Слово 9. О том, что не должно пренебрегать Церковью Божией и Святыми Таинствами

There are only a few present with us today. What is the reason for this? We are commemorating the martyrs, and no one came to our meeting. The length of the journey plunged them into laziness; or rather, it was not the length of the journey, but laziness that prevented them. Just as nothing can hinder a zealous person with a vigorous will, so, on the contrary, everything can serve as an obstacle to a careless and lazy person. The martyrs shed their blood for the truth, and you cannot even despise the short path? They laid down their lives for Christ, and you don’t even want to go a little for the sake of the Master? The Lord died for you, and you are procrastinating for His sake? The memory of the martyrs, and you indulge in carelessness and laziness? You should come into the congregation and see how the devil is defeated and the martyr wins, how God is glorified and the Church is crowned. But, you say, I am a sinner and cannot be in the meeting. Since you are a sinner, come to the meeting to become righteous. Which of the people, tell me, is without sin? Or don’t you know that those who stand before the altar themselves are nailed to sins? For they too are clothed with flesh and connected with the body. And we ourselves, sitting in the pulpit and teaching, are intertwined with sins. Nevertheless, we do not despair of God’s love for mankind and do not attribute hardness of heart to Him. This is why God allowed the priests themselves to be slaves to passions, so that from their own experience they would learn to treat others condescendingly. Isn’t it extreme madness and insanity that, if some guslar, or dancer, or any other of this kind of people calls us, we all willingly run to him, thank him for such a call and spend the whole half of the day listening only to him; and when God talks to us through the prophets and apostles, do we yawn, scratch ourselves and close our eyes? At the hippodrome, despite the fact that there is no roof to protect from the rain, many mad people stand, even if there is a terrible downpour and the wind whips water in the face; they do not pay attention to the cold, or the rain, or the length of the journey; nothing will keep them at home or prevent them from coming here; and rain and mud become an obstacle for us to go to church. And if you ask them who Amos or Obadiah is, or what the number of prophets or apostles is, they cannot even open their mouths; and they speak better than sophists and rhetoricians about horses and coachmen. How can you bear this, tell me? I admonished many times not to go to the theaters. You heard and did not follow the advice; I went to the theater and didn’t listen to my word: don’t be ashamed to come and listen again. I heard you say, but did not fulfill it; how can I come again and listen? However, you realize that you have not fulfilled this, still you are ashamed, still you blush, still you impose a bridle on yourself, although no one denounces you, yet my word has taken root in you, still my teaching purifies you, although I do not stand before you. Didn't you fulfill it? All the more, come, so that, having heard it again, you will fulfill it. If a medicine is applied to you, but it does not cure you, then the next day don’t you apply it again? Let's imagine a woodcutter who wants to cut down a tree. He takes an ax and chops the root. If he strikes once and the tree does not fall, does he strike a second, a fourth, a fifth, a tenth? Do the same for sure. I say this not to make you more careless, but to force you to be more diligent. You entered the church, man, and were honored with communion with Christ; don't leave unless you are released. If you leave before your vacation, you will be judged as a runaway slave. Do you spend the whole day on carnal matters and cannot do spiritual things for two hours? You often go to the theater and don’t leave until it’s over; do you come to church and leave before the Divine Sacraments are performed? Be afraid of the one who said: “Whoever neglects the word hurts himself” (Proverbs 13:13). When you stand in front of the king, you don’t even dare to smile; But when you stand before the Lord of all, you do not stand with fear and trembling, but laugh when He is often angry? Or don’t you know that with this you anger Him even more than with your sins? After all, God does not usually turn away from those who sin as much as from those who do not repent after sin. What are you doing, man? Standing in church, you look lustfully at the beauty of women and do not tremble, causing such an insult to the church of God? Or does the church seem to you an indecent house and less worthy of respect than the square? In fact, in the square you are afraid and ashamed to appear lustfully looking out for a woman, but in the church of God, when He Himself speaks to you and threatens you for this, you dare to do such an act at the very time when you hear the command not to do this, and do not tremble, do you not tremble, making your heart and eyes a den of iniquity? It is better for such people to be blind than to use their eyes like that. Think, man, close to whom you stand during this sacred and terrible Sacrament, with whom you intend to call on God: with the Cherubim, with the Seraphim and other heavenly powers; think about who is with you. It is enough for you to be sober if you only take into account that you, clothed with a body and united with flesh, are honored, together with the incorporeal forces, to glorify the common Lord of all. So, do not take part in these sacred and mysterious hymns with a weakened spirit, do not have worldly thoughts at this time, but, having expelled everything earthly from your soul and completely transferred to Heaven, sing the all-holy song of praise to God, as if standing near the very Throne of Glory and flying with the Seraphim. For this reason, we are commanded to stand reverently during the Divine Sacrament, so that we can lift up the thoughts that are dragging along the earth, so that, throwing off the relaxation that comes from everyday affairs, we can directly place our soul before God. It is not spoken about bodily hands or knees—after all, it is not said to walkers or gymnasts—but with these words it is commanded to restore the strength of inner thoughts, defeated by temptations. During this sacred meeting, brethren, not only people proclaim this terrible prayer, but also Angels fall before the Lord, and Archangels pray, having both a favorable time for them and help in offering. And just as people, having cut olive branches, wave them in front of kings, reminding them through this plant of mercy and love for mankind, so the Angels at that hour, presenting instead of olive branches the Master’s Body itself, pray to the Lord for the human race, as if saying: we ask for those very ones whom You Yourself deigned to love in advance so that You gave Your soul for them; we shed prayers for those for whom You Yourself shed Blood; we pray for those for whom You sacrificed this very Body. Let everyone, therefore, reflect within himself on what vice he has corrected, what virtue he has acquired, what sin he has washed away from, in what ways he has become better; and if he finds that from his fast he has received some profit from this wonderful trade and realizes that he has taken a lot of care for his wounds, let him begin; if he remained careless and can only show fasting, and besides did nothing good, then let him remain outside the church and enter only when he has cleansed all his sins. Anyone who, citing weakness of the body, does not fast, will naturally receive forgiveness; it is impossible to find excuses for those who have not corrected their shortcomings. What will we do if God holds us accountable for our carelessness in the meetings? You know, of course, how often at the very time when He speaks to us all through the prophet, we have long conversations with our neighbors about things that have nothing to do with us. So, if He, leaving everything else behind, wants to demand an answer from us only for this sin, will there be any hope of salvation for us? Do not think that this is a minor sin; and if you want to know how great it is, consider the same thing in relation to relationships between people and then you will see to what extent it is absurd. Dare, when a superior or even some friend of a little more respect speaks to you, to leave him and talk to your servant, and then you will see what an impudent act you are committing by doing the same in relation to God. If the person who spoke to you is one of the noble people, then he can also bring you to justice for such an insult. But God, Who is insulted in this way every day, and even worse, and not by one, or two, or three people, but by almost all of us, endures and is patient. Wanting to appease the wrath of the earthly king, you all come running with your children and wives and often save the condemned man from the royal wrath; and when it is necessary to appease the King of Heaven and to kidnap from His wrath not one, not two, not three, not a hundred, but all the sinners in the universe, you sit outside and do not flock together, so that God, mercifully looking at your consent, will thereby forgive the punishment and forgive you your sins. If at that hour you happen to be in the square, or at home, or busy with urgent matters, then aren’t you, stronger than any lion, breaking all bonds and running to take part in the general prayer for forgiveness? And what hope will you have for salvation? Indeed, what could be more powerful than the Church? Don't talk to me about walls and weapons. The walls deteriorate with time, but the Church never grows old; The walls are destroyed by barbarians, but the Church and demons cannot overcome. And that these words are not empty boasting, the deeds themselves testify to this. How many people were at enmity against the Church, and those who were at enmity died, and it rose above the sky! Such is the greatness of the Church! When there is enmity against her, she wins; when they plot, she prevails; when dishonored, it becomes even more glorious. Do you know that day when so many weapons were directed against us and military fury burned stronger than fire, when we were taken to the royal palaces and we were a disgrace to the universe? And yet, by the grace of God, nothing struck us. Why? Because nothing in real life is evil. Indeed, what is evil? Death? But it is not evil, since through it we only come to the pier more quickly. Deprivation of property? “Naked I went out...naked and I will return” (Job 1:21). Exile? “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness of it” (Ps. 23:1). Slander? “Blessed are you when they revile you... for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11–12). If I was taken to prison as a criminal, then for me it was not dishonor, since dishonor lies in only one thing - sin; and even though the whole universe dishonors you, you will not dishonor yourself, you are not dishonored. There is only one betrayal - betrayal of conscience; Let your conscience not betray you, and no one will betray you. I was taken to prison, and I saw deeds, or rather, I saw that my words became deeds, and what I said in words was proclaimed in the square with deeds. So, I would like to know where those who despised this sacred meeting and refused to participate in this sacred meal spend their time. However, I know well: they either talk about absurd and funny things, or are pinned down to everyday worries. Meanwhile, both pastimes are devoid of excuse and deserve extreme punishment. As for the first, neither words nor evidence are required here. And that those who refer to household chores and the unbearable need that arises from this cannot in the same way deserve leniency, precisely because they do not prefer spiritual pursuits to earthly ones, is also obvious to everyone. Tell me, really, what kind of servant, before performing his master’s service, will take care of his own household affairs? How is it not senseless, in relation to people, where dominion is just a simple name, to show such respect and obedience to the masters, but not to honor the true Lord, not only ours, but also the powers above, even with such service as we honor our fellow servants? Oh, if I could show your eyes the soul of such people: you would see how dirty, unkempt, dishonored, humiliated and devoid of boldness it is! Just as the body, left without a bath, becomes covered with all uncleanness and dirt, so the soul, left without spiritual teaching, becomes covered with the great filth of sins. Oh, that the hearts of those leaving the sacred assembly could be opened! Oh, if you could penetrate their conscience! Then you would clearly see how many plagues they are filled with, how many thorns they have. Just as the land, not cultivated by the hands of farmers, becomes desolate and overgrown with forest, so the soul, remaining without spiritual teaching, grows thorns and thistles. If we, who listen to the prophets and apostles every day and constantly calm our passions with hymns from the Holy Scriptures, can barely restrain our temper, barely curb our anger, barely spew out the pus of envy, barely pacify lust, barely tame shameless beasts, then what hope of salvation will those who never use such healing and do not hear the Divine teaching have? Just as someone who leaves the harbor wanders everywhere and, deprived of light, stumbles upon everything, so someone who has fallen into oblivion of the fear of God is doomed to constant worries, worries and sorrows. And just as in the case when God is with us and protects us, all sorrows disappear, so, on the contrary, when He leaves and forgets us, the soul is torn, and the heart is tormented by torment, and sorrows attack, so that, wounded in every way, the careless return with great zeal to where they fell. “Your wickedness will punish you,” it says, “and your apostasy will expose you” (Jer. 2:19). So abandonment by God is one of the types of His Providence. When He, while providing for and caring for people, finds neglect, He leaves a little and abandons them, so that the careless, casting off carelessness, become more zealous. I think that today there are many of those who have recently left us and fled to the spectacles of lawlessness; and I would like to know them exactly in order to drive them away from these sacred gates - not so that they always remain outside them, but so that they return later, corrected. Likewise, fathers drive errant children out of the house and remove them from the table, not in order to lose them forever, but so that they, having become better from such a lesson, return with due honor to their fatherly inheritance. Shepherds do the same thing: they separate the scabbed sheep from the healthy ones, so that, having recovered from the disease, they can safely return to the healthy ones, and so that the sick ones do not infect the entire flock with their disease. For the same reason, we would like to know the people mentioned. However, even if we cannot distinguish them with our eyes, our word undoubtedly recognizes them and, touching their conscience, will easily convince them to leave voluntarily, teaching them that only he is in the Church who reveals a disposition of soul worthy of staying here; and the one who participates in this sacred meeting, being of vicious behavior, although he brings the body here, is cast out and expelled worse than those imprisoned outside and unable to participate in the sacred meal. The latter, having been cast out according to the laws of God and remaining outside, have at least good hopes and, if they wish to correct their sins, they can, through the Church from which they fell away, return again with a clear conscience; those who, having defiled themselves, after that, despite the admonition to come not before they have been cleansed from sinful filth, behave shamelessly, make their wound more serious - after all, sin is not such a serious evil as shamelessness after sin. Many receive the Sacraments once a year, others twice, and others many times. Which of them should we praise? Are those who receive communion once, or those who often, or those who rarely? Neither those who once, nor those who often, nor those who rarely, but those who receive communion with a clear conscience, with a pure heart, with a blameless life. Let such always begin; whoever is not like this, let him not approach even once, since they are accepting judgment and condemnation for themselves. Just as food, being nutritious by nature, if it gets into a person suffering from lack of appetite, ruins and destroys everything, and becomes the cause of illness, so are these Terrible Secrets. Do you enjoy the spiritual Meal, the Royal Meal, and again stain your body with dirt? Will you anoint it with myrrh and fill it with stench again? When you start taking Communion a year later, do you think that this is enough for you to cleanse your sins for the entire time, and again, after a week, do you start as before? Tell me, if you, having recovered for forty days from a long illness, again indulge in what caused the illness, are you not ruining your previous work? If natural objects change in this way, then even more so what depends on the will. If your breath smells bad, you don’t even eat at the common table; and when there is such a stench in your soul, do you dare - tell me - to partake of the Sacraments? And what kind of forgiveness will you receive? “Whoever eats and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily,” says the divine apostle, “eats and drinks condemnation for himself” (1 Cor. 11:29), that is, he will suffer the same punishment as those who crucified Christ. Just as those murderers became guilty of blood, so do those who unworthily partake of the Mysteries. Just as the one who tears the royal purple or stains it with dirt will equally offend the king who dresses in it, so here too, both those who killed the Body of the Lady and those who receive it with an unclean soul equally outrage the Royal robe. The Jews tore Him apart on the Cross, and the one who defiles Him is the one who accepts Him with an unclean soul. Thus, although the crime is different, the offense is the same. These words touched many listeners, confused many, hurt their conscience, or rather, not only the listeners, but before you, and myself, the speaker. After all, there is one teaching for everyone, everyone has the same wounds, which is why I also use medicines that are common to everyone. The work of Divine love for mankind is manifested in the fact that both the speaker and the listeners are subject to the same laws, have the same nature, and everyone who transgresses is subject to the same responsibility. Why? So that the teacher should reprove with moderation, so that he is lenient towards those who sin, so that, remembering his own weakness, he does not make the reproof intolerable. So, if you see that one of your flock leads a prodigal life with you and begins to receive the Sacraments, then tell the one who is in charge of distributing them: such and such is not worthy of the Sacraments; do not allow indecent things into the shrine. After all, if such a person is not worthy to tell God’s justifications, then think to what extent the punishment will reach him when he also touches the sacred meal, and not only to him, but also to you, who is sheltering him. In fact, God did not say: “you also committed adultery,” but: “you communicate with adulterers” (Ps. 49:18). What a great evil it is to hide the putrid ulcers of others! You, He says, become an accomplice in the punishment due for the crime. And fair enough. In fact, he can still point out passion, although the excuse does not deserve an apology, and you cannot even do that. Why, without enjoying pleasure, do you become a companion and participant in punishment? Don’t tell me such words filled with extreme insensitivity: why should I worry about others? I care about my own benefit. No; Then you will be most concerned about your own benefit when you seek it in what is useful for your neighbor, as Paul said: “Seek no one’s own” (1 Cor. 10:24) in order to find your own benefit. In fact, when a sinner sees that everyone is turning away from him, he will think that he has committed a great crime; if he sees that they not only do not treat him with indignation and do not harbor disgust, but also complacently tolerate and help him, then the judgment seat of conscience is also corrupted, since the opinion of those around him helps his corrupted will. Many, unable to bear the severity of the accusations made to you, came after leaving, murmured and complained, saying: are you removing us from the sacred meal, driving us away from communication? I was forced to say this so that you would know that I do not remove, but, on the contrary, I collect, I do not drive away, I do not remove, but rather attract through these revelations. The fear of punishment, engulfing the conscience of sinners like fire - wax and constantly remaining with it, resolves and consumes our sins and, making the soul pure and bright, gives us great boldness. And just as a doctor, giving bitter medicines to those suffering from lack of appetite and removing bad juices, stimulates a diminished appetite and makes them more willing to eat ordinary food, so the teacher, speaking harsh words, cleansing the soul from evil thoughts and freeing them from the heavy burden of sins, allows the conscience to breathe freely and gives the opportunity to taste the Body of the Master with complete pleasure. Therefore, blessed Paul rightly says: “Obey your leaders and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give an account” (Heb. 13:17). In fact, you care about your life, and if you have arranged it well, you have no concern for others; the priest, even if he has arranged his own life well, but will not take careful care of yours, will go along with the wicked to Gehenna, and often, not being betrayed by his own sins, perishes from strangers. However, after we have so strongly denounced those who partake of the Divine Mysteries unworthily, it is necessary to address the word to you, the ministers of the Mysteries, so that you distribute these Gifts with great attention, since considerable punishment threatens you too. In fact, if you, knowing about the wickedness of someone, allow him to participate in this meal, then his blood will be exacted at your hands. Whether it be a military leader, or an eparch, or even the one wearing the diadem himself, but if he approaches unworthily, rebuke him; you have greater power than he; do not anger the Lord by leaving His Body uncleaned. Don't give a sword instead of food; but even if he came under the pretext of illness to receive communion, do not be afraid to forbid him. Fear the Lord God, not man. If you are afraid of a person, then you will be ridiculed by him, and you will anger the Lord; and if it is God, then you will be respected by people and loved by God. If you don’t dare do this yourself, then bring it to me; I will not allow him to commit such insolence; I would rather lay down my soul than allow myself to partake of the Blood of the Lord in an unworthy manner, and I would rather shed my own blood than allow myself to partake of such a terrible Blood in an unworthy manner. It is much better to lose life for the sake of God than to lose God for the sake of life. To Him belongs glory and power, now and forever. 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: