Слово 38. О непостыдном исповедании Честного Креста и о том, как Христос спас нас через него, и как нам в нем следует полагать славу свою; о добродетели и о том, как (Господь) хочет нашего спасения, и о милостыне.

Here, brothers, is the sign that the Lord promised to give us all, saying: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign; and no sign will be given to him except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 12:39), meaning the Cross, death, burial and Resurrection. And then another time, pointing to the power of the Cross, He said: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that it is I” (John 8:28). That is: “When you nail Me to the cross and think that I am defeated, then you will know My power most of all.” And Christ spoke excellently! After Christ was nailed to the cross, Jewish customs ceased to exist, preaching flourished, the word spread to the ends of the universe, earth and sea, inhabited places and uninhabited places everywhere proclaimed His power. Let no one be ashamed of the honest signs of our salvation and the most important of our blessings, by which we live and exist. We will wear the Cross of Christ like a wreath. Everything important for us is accomplished through him: was it necessary for rebirth to take place - the Cross appeared; whether we need to taste the mysterious food, accept a bet, or do something else - this symbol of victory appears to us everywhere. That is why we depict him with great zeal in our homes, on the walls, on the doors, on the forehead and in the soul. This is a sign of our salvation, general freedom and the Lord’s favor towards us: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter” (Is. 53:7). So, when you mark yourself with a cross, think about the whole meaning of the cross, tame anger and all other passions; when you lay down the cross on yourself, let your face be filled with great boldness, and make your soul free. Know, in any case, what gives us freedom. Therefore, Paul, leading us to this (I’m talking about freedom decent for us), did the same, remembering the Cross and the Blood of the Lord: “You,” he says, “were bought with a price; Do not become slaves of men" (1 Cor. 7:23). “Think,” he says, “about the price given for you, and you will not be the slave of any people”; he names the price as the Blood shed on the Cross. Therefore, you should not depict it simply with a finger, but first with your will with great faith and only then overshadow your face with it. None of the unclean demons will be able to stand near you, seeing the sword from which he took the blow, seeing the sword with which he was beheaded to death. If we tremble when we see the places where the condemned are executed, think what the devil will experience when he sees the weapon with which Christ destroyed all his power and with which he cut off the head of the dragon. Do not be ashamed of this good, so that Christ will not be ashamed of you when He comes in His glory, and when this sign appears in advance, shining brighter than the rays of the sun. It is then that the Cross will appear, speaking by its very appearance, justifying the Lord before the entire universe and showing that He has not missed anything from what is needed for people. Even during the time of our ancestors, this sign opened closed doors; it destroyed fatal poisons; it destroyed the strength of the hemlock; it healed the bites of harmful animals. If it opened the gates of hell, shook the vaults of heaven and renewed the entrance to Paradise, if it cut the devil’s networks, is it surprising that it will defeat fatal poisons, animals and everything else? Inscribe it in your thoughts, embrace the salvation of our souls. This Cross turned the universe, drove out error, revealed the truth, made the earth heaven, turned people into angels. Therefore, demons are no longer terrible, but deserve contempt, and death is no longer death, but a dream; Therefore, everything that is at enmity with us is thrown down and trampled under foot. If they say to you: “You honor the Crucified One,” say in a loud voice and with a joyful face: “Yes, I do, and I will never stop doing this.” If anyone starts laughing, shed tears over him, because he is going crazy. Thank the Lord for giving us such blessings as cannot be known without revelation from above. He laughs because “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:14). After all, children admit this when they see something great and amazing: if you lead him to the Sacrament, the child will laugh. The Hellenes are also similar to children, but they are much more imperfect than those, and therefore more pitiful, since they allow what is characteristic of children not at an immature, but at a mature age: hence they are unworthy of forgiveness. But we will shout and speak with a loud voice, clearly and openly; If all the Greeks were here, we would say with all the more freedom that the Cross is our joy and the main thing of all blessings, that it is our freedom and perfect crown. I would like to be able to say with Paul: “The world is crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14), but I cannot, because I am burdened with various passions. Therefore, I beg you, and before you, myself: to be rooted to the world and have nothing to do with the earth, but to look at the mountainous fatherland, at the unearthly glory and at the eternal blessings. We are warriors of the King of Heaven and are equipped with spiritual weapons; Why do we lead the life of shopkeepers and vagabonds, and even more so, the life of worms? Where the King is, there the warrior should be. We became warriors, but not from those who stand far away, but from those who stand close. The king of the earth would not allow everyone to be in the royal palace, or even around it; The Heavenly King wants everyone to be close to the Royal throne. “But how,” they will say, “can you, being here, stand near that throne?” But Paul, while on earth, was where the Seraphim were, where the Cherubim were, and he was closer to Christ than those bodyguards were to the king. They often turn their gaze everywhere, but this one did not think about anything, nothing attracted him, but all his thoughts were tense in the direction of the King and Lord. So, if we wanted, it would be possible for us too. If He were separated from us by a place, you would be right in your amazement; if He is everywhere, He is close to you when you try and strive. That is why the prophet said: “I will fear no evil, because You are with me” (Ps. 23:4). And then God Himself says: “Am I God only close... and not God and far away? (“God draw near I am... and not God afar off”) (Jer.23:23). So, just as sins remove us from Him, so righteousness brings us to Him. “Then you will call,” he says, “and the Lord will hear; You will cry out, and He will say: “Here I am!” (Isa.58:9). What father ever listens to those born to him? What mother is so ready and so constantly on guard whenever her children call her? There is no such father or mother. God is constantly waiting to see if one of His servants will call Him, and will never leave Him unanswered if He is called as He should be. Let us also call on Him, as He wants us to call Him. How does He want it? “Loose,” he says, “the chains of unrighteousness, untie the bonds of the yoke, and set the oppressed free, and break every yoke; divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the wandering poor into your home; When you see a naked person, clothe him, and do not hide from your half-blood. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly increase, and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will follow you. Then you will call, and the Lord will hear; You will cry out, and He will say: “Here I am!” ("Loose every bond of unrighteousness, destroy the debts of forced scriptures... tear apart every unrighteous scripture: shatter your bread for the hungry, and bring the bloodless poor into your house: if you see the naked, clothe, and do not despise those of your tribe. Then your light will open early, and your healing will soon shine, and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of God will surround you. Then you will call, and... I will hear you,... yet I say to you... I will say, “Behold, I have come”) (Is. 58:6-9). But who, they will say, is able to do all this? And who is not able to, tell me? What's so intricate about this? What's difficult? What's not easy? Yes, this is not only possible, but it was also done, because many even exceeded the measure of what was said, not only tearing apart the unrighteous scriptures, but also abandoning their own; not only taking the poor under one’s roof and allowing them to eat, but even working hard to provide food for the poor; benefiting not only relatives, but also enemies. What in general is difficult from what has been said? He did not say: go up the mountain, cross the sea, cut through so many layers of earth, remain hungry, put on sackcloth, but: “share the dwelling, separate from the bread, tear apart the unrighteous scriptures.” What, tell me, is easier than this? If you find this difficult, look at the rewards and everything will become easy for you. Just as kings on the lists lay out wreaths, clothes and awards in front of the competitors, so Christ lays out the victorious rewards in the middle of the lists, offering them, as if through many hands, through prophetic words. Kings, even if they have been kings thousands of times, but since they are still people, and their wealth is spent, their means are diminishing, they tend to present a little as a lot, therefore, handing each of the servants individually one of all things, they thus expose them to show. Our King does the exact opposite: having united everything together, since His wealth is great and He does nothing for show, He thus puts in front of everyone what is widespread to the limit, and He will need many hands to preserve it. And so that you know this, carefully review everything that is given separately. “Then,” they say, “your light will open early.” Perhaps you think that this is one gift? No, not just one: a lot is hidden inside it: wreaths, trophies and other awards. And, if you wish, we, having explained it, will show all this wealth as best we can. Just don't tire you out! And first of all, let’s find out what “will open up” means. He shows us by this speed and abundance, and how He wants our salvation, and how He desires and leads for these blessings to appear, and how nothing will hinder their inexpressible flow: with all this he shows their abundance and the limitlessness of means. What does "early" mean? This means: not after you are overwhelmed by temptations, and not after the onset of evil, but before all this appears. Just as we say about fruits: “early,” namely, appearing ahead of time, so it is here. He said this, again denoting speed, as I have already cited above: I will also say to the one who speaks to you: “Here am I.” What kind of light is He talking about, and what kind of light will it be? This is not a sensory light, but much better, the light that shows us Heaven, Angels, Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, all the hosts, royal cities, tabernacles. If you are awarded that light, you will see this, you will be freed from Gehenna and the harmful worm, from the gnashing of teeth, from the bonds of sadness, from cramped conditions and sorrow, and hopeless darkness, from being cut in two, from rivers of fire, from curses, from places of sadness, and you will go to where illness and sadness have escaped, where there is great joy, peace and love, pleasure and fun, where life eternal, unspeakable glory and inexpressible beauty, where are the eternal tabernacles, the unspeakable Royal glory and those blessings that our eye has not seen, our ear has not heard, and the thought of which has not occurred to man (2 Cor. 2:9), where is the place of spiritual marriage and the heavenly wedding bed, where are the virgins with lighted lamps and in wedding attire, where is the abode of the Lord and the Royal treasury. Do you see how many rewards, and how many of them He designated in one word and how he compared them all together? Explaining each of the following utterances in this way, we will find great abundance and an immense sea. Let us not delay, let us not delay in helping those in need; We will not, I beg you, but if we need to throw everything away, if we need to throw ourselves into the fire, go to the sword, face a mortal conflict, or suffer anything else, we will endure everything with ease in order to be able to have the Holy Spirit on us. He honored with great honor the one to whom the operation of the Divine Sacraments was entrusted: great is the dignity of priests. “Whose sins you forgive, their sins will be forgiven; On whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (John 20:23). That is why Paul said: “Obey your leaders and submit” (Heb. 13:17), and especially honor them. You take care of your own affairs. If you arrange them properly, you will not have to worry about anything else. The priest, even if he organizes his life properly, but does not carefully take care of yours, will go to Gehenna along with the villains; often, without being condemned for his deeds, he receives death for yours if he does not properly arrange everything required of him. Knowing how great the danger is, show him great favor - which Paul also points out when he says that “they are vigilantly watching over your souls, as those who are obliged to give an account” (Heb. 13:17). They should be treated with great care. If you, along with others, attack them, then your affairs will not be in good condition. As long as the helmsman feels well, those traveling with him will be safe. If they begin to scold him and treat him with enmity, he will be unable to work and stay awake, or maintain his art and, unwillingly, will expose them to thousands of dangers. So is the priest: if he takes advantage of your thoughtfulness, he will properly manage your affairs. If you, giving free rein to your hands, plunge them into despondency, then you will give them along with you to the power of the waves; at least they were very brave. Think about what Christ says about the Jews: “The scribes and Pharisees sat in the seat of Moses; Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do” (Matthew 23:2-3). Now it is impossible to say: “the priests sat in the seat of Moses,” but “in the seat of Christ,” because they accepted His teaching. That is why Paul says: “It is as if God Himself exhorts through us; We ask in the name of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20). Don't you see from the example of external rulers how everyone obeys them, even those who are often superior to judges in birth, life, and prudence? However, taking into account the one who appointed them, they do not think about anything like that, but obey the royal decision, whatever the person who received the power. That's how afraid they are when a person puts it; if Christ installed it, will we really show disdain towards Him, will we really offend Him, will we really burden Him with countless reproaches? Shall we, who are not allowed to judge our brothers, sharpen our tongue against the priests? Is it worthy of any apology when we do not notice the log in our own eye, but carefully examine the speck in someone else’s eye? Don't you know that by judging this way, you are preparing an even harder judgment for yourself? I say this not justifying those who rule the priesthood unworthily, but pitying and weeping over them. However, I say that on this basis they cannot be judged by their subordinates, even if their lives deserve strong censure. But you, if you think about it within yourself, will not feel embarrassed about what God has given him. For if God made His voice audible through a donkey, and if He bestowed spiritual blessings through a soothsayer, acting through the foolish lips and through the unclean tongue of Balaam, for the sake of the Jews who insulted Him, how much more will He arrange all His things for the sake of you who are right-minded, even if the priests were very bad, and will send the Holy Spirit. After all, a pure priest does not attract Him with his purity, but grace is a power that acts in everything. “Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas... - all are yours” (1 Cor. 3:22). What is entrusted to the priest can only be given by God, and whatever human wisdom may achieve, it will be less than grace. I say this not so that we should arrange our lives carelessly, but so that you, subordinates, do not often increase your evil at a time when some of the leaders are careless. What am I saying - priests? Neither Angel nor Archangel is able to do anything about what is given by God, but the Father, Son and Holy Spirit control everything; the priest ministers with his mouth and stretches out his hands. And it would be unfair for people who approach the symbols of our salvation with faith to suffer harm due to the unrighteousness of another. Knowing all this, let us fear God and honor His priests, showing them every honor, so that we may receive reward from God both for our own exploits, and for the great care for those, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. Ἐκλογαί άπό διαφόρων λόγων . Under this name are known collections of conversations compiled by various persons after the death of Chrysostom on certain topics, from those related to the topics and especially liked by the compilers of the works of the saint. The passages are given partly in a literal presentation, partly in a free retelling and are borrowed both from the original works of Chrysostom, and from works only attributed to Chrysostom, which have not only survived to this day, but have also been lost. These Eclogues (selections) were widespread and were used by both private individuals and kings. Known, for example, is the luxurious collection of Eclogues, owned by the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros Botaniatus (1078–1081), registered among the codices of the Koalene Library under No. LXXIX. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: