlled by indecent movements, if our clothes are not magnificent, if our vestments do not smell of incense, like women’s (it is better to let the soul give off the fragrance of the Holy Spirit in an excellent life), if our feet are thoroughly washed (such diligence is completely contrary to chastity), if our clothes are raised above our knees (this exposes the shamelessness of the soul), if our eyes are not disordered, if we are not inclined to laugh, if we ourselves do not say funny things; Are we not power-hungry and money-loving, are we not given over to gluttony and drunkenness, are we not acting ignorantly and imprudently, are we not running away from silence, are we not turning away from work, are our words not shameful, and are our entire appearance depicting passion, and are our voices not embellished with art to inspire love and to seduce? For all this and the like is reprehensible, impermissible and unusual for Christians; Anyone who behaves this way is preparing for himself a cruel and grievous judgment of wrath. “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness” (1 Thess. 4:7). We did not struggle to the point of bleeding, fighting sin, we were not “before rulers... and kings” (Matthew 10:18) for our Savior Jesus Christ (I dare say that because of us Sodom will be less guilty); we have not yet been brought to the throne of judges, and we have not endured torture for piety, we have not seen a furnace kindled with a strong fire: we have not seen lit frying pans, red-hot sharp furnaces and cauldrons boiling with wax and tar; We have not yet been thrown to the beasts, and we have not suffered anything for piety. We have not yet been touched by the hand of the executioners, whose one glance strikes the heart of those given over to their power; we have not yet seen sharp swords brought against us; and they were afraid. Didn’t Christ’s martyrs endure all this? Are you afraid that you have an abbot? Know that he is subordinate to an even higher Chief, Who will test the deeds and examine the intentions of everyone. I say this not in condemnation (let there be no such thing!), but out of compassion, as one who is at war with you, for it is written: “For we all sin many” (James 3:2). And if God, who created us and took upon Himself our flesh, had not deigned to walk visibly on the earth and to sanctify the earth with His blessed and holy feet, then, I think, the earth itself would have been defiled by the multitude of my iniquities. But we have a commandment to admonish and comfort one another with the word of truth. So, let us not exchange life for death, incorruptible for perishable, let us not prove to be more foolish than dumb animals; but as wise men let us listen to the voice of God who created us, who says: “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). It won’t be long before the terrible command to drink the soul from the body will come. You might be interested in: