A special word to the shepherd, teaching what a teacher of verbal sheep should be like

Essay by Rev. John Climacus “Shepherd, or a special word to the shepherd” (Λόϒος ἕτερος, Εἰς τὸν Ποιμένα) is addressed to Abbot John of Raifa. In some publications (for example, Mon. Sophronia) it is considered the 31st step of the “Ladder”. The Word consists of 15 chapters devoted to reflection on pastoral service and the role of the spiritual father in the life of a monk. The text contains specific advice and instructions for clergy. St. John compares the shepherd to a doctor, a shepherd, a ship's helmsman, a teacher, and other images, emphasizing different aspects of his ministry. The essay describes the qualities that a shepherd should have: love for his flock, knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and the works of the Fathers of the Church, prudence and wisdom, meekness and humility, severity and justice, and other virtues. To be an example for the flock, he must, first of all, conquer his passions himself and strive for spiritual perfection. A short exhortation that contains everything that was said at length in this book Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Ascend, brethren, ascend diligently, setting ascension in your hearts, and listening to the Prophet, who says: “Come, let us ascend to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of our God” (Is. 2:3), “who perfects our noses like olives, and sets them on high” (Ps. 17:34), so that we may become conquerors in His path. Flow, I beg you, with the Apostle, who said: as we sweat, “until we reach the union of faith and knowledge... of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the age of the fulfillment of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Christ, having been baptized in the thirtieth year of visible age, received the thirtieth degree in this spiritual ladder; for love is God. To Him be the praise, to Him is the dominion, and to Him is the strength; in Him the beginning of all good things is, and was, and will be for endless ages. Amen. A special word to the shepherd, teaching what a teacher of verbal sheep should be like. In this earthly book, I have given you, divine father, the last place before everyone else. But I am sure that in the heavenly and divine book you are written first of all of us; for He is true who said: “those who are last” by wisdom “will be first” in dignity (Matthew 20:16). 1. A true shepherd is the one who can seek out and correct the lost verbal sheep with his kindness, diligence and prayer. 2. The spiritual helmsman is the one who has received from God and through his own exploits such spiritual strength that he can deliver the spiritual ship not only from anxiety, but also from the abyss itself. 3. A spiritual doctor is one who has acquired both body and soul free from any illness, and no longer requires any healing from others. 4. A true teacher is one who directly received from God the book of spiritual reason, inscribed in the mind by the finger of God, that is, by the action of illumination, and does not require other books. 5. It is indecent for teachers to teach instructions copied from the works of others, just as it is indecent for painters when they only make copies from other people’s drawings. 6. When instructing those below, you yourself first learn from above; and from the sensual learn the spiritual, and do not forget him who said: I preach neither from man nor by man. For earthly things cannot heal earthly things. 7. The good helmsman saves the ship; and the good shepherd will revive and heal sick sheep. 8. To the extent that these sheep, prospering without ceasing, follow their shepherd, so he must give an answer to the Master of the Household for them. 9 . Let the shepherd place, like a stone, a threatening word on those sheep who, due to laziness or gluttony, lag behind the flock; for this is also a sign of a good shepherd. 10. When these sheep, from the heat, that is, from bodily burning, begin to doze off in soul, then the shepherd, looking at the sky, must watch over them even more diligently; for many of them during such heat become prey to wolves. However, if these spiritual sheep, following the example of dumb sheep, bow the head of their souls low to the ground during the heat, then we have an encouraging testimony: “God will not despise a broken and humble heart” (Ps. 50:19). 11. When darkness and the night of passion have befallen the flock, then assign your dog, that is, the mind, to relentless guard to God; for there is nothing incongruous here in considering the mind as the destroyer of mental beasts. 1. Our good Lord also gave our nature the property that a sick person, seeing a doctor, is happy, although, perhaps, he will not receive any benefit from him. Tie also, O venerable husband, plasters, powders, eye lotions, drinks, sponges, and at the same time disdain, instruments for bloodletting and cauterization, ointments, sleeping potions, knives, bandages. If we do not have these supplies, then how will we demonstrate the art of medicine? There's no way we can; Meanwhile, doctors are paid not for their word, but for their deeds. 2. The plaster is a cure for visible or bodily passions; and taking medicine internally is a cure against internal passions, and cleansing from invisible defilement. 3. The powder is a stinging dishonor that heals the rottenness of exaltation. The eye lotion is the cleansing of the spiritual eye, or mind, confused by the movement of anger. 4. A medicinal drink is a reprimand that upsets, but quickly heals the disease. 5. Bloodletting is the quick extraction of hidden pus. Bloodletting is a strong and cruel attack on the sick in order to save them. 6. By sponge we mean meek, quiet and soft words, with which the doctor, as it were, wipes the patient after bloodletting or cutting. 7. Cauterization is a certain punishment or penance, humanely prescribed for a time for repentance: and ointment is offered to the patient either a pleasant word, or a small bodily consolation. 8. A sleeping potion means taking upon oneself the burden of a novice, and through his obedience giving him peace, sleepless sleep, holy blindness, so that he does not see his virtues. 9 . Bandaging means strengthening those weakened and weakened by vanity and strengthening them with patience until death. 10. Finally, the knife is a definition and a sentence about cutting off from society a member who has died in soul and is rotten, so that he does not pass on his infection to others. 11. Blessed is disdain in doctors, and dispassion in teachers; for they, without disgust, boldly begin to heal every stinking wound, and these can resurrect every dead soul. 12. The primate must also pray to have compassion and disposition towards everyone in proportion to their dignity, so that he, as once happened with Jacob (Gen. 32:7), does not harm his beloved disciple and his brethren, which usually happens to those primates who have not yet acquired spiritual “feelings trained by long study in the judgment of good,” and average, “and evil” ( Hebrews 5:14). 1. It is a great shame for a mentor to pray to God to grant a novice something that he himself has not yet acquired. 2. How those who have seen the face of the king and become his friends, if they wish, can not only all his servants, but also those unknown to him, and even his enemies, introduce him to him, and make him partakers of his glory; understand this also about the saints. Friends are ashamed to refuse anything to their most sincere friends, but they listen to them, and sometimes, perhaps, they are unwittingly convinced by them. It is good to make friends, but only spiritual ones; for no one helps us so much to succeed in virtue. One of the God-lover told me that although God always rewards His servants with gifts, he does so most of all on annual and Lord’s holidays. 1. The spiritual doctor must completely divest himself of the passions themselves, so that on occasion he can feign any of them, and especially anger. If he has not completely rejected passions, then he will not be able to dispassionately take on their masks. 2. I saw that the horse, which was broken, but not yet completely, walked calmly while it was held tightly on the reins, and as soon as it was loosened, it overthrew its rider. This parable primarily points to two passions 1; Those who wish to test, let them test with effort. 1. Then the spiritual doctor will learn this wisdom from God when he manages to heal such passions that many could not heal. It is not the teacher who is worthy of admiration who made capable youths knowledgeable people; but the one who made the ignorant and dull-witted wise and brought them to perfection. The skill of the riders then appears and is praised when they defeat their opponents on bad horses and save their horses. 2. If you have received from God the gift of foreseeing storms, then clearly announce them to those in the ship with you. If not, then you will be guilty of the wreck of the ship, because everyone has entrusted its management to you with full trust. 3. I have seen doctors who did not warn their patients about the reasons for the intensification of the disease, and through this they became guilty of many toils and sorrows, both for the sick and for themselves. 4. To the extent that the abbot sees faith in himself, both novices and lay visitors, he is obliged to guard himself with every fear in everything he does and says, knowing that everyone looks to him as the main example, and everyone accepts him as a rule and law. 5. Love will indicate the true shepherd; for out of love the Great Shepherd gave himself up to crucifixion. 1. When speaking with your brethren, assimilate to yourself those sins that you need to expose in one or another of them; in this way you will always be free from unnecessary modesty. 2. Sad until the time of the illness, so that he does not become numb in his illness, or die from cursed silence. Many took the helmsman's silence as a sign of a safe voyage, until they hit a rock. Let us listen to what the great Paul writes to Timothy: the infusion, he says, is timely and untimely. Timely, this designates, in my opinion, a time when those who are exposed complacently endure the exposure; but it is untimely when it upsets them. For the springs do not stop pouring out their streams even when there is not a single thirsty person. 3. Some abbots seem to have a natural shyness, which is why they often remain silent when they should not be silent. In this case, let them not refuse to act as ordinary teachers do with students, and to set out in writing the instructions necessary for the brethren. Let us hear what the Divine voice says about some: “He exercises the seedlings of every land and the earth” (Luke 13:7); and again: “remove the evil from yourselves” (1 Cor. 5:13); and again: “Do not pray for these people” (Jer. 7:16). And Samuel was also told about Saul (1 Samuel 16:1). Shepherds need to know all this, and look at whom, how and when, such measures should be used; for nothing is truer than God. 4. If someone, being rebuked in private, is not ashamed, he turns the reproof made in front of many into an occasion for greater shamelessness, willfully despising his own salvation. 1. I see here the same thing that I saw in many prudent patients who, aware of their timidity and weakness, begged the doctors to tie themselves up, even if the doctors did not want it, and treat them with arbitrary violence; for their spirit was vigorous for the sake of the expected future, but their flesh was weak for the sake of old bad habits. Seeing such an arrangement of these sick people, I asked the doctors to listen to them. 2. The guide should not say to everyone who comes to obedience: “this way” is “narrow and strait” (Matthew 7:14); and not for everyone: this “yoke” is “good and the burden is light” (Matthew 11:30); but must consider and choose decent medicines. For those burdened with severe sins and prone to despair, the second medicine is appropriate; and for those prone to arrogance and conceit, the first remedy. 3. Some, having the intention of embarking on a further journey, and having asked those who knew this path, heard from them that this is a straight, smooth and safe path; and having heard this, they soon weakened in their journey and in the middle of the way they suffered disaster; and others returned back because they had not prepared themselves for sorrows. Therefore, we must conclude the opposite. Where Divine love has touched the heart, there threatening words cannot frighten. Where the fear of Gehenna appears, there is patience of all kinds of labor and sorrow. Where the hope of the kingdom of heaven is visible, there is contempt for everything earthly. 4. A good commander must clearly know the condition and structure of each of his subordinates. Perhaps some of his squad can fight with him in front of the regiment for all his companions; Perhaps there are those capable of martial arts who should be led to the path of silence. 5. The helmsman alone, without the help of the ship's servants, cannot save the ship. A doctor cannot heal a patient unless he convinces the doctor with a request and the opening of an ulcer with full power of attorney. The doctors, ashamed, exposed their wounds to rot; and many often died. 1. When the sheep are grazing, let the shepherd not cease to use the flute of the word, and especially when they are bowing to sleep; for the wolf fears nothing so much as the voice of the shepherd's pipe. 2. The shepherd should not always recklessly humble himself before his subordinates; but one should not always be exalted senselessly, looking in both cases to the example of the Apostle Paul. The Lord often closes the eyes of his subordinates, so as not to see the infirmities in the leader; and when the primate himself begins to announce to them his shortcomings, then he will give birth to unbelief in them. 3. I saw a rector who, out of extreme humility, consulted his spiritual children on certain matters. But I also saw another who, out of exaltation, tried to show his unwise wisdom to his subordinates and treated them mockingly. 4. I saw, although this rarely happens, that the passionate, under certain circumstances, ruled over the impassive; and little by little, ashamed of their subordinates, they cut off their own passions. I think that reward for those being saved produced this change in them: and thus the leadership in the passionate dispensation served as the basis for dispassion for them. 1. One must be careful not to squander what one has collected in a refuge on a stormy sea. What has been said will be understood by those who go into rumors without being accustomed to it. Truly a great feat is to complacently and courageously endure the heat and silence and languor of silence, and not look for entertainment and consolation outside the ship of your cell, following the example of the cowardly ship servants who, during the heat, are thrown into the water. An incomparably greater thing is not to be afraid of rumors, but in the midst of their noise to maintain a fearless and motionless heart, being outwardly with people, and inwardly with God. 1. Let the order of worldly affairs, O most venerable father, be an example for us. Some come to our truly terrible judgment seat as condemned: while others, being innocent, hasten to work and serve God. The reasons for the arrival of both are very different; and therefore the rules for them should be different. 2. The guilty person must first of all be asked, however, in private, what exactly his sins were. This should be done for two reasons: firstly, so that he, always mortified by this confession, remains insolent: secondly, so that he remembers in what ulcers we received him, and is excited by this to love us. 3. It is also worthy of your attention, most honorable father (though you yourself, as I am sure, know) that God looks at the places from where and where someone comes to monasticism, at the degree of zeal for the renewal of life, and at the morals of the repentant. There are many differences and similarities in all this. Often the weakest person is more humble in heart, and therefore spiritual judges should punish him more easily. The opposite of this is obvious. 1. It is not natural for a lion to tend sheep; It is not easy for someone who is still passionate to rule over other passionate ones. 2. It is incongruous to see a fox between chickens; but it is even more incongruous to see an angry shepherd. For the fox destroys chickens, and this one confuses and destroys rational souls. 3. Be careful not to be strictly exacting for the slightest sins; otherwise you will not be an imitator of God. 4. Have God himself as your leader and mentor. Instructed by Him, as the most excellent ruler, in all your internal and external actions, and before His will, cutting off your will, you too will be without care, led by His sole wave. 5. You and every shepherd should also consider the fact that if the grace of God acts through us on those who come to us, is it not because of their faith, and not because of our purity? For many and passionate people worked miracles in this way; and if many, as the Savior says, will say to Him on the day of judgment: Lord, Lord, is not Thy name prophesied (Matthew 7:22), etc., then what I have said should not seem incredible. 6. He who has truly found mercy from God can unnoticeably do good to the sick, thereby having two benefits: preserving himself unharmed from the rust of glory, and disposing those who have been pardoned to give thanks to the One God. 1. To those who, like strong young men, strive zealously and courageously in the spiritual field, offer the best and highest, and to those who are left behind in understanding or life, feed them with milk, like infants. For every food has its time: often the same food produces zeal in some, and sadness in others. When sowing spiritual seed, one must reason about time, about persons, about the quantity and quality of the seed. 2. Some, imputing the judgment for spiritual succession as nothing, recklessly attempted to shepherd souls; and having previously had great wealth, they departed empty-handed from this life, having shared all their goods during their reign with others. 3. Just as there are different kinds of children, some are legitimate from the first marriage; others from a second marriage; some were thrown, and others from slaves: so the perception of pastoral care for souls comes in different forms. Perfect perception is the surrender of one's soul for the soul of one's neighbor in everything. It’s different when the shepherd takes on previously committed sins, and nothing more. It’s different when he accepts sins that happen after (perception), and that’s all. Some, due to a lack of spiritual strength and lack of dispassion, accept only the burden of their commands as their responsibility before God. But even in the most perfect perception, the shepherd is subject to judgment to the extent that those accepted by him cut off their will before him. 4. The true son is known in the absence of the father. 5. The primate needs to carefully notice the brethren who in some cases oppose and contradict him; and in the presence of respectable men, give them severe reprimands, thereby instilling fear in others; at least those punished were very upset for such humiliations. The admonition of many should be preferred to the grief of one. 6. Some, driven by spiritual love, take upon themselves the burdens of others beyond their strength, remembering the word of the Savior: “greater love can no one have,” and so on. (John 15:13). Others, perhaps, have received from God the strength to take on the burdens of others, but are reluctant to bow down in order to bear the burden for the salvation of their brothers. These latter, as those who have not acquired love, I consider very pitiful. About the first it is said in Scripture: “Take away what is honorable from what is unworthy, as My mouth will be” (Jer. 15:19); and “as thou hast created, thou shalt do it” (Abd.1:15). 7. I also ask you to keep in mind that the mental sin of a shepherd at God’s judgment turns out to be more important than the sin actually committed by the novice; since the crime of a warrior is easier than the malice of a commander. 8. Teach your novices to confess to God 2 carnal and fornication temptations not in appearance; and remember all other sins day and night in detail. 9 . Teach them by word and your own example to be kind to each other; and against demons, wise and circumspect. 10. It should not be hidden from you what the purpose of your sheep is in their mutual and friendly relations with each other; for invisible wolves try to frustrate the careful through the lazy. 11. Don’t be lazy to ask and pray to God for the laziest; not that they be shown mercy, for this is impossible without their assistance, but that the Lord raises them to zeal. 12. The weak should not eat food with heretics, as the rules command. The strong, if the infidels call them to learn the Orthodox faith, and they want to go, let them go at a decent time to the glory of the Lord. 13. Don't excuse yourself by ignorance; for “he who is ignorant and has done something worthy of wounds will be beaten” for not knowing (Luke 12:48). 1. It is a shame for a shepherd to be afraid of death; for they say about monastic obedience itself that it is fearlessness of death. 2. Try, blessed father, what kind of virtue 3 is, without which no one will see the Lord; and first of all, teach it to your children, protecting them in every possible way from beautiful and effeminate faces. 3. All those under your leadership, according to the difference in their physical age, should have different occupations and different dwellings, for none of those who come to our refuge should be rejected. Before contented consideration, which is also prudently used by the worldly, “do not lay hands” (for tonsure) on anyone quickly (1 Tim. 5:22), lest some of the sheep who came to us in ignorance, in time reaching full understanding, and not enduring our burden and heat, turn back into the world; for which those who laid their hands on them ahead of time will answer before God. 4. Is there such a steward of God who would no longer have a need for fountains of tears and labor for himself, but would mercilessly use them before God to cleanse others? 5. Never cease to cleanse souls, and even more so, desecrated bodies, so that you can boldly seek crowns from the good Hero of God not only for your labors for yourself, but also for the souls of others. I saw one weak person who, strengthened by faith, cleansed the weakness of another weak person, praying for him with commendable shamelessness, and laying down his life for the soul of his neighbor, but with humility. Thus, by healing his neighbor, he healed himself. I also saw another who did something similar to this, but with exaltation; and he was told in reproof: “Physician, heal yourself” (Luke 4:23). 6. One can leave one good for the sake of another greater good. This is what he did 4 who ran from martyrdom not out of fear, but for the benefit of those being saved and enlightened under his leadership. 7. Some people betray themselves to dishonor in order to preserve the honor of their neighbors; and when many regard him as a sensualist, he acts “as a flatterer and a true man” (2 Cor. 6:8). 8. If the one who can use the word to others, but does not teach it abundantly, will not escape punishment: then what misfortune, beloved father, are those who, through their labors, can help those who suffer, expose themselves to what misfortune, and do not help? Deliver your brethren, O you, delivered by God! Saved! save those led to death, and do not be stingy in the redemption of the souls killed by demons. For this is the greatest honor given by God to a rational creature, and it is above all the doing and vision of mortals and immortals. 9 . The one who wipes away the filth of others with the purity given to him from God and brings pure gifts to God from the unclean, shows himself to be an assistant to the bodiless and mental forces. For this constitutes the only and everlasting work of the servants of God, according to the word of David: “all who are around Him will bring gifts” (Ps. 75:12); and these gifts are souls. 10. In nothing is the philanthropy and goodness of our Creator revealed to us so much as in the fact that He left the ninety-nine sheep and sought out the one that was lost. Hear this, beloved father, and show all your effort and love, fervor, diligence, and prayer to God for those who are far lost and contrite. For where illnesses are serious, and ulcers and scabs are malignant, there, without a doubt, great rewards are given to those who heal. 11. Let's look, delve and create. For the shepherd must not always adhere to justice, due to the weakness of some. I saw how two people went to trial before a wise shepherd, and he acquitted the wrong one, because he was cowardly; but accused the right one as courageous and complacent, so as not to increase enmity with the truth; however, he said what he deserved to everyone separately, and especially to those who were ailing in soul. 12. A field rich in herbs is beneficial to all sheep; and edifying teaching and remembrance of the exodus from this world is appropriate for all verbal sheep, and can cleanse them of all leprosy. 13. Take note of the complacent, and without any guilt, humiliate them in the presence of the weak, so that by healing one you can heal the illness of another and teach the faint-hearted patience. 14. Nowhere is it seen that God, having accepted confession, discovered the sins of the repentant; for He would thereby turn sinners away from confession, and make their illnesses incurable. So, even if we had the gift of insight; We should not warn those who have sinned by revealing their sins, but it is better to encourage them to confess with divinatory expressions; for even for their very confession before us they receive no small forgiveness. Upon confession, we must worthy them of greater care and freer access to us than before; for through this they are more successful in faith and love for us. Let us also show them in ourselves the image of extreme humility, and teach them to have fear of us. Be careful that your excessive humility does not attract coals of fire onto the heads of your children. 15. You must be patient in everything, except disobeying your commands. 16. Look carefully to see if there are any trees in your garden that are just taking up land in vain, but in another place, perhaps, would be fruitful. In this case, do not deny at all, with advice, to humanely replant them. 17. Sometimes the abbot can comfortably lead his sheep to virtue in places that are apparently unusual for monasticism, cheerful or crowded. Therefore, in accepting the sheep that come to him, let him be careful, because evasion and refusal are not in any case forbidden by God. If a spiritual doctor abounds in spiritual silence, then when caring for the sick he has little need for external things; if he does not possess the former, then he must use the latter. 18. No gift from us can be as pleasing to God as the offering of verbal souls to Him through repentance. For the whole world is not worth one soul, because the world passes away, but the soul is imperishable and abides forever. 1. So, blessed father, please not those who sacrifice their property to Christ, but those who bring Him verbal sheep. But be careful to offer this burnt offering blamelessly; If not, then it will be of no benefit to you. 2. As it should be understood: as it is fitting for me to be betrayed by the Son of Man, woe to him, he is betrayed by him: so understand in the opposite sense that it is fitting for many who will to be saved, but the reward will be given to those who, according to the Lord, served their salvation. 3. First of all, honest father, we need to have spiritual strength to help those whom we dared to lead into the Holy of Holies and attempted to show them Christ at their mysterious and hidden table of the resting. For when these led ones are still in the vestibule of the sanctuary, and we see that the crowd of those who want to prevent them from entering oppresses and oppresses them; then we are obliged to take them by the hand, like babies, and free them from this crowd, that is, from demonic thoughts. And if they are still very infant, or weak, then you need to take them on your shoulders and carry them until they pass the door of this truly narrow entrance; for here there is usually the most pressure and crampedness. That is why someone said about her: “This work is before me, until I enter into the sanctuary of God” (Ps. 73:16-17). 4. We have already said, father of fathers, and in previous words what kind of father of fathers and teacher of teachers he was; fully convicted by the highest wisdom, unhypocritical, accusatory, insightful, chaste 5, condescending and joyful: and what is most surprising is that he watched incomparably more strictly for those who expressed fiery zeal for spiritual life. If he found some who adhered to their own will, or had an addiction to something, then he deprived them of their favorite thing, so that everyone finally began to be careful not to express their will in what they felt attracted to. This distinguished man always used to say that it was better to expel the novice from the monastery than to allow him to fulfill his will. For the one who expels often makes the expelled the most humble, and ready to cut off his own will; and he who expresses imaginary love for mankind and condescension towards such monks is the reason that they curse him at their death, as a person who deceived, and did not take advantage of them. 5. It was wonderful to see how this great father, after completing the evening prayers, sat, as if some kind of king on a throne, on his seat, externally woven from branches, and internally from spiritual gifts, and how a friendly host of brothers, like wise bees, surrounded their shepherd, listening to his words, as the words of God, and receiving commands from him. The shepherd ordered one to read fifty psalms by heart before going to sleep, another thirty, another a hundred. He appointed another to make the same number of prostrations; another sitting to sleep; for some people to read for so much time, and for others to stand in prayer for so much time. He also appointed two overseers over the brethren, who during the day observed and forbade idleness and idle talk, and at night - untimely vigils, and what should not be committed to scripture. 6. That's not enough. This great man determined special rules for everyone regarding food; for there was not the same food for everyone, but it was assigned to each according to his dispensation: for some, this good steward prescribed food that was harsher, and for others more pleasant. And amazing. That everyone accepted and carried out his commands without grumbling, as if from the mouth of God. The Lavra was also subordinated to this most worthy man, to which this most perfect in everything sent from his monastery those who were stronger in spirit to remain silent. 7. Do not, I ask you, accustom simple-hearted monks to the subtlety of their thoughts; but it is better, if possible, to accustom those who are discriminating to simplicity; this is a glorious thing. 8. He who has achieved perfect purity through extreme dispassion, as a Divine judge, can also use strict measures. For the impoverishment of dispassion hurts the heart of the judge, and does not allow him, as he should, to punish and eradicate evil. 9 . First of all, leave your sons an inheritance of immaculate faith and holy dogmas, so that you can lead not only your sons, but also your grandchildren to the Lord through Orthodoxy. 10. You should not spare the strong in body and the young, out of false mercy, but tire and exhaust them, so that they bless you when leaving this life. And for this, wise man, you have an example in the great Moses, who could not free the obedient and obedient people who followed him from the slavery of Pharaoh until he forced them to eat unleavened bread with a bitter potion. Unleavened bread signifies the soul that bears the cutting off of its will; for her own will puffs up and exalts her, but unleavened bread never rises. By bitter potion one should sometimes mean the grief of submitting oneself to one who commands, and sometimes the bitterness of severe fasting. 11. But having written this to you, O father of fathers, I come to fear, hearing him say: “When you teach others, do you not teach yourself?” (Rom.2:21). So I’ll say one more thing and finish the word. The soul, united with God in purity, has no need for the word of others for its teaching; for this blessed one carries within herself the ever-present Word, which is her secret guide, mentor and enlightenment. Such is your soul, as I remember, O most sacred and brightest head; and not from words alone, but also from deeds and experience themselves, I came to know your most holy mind, shining especially with murderous meekness and humility, like that of that great lawmaker Moses; Following in his footsteps, you, O most suffering one, always ascending to the heights of perfection, have almost surpassed even that in the glory of purity and the honesty of chastity, with which virtues, more than anything else, we approach the All-Pure God, and the Giver and Helper of all dispassion, and for which He resettles those still living on earth to heaven. You, like Elijah, that lover of purity, with your feet of unlazy diligence ascended, as it were, onto some kind of fiery chariot, and not only killed the Egyptian, and hid the victorious crown in the sand of humility; but he also ascended the mountain and, in a thorny environment inaccessible to beasts, saw God and enjoyed the Divine voice and luminosity. You stripped the boots, that is, the entire deathly shell of the old man, and taking him by the tail, that is, by the end, who from an Angel became a serpent, cast him into his own darkness-covered hole and the underworld ditch, into Egypt of utter darkness. You defeated the arrogant and proud Pharaoh; struck down the Egyptians and killed their firstborn; a victory with glory surpassing all others. Therefore, the Lord entrusted you, as an unshakable one, with the instruction of the brethren, whom you, the teacher of mentors, fearlessly delivered from Pharaoh and from the vile work of plywood, that is, pleasing this mortal flesh; and from his own experience in everything he taught them a vision of the Divine fire and the cloud of purity, extinguishing every unclean flame. But you also cut the Red Sea, scorching with passions, in which so many are in misery, for them with your rod, and through pastoral art made them triumphant and victorious, and completely drowned all their persecutors. Then you overcame Amalek with open arms, who usually greets the victors after victory at sea, standing in the midst of action and vision. For the people entrusted to you by God and enlightened by God, you conquered tongues, and those who were with you led to the mountain of dispassion, appointed priests, gave up circumcision, those who are not cleansed by it cannot see God. You ascended to the heights, and having reflected every darkness, and darkness, and storm, that is, the three-dark darkness of unreason, you approached the incomparably more honest light seen in the bush, and incomprehensible and highest; was awarded a voice, was awarded a vision and a prophecy. You saw, perhaps while you were still here, the back of the future, that is, the future is a complete enlightenment of the mind. Then he heard the voice: “man shall not see” (Ex. 33:20), and he descended into the deepest vale of humility from the vision of God in Horeb, carrying the tablets of reason and spiritual ascent, being glorified by the face of soul and body. But alas! my squad got carried away by the fusion of the body. Alas! the tablets are broken! What after this? Taking these people by the hand, you led them through the desert; and when they were burned by the flame of your fire, you created in them with wood, that is, by the crucifixion of the flesh with passions and lusts, a source of tearful water. And so you enter into battle with the tongues that meet you, destroying them with the fire of the Lord; you come to Jordan (for nothing prevents me from retreating somewhat from history); in a word, like Joshua, you divide the waters for people and separate the lower ones into the salty and dead sea, and the upper ones - a stream of love on another high land - you place before the eyes of your spiritual Israelites. Then you command to take out twelve stones, creating through them either the Apostolic face, or secretly forming the overcoming of the eight tongues, that is, the main passions, and the acquisition of the four supreme virtues. Then, leaving behind you the dead and barren sea, you approach the city of the enemy; you trumpet prayer around him, in continuation of this sevenfold circle of human life; and now the stronghold has been overthrown, the victory has been won, so it is fitting for you to sing to the immaterial and invisible Champion: my “enemy” “has run short of weapons to the end, and the cities” of my passions “have you destroyed” (Ps. 9:7). Do you want me to touch on that which is higher and more excellent than all other things? You have ascended to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the contemplation of the most perfect peace of the soul, and you see Christ the God of peace; you suffer with Him, like a good warrior, you are crucified in His flesh with passions and lusts: and rightly so, for you too have become the god of Pharaoh and all his ungodly power and are buried in Christ; and you descend with Him into hell, that is, into the depths of the ineffable mysteries of Theology; you accept the anointing of the world from your relatives and beloved wives, i.e., virtues, and you are fragrant. (For what prevents me from expressing everything in detail?) What a wealth of self-interest! You have been given to sit with Christ on the throne of heaven. You will also be resurrected on the third day, having defeated the three tormentors, or, to put it more clearly, having won victory over the body, soul and spirit, or after cleansing the tripartite of the soul, that is, the desirable, irritable and rational forces. You also ascend the Mount of Olives. But the time has already come to shorten the word and not to philosophize, especially before one who is full of wisdom and surpasses in intelligence all those who are higher than us. About this mountain, I believe, a certain valiant traveler, ascending it, said: the mountains are high with trees, that is, to the souls that destroy mental snakes. With this, you too, descending and following him, ascended that mountain; and looking up to heaven (I again take the previous figurative speech for my word), blessed us, your disciples, and saw the proposed and approved ladder of virtues, which you, as a wise architect, according to the grace of God given to you, not only laid the foundation, but also the completion, although in your humility you convinced us feeble-minded people to give our unclean lips for the benefit of your brothers. And this is not surprising; The sacred story says that Moses also called himself tongue-tied and thin-voiced. But he had a rich gift of speech and a broadcaster: you, the secret teacher, I don’t know why, came to a waterless spring, which was all full of Egyptian toads or sewage. But just as I should not leave my word, O heavenly traveler, without finishing the story of your course, then again weaving the crown of your kindness I will say: you approached the holy mountain, and directed your gaze to the sky, raised your foot to climb, and flowed, and ascended to the cherubic virtues, and flew up, and ascended in exclamation, having defeated the enemy, and became for many a predecessor and guide; and to this day you instruct us all and lead us, having ascended to the very top of the holy Ladder and united with love, and love is God. To Him belongs glory, power, honor and worship forever and ever. When someone confesses to his spiritual father, then he should confess the type and degree of carnal sin, as the church rules command. But here we are talking about mental confession before God, where carnal sins, being remembered in appearance and in detail, instead of benefiting, bring harm to the confessor, as some holy fathers explain this. St. Philotheus of Sinai writes: “Diversity should always break the heart, learning everything that humbles us. To crush and humble the heart of the memory of our ancient life in the world, if we remember the commission, and the memory of all sins from infancy considered by the mind, except for the carnal; Remembering these things is harmful. (Church Slavonic “Philokalia”, part 2, chapter 13. See also: Philokalia T. 3. Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, 1993, p. 406). And the Monk Mark the Ascetic says: “Former sins, being remembered in appearance, harm the trustworthy. For if they bring sadness with them, they remove them from hope; and those imagined without sadness bring back the old defilement. When the mind, through self-denial, acquires mental hope, then the enemy, under the pretext of confession, depicts former sins, so that passions, consigned to oblivion by the grace of God, may ignite and secretly harm a person. For then the strong and passion-hating mind will necessarily be darkened, embarrassed by the sins it has committed. And if he is still gloomy and voluptuous, then he will slow down in every possible way and will passionately talk with the battles of his thoughts, so that this memory will not be a confession of sins, but a representation of previous sinful impressions. If you want to bring an uncondemned confession to God, then do not remember sinful changes by their appearance, but courageously endure the sorrows that come for them.” (Sermon on those who think to be justified by works, chapters 151-153). Purity of soul and body (Heb.12:14). St. Gregory the Wonderworker. The word “chastity,” according to the meaning of the ancient fathers, does not mean private virtue, but sobriety in everything, when a person keeps himself from every deed, word and thought that is displeasing to God. You might be interested in: