Слово 6. Об учении и наставлении

Recently we spoke against those who abandon prayer and spend time outside the church during the hours appointed for it; and today I want to address with reproof to those in the church, not because they are here, but because, being present here, they behave no better than those spending time outside the church, namely talking to each other in this terrible hour and not paying attention to the Divine words. What are you doing, man? Do you not see how many of your brothers prisoners are standing here nearby? Indeed, the action of demons represents vile and heavy bonds, more painful than any iron, and you are talking about things that are completely inappropriate? Isn't just one look enough to strike you with fear and inspire compassion for others? Your brother is in chains, and you indulge in carelessness? Tell me, can you receive forgiveness, being so alien to compassion, so inhuman, so cruel? Don't you want to feel sorry for your brother? At least be afraid for yourself and perk up. Are you not afraid that while you are busy talking, behaving carelessly and absent-mindedly, some demon will attack you and, finding your soul, like a church without a door, unoccupied and swept away, will enter it with complete safety? Shouldn't everyone at this hour be shedding fountains of tears, shouldn't everyone's eyes be watered, and crying and cries should be heard throughout the whole church? After communion with the Mysteries, after receiving the baptismal font, after uniting with Christ, this wolf managed to kidnap lambs from the flock and keep them with him, and, seeing such misfortune, don’t you cry? Could this deserve some kind of apology? If you saw that your neighbor’s house was on fire, then tell me, even if this neighbor was more hostile to you than all the people, would you not run to put out the fire, fearing that the fire, spreading further, would not reach your threshold? Do the same with brothers who are threatened by evil demons. After all, the action of demons is a heavy fire. Be careful that, going further and further, the demon does not capture your soul. And when you notice his presence, then flow to the Lord with great zeal, so that the demon, seeing your fiery and awake soul, understands that your heart is no longer accessible to him. If he sees you sleepy and careless, he will quickly enter as if into a free haven; and if he sees that you are straining all your strength, staying awake and holding on, as it were, to the very sky, then he will no longer dare to look at you. So, if you already despise your brothers, then at least spare yourself, and block the evil demon from entering your soul. Truly, nothing blocks his path to us more than fervent prayer. And if you want to know what a great good it is to acquire another along with your own salvation, then listen to what the prophet says on behalf of God: “He who brings precious things out of worthless things, ... you will be like My mouth” (Jer. 15:19), that is, whoever leads, he says, his neighbor from error to truth, or from wickedness to virtue, as far as humanly possible, he imitates Me. If Christ, being God, being a partaker of the Ineffable Divine Being, accepted the Cross and suffered everything else characteristic of man for the sake of us and our salvation, then what are we not obliged to do in relation to those who have the same nature with us and are our members in order to snatch them from the jaws of the devil and lead them to the path of virtue? If at ordinary feasts it happens that those participating save part of the food for their relatives and friends, thereby representing the greatest sign of their love for them, then all the more will we deserve high praise if we do this at spiritual feasts. He who is zealously engaged in teaching his neighbor does not so much provide a benefit to the latter as he prepares for himself a greater reward and gains a double benefit, namely: he receives a greater reward from God, and when he begins to teach his brother, he begins to remember and constantly refresh his memory of his words. If someone who puts up a portrait of a deceased son, or friend, or relative, imagines the deceased through this soulless portrait and thinks that he is present, then much more do we, through the Divine Scriptures, enjoy the presence of the saints, having before us an image not of their bodies, but of their very souls, because their words serve as images of their souls. Just as doctors do not force the sick, nailed to their beds, to be brought to their homes, but come to them themselves to cure illnesses, so do you, to the best of your ability: make every effort and care to restore your brothers who are weak in soul, remembering that real life is short. And if we do not make such acquisitions, we will not receive any salvation there either. On the contrary, one acquired soul can often remove the burden of countless sins from us and become for us an atoning sacrifice on the day of the final Judgment. If Tabitha, who clothed widows and alleviated their needs, returned from death to life, and the tears of those to whom she showed compassion returned the departed soul to the body, when the resurrection of the dead had not yet come, then what will not the tears of the people who are saved by you do? Just as the widows who surrounded Tabitha brought her back from death to life, so those you saved here, surrounding you then, will attract God’s great mercy to you and snatch you from hellfire. In fact, if where there is only a waste of money, there are so many crowns, such a reward, such a reward, then how numerous will the benefits be for the help provided to the soul? No one can succeed in his own salvation without saving his neighbor. That is why Paul says: “Seek no one his own, but each one the benefit of another” (1 Cor. 10:24), knowing that one’s own benefit lies in the benefit of one’s neighbor. Just as the offenders and covetous people, having seen in the next world those who suffered from them - and they will certainly see, as is clear from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus - will not be able to open their mouths or say anything in their own defense, but, filled with great shame and despair at the sight of them, will go to execution, so those who teach and instruct others, seeing those saved by them there, who will defend them, will be filled with great boldness. And let no one tell me: “What do I have in common with him? He is a stranger and unknown to me.” As long as he remains faithful, participates with you in the same Sacraments, goes to the same church with you, he is closer to you than all your brothers and relatives. Just as not only those who steal, but also those who are able to prevent them, but do not do so, suffer the same punishment, so not only the wicked, but also those who are able, but do not want to divert them from wickedness, will undergo the same punishment. Let each of you again acquire one of the brothers, work diligently on him, take care of his affairs, so that we can come to the next meeting with great boldness, bringing to God gifts that are the most valuable of all gifts - the souls of the lost. And if we have to be insulted or beaten, or suffer anything else, we will do everything to gain them again. After all, even the sick often inflict beatings and insults, and yet we tolerate them and are not offended by offensive words, but only want one thing - to see the one who behaves so indecently healthy. So, is it not reckless, with regard to bodily health, to show such care, and when so many souls are perishing, to remain careless and think that we do not tolerate any danger when our members are rotting? What are you doing, man? Tell me, do you see a brother who is rushing into the abyss, has given up caring about salvation, does not know what to do - and you do not extend your hand, do not reproach, do not rebuke him? Would you rather not incur his anger, not seem unpleasant to him, than to take care of his salvation? Will you have any forgiveness from God, any apology? Have you not heard what God commanded the Jews: not to neglect the lost ox of your enemies and, if it falls, not to pass by? So, the Jews are commanded not to leave without care the dumb ones who belong to their enemies; and we will watch indifferently as the souls of our brothers stumble daily? Isn’t this extreme cruelty and brutality on our part - not to give even such care to people as the Jews showed to the dumb? That is why everything has become distorted, that is why everything in our life is mixed up in disarray, because we ourselves cannot courageously endure reproof, nor do we want to reprove others. That is why we are hated with our reproofs, because we ourselves become furious when we are rebuked. If your brother knew that by denouncing you, he would earn praise from you, then he himself would repay you for your denunciation with the same payment. Do you want to correct your brother? Shed your tears, pray to God; admonish him in private, give advice, persuade, show love for the sinner, convince him that you are reminding him of the sin not out of a desire to mock, but out of pain and concern for him; hug his feet, kiss his hands, don’t be ashamed if you really want to heal him. This is what doctors often do, using kisses and begging to convince capricious patients to take life-saving medicine. Even though you had to die for admonishing your brother, do not be afraid: this will be a feat of martyrdom for you. So John was a martyr, although he was not forced to make sacrifices or worship idols: he laid down his head for the holy laws, which he saw trampled upon. So you too, fight to death for the truth, and the Lord will fight for you. One person, burning with zeal, is enough to correct an entire nation. And let no one tell me: “I have nothing in common with my brother.” Only with the devil alone we have nothing in common, but with people we have a lot in common: we all have the same nature, we inhabit the same land, we eat the same food, we have the same Lord, we have received the same laws. Let us not say such words, but let us show the care befitting brothers. Isn’t it really reckless on our part, having seen a fight in the square, to approach and reconcile the fighters; what am I saying, a fight? – if we see a fallen donkey, we all rush to reach out and pick it up; and don’t we care about our dying brothers? How criminal is this! So, when you see that your brother is perishing, do not cease to exhort him; and even if he reviles you, even if he insults you, even if he threatens to become your enemy or threatens you with anything else, endure everything courageously in order to achieve his salvation. If he becomes your enemy, then God will be your friend and will reward you with great benefits on the Day of the Last Judgment. It is a great good to have compassion for those oppressed by poverty; but there is nothing else like freeing from error, because there is nothing equivalent to the soul, even the whole world is not worth it. Thus, even if you give an immense amount of money to the poor, you will not do anything so great as by converting one soul. He who does this becomes like Paul and Peter, not in that he is exposed to dangers as they were, or suffers hunger, sickness and other calamities - because now is the time of peace - but in that he reveals his zeal and readiness to serve others. And what do I say: Peter and Paul? He will be the mouth of Christ, because “he who brings out the precious from the worthless... will be like My mouth” (Jer. 15:19). It means that you can, sitting at home, carry out such fishing: if anyone has a friend or relative, or relative, let him do this, and he will be like Peter and Paul. If you don’t convince today, maybe you will tomorrow; and if you never convince, you yourself will still receive a perfect reward. If you can't convince everyone, you can convince some. So the apostles, although they did not convince everyone, received a reward for everyone, since they addressed everyone with the word of sermon. So, due to the fact that you cannot teach many, do not neglect the few, and in desiring the great, do not remove yourself from the small. If you cannot convert hundreds, take care of ten; if you cannot afford ten, do not neglect five; If you can’t do five, don’t despise even one. God determines crowns based not on the number of those corrected, but on the intention of those correcting. And this is because we who teach are innocent in that we do not convince our listeners, but are only responsible if we do not give instructions, because our job is only to exhort, and it is up to them to obey. And just as in the case when we do not exhort, no matter how much those (whom we had to teach) improve, the whole reward will belong to them alone, and there will be no benefit to us - so, on the contrary, if we exhort, and they do not heed, all the punishment will befall them alone, and there will be no guilt on us; on the contrary, there will even be a great reward from God, because we have fulfilled everything that is required of us. He who speaks to attentive listeners finds consolation for himself in their obedience; but if someone constantly speaks and is not listened to, and yet he does not stop speaking, he is worthy of the greater part, because he fulfills what is pleasing to God and his duty in all accuracy, although no one listens to him. But although we have a greater reward from your disobedience, we would rather have it decrease and your salvation increase, since we consider your glory to be a great reward for ourselves. So, when you see someone in need of mental or physical healing, do not say to yourself: “Why didn’t so-and-so take care of him?” or: “I am a layman, I have a wife and children; this is the work of the priests, the work of the monks.” Tell me: if you find a gold coin somewhere, do you say, “why didn’t so-and-so pick it up?” Not at all; on the contrary, you rush to grab it before others. Think the same way about your fallen brothers, and consider caring for them as a treasure found. “He who brings out the precious from the worthless... will be like My mouth” (Jer. 15:19). What can compare to this? What neither fasting, nor sleeping on earth, nor anything else can accomplish, is achieved through the salvation of a brother. It’s not I who say this, but God Himself who said: “If you bring even one person to grief,” he says, “then your mouth will be like My mouth.” So, let’s not say indifferently: “What have we sinned?”, but let’s try to correct them as soon as possible; And let’s not just look at how many are lost, but let’s take care of how to distract them from their error. If protecting our brothers from falling before the sin itself greatly contributes to our salvation, then the manifestation on our part of great care for them after the sin brings considerable praise. Likewise, doctors indicate to healthy people means that can preserve their health and prevent any disease; and when they neglect their instructions and become ill, they do not leave them without help, but, on the contrary, then they especially show great care for them in order to save them from illness. Likewise, when you need to correct your brother, do not refuse, even if you have to sacrifice your life. Our Lord died for us; and you won’t even utter a word? And what kind of forgiveness will you have, what kind of apology will you offer? How will you appear with boldness, tell me, before the Judgment Seat of Christ, looking indifferently at the death of so many souls? Oh, if it were possible for me to know these people: then I would not need you, but I myself would correct them as quickly as possible. Tell me, if you saw a man, legally convicted, being led to execution, and you could free him from the hands of the executioner, would you not do everything to save him from execution? Meanwhile, seeing your brother drawn not by the executioner, but by the devil into the pit of destruction, do you even want to give advice to take him away from this cruel beast? Can you earn any forgiveness? But is he stronger and more powerful than you? Make him known to me: I would rather lay down my head than let him reach the church threshold. Isn’t it scary that we, with hard work, first teach children subjects that are fraught with difficulties at the beginning, but bring benefits in the end, while we ourselves treat spiritual things in the opposite way? If someone from the outside came to us and knew well the commandments of Christ and the perversity of our life, then I don’t know whether he would consider anyone else more enemies of Christ than ourselves. It’s as if we decided to go and are going along a path that is exactly contrary to His commandments. While what He commands to do is easy and convenient for those who want to do it, and what He forbids is burdensome and difficult, we, neglecting His commands, do what is forbidden: will they say about us that we, as enemies, resisting Him, do so? But just as good people usually advise their neighbors that which made them themselves good, so, on the contrary, vicious people usually suggest to their neighbors that which made them themselves bad - this is also one of the types of their wickedness - and consider the destruction of others as a consolation for themselves in their own punishment. How many of you, tell me, when at home, pick up Christian books, read the contents in them and study the Scriptures? Hardly anyone can say this to themselves. We will find checkers and dice among our neighbors, but only a few will have the Bible. And these latter are no different from those who have not, because, having bound it, they put it in the closet forever, and all they care about is the fineness of the leather and the beauty of the letters, and not about reading. They do not acquire it for the sake of use and benefit, but put so much effort into it in order to satisfy their ambition and boast of wealth. Their vanity is so excessive! I do not hear anyone boasting that they know what is in the Bible, but only those boasting that they have it written in letters of gold. The famous eunuch, being a barbarian, burdened with many worries, even sitting on a chariot, read the Bible, although he did not understand what he was reading. If he showed such zeal while on the road, then imagine what he showed when he stayed at home; if during the trip he did not want to be left without reading, then even more so while sitting at home; if, not understanding anything about what he read, he did not lag behind reading, then even more so after learning. Just as the feeling of hunger is a sign of physical health, so diligence in listening to the Holy Scriptures can be considered the greatest indicator of mental health. Why do we often present you with questions without providing the solution? Because we want to teach you not to always accept chewed food, but in many cases to find a solution to the problem yourself. Pigeons do this too. And they, when the chicks are still in the nest, feed them from their mouths; when they can take them out of the nest and see that their wings have strengthened, they no longer do this, but, bringing grain in their mouths, show it to the chicks, and when they come closer in anticipation, the mothers lower the food to the ground, encouraging them to pick it up themselves. Likewise, we, having taken spiritual food into our mouths, call you, as if intending to show you, according to custom, the solution to the questions; and when you come and expect to receive it, we leave the words for you to find the meaning yourself. Just as guslar players, taking the fingers of their students, gradually teach them to produce sounds and skillfully strike the strings, thus teaching them to produce a sound from voiceless fingers and strings that is more pleasant and sweeter than any voice, so do we. Just as a skillful player or an unskilled one can strike the strings on a harp, but one irritates the listener, while the other amuses and delights - although the same fingers and the same strings, but not the same skill - so it is exactly the same with the Holy Scriptures. Many read the Divine words, but not everyone benefits, not everyone makes a profit, for the reason that they do not delve into what is said - they clumsily hit this harp. In fact, what art is in relation to the harp is the same performance in relation to the law of God. Just as the sick should not be offered a meager and hastily prepared table, but we need to prepare various dishes, so that the sick person, if he does not want one thing, takes another, if he does not find the other pleasant, accepts a third, if he rejects this, takes the next one, and thus we overcome the difficulty with a variety of dishes and satisfy the whims of the patient, the same should be done in relation to spiritual food when we are weak, so that from many and varied examples it will be easy for you to choose what is healthy. Don't be angry with me for admonishing you. If anyone should be indignant, it should be me, who talks so much and finds no one listening, and not you, who constantly listen and never listen to what you hear. Or don’t you know that those who despised the Divine teaching lose through this contempt their very human dignity and are deprived of the nobility of their origin? The great-voiced Isaiah, having come to the crowded capital of the Jews, Jerusalem, and standing in the middle of the square, surrounded by all the people, wanting to show that the one who does not heed the Divine words is not a man, exclaimed: “When I came, there was no one, and when I called, no one answered” (Is. 50:2). And because he came, and there was no man calling, and there was no one listening, he addresses the word to the elements, saying: “Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth” (Is. 1:2). I, he says, was sent to people, to people who have reason; but since they have neither reason nor feeling, I turn to the elements that have no feeling, as an accusation against those who are gifted with reason, but do not use this gift. And Jeremiah, standing among the crowd of Jews, in the city itself, exclaimed, as if there was no one before him: “To whom shall I speak and whom shall I exhort?” (Jer.6:10). What are you saying? You see so many people and ask, “Who should I talk to?” Yes, he says, because this multitude is only a multitude of bodies that do not have hearing, since “their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot listen.” If the prophets do not recognize as people those who were present but did not listen to their words with zeal, then what can we say about those who not only do not listen, but do not even want to cross this sacred threshold? It is not the person who has a human body and voice, but the one who has a human soul and way of thinking. I know that many listen to instructions with displeasure. But what is the use of silence? Let me be silent and not bother you with words; but such silence cannot save you from punishment. On the contrary, the consequence is completely the opposite: such silence only increases the punishment and entails execution not only for you, but also for me. So, what are pleasant words for, when they not only do not contribute to deeds, but also harm? What is the use of cheering with words and saddening with deeds, delighting the ears and punishing the soul? That is why it is necessary to grieve in this life, so as not to be subjected to extreme and unbearable punishment in the hereafter. Therefore, you should not grumble for what was said, but praise and accept with gratitude. To weaker people who cannot calmly accept our justification, I will say the following. I am not setting out my laws to you, but I am interpreting the writings that came down from heaven; and the one to whom such a ministry is entrusted must either boldly say everything that is contained in them, seeking everywhere only the benefit of the listeners, and not pleasure, or, fearing the hostility of the listeners, lose both his own and their salvation through such inappropriate servility. And that to hide something from the Divine laws is very dangerous both for the speaker and for the listeners, and that teachers, when they do not communicate all the commandments of God without cowardice, are tried as guilty of murder, as a witness, and I will present this to you again with Paul. Therefore, I always turn primarily to this holy soul, because the words of Paul are inspired broadcasts and Divine laws, since it is not Paul who speaks, but Christ, who moves his soul and speaks through him everything that he said. What is he saying? “I am pure from the blood of all. Why? For I did not fail to declare to you the whole will of God” (Acts 20:26–27). Consequently, if he had declined to report, he would not have been clean of blood, but would have been tried as a murderer. And quite rightly so. In fact, the murderer destroys only the body and puts him to real death, but the one who speaks to please the listeners and makes them even more careless through this destroys the soul and subjects him to eternal punishment and torment. So, who will be so cruel and inhuman, who is so alien to compassion, as to accuse someone who speaks and argues constantly about the wrath of God, when, if he remains silent, he will be subjected to such a severe punishment? If I, by keeping silent, could hide my sins with my silence, then everyone could legitimately be angry and justifiably indignant whenever I was not silent; but if sins, even if we are silent now, will necessarily be revealed there, then what benefit can there be from this silence? He who seeks the benefit of his listeners, if he began to praise himself, not only does not deserve censure, but even deserves a crown, and if he were to remain silent, then he would deserve censure. Likewise, David, if he had remained silent in the case of Goliath, would not have been allowed to enter the competition and erect a brilliant trophy. That is why, as I have already told you many times before, and now I say, no longer admonishing, but ordering and commanding - let those who want to hear, but those who don’t want to not believe - that if you remain in the vices that prevail among you, I will not tolerate you, I will not allow you, I will not allow you to cross this sacred threshold. Why do I need so many sick people? There were twelve disciples, and listen to what Christ says to them: “Do you also want to go away?” . (John 6:67). If we say only one pleasant thing, then when will we regain what we lost, when will we bring benefit? But there are, you might say, many heretical sects and people are joining them. This word is empty. “Better is one... who does the will of the Lord, than a thousand wrongdoers” (Sir.16:3). After all, what do you want, tell me: to have thousands of servants consisting of runaways and thieves, or one well-intentioned one? Let those who want fall away; I don't hold anyone. As if, they say, he did not fall away and move to another sect. Such words corrupted everyone. Weak, they say; show mercy. But until when? To what extent? One, two, three times? Or always? So I declare again and assure you in the words of Blessed Paul that “when I come again, I will not spare you” (2 Cor. 13:2). And when I am judged before the Judgment Seat of Christ, you too will stand afar off, and the favor that has been won from you, while I will give an account. Therefore, it is better for sinners to experience sorrow in words in order to be freed from shame in deeds. I know that we all deserve punishment and reproach, and that no one can boast of having a pure heart. But the trouble is not that we do not have a pure heart, but that without having it, we still do not come to what can make it pure. I know that my words upset you. But what should I do? If we do not use bitter medicines, the wounds will not be destroyed; If we use it, you cannot bear the pain. “I feel cramped everywhere.” But, however, it’s time to hold back your hand, since what has been said is enough to correct those who are attentive. If we remain incorrigible, we will be delivered into the hands of the Judge Himself, and you, of course, know how terrible it is to fall into the hands of the Living God. Anyone who has done nothing good at all becomes completely lazy and soon falls into despair; the one who realizes that he has fulfilled at least one commandment, having received good hope from this, will proceed to the rest with great zeal; will then learn another one and move on to the next one. If it happens with money that the more someone acquires it, the more he desires it, then this is much more the case with spiritual exploits. Therefore, I ask and beg you to remember these words of mine not only on this day, but also at home, and in the square, and wherever you spend time. Oh, if only I could always be with you, and there would be no need for this lengthy denunciation! Now, since this is impossible, instead of me, imprint my words in your memory, and, sitting at a meal, imagine as if I were coming in, standing in front of you and repeating what I am saying here now. And wherever you talk about me, first of all remember this commandment and give me this reward for my love for you. We also urge not only those who slander others, but also those who listen to those who slander, to block their ears and imitate the prophet who says: “He who secretly slanderes his neighbor I will drive out” (Ps. 100:5). Say to the one who condemns another: “If you intended to praise and speak approvingly about someone, I would open my ears and accept your speech; If you want to slander, then I block the entrance to your words, because I do not want to accept dirt and dung.” What good is it for me to know that so-and-so is wicked? On the contrary, this results in the greatest harm and enormous loss. What justification and forgiveness will we have when, without even thinking about our own sins, we so diligently find out and investigate those of others? It is better not to know well than to know badly. He who does not know the cause may soon arrive at the probable cause; the one who, not knowing the real reason, imagines a non-existent one, will not be able to easily accept the real one; he needs a lot of work and effort to tear out his previous delusion. If you see that someone has prepared sacred vessels or some other decoration for church walls or floors, do not order him to destroy or destroy what he has done, so as not to weaken his zeal; But if anyone asks you before you do it, order it to be given to the poor. Despise the joys of life as fleeting, and the sorrows as not harming us at all. Just as those living in a foreign land do everything and use all measures to return to their fatherland, and yearn every day, wanting to see their homeland, so exactly the one who loves future blessings will not lose heart from present sorrows, and will not be lifted up with happiness, but will pass by both, like a passer-by on the road. We also need to have such a disposition, and even if we have lived here for a few years, count them as many for the sake of the desire for future benefits. I say this, however, not because I blame real life - no! after all, it is also God’s work, and strengthening you in love for future blessings, so that you do not cling to the present, do not be nailed to the body, and are not like the majority of cowardly people who, even if they have lived thousands of years, say that this is not enough for them. What could be more unreasonable than this? While Heaven and heavenly blessings are presented, which neither eye has seen nor ear has heard, they are addicted to shadows and do not want to cross the seas of real life, being subjected to constant unrest, storms and wrecks. This is not what Paul did; on the contrary, he was in a hurry and consumed with desire (to leave here), and only one thing held him back, namely the salvation of people and the fear that they would not fall away from the Kingdom of God. This (Kingdom) may we all be worthy of, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory 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: