Беседа о мучениках *4

Celebrating in honor of the martyrs must be done by imitation of them and by purity of conscience. It is a good thing to visit the tombs of martyrs, but one must maintain reverence for the martyrs even after the service. A drunkard does not inherit the Kingdom of God and does not experience real pleasure here. At the tombs of martyrs you can have your own spiritual pleasure and should learn courage, struggle with passions, and not indulge in sensual pleasures. Feasts of martyrs are recognized not only by the cycle of days, but also by the location of those celebrating. For example: did you imitate the martyr, became jealous of his virtue, followed in the footsteps of his wisdom? Here you are, even without the arrival of the day of the martyr, celebrating the feast of the martyr, because honor to the martyr is imitation of the martyr. Just as those who commit evil deeds celebrate holidays without celebrations, so those who follow virtue celebrate holidays without celebration, because the holiday is celebrated by purity of conscience. Paul also expressed this when he said: “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven of wickedness and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of purity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8). Thus, the Jews have something unleavened, and we also have it; but they have unleavened flour, and we have purity of life, a life free from all vice, so that whoever keeps his life pure from uncleanness and stains celebrates every day and always triumphs, even if not on the day of the martyrs, and not in their churches, but also sitting at home. You can also celebrate the feast of martyrs at home. I say this not so that we do not come to the tombs of the martyrs, but so that, having come, we celebrate the holiday with due diligence and not only on their days, but also without these days, show the same reverence. Who wouldn’t rejoice at our gathering today, this bright spectacle, ebullient love, ardent affection, uncontrollable passion? Almost the entire city moved here, and neither the slave was held back by fear of the master, nor the poor - the need of poverty, nor the old man - the weakness of age, nor the wife - the tenderness of sex, nor the rich - pride from abundance, nor the boss - the arrogance of power; but love for the martyrs, having eliminated all such inequality, and the weakness of nature, and the need of poverty, with one chain attracted such a multitude here and inspired with love for the martyrs, as if now you are settling down to live in heaven: having trampled upon all lust of intemperance and lasciviousness, you are flaming with love for the martyrs. Just as when the sun rises, wild animals scatter and hide in their caves, so when the light of the martyrs illuminates our souls, all illnesses are buried, and the bright flame of wisdom is kindled. And so that we not only now, but also constantly, and after the end of this spiritual spectacle, maintain this flame, let us return home with the same reverence, not going into places of drunkenness and fornication, into intoxication and feasting. You turned night into day through sacred all-night vigils; do not turn the day into night again through drunkenness and intemperance and prodigal songs. You honored the martyrs with your presence, your listening, your zeal; almost them and a decent return home, so that someone, seeing you rampaging in a place of drunkenness, would not say that you came not for the sake of martyrs, but to intensify your passion, to satisfy a vicious lust. I say this not preventing you from having fun, but preventing you from sinning, not preventing you from drinking, but preventing you from getting drunk. It is not wine that is bad, but immoderation is vicious; wine is a gift from God, and immoderation is an invention of the devil. So, “serve the Lord with fear and rejoice [before Him] with trembling” (Ps. 2:11). Do you want to enjoy the fun? Enjoy yourself at home, where, if intoxication occurs, there are many to cover it up, and not in a place of drunkenness, so that you do not become a public spectacle for those present and a temptation for others. I say this without ordering people to get drunk at home, but not to spend time in drunken places. Imagine how funny it is - after such a meeting, after all-night vigils, after listening to the Holy Scriptures, after communion of the Divine Mysteries and after spiritual rejoicing, a husband or wife should appear in a place of drunkenness and spend whole days there. Don't you know what punishment is due to drunkards? They will be thrown out of the Kingdom of God, deprived of unspeakable blessings and will be sent into eternal fire. Who says this? Blessed Paul: “neither the covetous,” he says, “nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:10). What could be more miserable than a drunkard when, for a small pleasure, he is deprived of the enjoyment of such a Kingdom? It’s better to say: a drunkard cannot even take advantage of pleasure, because pleasure lies in moderation, and in immoderation there is insensibility. Who does not feel where he sits or lies, how can he feel the pleasure of drinking? He who cannot see the sun itself due to the thick cloud of intoxication, how can he enjoy joy? His darkness is such that even the rays of the sun are not able to disperse this darkness. Drunkenness is always evil, beloved, but especially on the day of martyrs. Here, along with sin, there is also the greatest insult, stupidity, and humiliation of divine broadcasts - therefore there may be a double punishment. So, if you, having come to the martyrs, intend to get drunk upon leaving here, then it would be better for you to stay at home and not riot, not offend the feast of the martyrs, not to seduce your neighbor, not to harm the soul, not to add sins. You came to look at people who suffered scrapes, drenched in blood, adorned with many wounds, who abandoned the present life, striving for the future: be worthy of these ascetics. They despised life, you despise pleasure; They gave up real life, you give up your passion for drinking. But do you want to have fun? Stay at the tomb of the martyr, shed sources of tears there, lament your soul, receive a blessing from this tomb; Having acquired his intercession in prayers, always spend time listening to stories about his exploits, embrace his tomb, nail yourself to his shrine, because not only the bones of the martyrs, but also their coffins and shrines exude great blessing. Take the holy oil and anoint your entire body, tongue, lips, neck, eyes, and you will never fall into the shipwreck of drunkenness, since the oil with its fragrance reminds you of the exploits of the martyrs, curbs all intemperance, keeps you in great patience and conquers mental illness. But do you want to spend time in groves, meadows and gardens? Not now, when there are so many people, but on another day; Today is the time of exploits, today is a spectacle of struggle, not pleasure and not relaxation. You came here not to indulge in laziness, but to learn to fight, to fight in all ways and, being a man, to crush the power of invisible demons. But no one, having arrived at the place of battle, indulges in pleasures, and, having arrived during exploits, does not decorate himself, and during the battle does not take care of meals. Therefore, you too, having come to look at the courage of the soul and the strength of the mind, at a new and extraordinary trophy, at some special struggle, at wounds and battles, at all kinds of human competition, do not introduce demonic actions, indulging in drunkenness and pleasures after this extraordinary and terrible spectacle, but having acquired spiritual benefit, go home with it, showing by your very appearance to everyone that you have returned, having seen the martyrs. Just as those returning from the spectacles are noticeable to everyone because they are confused, upset, relaxed, and carry within themselves images of everything that happened there, so the one returning from contemplating the martyrs should be noticeable to everyone by his gaze, by his posture, by his gait, by his contrition, by his spiritual concentration, to breathe fire, to be modest, contrite, sober, cheerful, expressing his inner wisdom in the very movements of his body. So we will return to the city, with proper decency, with a decent gait, with prudence and chastity, with a meek and peaceful look: “a person’s clothing and grinning teeth and gait show his character” (Sir. 19:27). Thus, let us always return from the martyrs, from spiritual aromas, heavenly meadows, new and wondrous sights, so that we ourselves may receive great relief, and for others we may become defenders of freedom, and be worthy of future blessings, the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Pronounced in a village near Antioch due to the fact that many, after the end of the service, immediately gave themselves up to unworthy spending of time. You might be interested in: