Беседа на Вознесение Господа нашего Иисуса Христа

Said in the church of the martyrs in Romanesia, where the bodies of the martyrs, which lay hidden near the corpses of heretics, were transferred and placed specially at the top 4. 1. And at the time when we celebrated the memory of the Cross, we celebrated a holiday outside the city; and now, when we honor the Ascension of the Crucified One on this glorious and bright day, we celebrate again outside the city. We do this not wanting to humiliate the city, but trying to honor the martyrs. So that these saints would not reproach us and say: “We are not worthy to see a single day of our Lord celebrated in our monasteries,” so that these saints would not reproach us and say: “Behold, we shed our blood for Him and were worthy to lay down our heads for Him, and were not worthy to see the day of His feast celebrated in our abodes,” for this we, leaving the city, resorted to the feet of these saints on the occasion of this day, making excuses for them and for the past time. If before it was necessary to resort to these courageous ascetics of piety, when they lay hidden, then all the more it is necessary to do the same now, when these pearls lie separately, when the sheep are separated from the wolves, when the living are separated from the dead. For them, even before, there was no harm from the fact that they were in a common burial place with heretics, since whose souls are in heaven, those bodies did not suffer harm from such a neighborhood, whose soul is in the hand of God, those remains do not suffer anything from the location. There was no harm to them themselves before; but our people suffered considerable harm from the area, resorting to the remains of martyrs and praying with hesitation and doubt, because they did not know where the tombs of the saints were and where the true treasures lay. Here the same thing happened as would happen with flocks of sheep, which, trying to drink from pure streams, would come to pure springs, but, feeling the stench and stench nearby, would retreat back; this happened with our flock. The people came to the pure springs of the martyrs, but feeling the heretical stench spreading nearby, they retreated back. Seeing this, our wise shepherd and common teacher, who eliminates everything for the edification of the Church, an ardent lover and zealot of martyrs, 5 could no longer endure such evil. What did he do? Look at his wisdom: he covered up the muddy and stinking streams and took them down, and placed the pure springs of the martyrs in a clean place. And notice what kindness he showed to the dead, what honor to the martyrs, what care for the people: he showed kindness to the dead, not moving their bones, but leaving them in the same place; he gave honor to the martyrs, freeing them from their bad neighborhood; He showed concern for the people, not allowing them to perform prayers with doubt anymore. That is why we brought you here so that the gathering would be more solemn, the spectacle more brilliant, when not only people, but also martyrs, and not only martyrs, but also Angels gathered. Truly, Angels are also present here: today a meeting of Angels and martyrs has taken place. If you want to see both Angels and martyrs, then open your eyes of faith and you will see this sight; after all, if the air is filled with Angels, then even more so is the church; if the church, then much more on this day, when their Lord is exalted. And that the whole air is filled with Angels, listen to how the Apostle says, exhorting wives to have a veil on their heads: “A woman must have authority over her head for the sake of an Angel” (1 Cor. 11:10). Also Jacob: “An angel who delivers me” from my youth (Gen. 48:16). And those who were in the house along with the apostles said to Rhoda: “His angel is” (Acts 12:15). And also Jacob: I saw, he says, a host of Angels (Gen. 32:2). Why did he see a regiment and army of Angels on earth? Just as the king commands troops to be in every city, so that the enemy does not attack and invade the city, so God, since in this air there are fierce and cruel demons, always raising wars, and enemies of the world, opposed them to the armies of Angels, so that with their mere appearance they would tame the demons, and always bring peace to us. And so that you know that there are Angels of peace, listen to how the deacons always say in their prayers: “We ask for an Angel of peace.” Do you see that both Angels and martyrs are present here? Therefore, who is more pitiful than those who are absent today? Who is more blessed than us who have come and enjoyed this celebration? However, we will leave the conversation about Angels until another time, and now we will talk about the real holiday. 2. What holiday is this? Important and great, beloved, surpassing the mind of man and worthy of the bounty of the God who created him. Now there is reconciliation between God and the human race, now the long-term enmity has ceased and the long war has ended, now some wondrous peace has come, never expected before. And who could hope that God intended to make peace with man? This is not because the Lord was not philanthropic, but because the servant was careless; not because the Lord was cruel, but because the servant was ungrateful. Do you want to know how we insulted this Humane-loving, Meek Lord of ours? It is necessary to know the reason for our former enmity, so that when you see us, enemies and enemies, awarded honor, you will marvel at the philanthropy of the One who honored; so that you do not think that the change occurred due to our own merits; so that you, having recognized the excess of His grace, do not cease to constantly thank Him for the greatness of His gifts. So, do you want to know how we insulted our Lord, the Humane-loving, Meek, Good, who arranges everything for our salvation? He once had in his mind to completely destroy our race and was so angry with us that he determined to destroy us with our wives and children, animals and livestock, and with the whole earth. If you wish, I will let you hear the very definition: “I will consume,” He said, “man, whom I created from the face of the earth,” and beasts and livestock: “I have already created” man (Gen. 6:6-7). And so that you know that He did not hate our nature, but turned away from vices, He, having said: “I will consume man whom I created from the face of the earth,” says to man: “The time of every man has come before Me” (Gen. 6:13). If He hated man, He would not talk to man. And now you see how He not only did not want to do what He threatened to do, but also justified himself - the Lord spoke to the servant before the servant, as with an equal friend, and announced the reasons for the impending death, not so that a person would know these reasons, but so that, having told others about it, he would make them more prudent. So, our race, as I said, behaved so badly before that it was in danger of being exterminated from the earth itself. And now we, who seemed unworthy of earth, have been taken up into heaven; we, unworthy of earthly dominion, have risen to the Heavenly Kingdom, ascended above the heavens, and occupied the Royal Throne; and the same nature from which the Cherubim guarded Paradise will now sit above the Cherubim. How was this wondrous and great thing accomplished? How did we, who offended God, who seemed unworthy of the earth and who lost earthly dominion, ascend to such a height? How did the war end? How did the anger stop? How amazing it is that peace happened in such a way that it was not people who were unjustly at enmity against God who (asked for peace), but God Himself, who was justly angry, admonishing us. “We pray according to Christ,” says the apostle, “as I pray to God with us” (2 Cor. 5:20). What is this? Is he offended and admonishes Himself? Yes; He is God and therefore exhorts as a Humane Father. And look what happens: the Son of the Exhorter becomes the mediator, and not a man, not an Angel, not an Archangel, and not one of the slaves. What does a mediator do? That which is characteristic of a mediator. Just as where two people turn away from each other and do not want to be reconciled, someone else, coming and offering himself as a mediator between them, puts an end to their mutual enmity, so did Christ. God was angry with us, we turned away from God, the Humane-loving Lord; Christ, offering Himself as a mediator, reconciled both natures. How did He offer Himself as a mediator? He took upon Himself the punishment that we had to bear from the Father, and endured the subsequent torment and reproach here. Do you want to know how He took upon Himself both? “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse against us,” says the apostle (Gal. 3:13). Do you see how He accepted the punishment that threatened from above? Look how He endured the reproaches inflicted on earth. “The reproaches of those who reproach Ti,” says the psalmist, “attack me” (Ps. 68:10). Do you see how He stopped the enmity, how He did not stop doing and enduring everything, and using all measures, until He brought the enemy and the enemy to God Himself and made him a friend? And the foundation of these blessings is the present day when Christ, as if taking the firstfruits of our nature, lifted it up to the Master. As happens with fruitful fields, when someone, having taken a few ears of grain, made a small sheaf and brought it to God, with this small honor brings down a blessing to the entire field, so Christ did: with His one Flesh, as the firstfruits, He brought down a blessing on our entire race. But why did He not exalt our entire nature? For there will be no firstfruits when someone brings everything; but then it will be when someone, having brought a little, through this little prepares a blessing for everything. But you will say that for the firstfruits the first-born man should have been brought, since the firstfruits is called that which is the first to happen, the first to grow. No, beloved, it will not be the firstfruits when we bring forth the first fruit, unripe and lean, but when we bear the perfect fruit. Therefore, since that fruit was subject to sin, it was not brought, although it was the first; and this fruit is free from sin, and therefore it was brought, although it appeared later: this is the firstfruits. 3. In order for you to be convinced that the firstfruits is not the first fruit that grows, but a fruit that is perfect, beautiful and has reached the proper maturity, I will give you evidence from the Scriptures: “When... ye,” said Moses to the people, “into the land which the Lord your God gives you, and plant every edible tree, ... the fruit thereof shall be unclean to you for three years, and not be torn down in the summer.” fourth, all its fruit will be holy...to the Lord” (Lev.19:23, 24). If the firstfruits were the first to grow, then the fruit that grew in the first year would have to be brought to the Lord; but here it says: “The fruit thereof shall be unclean” unto thee for three years; leave it, because the tree is weak, its fruit is lean and unripe; “in the fourth year he will be holy...to the Lord.” And look at the wisdom of the Lawgiver: He did not allow this fruit to be eaten, lest man accept it before God, and He did not allow it to be brought, lest we bring unripe fruit to the Lord. Leave these, He says, because they are the first fruits, and do not offer them, because they are unworthy of the honor of the Receiver. Do you see that the firstfruits is not the first to grow, but the perfect? This is what we said about the Flesh that Christ brought. So He brought to the Father the firstfruits of our nature; and the Father showed such respect for this gift, both because of the dignity of the One Who brought it and because of the purity of the One who brought it, that He accepted It with His own hands, placed the Gift next to Himself and said: “Sit at My right hand” (Ps. 109:1). To what nature did God say: “Sit at My right hand”? To the one who listened: “You are earth, and you will go to earth” (Gen. 3:19). Was it not enough for him to rise above the heavens? Wasn't it enough to be with the Angels? Wasn’t this honor also indescribable? But it surpassed the Angels, passed by the Archangels, surpassed the Cherubim, ascended above the Seraphim, passed the Principalities, and stopped not before reaching the Throne of the Lord. Do you see this space from Heaven to earth? Or better yet, let’s start from the bottom: do you see what the distance is from hell to earth, also from earth to heaven, then from heaven to the High Heavens, and from this to the Angels, to the Archangels, to the highest Powers, to the very Throne of the Kings? Above all this distance and this height He exalted our nature. Look how low (the man) was and how high he was raised; It was impossible either to descend lower than where man had descended or to ascend higher than where Christ had elevated him. Expressing this, Paul said: “He who came down is also the one who ascended.” Where did He descend? “To the longest countries on earth”; and ascended “above all the heavens” (Eph. 4:9–10). Notice who ascended, or what nature, or what state it was in before. I willingly dwell on the insignificance of our race in order to recognize the extraordinary honor bestowed upon us by the Lord’s love for mankind. We were earth and dust, but this is not yet guilt, because this is the weakness of nature. We have become more foolish than dumb animals, because man “was likened to foolish cattle and became like them” (Ps. 49:21). And to become like the senseless means to become worse than the senseless, because to be senseless by nature and to remain in senselessness is a natural thing, but for those who are respected by reason to fall into madness is the fault of the will. Therefore, when you hear: “Be like senseless cattle,” then do not think that the psalmist said this, wanting to present people as equal to senseless animals: he said this, wanting to show that they are worse than animals. Truly, we were worse and more insensitive than the dumb; not only because they fell this way while being human, but also because they reached even greater foolishness. Expressing this, Isaiah said: “The ox of the covetous man and the donkey know his master’s manger; but Israel does not know Me” (Is. 1:3). However, let us not be ashamed of the former: “whereas sin abounded, grace abounded” (Rom. 5:20). You see how we were more senseless than cattle; Do you want to see how we were more senseless than the birds? “The turtle dove and the village gusset have preserved the times of their entrances; but these people of mine have not known the judgments of the Lord” (Jer. 8:7). Behold, we are more senseless than donkeys, and oxen, and birds, turtledoves and swallows. Do you want to know our other nonsense? The Wise One makes us disciples of ants: so we have lost our natural meaning! “Go,” he says, “to wickedness...and be jealous when you see his ways” (Proverbs 6:6). We, created in the image of God, became disciples of the ants; but the fault of this is not the Creator, but we, who did not preserve His image. What am I talking about ants? We were more insensitive than stones. Do you want me to provide evidence for this too? “Hear, O mountains, the judgment of the Lord, and the wilds of the foundations of the earth, for the judgment of the Lord is upon His people” (Micah 6:2). You sue people and call upon the foundations of the earth? Yes, He says, because people are more insensible than the foundations of the earth. How else will you demand the extreme of vice, when we are more insensitive than donkeys, more senseless than oxen, more unreasonable than swallows and doves, more stupid than ants, more insensitive than stones, and even turn out to be equal to snakes? “Their wrath,” it is said, “is in the likeness of a serpent” (Ps. 57:5); “The poison of asps is under their lips” (Ps. 139:4). But is it necessary to talk about the insensibility of the dumb, when we, it turns out, are called the children of the devil himself? “You,” he says, “are of [your] father’s nature” (John 8:44). 4. And yet we, insensitive, unreasonable, senseless, who were more insensitive than stones, lower than everyone, dishonest and most despicable - how can I say, how to express myself, how to pronounce this word? - despicable nature, the craziest of all, has now become higher than all. Now the Angels have received what they have long desired; Now the Archangels have seen what they have long thirsted for: they have seen our nature shining on the Royal Throne, shining with glory and immortal beauty. Yes, the Angels have long desired this, the Archangels have long desired this. Although our honor has surpassed theirs, they rejoice in our blessings; equally, when we were punished, they grieved; The Cherubim, although they guarded Paradise, nevertheless mourned. And just as a servant, having taken his fellow servant into custody by order of his master, although he guards his fellow servant, nevertheless, out of compassion for this fellow servant, grieves over what happened to him, so the Cherubim, although they accepted Paradise for safekeeping, nevertheless grieved on this guard. And to make sure that they really grieved, I will explain this to you by the example of people. When you see that people have compassion for their fellow servants, then do not doubt the Cherubim, because these Powers are much more loving than people. And which of the righteous did not grieve for people who were punished fairly and after countless sins? It is amazing that they grieved, knowing the sins of people and seeing that they had offended the Lord. So Moses, after the idolatry of the Jews, said: “Even if you forgive them their sin, forgive it; otherwise, blot me out of your book, you have written it in the book” (Ex. 32:32). What is this? Do you see wickedness and mourn for those who are punished? That’s why I grieve, he says, because they are being punished and have given reasons for fair punishment. And Ezekiel, seeing the Angel striking the people, with a great cry and groaning, exclaimed: “Oh, cruel to me,...Lord! Thou eatest the remains of Israel” (Ezek.9:8)? And Jeremiah: “Punish us, O Lord, especially in judgment, and not in rage, so that you do not make us humble” (Jer. 10:24). If Moses, Ezekiel and Jeremiah grieved, will the Heavenly Powers really not have any compassion for us in our misfortunes? Could it be? That they consider ours to be theirs, remember what joy they expressed when they saw that the Lord had reconciled with us. If they had not grieved before, they would not have rejoiced afterwards. And that they rejoiced is clear from the words of Christ: “For there will be such joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7). If the Angels, seeing one converted sinner, rejoice, then how can they not experience the greatest pleasure, now seeing all nature, in its first fruits, ascended to Heaven? Hear also how the highest hosts rejoice over our reconciliation (with God). When our Lord was born in the flesh, they, seeing that He was reconciled with people - and if He had not been reconciled, He would not have condescended so much - seeing this, they formed a choir on earth and exclaimed, saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). In order to convince you that they glorify God because the earth has received blessings, they added the reason: “There is peace on earth,” they say, “there is good will among men,” hostile and ungrateful. You see how they glorify God for the goods of others, or better yet, for their own, because they consider our goods to be theirs. Do you want to know that even as they expected to see Him ascending, they rejoiced and admired? Listen to Christ, who says that they ascended and descended without ceasing; and this is typical for those who want to see a wondrous spectacle. How is it known that they ascended and descended? Listen to Christ Himself, Who says: “From here you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (John 1:51). This is the property of those who love: they do not even wait for time, but anticipate the time with their joy. Therefore, they descend, striving to see that extraordinary and wondrous sight - a man who appeared in Heaven. Therefore, Angels always appeared - both when He was born, and when He was resurrected, and now, when He ascended. “And behold,” it is said, “two hundred men ... in white clothing,” revealing by their very appearance joy, “even the cry” to the disciples: “men of Galilee, why are you standing..? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him going into heaven” (Acts 1:10-11). 5. Here listen to me with attention. Why do the Angels say this? Didn't the disciples have eyes? Didn't they see the events? Didn’t the evangelist say that “it will be taken away by those who see” (Acts 1:9)? Why did the Angels appear, teaching them that Christ had ascended to Heaven? For two reasons: firstly, because separation from Christ always saddened the disciples; and that she saddened them, listen to what He said to them: “No one asks Me from you: where are you going? But because these words were spoken to you, your hearts were filled with sorrow” (John 16:5–6). If we cannot (with indifference) endure separation from our friends and relatives, then the disciples, seeing the Savior, the Mentor, the Trustee, the Humane-loving, the Meek, the Good, being separated from them, could they not be sad, could they not grieve? Therefore, an Angel appeared, comforting them in their grief over the departure of the Lord with the news of His second coming: “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will also come again” (Acts 1:11). Have you fallen into sorrow, he says, because Christ has ascended? Do not mourn: He will come again. So that they would not do the same thing as Elisha did, who, seeing his teacher taken to Heaven, “teared ... his garments” (2 Kings 2:12) - since no one appeared to him and said that Elijah would come again - so that they would not do the same, for this purpose Angels appeared, comforting them in sorrow. This is one reason for the appearance of Angels. No less important is another reason why the Angel added: “he ascended.” What is this reason? Christ ascended “to heaven.” The distance between earth and heaven is great, and the power of vision could not follow the body that ascended to heaven, but just as a bird flying in height, the more it rises, the more it hides from our sight, so exactly the Body of Christ, the more it rose in height, the more it was hidden, since the eyes, due to their weakness, could not follow Him at such a great distance. Therefore, the Angels appeared, announcing His ascension into Heaven, so that the disciples would not think that Christ ascended “as into heaven” (2 Kings 2:1), like Elijah, but that He ascended into Heaven itself. That is why it is said: “He ascended from you into heaven,” and this was not added in vain. Elijah was taken “as if into heaven” because he was a slave; Jesus ascended “to heaven” because He is the Master; that one is on a chariot of fire, and this one is on a cloud. When it was necessary to call a slave, a chariot was sent; and when it is the Son, then it is the Royal Throne, and not just the Royal Throne, but the Fatherly Throne. Isaiah says about the Father: “Behold, the Lord sits on a light cloud” (Is. 19:1). Therefore, since the Father “sits on a cloud,” He also sent a cloud to the Son. Elijah, as he ascended, lowered the mantle on Elisha; and Jesus, having ascended, sent down gifts on the disciples, making not one prophet, but many Elishas, ​​or better yet, much greater and more glorious than him. Let us arise, beloved, and fix our eyes on the second coming of Christ. Paul says: “The Lord himself, by command, in the voice of the Archangel ... will descend from heaven, and ... we who are left behind ... will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16–17), but not all. And that we will not all be raptured, but some will remain, and others will be raptured, listen to this, as Christ says: “Then you will be two together grinding in the millstones: one will be eaten, and one will be left: there will be two on one bed: one will be eaten, and the other will be left” (Luke 17:34-35; Matt. 24:40-41). What does this parable mean? What does this hidden secret mean? The millstone means all those living in poverty and sorrow; and the bed and rest signify all those enjoying wealth and honor. The Lord, wanting to show that both the poor are saved and perish, said that of those who grind with millstones, “one is eaten, and one is left,” and of those lying on the bed, “one is eaten, and another is left.” It expresses that sinners are left here to await punishment, while the righteous ascend to the clouds. Just as when the king enters the city, those invested with dignity and power and having great boldness before the king come out of the city to meet him, while criminals and convicts remain in custody inside the city, awaiting the royal verdict - so during the coming of the Lord, those who have boldness before Him will meet Him in the air, and the guilty and conscious of many sins will wait here for the Judge. Then we too will be “delighted.” Having said: “we,” I do not include myself among those admired; I am not so insensitive and unreasonable as not to be aware of my own sins. If I were not afraid of disturbing the joy of this holiday, I would have cried bitterly, remembering this saying, because I also remembered my own sins. But since I do not want to disturb the joy of this holiday, I will end my speech here, leaving in you a living memory of that day, so that neither the rich man rejoices in his wealth, nor the poor man considers himself unhappy because of his poverty, but everyone acts one way or another, depending on what he recognizes in himself. Neither wealth makes you happy, nor poverty makes you unhappy; but whoever is worthy of being “caught up” in the clouds is blessed and most blessed, even if he were the poorest of all; just as the one who is deprived of it is unhappy and extremely unhappy, even if he were richer than everyone else. I say this so that we, who are in sins, will mourn ourselves, and all who live in good deeds will be encouraged, and not only be encouraged, but have firm confidence. However, the former should not only cry, but also correct themselves; since even a vicious person can, having abandoned his vices, turn to virtue and compare himself with those who from the beginning pursued a virtuous life: this is what we will try to do. Let those who recognize themselves as virtuous remain in piety, constantly increasing this good acquisition and increasing their previous boldness; and those who lack boldness and are aware of many sins, let us correct ourselves, so that we too may achieve their boldness, and all together and unanimously meet the King of Angels with due glory and be worthy of blessed joy in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Romanesia is a countryside area in Antioch. The year of the discourse is unknown. Litany of petition. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: