Seven words about Lazar

“Seven Words about Lazarus” spoken by St. John Chrysostom in Antioch in 388 or 393 and are dedicated to the interpretation of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). In the first word of St. John praises the listeners who, on the day of the new year, did not indulge in drunkenness, revelry and overeating: “Yesterday, which was a satanic holiday, you made a spiritual holiday.” He reminds us that a Christian's meal should be accompanied by prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures. The second word refutes the popular belief, passed down from the pagans, that people who die a violent death become demons. People become like the devil only through their sins. Here is St. John speaks of alms that must be given to everyone, even the unworthy: “When we do not give alms, we will be punished along with the kidnappers.” In the third word, the saint calls on all Christians to read the Bible. What remained incomprehensible on the first reading will become clear on the second. Ignorance of the Holy Scriptures is the source of heresies. This word also says that God does not leave any good without reward and no sin without punishment. St. John praises patience, calling impatience the mother of blasphemy. The fourth word talks about the fact that the Holy Scripture and reason sufficiently convince us of the existence of an afterlife, and also shows the power and significance of conscience, reminding us of our sins. In the fifth word, the saint discusses the resurrection of the dead, comforting believers on the occasion of the death of their neighbors. Using the example of the righteous Job and Abraham, he shows that there is no need to indulge in grief at the death of loved ones. The sixth word talks about the Last Judgment, where everyone will appear as who they really are, about the nobility of virtue, about true slavery and true wealth. In the seventh word of St. John expresses his grief to those who visit the horse races; using the example of the rich man and Lazarus, he speaks about the wide and narrow paths of salvation. *The title of the work in Greek is Εἰς τὸν Λάζαρον. *The title of the work in Latin is De Lazaro conciones. First word. Praise to the listeners for not indulging in New Year's madness and making the New Year a day of spiritual joy. “Many, however, went from the church to the tavern, mocking the admonitions. - Reproaching them. – Their bullying does not prevent them from speaking the truth and rebelling against outrages. - The course of action of Jesus Christ in relation to Judas, whom He did not cease to warn and endow with benefits in order to remind him of his duties. – The same should be done in general towards sinners. – A different fate is destined in the future life for those who live in pampering and pleasure, and for those who spend their lives in poverty and suffering. – Example of Lazarus and the heartless rich man. – A Christian’s meal should be accompanied by prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures. – You need to eat and drink in moderation. Second word. Continuation of the story of Lazarus and the heartless rich man. – A refutation of the popular belief passed down from the pagans that people who die a violent death become demons. – If Jesus Christ calls the Jews sons of the devil, it is because they imitated the works of the devil. – Through their sins, and not through violent death, people can become like a demon. – A touching description of the death of poor Lazarus and the death of the heartless rich man. – The cruelty of the rich man in comparison with the philanthropy of Abraham. - The law of alms. “If a poor person needs bread, then you need to give it to him, even if he is a worthless person.” Word three. Why is it said to the rich man not: “Thou hast received thy goodness in thy belly,” but “thou hast received”? – Why are the righteous often exposed to dangers, while sinners avoid them? – It is necessary for all Christians to read the Holy Scriptures, not only spiritual ones, but also secular ones. – The latter need this reading even more, because they are more subject to temptation. “The sacred books are so excellent that they are always useful even to those who understand them only a little. – What remained incomprehensible on the first reading will become clear on the second. – Ignorance of the Holy Scriptures is the source of heresies. – God does not leave any good without reward, even that committed by evil people, just as He does not leave any sin without punishment, even in good people, and even in them especially. “There is nothing more dangerous than the position of the wicked who prospers.” - Praise for patience. – Impatience is the mother of blasphemy. – Why doesn’t God punish everyone in this world? – Examples of patience borrowed from the Old Testament. Word four. Proposed explanation of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. – The Gospel examples and especially the example of the rich man show that all the prayers of those who have left here with aggravated sins will be useless. – The parable in question is an excellent lesson for rich and poor; it can equally humble the former and humiliate the latter, make us love poverty and despise wealth. – Holy Scripture and reason sufficiently convince us of the existence of an afterlife; there is no need for the dead to return to us to assure us of this. – The power and significance of conscience, which reminds us of our old sins. - This is confirmed by the account of the story of Joseph. The fifth word. Discourse on the Resurrection. - Explanation of the words of the Apostle Paul about the future resurrection of 1 last. to the Thessalonians, chapter 4, 12. – Comfort for believers in sorrow on the occasion of the death of persons dear to them. – They must differ from the infidels in their behavior, just as they differ from them in their beliefs. – At the death of dear and close people, one should not indulge in grief, but in this regard one should be like the righteous Job and Abraham, who both showed generosity and courage: the first did not lose heart when deprived of all his children, and the second did not even hesitate to sacrifice his only heir - his son. Word six. The manifestation of the omnipotence and goodness of God in an earthquake is terrible. “But the day of the final judgment will be even worse.” “You need to be afraid not of an earthquake, but of the cause that produces it.” “We need to feel sorry not for those who are upset, but for those who sin.” – Return to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. – Comparison of everyday events with performances on the theater stage. - In the future life, everyone will appear as he really is. – Nobility does not consist in the celebrity of one’s ancestors, but in virtue. - Origin of slavery. - World Flood. – Comparison of the ark with the Church. – Drinking wine to heal grief. -What is true slavery? – What is true wealth? – Various degrees of righteous and sinners, but no one is without sin. – Good and evil receive their due reward. The seventh word. Distress at the sight of the fact that many of the listeners, despite the exhortations of the preacher, visit the horse lists. – Despite the severity of their guilt, let them not despair of the opportunity to atone for their sin through repentance. – The heartless rich man is an example of those who follow the broad path in life: Lazarus is an example of those who follow the narrow path. – There is a great difference in the goal to which each of them came along his own path. – What are the true blessings? – Those who are in poverty and grief should not consider themselves unhappy. – The abyss separating Lazarus and the heartless rich man in the afterlife. - Conclusion. Seven words about Lazarus, i.e. on the Gospel parable of the rich man and Lazarus, pronounced by St. John in Antioch during the year 387, at certain intervals. The first of them was said the day after the “Word for the New Year”, as can be concluded from its contents and can be seen from its full title - this: It was said on the day after Kalends in Antioch against those who get drunk and go into taverns and dance in the city, and that the teacher should not despair of his students, even if at the moment they were not convinced, both about poor Lazarus and about the rich 1. Yesterday, which was a satanic holiday, you made a spiritual holiday, receiving my words with great favor, and spending most of the day here, enjoying a drink full of wisdom, and rejoicing with Paul. Thus, you received a double benefit: you avoided the disorderly dancing of drunken people, and indulged in spiritual delights, performed with great decency; they drank from a cup that did not pour out wine, but was filled with spiritual teaching, and became a flute and a lyre for the Holy Spirit; while others rejoiced in honor of the devil, you, having made yourselves through your stay here as spiritual organs and vessels, allowed the Spirit to touch your souls and breathe His grace into your hearts; That is why you proclaimed a harmonious song, delighting not only people, but also the forces on high. Therefore, today let us arm our tongues against drunkenness and rebel against drunken and dissolute life; let us reprove those accompanying her not in order to shame them, but in order to save them from shame; not to condemn them, but to correct them; not in order to expose them to shame, but to remove them from vile shame and snatch them from the hands of the devil, because whoever spends time in drunkenness, revelry and gluttony has fallen under the cruel power of the devil himself. And oh, if only some benefit would come from my words! However, if even after the admonition they remain in the same state, I will not stop offering them advice. Springs flow, even though no one draws from them, and springs give out water, even though no one takes it, and rivers flow, even though no one drinks from them; so the preacher, even if no one listens to him, must do everything in his power. For we, who have accepted the ministry of the Word, have been decreed by a man-loving God to never abandon our work and never remain silent, even if they listen to us, even if they run away. When Jeremiah, who uttered many threats to the Jews and predicted future disasters and for that was reviled by his listeners and ridiculed all day long, wanted to stop such prophecies, because of human weakness he could not bear ridicule and slander, then listen to what he himself says in the following words: “I was in laughter all day, I said nothing... I will not speak... below I will remember the name of the Lord... And it was in my heart that the fire is burning and scorching in my bones, and I am weakened on every side and cannot bear it” (Jer. 20:7,9). The meaning of his words is this: I wanted to stop the prophecy - he says - because the Jews did not listen; but as soon as I decided on this, the power of the Spirit, like fire, attacked my soul and scorched all my insides, exhausting and consuming my bones, so that I could not bear this heat. If the one who was subjected to ridicule, reproach and slander every day experienced such torment when he decided to remain silent; then how could we be worthy of forgiveness if, having not yet suffered anything like this, through the negligence of some we fell into cowardice and stopped offering them teaching, and especially when there are so many who are listening? 2. However, I am not saying this for my own consolation and encouragement; I convinced my soul that, as long as I breathe and it pleases God to continue my present life, to fulfill this ministry and do what is commanded, whether anyone listens to me or does not listen; but since there are people who relax the hands of many and, in addition to the fact that they themselves do not bring any benefit to our life, weaken the zeal of others, mocking, mocking and saying: stop advising, stop admonishing; don't want to listen to you; do not communicate with them; - since there are some who say this, then, wanting to purge this evil and inhuman thought and devilish slander from the souls of the people, I will talk about this further. I know that even yesterday such words were uttered by many who, seeing some spending time in the tavern, said with mockery and mockery: they were so well convinced; no one went to the inn at all; everyone has sobered up! What are you saying, man? Did I promise to catch everyone in one day? If only ten people were convinced, if only five, if even one: wouldn’t that be enough to console me? I will say something even more extreme. Let it be that no one was convinced by my words, although it is impossible for a word sown in the ears of so many to remain fruitless; but let it be so; however, even in this case my word is not useless. If they entered the tavern, they did not enter with such shamelessness; and at the table they often remembered my words, reproach, reproof, and, remembering, they were ashamed, blushed mentally, and did ordinary things no longer with such impudence. But to fully feel shame, to fully condemn one’s deeds, this is the beginning of salvation and a wonderful change. In addition, another no less benefit came from this for me. Which? The one that I made the sober ones more sedate and convinced with my words that those who behave best are those who are not carried away by the crowd. I have not restored the sick? But he made the healthy more trustworthy. Has the word turned some away from vice? But those who live virtuously made them more attentive. I will add something third to this. Am I not convinced today? But maybe I’ll have time to convince you tomorrow. And I won’t make it tomorrow? But maybe the day after tomorrow or the day after that. Whoever listened today and rejected what he heard, perhaps tomorrow he will listen and accept; and whoever showed disdain today and tomorrow will, perhaps, many days later pay attention to my words. Likewise, a fisherman often, having cast his net all day in vain and already intending to leave, in the evening catches a fish that has been running away from him all day, and leaves with it. If, as a result of the failures that always happen, we decided to remain in idleness and lag behind all our affairs, then our whole life would be upset and everything not only spiritual, but also everyday would perish. So, if a farmer, as a result of bad weather that happened once, twice, or several times, decided to give up farming, then we would all soon die of hunger. And if the helmsman, as a result of a storm that happened once, twice, or several times, left the sea, then none of us would sail on the sea, and as a result our life would again lose a lot of useful things. And in every art, if you judge and inspire it in the same way, everything will completely perish, and the earth will become uninhabitable. Knowing this, everyone, although once or twice or several times does not reach the end of the work they are doing, nevertheless again takes on them with the same zeal. 3. Knowing all this, and we, beloved ones, I exhort you, let us not reason like this, let us not say: what need do we have of so many words? These words are of no use. A farmer, having sowed the same field once, twice, or several times and not received any fruit, nevertheless cultivates it again, and often in one year makes up for the loss of the entire previous time. And the merchant often, having suffered many shipwrecks, does not lag behind the pier; but he pulls down a ship, hires shipbuilders and, having borrowed money, gets down to the same business, although the future is also unknown to him. And no matter what anyone does, he usually acts in the same way as a farmer and a merchant. If they show such zeal for the things of life, although the end of things is unknown to them, then shall we, as soon as our words are not heard, immediately stop speaking? What kind of forgiveness will we have, what kind of justification? Moreover, in case of failures, no one will reward them for their losses; for example, if the sea sinks a ship, then no one will relieve the shipwrecked person from impoverishment; If a flood floods the field and drowns out the seeds, the farmer must go home empty-handed. But this is not the case with us who speak and exhort; but if you cast down the seeds, and the listener does not accept them and does not bear the fruit of obedience, you have a reward from God for the advice, and you will receive the same reward - although he did not listen - which you would have received if he had obeyed; because you have done everything on your part. Our duty is not to convince listeners, but only to advise; Our business is to offer admonition, but it is their business to be convinced. How, if they do many good deeds without our admonitions, the whole reward will belong to them alone, and there will be no benefit to us, because we did not offer advice; so if they do not listen to our admonitions, all the punishment will befall them, and we will not have any condemnation, but will also be given a great reward from God, because we have fulfilled everything. We are commanded only to “give the money... to the trader” (Matthew 25:27), to speak and offer advice. Tell and admonish your brother. But he didn't listen? And a reward is in store for you, if only you always do this, if only you don’t lag behind, until you convince him, until you inspire him. Let the end of the advice be the obedience of the one who receives the admonition. The devil constantly opposes our salvation, not receiving any benefit from this zeal, but still experiencing the greatest harm; and yet he is possessed by such fury that he often even dares to do impossible things, and attacks not only those whom he hopes to overcome and overthrow, but also those who are likely to overcome his machinations. So, having heard that Job was praised by God, who knows everything hidden, he had the hope that he would have time to overthrow him too, and the insidious one did not stop using all measures and tricks to overcome this man, and the unclean and most evil demon did not despair of this, although God himself recognized such a virtue in the righteous man. After this, tell me, how can we not be ashamed and blush if, while the devil never despairs of our destruction, but always expects it, we despair of the salvation of our brothers? It would behoove him, even without making any experience, to retreat from the struggle, because God testified to the virtue of the righteous; however, he did not retreat, but, due to his great fury against us, and after the testimony of God, he hoped to overcome that valiant man. But nothing makes us fall into despair, and yet we retreat. The devil, despite God's prohibition, does not retreat from the fight against us; and you shy away when God disposes and encourages you to raise up the fallen? The devil heard God, who said: “man is not evil, true... godly, abstain from all evil,” and “there is no such thing among those who are on earth” (Job 2:3), and however, after so many and such strong praises, he continued to say: maybe by the continuity and greatness of the disasters brought upon him, I will have time to overcome him and overthrow this great tower! 4. What forgiveness will there be for us, beloved, and what justification, if an evil demon acts against us with such fury, and we do not show even a small part of such zeal for the salvation of our brothers, having God as our helper? So, when you see your brother cruel and disobedient, and inattentive to you, tell yourself: maybe in time we won’t have time to convince him? This is what Paul commanded to do: “But it is not fitting for the servant of the Lord to be boiled, but to be quiet towards everyone... punishing those who oppose them with meekness, until God gives them repentance into the mind of truth” (2 Tim. 2:24-25). Don't you see how fathers, often already despairing of their sons, sit down with them, cry, grieve, kiss them and do everything on their part until their last breath? Do the same with your brother. With tears and tears they can neither drive away the disease nor ward off the threatening death; and you can often, with patience and persistence, crying and tears, attract and restore a desperate soul. You advised and did not convince? Weep and come to him often; groan bitterly, so that he, ashamed of your guardianship, turns to salvation. What can I do alone? I cannot be alone with you all every day; I don’t have the strength to talk alone with so many. If you want to take part in saving each other and each take upon yourself one of the careless brothers, then our work of edification will quickly advance. Is it necessary to talk about those who are corrected after careful admonition? Even for those who suffer from an incurable illness, we should not despair and not care, even if we clearly foresaw that even after long care and admonition for them, they will not receive any benefit. If these words seem strange to you, then I will confirm their truth by what Christ did and said. We, people, do not know the future, and therefore cannot say about the listeners whether they will be convinced or not convinced by our words; and Christ, clearly knowing both, did not cease to the end to correct the one who was about to turn out to be disobedient to Him. Knowing that Judas would not give up on betrayal, Christ did not cease to ward him off from this betrayal with advice, admonitions, benefits, threats and any means of admonition, and constantly restrain him with a word, as if with some kind of bridle. He did this by teaching us, so that even if we knew in advance that the brothers would not listen, we would do everything on our part, since we had a reward for our advice. Look how He constantly and wisely restrained Judas with His words: “Only one from you will betray Me” (Matthew 26:21); and again: “I do not say about all of you: I know; whom I chose” (John 13:18); and again: “One of you is the devil” (John 6:70). He wanted to worry everyone, so as not to expose the traitor to shame and not make him more shameless with obvious denunciations. And why did these words cause anxiety and fear to the others (the disciples), although they did not recognize anything bad about themselves? Listen to how each of them said with embarrassment: “I am food, Lord” (Matthew 26:22)? But not only in words, but also in deeds, Christ admonished Judas. Since He often demonstrated His love for mankind in everything, cleansing lepers, casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the dead, strengthening the paralytic, He did good to everyone, but did not punish anyone and constantly said: “I did not come... let me judge the world, but save the world” (John 12:47): then, so that Judas would not think that Christ can only do good and not punish, the Lord teaches him this too, i.e., that He can both punish and punish those who sin. 5. Look how wisely and expediently He taught Judas, and did not punish or punish any of the people. How (He did) so that the disciple would know His punitive power? If He punished someone, it would seem that He was contradicting His own words: “I have not come... let me judge the world, but let me save the world.” On the other hand, if He had not punished anyone, the disciple would have remained uninformed, not having actually recognized His punitive power. What should have been? So that the disciple would be afraid and not become worse through negligence, and none of the people would be struck and suffer punishment and punishment, Christ shows this power on the fig tree, saying: “Let there be no more fruit from you” (Matt. 21:19), and with a simple word immediately drying it up. Thus, the people all remained unharmed, and He showed His power when the tree was punished. The student, if he had been attentive, would have received great benefit from this punishment; however, he did not improve even through this. And Christ, although he foresaw this, did something else, much more. When the Jews, armed with swords and stakes against Him, wanted to lay hands on Him, then He blinded them all; for He expresses this with the words: “Whom are you seeking” (John 18:4)? Since (Judas) often said: “Whatever you want to give me, I will deliver Him to you” (Matthew 26:15), then the Lord, wanting to convince both the Jews and to make him understand that He voluntarily goes to suffer and that everything depends on Him, and the malice of Judas cannot overcome Him, while the traitor himself stood with everyone, says: “Who are you looking for?” Didn't Judas know the One he was about to betray? But the Lord blinded his sight; and not only did this, but he cast them all to the ground with His words (John 18:6). When this did not make them more meek and did not turn them away from the betrayal of the wicked, who remained unhealed, and then Christ did not yet leave His favor and care for him, but look how touchingly he touches his shameless soul, and utters words that could soften even a stony soul. When Judas rushed to kiss Him, then what did He say? “Judas, did you betray the Son of Man with a kiss” (Luke 22:48), are you not ashamed of the very method of betrayal? Christ said this to touch him and remind him of his previous communication. But despite the fact that the Lord did and said so much, Judas did not become better, not because of the weakness of the admonisher, but because of his own carelessness. And Christ, although he foresaw all this, did not cease, from beginning to end, to do everything on his part. So, knowing all this, beloved, we must continually and constantly correct and admonish our careless brethren in a friendly manner, even if there was no benefit from the admonition. If such care for a person who did not want to take advantage of admonition was taken by the One who knew that such would be the end; then can we be worthy of forgiveness when, not knowing the outcome of matters, we do not care about the salvation of our neighbors, abandoning them after the first and second admonition? After all that has been said, let us pay attention to ourselves, how we daily disobey God, who speaks to us every day through the prophets and apostles, and yet He does not always cease to speak and convince the rebellious and inattentive. And Paul cries out like this: “We pray according to Christ, as we pray to God; We pray, according to Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). If something else surprising can be said, then the one who offers an admonition, knowing in advance that the one receiving the admonition will certainly obey, is not worthy of such praise as the one who spoke and advised many times, and was not successful, and yet did not stop doing it. The first, even if he is the laziest of all, is aroused to exhortation by the hope that the listener will be convinced; and the latter, constantly admonishing and not seeing obedience, and yet without ceasing to do this, presents proof of the most ardent and sincere love, as not encouraged by any such hope, but solely out of love for the listener, does not abandon care for his brother. However, it has already been sufficiently proven that we should never abandon the fallen, even if we knew in advance that they would not listen to us. We must finally move on to denouncing those who indulge in fun; for as long as this holiday continues and the devil inflicts wounds of intoxication on the souls of those who are drunk, until then we must apply healing to them. 6. Yesterday we brought Paul against them, who says: “Whether... you eat, or drink, or do anything else, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). And today we will point them to Vladyka Pavlov, Who not only exhorts and advises to abstain from joy, but also punishes and punishes those who live in joy; for the story of the rich man and Lazarus, and the fate of both, points to nothing other than this. However, so that we do not do this superficially, I will read you the parable from the very beginning. “A man... a certain man was rich and dressed in purple and fine linen, rejoicing all day long. But there was a poor man named Lazarus, who lay fester before his gates and desired to be satisfied with the grains that fell from the rich man’s meal; Why did the Lord speak in parables and why did he explain some of them and not others, and what a parable is, and all such questions will be put off until another time, so as not to deviate from the subject of speech that is now coming; for now we will only tell you which of the evangelists tells that Christ told this parable. Who? One Luke. It is also necessary to know that of what was said (by Jesus Christ), one was stated by all four (evangelists), and another by each separately. For what? So that the reading of the others (the Evangelists) is necessary for us and the perfection of their agreement is visible; for if they all said everything about everything, then we would not listen to them all diligently, since even one could teach everything: and if they all spoke about everything differently, then the perfection of their agreement would not be visible. Therefore, they wrote about a lot, everyone in general, and each one specifically. So, with this parable Christ teaches the following. A certain man, He says, was rich, lived very viciously, did not experience any misfortune, but everything flowed to him, as if from sources. That nothing unexpected happened to him, no reason for despondency, no everyday trouble, this is indicated by the words: “have fun all your days.” And that he lived viciously is evident both from the death that befell him, and even before his death, from the contempt he showed for the poor. This same poor man proved with himself that the rich man had no compassion not only for him, who was lying at the gate, but also for anyone else; for even if the one who constantly fell at the gate and lay before his eyes, whom he, of necessity, going in and out, saw every day, and not once, not twice, but many times: because (the poor man) lay not at a crossroads and not in a secret and cramped place, but where the rich man constantly entered and left, and involuntarily had to see him - if he did not show compassion even to the one who was in such cruel suffering and lived in such poverty, or better yet, suffered from illness all his life, and the most severe illness, then to whom of those who met him was he compassionate? If he passed by (Lazarus) on the first day, then on the second he should have felt something; if he neglected him on that day, then on the third, or the fourth, or the next day he would certainly have to move, even if he were more ferocious than wild animals. But he did not feel any compassion, but was crueler and more merciless than that judge who neither feared God nor was ashamed of people (Luke 18:2-5); no matter how cruel and harsh he was, the widow’s persistence forced him to show mercy and persuaded him to make a request; and nothing could persuade this one to help the poor man, although the request was not the same, but the request of this poor man was much more convenient and fair. She asked for a judge against her enemies, and this one asked to satisfy his hunger and not to despise the perishing; she bothered him with frequent requests, but this one appeared many times a day to the rich man lying in silence: and this can greatly soften even a stony soul. When we are often disturbed, we become irritated; but when we see that those in need stand in complete silence and say nothing, that they, never achieving success, are not indignant, but only silently come to us, then we, even if we were more insensitive than the very stones, are moved, ashamed of their excessive modesty. In addition, there was something else, no less than this, namely: the very appearance of the poor man was pitiful, emaciated by hunger and prolonged illness. However, all this did not at all soften the hard-hearted rich man. 7. So, the first vice of the rich is cruelty and inhumanity to the highest degree. For it is not the same for someone who lives in poverty not to help those in need, or for someone who enjoys such fun to neglect others who are exhausted by hunger. Again, it doesn’t matter - seeing a poor person once or twice, passing by him, or seeing him every day and even this continuity of vision does not awaken to pity and philanthropy. Again, it is not all the same - not to help others who are themselves in misfortune, sorrow and in a bad mood, or to ignore others who are exhausted by hunger; for someone who enjoys such fun and constant prosperity, to become hardened and not become more philanthropic even from the most joys. You know that, even if we were the hardest-hearted of all, prosperity usually makes us more benevolent and kinder. But this rich man, even from prosperity, did not become better, but remained brutal, or, better to say, with his morals he surpassed the cruelty and inhumanity of any beast. And yet, the one who lived in vices and the inhuman enjoyed prosperity, while the righteous and devoted to virtue was in extreme misfortune. And that Lazarus was righteous, this was also shown by his death, and even before his death, his very patience in the midst of poverty. Do you think you don’t see their very deeds before you? The rich man's ship was full of goods and sailed with a fair wind. But don't be surprised: he hastened to the shipwreck because he did not want to handle the cargo carefully. Do you want me to show you what his other vice was? The fact that he had fun every day without fear. For this is an extreme evil, not only now, when such wisdom is required of us, but also before - in the Old Testament, when such wisdom had not yet been revealed. Listen to what the prophet says. Woe to you, “who come in the day of evil, who draw near and touch the lying Sabbaths?” ( Amos 6:3 ). What does it mean: “touching the false Sabbaths”? The Jews think that the Sabbath is given to them for idleness. But not this reason (the establishment of the Sabbath), but that they, abstaining from everyday affairs, would spend all their leisure time on spiritual matters. That the Sabbath is indeed appointed not for idleness, but for spiritual activity, this is clear from the very circumstances. The priest on this day does a double task: while every day a simple sacrifice is made, on this day a double one is commanded to be offered. And if the Sabbath were decisively appointed for idleness, then the priest, first of all, would have to be idle. Therefore, since the Jews, having freed themselves from worldly affairs, did not engage in spiritual matters - chastity, modesty and listening to Divine broadcasts, but did the opposite of this, pleasing the belly, getting drunk, becoming satiated, indulging in joy, for this the prophet condemned them. Having said: woe to you, “who come on the day of evil,” and adding: “who touch false Sabbaths,” with this addition he explained how false their Sabbaths were. How did they make them false? Committing lawlessness, indulging in fun, getting drunk and doing many shameful and evil deeds. And that this is really so, listen to what follows, for what I say is expressed by the prophet, immediately adding the following words: “sleeping on a bed of ivory bones, and being kind in their beds, eating goats from the flocks, and feeding calves with milk from the midst of the flocks... drinking strained wine and the first stench smeared” ( Am. 6:4–6 ). You received the Sabbath in order to free your soul from vices, and you make them even more. What could be worse than this effeminacy than sleeping on ivory beds? Other sins give at least a little pleasure; for example - drunkenness, greed, voluptuousness; and to sleep on beds of ivory - what pleasure, what consolation? Does the beauty of a bed really make sleep more pleasant and sweeter? Rather, this makes it the heaviest and most unpleasant, if we are prudent; for if you imagine that when you sleep on a bed of ivory, another cannot even eat bread in peace, then will not your conscience condemn you and rise up with an accusation against such an incongruity? If it is reprehensible to sleep on beds of ivory, then what excuse will we have when they are still covered with silver on all sides? Do you want to see the beauty of the bed? I will now show you the splendor of a bed that belongs not to a commoner or a warrior, but to a king. I know that you, even if you were the most proud of all, will not want to have a bed more splendid than the royal one, and, more importantly, not just any king, but the first and most famous of all kings, and to this day glorified throughout the entire universe; I will show you the bed of blessed David. What was it like? It was decorated on all sides, not with silver and gold, but with tears and confessions (of sins). He himself speaks about this this way: “I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears” (Ps. 6:7). Tears, like pearls, were visible on him from all sides. 8. And look what a God-loving soul he has: since during the day he was disturbed and entertained by numerous concerns about rulers, military leaders, tribes, peoples, warriors, battles, peace, about public and domestic affairs, distant and near, then the free time that we all spend in sleep, he spent in confession (of sins), prayers and tears. And he did this not one night, but calmed down the next, not two or three nights, but stopped in between, but every night he did it: “I will wash,” he says, “every night, I will wet my bed with my tears,” indicating the abundance and continuity of tears. When everyone was at rest and in silence, he alone cried out to God, and the unceasing Eye was inherent in the one who grieved and cried and confessed his sins. Make a bed like this too; because a bed lined with silver arouses envy in people and ignites anger from above. And tears such as David’s can extinguish even the fire of Gehenna. Do you want me to show you another bed? I mean Jacob's bed. He had earth under him, and a stone under his head; Therefore, I saw the spiritual Stone and that ladder along which the Angels ascended and descended (Gen. 28). We will make such beds so that we can see the same dreams. If we lie on a silver bed, then not only will we not receive any pleasure, but we will also suffer sorrow; for when you imagine that in the extreme cold, in the middle of the night, when you are sleeping on your bed, a poor man is lying on the straw in front of the baths, covered with reeds, trembling, writhing from the cold and tormented by hunger, then even if you were made of stone more than anyone else, I am sure that you will condemn yourself for the fact that you yourself pamper yourself beyond the need, but you do not allow him to use the necessary things. “No one who has been a warrior,” says (the apostle), “is obliged by the purchases of this life” (2 Tim. 2:4). You are a spiritual warrior, and such a warrior sleeps not on a bed of ivory, but on the ground, and does not anoint himself with oil; because such concern is characteristic of voluptuous and spoiled people, living on the stage and in carelessness; and you should be fragrant not with ointments, but with virtue. There is nothing unclean to the soul when the body has such an aroma; because the fragrance of the body or clothing can be evidence of internal stench and uncleanness. When the devil, having approached the soul, pampers it and plunges it into great relaxation, then it reflects the impurity of its corruption on the body through incense. And just as those suffering from a runny nose and catarrh stain their clothes, hands, and face, constantly wiping away the moisture flowing from the nose, so the soul communicates to the body the impurity of its bad moisture. Who would think anything noble and kind about a person who smells like ointments and is like a woman, or better yet, a harlot and imitates the life of dancers? Let your soul be fragrant with spiritual fragrance, so that you can bring the greatest benefit to both yourself and those living with you. No, there's nothing worse than fun. Listen to what Moses also says about him: “he became thick, he became thick... and the beloved was rejected” (Deut. 32:15). He did not say “retreat,” but “beloved rejected,” showing us his stubbornness and rebellion. And in another place: “You will eat and be satisfied... Take heed to yourself, and do not forget the Lord your God” (Deut. 8:10–11). This is how fun usually leads to oblivion. But you, beloved, when you sit down to a meal, remember that after the meal you must pray: and then fill your belly moderately, so that, having burdened yourself, you do not become powerless to bend the knee and pray to God. Do you not see that the animals under the jugular set out from the manger on the road, carry heavy loads and perform their service? And after the meal you are incapable and unfit for any work; will you not be worse than even asses? Why? Because then it is especially necessary not to sleep and stay awake; for the time after the meal is the time of thanksgiving, and the one giving thanks should not get drunk, but not sleep and stay awake. Let us turn from the meal not to the bed, but to prayer, so that we are not more senseless than the dumb. 9. I know that many will condemn these words as introducing a new and strange custom into life, but I will condemn even more the bad habit that now possesses us. That food and meals should be followed not by sleep and rest, but by prayers and reading the Divine Scriptures, Christ showed this very clearly. Having then fed a countless multitude of people in the desert, He did not send them to bed and sleep, but called them to listen to Divine broadcasts. He did not fill their bellies with food and did not lead them to rapture, but, having satisfied their needs, he led them to spiritual food. We will do the same and learn to eat as much food as is necessary only to maintain life, and not to satiate and burden ourselves. For we were not born and live in order to eat and drink, but in order to live we eat. Life is not for food, but food for life was given from the beginning. And we, as if we came into the world to eat, so we live on it. But in order for the reproof of the merriment to be stronger and to affect those living in it more, let us now turn our speech again to Lazarus. In this way, our admonition and advice will be more true and effective when you see not from words, but from deeds, how those who are devoted to satiety are admonished and punished. So, the rich man lived in such wickedness and had fun every day and dressed brilliantly, incurring the most severe punishment on himself, preparing a greater flame, earning himself inexorable condemnation and irrevocable torment. But the poor man lay at his gate and did not murmur, did not blaspheme and was indignant; I didn’t say to myself, as many people say: what does this mean? “This man, living in wickedness, cruelty and inhumanity, uses everything beyond his needs and does not tolerate sorrow or any other unexpected disaster, of which there are many that happen to people, but enjoys pure pleasure, but I cannot even get the necessary food; to him, who lives everything on parasites and flatterers and on drunkenness, everything flows as if from springs; and I, exhausted by hunger, lie as a parable for the spectators, a disgrace and a laughing stock; Is this really from Providence? Is there really any kind of truth that oversees human affairs? He didn't say or think anything like that. How can this be seen? From the fact that the Angels, surrounding him, carried him and laid him in the bosom of Abraham, he would not have received such a great honor if he had been a blasphemer. Many are surprised at this man simply because he was poor; and I can count nine torments that he endured, not as punishment, but in order to become more glorious, which was accomplished. And poverty is indeed a disaster; Those who have experienced it know this; no word can describe the sorrow that those who live in poverty and do not know how to philosophize endure. But Lazarus had more than just this misfortune; he also had an illness, and an excessive one at that. And look how (the Lord) shows that both misfortunes have reached the extreme. That Lazarus’s poverty was then higher than any poverty, the Lord expressed this by saying that he did not receive even a grain that fell from the rich man’s meal; and that his illness, along with his poverty, reached the point beyond which it was no longer possible to extend, the Lord also expressed this by saying that dogs licked his wounds. Lazarus was so weak that he could not drive away the dogs, and lay like a living corpse, seeing them running to him, but not having the strength to drive them away. His limbs were so weakened, so withered by illness, so exhausted by suffering! Do you see that both poverty and illness besieged his body with extreme cruelty? If each of these disasters in itself is unbearable and terrible, then when they came together, was it not some kind of adamant that endured them? Many are often sick, but do not need the necessary food; others live in extreme poverty, but enjoy health, and one is a relief from the other; but here both evils came together. Perhaps you can name me someone who is in illness and poverty? But not in such helplessness. He, lying in an open place, could, if not from himself and not from his family, then from those who saw him, receive help; and in this case, the above-mentioned disasters were even more aggravated by the absence of any helpers; and this helplessness was again made even more painful by the fact that he was lying at the rich man’s gate. If he had suffered so much and been neglected, lying in the desert and uninhabited place, it would not have hurt him so much: for the very fact that there is no one involuntarily forces him to endure what is happening; but to lie in the midst of so many revelers and prosperous people and not receive the slightest compassion from anyone, this further intensified the feeling of sorrow in him and produced even more despondency. We usually suffer in misfortunes, not so much when there are no helpers, but when they are there, but do not want to give a helping hand, which is why he suffered then. There was no one who could calm him down either in word or in deed: neither friend, nor neighbor, nor relative, nor anyone who saw him: because the whole house of the rich man was corrupt. 10. Moreover, his sorrow was increased by the fact that he saw another prosperous; not because he was envious and angry, but because we are all usually more clearly aware of our misfortunes when others are prosperous. But with the rich man there was something else that could torment Lazarus even more. He felt his misfortunes more strongly not only from comparing his own misfortune with the prosperity of the rich man, but also from the thought that this one, despite his cruelty and inhumanity, was happy in everything, while he, despite his virtue and meekness, suffered extreme misfortunes; from this he suffered inconsolable grief. If the rich man had been a righteous, meek, wondrous and full of every virtue, he would not have grieved Lazarus, but now, when he lives viciously, and has reached the extreme degree of wickedness, and such shows inhumanity, and harbors the most hostile disposition, and passes by him like a stone, shamelessly and mercilessly, and after all this enjoys such well-being - imagine what continuous, so to speak, waves he probably flooded the soul of the poor; Imagine what it was like for Lazarus to see how parasites, flatterers, servants went up, went down, went out, came in, ran, made noise, got drunk, jumped and did all sorts of other outrages. As if he had come for this very purpose, to be a witness of someone else’s well-being, he lay at the gate, having so much life in himself that he could only feel his own misfortunes, experiencing a shipwreck in the pier, near a source, tormented in his soul by the most severe thirst. Shall I speak of another disaster beyond this? He could not see another Lazarus. Even though we have suffered countless calamities, we can, by looking at him, receive sufficient consolation and have great consolation; because there is great consolation for those who mourn when they find accomplices in their misfortunes, whether in reality or in stories. But he could not see anyone else suffering equally with him; could not even hear that any of his ancestors suffered in the same way; and this can darken the soul. We can also add to this the fact that he could not philosophize about the resurrection, but thought that real affairs end with real life; for he was one of those who lived before grace. If now among us, with such knowledge of God, with the joyful hopes of the resurrection, with the punishments awaiting sinners and the blessings prepared for virtuous people, some are so cowardly and pitiful that they are not corrected by these expectations; then how was he supposed to suffer without even this anchor? He could not yet philosophize about anything like that, because the time for these dogmas had not yet come. There was also something else - that unreasonable people could have a wrong opinion about him. Usually a crowd, seeing someone in constant hunger and illness and in extreme misfortune, forms an unkind opinion about such people, concludes about life from misfortune and thinks that they are in such misery necessarily because of their vices, and many other similar things they say among themselves, although unreasonably, they say: “If this person were kind to God, He would not allow him to suffer in poverty and other misfortunes.” This was the case with both Job and Paul. They said to him: “Do you have food in abundance in labor? Who can bear your heaviness? For you have taught many things, and you have comforted the hand of the weak, you have raised up words for the weak, and you have given strength to the weak on your knee. Now your illness has come... you were indignant. Isn’t your fear food in madness?..” ( Job 4:2–6 )? The meaning of these words is this: if you had done something good, you would not have suffered what you suffered; but you bear the punishment for your sins and iniquities. This most of all upset blessed Job. And the barbarians said the same about Paul: for when they saw the snake hanging on his hand, they did not think anything good about him, but considered him one of the greatest lawless men, as can be seen from their words: “Who was saved from the sea,” they said, “the judgment of God will not leave him to live” (Acts 28:4). And usually this outrages us a lot. And yet, when the waves were so numerous and rushed one after another, the boat (of Lazarus) did not sink; but being in a red-hot furnace, he philosophized as if he were cooled by continuous dew. 11. He did not say anything in himself that many people usually say: “If this rich man is punished there after death and given over to torture, then one thing for one; and if there he enjoys the same honors, then two are not one.” Don't many of you rush around the market places with these words and from the horse lists and pagan theaters don't you bring them into the church? I am ashamed and blushing that I expressed these words in front of everyone, but I need to say about them so that you can get rid of obscene laughter and shame and the harm that comes from these words. Many often pronounce them laughing, but this is also a matter of devilish malice: under the guise of playful words, he introduces wrong opinions into our lives. Many people constantly repeat them in workshops, in the square, and in houses; and this comes from extreme disbelief and madness, a truly funny and childish sense. For to say: if the wicked will be punished after death, and not have a firm conviction that they will certainly be punished, is characteristic of unbelievers and doubters; and to think that if this happens, as it really does happen, then they will receive equal reward with the righteous is extremely insane. Tell me what are you saying: “If a rich man is punished there after death, then one for one?” Is this reasonable? How many years do you want to give him to enjoy wealth here? Do you want us to give you a hundred? I, for my part, believe two hundred, and three hundred, and twice as many, and if you want, a thousand, which is impossible, because “the days of our years,” says the Scripture, “are eighty years” (Ps. 89:10); but let there be a thousand. Can you, tell me, imagine a life here that has no end and knows no limit, what is the life of the righteous there? So, tell me, if someone, over the course of a hundred years, having seen a pleasant dream in one night and during it enjoying great joy, was punished for this with a hundred years, can he really say about this: “one for one” and consider one night of dreams equal to a hundred years? You can't say that. Think the same way about your future life. What one dream is in comparison with a hundred years, so is this life in comparison with the future life, or better said, much less; What is a small drop in comparison with the boundless sea, so is a thousand years in comparison with future glory and bliss. What more can be said (about the future life) except that it has no limit and knows no end, and what is the difference between dreams and reality, the same difference between the present and the state there? On the other hand, the vicious and those living in sins, even before the punishment there, are already punished here. Don’t just tell me that this man enjoys a luxurious table, dresses in silk clothes, is surrounded by crowds of servants and proudly walks around the square, but open his conscience before me, and you will see inside a great rebellion of sins, constant fear, storm, confusion; - (you will see) that the mind, as if at a judgment seat, having ascended to the royal throne of conscience and sitting like a judge, presents thoughts as if it were executioners, tortures the soul and torments it for its sins and cries out loudly, while no one knows about this except the All-Seeing God. So an adulterer, even if he were immensely rich and did not have a single accuser, constantly accuses himself internally; his pleasure is short-lived, but his sorrow is constant; from everywhere there is fear and trembling, suspicion and anxiety; he is afraid of the alleys, afraid of the very shadows, of his own slaves, both those who know and those who do not know, the very one whom he dishonored, and her insulted husband; Wherever he goes, he carries with him a cruel accuser - conscience, he condemns himself and cannot calm down in the least. For both on his bed and at the table, and in the square and at home, both day and night, and in his very dreams, he often sees images of his sin, he spends the life of Cain “groaning and shaking... on the earth” (Gen. 4:12) and - what no one knows - he has a fire inside himself, always blazing. The same is experienced by predators, and by greed-lovers, by drunkards, and in general by everyone living in sins; because it is impossible to pervert this judgment. Even if we do not practice virtue, we still grieve that we do not follow it; and even if they did evil, however, after the passing of sinful pleasure, we feel sorrow. Let us not talk about those who live here in wealth and vices and about the righteous who enjoy there, that “one is for one” and that “two are not one.” The righteous both here and there give great pleasure: but the vicious and selfish are punished both here and there. Here too they are punished by the expectation of torment there, by the bad general opinion of them, and by the fact that they sin and corrupt their souls, and upon leaving here they suffer unbearable torment. On the contrary, the righteous, even though they endure countless calamities here, are nourished by good hopes, tasting pure, constant, unshakable pleasure; and after that they will receive countless benefits, just like this Lazarus. Don’t tell me that he was wounded, but pay attention to the fact that he had a soul more precious than all gold, or better said, he had not only such a soul, but also a body; because the valor of the body does not consist in obesity and stature, but in enduring many and such severe sufferings. He is not worthy of disgust who has such wounds on his body, but he who, having countless ulcers on his soul, does not care at all about them, as was that rich man, who was all ulcerated on the inside. Just as Lazarus's dogs licked his wounds, so the rich man's demons licked his sins; and just as the former lived in the greed of food, so the latter lived in the greed of virtue. 12. Knowing all this, let us be wise and will not say that if God loved such and such, he would not have allowed him to be poor. This very thing serves as the greatest proof of His love: “for the Lord loves him and punishes him: he beats every son who receives him” (Heb. 12:6). And again: “Child, if you begin to work for the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation: guide your heart and be patient” (Sir. 2:1-2). Let us reject, beloved, those worthless thoughts and those common words: “Foul language,” says the apostle, “and blasphemies, and blasphemies... let not come out of your mouth” (Eph. 5:4, 4:29). We will not pronounce them ourselves, and if we see that others are pronouncing them, we will block their mouths, we will strongly rebel against them, we will restrain their shameless tongue. If you saw that some leader of robbers runs along the roads, attacks passersby, steals what is in the fields, buries gold and silver in caves and dungeons, and locks up many herds, clothes and slaves there, acquiring them with his raids, then tell me, would you call him blessed for this wealth, and would you not call him unfortunate because of the punishment that has to befall him? Although he has not yet been captured and delivered into the hands of a judge, and has not been imprisoned, and has not been accused, and has not been condemned by a sentence, he is having fun, drinking, and enjoying great wealth; however, we do not consider him blessed for the present and visible, but call him unhappy for the future that awaits him. Think the same way about rich people who are selfish. They are some kind of robbers, entrenched along the roads, robbing passers-by and burying the property of others in their storerooms, as if in caves and dungeons. Let us not please them for the present, but let us call them unhappy for the future, that terrible judgment and inevitable torture, the pitch darkness that will befall them. Although robbers often escaped human hands; however, even knowing this, we would not want their lives and damned wealth for ourselves and our enemies. But this cannot be said about God: no one will escape His judgment; but all who live by covetousness and theft will certainly incur eternal and endless punishment from Him, just like that rich man. Thinking about all this within ourselves, beloved, let us consider not the rich, but the virtuous, blessed, and not the poor, but the vicious, call unhappy; let us look not at the present, but at the future, consider not the outer garment, but the conscience of each, and, striving for valor and the joy that comes from good deeds, let us, both rich and poor, imitate Lazarus. He endured not one, not two, not only three, but many deeds of virtue; namely: poverty, illness, lack of helpers, suffered all these disasters in a house that could stop them, and did not receive consolation from anyone, saw disdain from one who enjoyed such fun, and not only enjoyed such fun, but also lived in wickedness, and did not suffer any disaster; could not see another Lazarus and was not able to philosophize in any way about the resurrection; In addition to the aforementioned disasters, he also suffered from the crowd a bad opinion of himself because of these misfortunes, and not for two or three days, but throughout his life he saw himself in such an unhappy state, and the rich man in the opposite. What excuse will we have if, while he endured all the accumulated disasters with such courage, we will not endure even half of them? For you cannot, cannot point out or name anyone else who would suffer so many and such grave disasters. Therefore, Christ put him on display, so that if we ever fall into misfortune, seeing the excessiveness of the sorrows of this poor man, we would receive sufficient encouragement and consolation from his wisdom and patience; he appears to be a common teacher in the universe for those undergoing some kind of disaster, inviting everyone to look at him and surpassing everyone in the excessiveness of his own misfortunes. So, having given thanks to the philanthropic God for all this, let us benefit from this story, constantly having (Lazarus) with us both in meetings, and at home, and in the marketplace, and everywhere, and carefully collecting all the wealth from this parable, so that we can endure present disasters without hesitation and receive future blessings, which may we all be worthy of, by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, honor, worship, now and always and unto ages of ages. Amen. A word about Lazarus, and about the fact that the souls of those who died a violent death do not become demons, and about judgment and alms 1. I was amazed at you, beloved, when I recently offered a word about Lazarus, that you both praised the patience of the poor and condemned the cruelty and inhumanity of the rich: these are no small proofs of valor. If we, even without acquiring virtue, nevertheless praise virtue, then of course we can acquire it; and if we do not avoid vice, but condemn vice, then of course we can avoid it. So, if you accepted that conversation with great favor, now I will offer you the rest. Then you saw Lazarus in the rich man's gate, today look at him in Abraham's bosom; you saw him licked by dogs, look at him carried by Angels; you saw him then in poverty, look now at him in pleasure; seen in hunger, look in great abundance, seen struggling, look at the crowned one; you have seen his works, look at his rewards - (look) both rich and poor: rich, lest you consider great wealth without virtue; and the poor, lest you consider poverty an evil; for both of them he became a teacher. For if he did not grumble in poverty, then what forgiveness will those who do this in wealth receive? If he gave thanks in hunger and in so many disasters, then what excuse will those who do not want to acquire the same virtue in abundance have? On the other hand, what kind of forgiveness will the poor receive, who are indignant and grumble because of poverty, while he, in hunger and poverty, in helplessness and constant illness, living in the house of a rich man, being neglected by everyone and not seeing another who suffered like him, turns out to be so wise? From him we will learn not to call the rich blessed and the poor unfortunate; and better, to tell the truth, rich is not the one who has a lot, but the one who does not need much; and the poor is not the one who has nothing, but the one who desires a lot; this should be considered a measure of poverty and wealth. So, if you see someone desiring a lot, consider him the poorest of all, even if he owned the estates of everyone; and on the other hand, if you see someone who does not need much, then consider him richer than everyone else, even if he had nothing. We usually judge poverty and wealth by the disposition of our souls, and not by the extent of our property. How can we not call someone possessed by an incessant thirst healthy, even if he had plenty of everything, even if he was near rivers and springs (for what is the use of this abundance of water when he remains in an unquenchable thirst?); Let us treat the rich in the same way: we will never consider those who constantly desire and thirst for other people’s things to be healthy and enjoying contentment. He who cannot restrain his desire, at least possessed the estates of all, how will there ever be an abundance? And those who are content with their own and remain with their own, without looking at other people’s property, even if they were the poorest of all, should be considered the most prosperous; for he prospers most of all who does not need the things of others, but is content with his own with love. However, if you wish, let us turn to the proposed subject. “It came to pass,” says the Lord, “that Lazarus died...and the angels were cut off from being” (Luke 16:22). Here I want to purge an evil illness from your soul. Many ordinary people think that the souls of those who die a violent death become demons. No no. It is not the souls of those who died a violent death that become demons, but the souls of those living in sins, not because their being has changed, but because their will imitates the evil of demons. Pointing to this, Christ said to the Jews: “You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44); He called them sons of the devil, not because they changed into his being, but because they did his deeds; That’s why He added: “And you want to do the lusts of your father.” John also says: “You brood of vipers! who told you to flee from the coming wrath; produce therefore fruits worthy of repentance: and do not begin to say... the father of the Imam Abraham” (Luke 3:7,8). Scripture usually calls ties of kinship not those that exist by nature, but those that arise from virtue and vice; and with whomever is the same in morals, Scripture calls him both his son and his brother. 2. But why did the devil instill such a bad opinion? He wanted to shake the glory of the martyrs. Since they die a violent death, he, wanting to spread a bad opinion about them, used this means, but did not have time to do so; for they continue to shine with their glory. He did another grave evil, convincing with these opinions the sorcerers serving him to kill many simple young men, in the hope that they would become demons and then serve them. But this is not true, not true! Why, you say, do the demons say: “I am the soul of such and such a monk”? “That’s why I don’t believe that these are demons talking; because they deceive those who listen. Therefore, Paul stopped their mouths, although they spoke the truth, so that they, taking advantage of the opportunity, would not mix lies with the truth and would not appear trustworthy. So, when they said: “These men are the servants of the highest God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17); then (Paul), having become bored with this, rebuked the divinatory spirit and commanded him to come out; Meanwhile, what bad did they say? “These men are servants of the Most High God.” But since many of the ordinary people do not always know how to discuss what demons say, (Paul) directly deprived them of their confidence. You, he says, are from among the outcasts, you do not dare to speak, you are silent, you are numb: it is not your business to preach; this is the right of the apostles; Why do you steal someone else's property? Shut up, you're rejected. This is what Christ did. When the demons said to Him: “We know You who You are” (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34), He very strictly forbade them, teaching them never to believe a demon, even if he told you something sensible. Knowing this, we will not believe the demon in anything, but even if he says something true, we will turn away and run away from him; because sound and saving doctrine can be truly learned not from demons, but from Divine Scripture. And that the soul that has left the body is not subject to the violence of demons, listen to what Paul says about this: “He who has died is freed from sin” (Rom. 6:7), i.e. no longer sins. If the devil cannot do violence to the soul living in the body, then, obviously, he cannot do violence to the soul that has left the body. How, you say, do (souls) sin if they do not tolerate violence? By our own will and desire, betraying ourselves (to sin), and not under duress, not by force; this has been proven by all those who have overcome the wiles of the devil. So, no matter how much he embarrassed Job, the devil could not force him to utter any blasphemous word (Job.2:9,10). From this it is clear that we have the power to follow or not to follow his suggestions, and that we are not subject to any coercion or violence on his part. However, not only from what has been said, but also from the proposed parable, it is obvious that, having left the body, souls do not remain here, but are immediately taken away, and listen how. “It came to pass,” says (the Lord), “that the beggar died, and the angels were carried away” (Luke 16:22). But the souls of not only the righteous are taken there, but also those who lived viciously; this can be seen from the example of another rich man. When his field was “grazed”, he said “in himself: what will I do? I will destroy my barns and build great ones” (Luke 12:16–18). There is nothing more pitiful than such a thought. That's right, he ruined his granaries; because safe granaries are not walls, but the wombs of the poor; and he, leaving these, took care of the walls. What does God tell him? “Crazy! This night your soul will be taken from you” (Luke 12:20). Look, it says there: “Angels are about to be”, and here: “They will exhaust”; this one was taken away as a prisoner, and that one was carried away in triumph, as if he had been crowned. Just as someone who received many wounds on the lists and was stained with blood, then adorned with a crown, those standing in front of the lists with great glory take him and take him home, applauding, praising, wondering: so the Angels then took Lazarus away; and the soul of the rich man was taken by some terrible forces, perhaps sent for this purpose; for the soul does not depart by itself into that life, since this is impossible. If we, moving from city to city, need a leader; then all the more so does the soul, expelled from the body and migrating to the future life, need guides. Therefore, often, when preparing to leave the body, it rises and falls, and fears and trembles. The consciousness of sins always torments us, but especially at the hour when we are about to be taken to the local torture and terrible judgment. Then whether someone stole or appropriated something for himself, slandered someone or was hostile against someone unjustly, or did any other evil, this whole series of sins is renewed; appears before the eyes and torments the soul. And just as those who live in prison are always despondent and sad, but especially on the day on which they must be taken out and brought to the very doors of the judge, and standing in front of the bars of the judgment seat and hearing the judge’s voice inside, they suffocate with fear and are no better than the dead; so the soul, although at the very time of sin it grieves and suffers greatly, but much more when it must be plucked out and taken away from here. 3. Are you silent while listening to this? I thank you for this silence more than for the applause; applause and praise make me the most glorious, and this silence makes you the most prudent. I know that my words are upsetting, but also bring great and inexpressible benefit. If that rich man had someone who would give him such instruction, and not flatterers who offered all the advice to please him and attracted him to fun, then he would not have been taken to Gehenna, would not have been subjected to unbearable torment, and would not have repented inconsolably; but since everyone spoke to please him, they gave him over to the fire. Oh, if only it were possible to always and incessantly philosophize and talk about Gehenna like this! “In all your words,” says (the wise one), “remember your last, and you will never sin” (Sir.7:39). And again: “Prepare for the outcome of your affairs, and prepare for the village” (Proverbs 24:27). If you have stolen anything from anyone, return it, and say like Zacchaeus: “I will return in fours” what was stolen (Luke 19:8). If you have slandered someone, if you have become an enemy of someone, reconcile yourself before the judgment. Finish everything here so that you can see that seat (of the Judge) without worries. As long as we are here, we have good hopes; and when we go there, it will no longer be in our power to repent and wash away our sins. Therefore, we must continually prepare for our departure from here. What if the Master wants to call us in the evening? What if tomorrow? The future is not open to us so that we are always concerned and ready to go there, just as Lazarus was constantly in sorrow and patience; That's why he was discharged with such honor. “The rich man also died and was buried” (Luke 16:20); his soul was buried in his body, as in a grave, and carried his flesh on him, like a coffin. He was bound, as if by some kind of shackles, by drunkenness and gluttony, and therefore he made his soul inactive and dead. Do not ignore, beloved, the words: “burying him”; but imagine here silvered tables, beds, carpets, bedspreads, all other household things, ointments, aromas, a lot of wine, various dishes, sweets, cooks, flatterers, squires, slaves and all other luxury - faded and disappeared. Everything is ashes, everything is dust and dust, tears and screams; no one can help or return the departed soul. Then the power of gold and great wealth was revealed. From such a multitude of servants he was taken away naked and alone, powerless to carry away anything from such wealth, abandoned by everyone, helpless; there was none of those serving with him who would help him and save him from punishment and torment, but, separated from everyone, he alone was drawn to unbearable torment. Truly, “all flesh is hay, and all the glory of man is like the flower of grass: the grass is gone, and the flower is fallen away: but the word of the Lord endures forever” (Is. 40:6-7). Death came and destroyed all this, and, like a prisoner, took him and led him away, bowed down, covered in shame, timid, trembling, frightened, as if in a dream he had enjoyed all the former fun; and now the rich man began to beg the beggar and need the meal of the one who once languished with hunger and was accessible to the mouth of dogs; so the circumstances changed, and everyone knew who this rich man was, and who this beggar was, and that Lazarus was the richest of all, and he was the poorest of all. Just as kings, and military leaders, and doctors, and rhetoricians, and sophists, and warriors appear on the stage, without actually being any of these; so in real life - both poverty and wealth are only masks. Therefore, just as you, sitting in the theater and seeing one of the players below representing the face of the king, do not call him happy and do not consider him to be a king, and you yourself would not want to be like that, but knowing that this is one of those turning up at the market, perhaps a ropemaker, or a coppersmith, or someone else like that, you do not consider him happy for his mask and clothes, and you do not judge his life by them, on the contrary, you turn away from him for his insignificance in other respects; so here in the world, as if sitting in a theater and looking at those playing on stage, when you see many getting rich, do not consider them truly rich, but only representing the imaginary faces of the rich. As those who represent the king and the military commander on the stage, there is often a slave or one of those selling figs and grapes in the market; so this rich man is often the poorest of all. If you take off his mask, open your conscience and delve into his soul, you will find there a great poverty of virtue, and he will be the most dishonest of all people. For, as in a theatre, when evening came and those sitting there left, these who appeared to everyone as kings and military leaders, coming out and throwing off their false appearance, are already what they really are; so now, when death comes and the spectacle closes, everyone goes there, laying aside the imaginary forms of wealth and poverty, and only judging by their deeds, it turns out who among them are truly rich and who are poor, who are venerable and who are dishonorable. 4. Often one of the local rich people turns out to be the poorest there, just like that rich man. When evening came, i.e. death, and he came out of the spectacle of real life and threw off his imaginary face, he found himself there poorer than everyone else, and so poor that he did not have even a drop of water at his disposal, but he asked for it, and did not even receive this request. What could be poorer than such poverty? And listen to how it happened. “Lifting up your eyes, you said” to Abraham: “Father, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and make my tongue cold” (Luke 16:23–24). Do you see what disaster means? When Lazarus was near, he ran past him; and now, when he is far away, he calls him; at whom he often did not look, both entering and leaving, he gazes intently at him from afar. Why is he looking at him? Many times, perhaps, this rich man used to say: “What need do I have of piety and virtue? Everything flows to me as if from sources; I enjoy great wealth, great prosperity, I do not tolerate any trouble; Why should I care about virtue? This beggar, living in truth and piety, suffers countless calamities.” This is what many people often say today. In order for such evil thoughts to be uprooted, the rich man sees that vice is destined for execution, and for deeds of piety - glory and a crown. But not only for this reason did the rich man look at Lazarus, but also so that he could now endure to a greater extent what the poor man suffered; how his suffering was intensified by the fact that he lay at the rich man’s gate and saw someone else’s prosperity; So this one’s punishment was now aggravated by the fact that he lay in Gehenna and saw the bliss of Lazarus, so that his torment was more unbearable not only in terms of the nature of the punishments, but also in comparison with the honor of the poor. Just as, having expelled Adam from Paradise, God settled him “directly in Paradise” (Gen. 3:24) so ​​that a constant view of Paradise - renewing sorrow - would awaken in him a lively feeling of the loss of goods, so He placed this rich man directly opposite Lazarus so that he could see what he had deprived himself of. I sent, He says, the beggar Lazarus to your gates, so that he would be for you a teacher of virtue and an object of love for mankind; you neglected this good and did not want to properly use this means of salvation; accept it as a means to greater punishment and torment. From this we know that everyone who is insulted and offended by us will then appear before our face. Although Lazarus was not offended by the rich man in any way, since the rich man did not take his money and only did not give him his own. If the one who did not give his own has as an accuser the one to whom he did not show mercy, then the one who stole someone else’s, what kind of forgiveness will he receive when the offended people surround him on all sides? There, no witnesses, no accusers, no evidence, no confirmation are needed: but the deeds themselves will appear before our eyes in the form in which we committed them. Here is a man, it will be said, and his deeds! – And not giving from your property is also theft. Perhaps my words seem surprising to you; but don't be surprised; I will present you with evidence from the Divine Scriptures that not only to steal someone else’s property, but also not to give what is yours to others means theft and covetousness and taking away. What kind of evidence is this? Reproaching the Jews, God says through the prophet: the land has brought forth its fruits, and you have not brought tithes; but stolen from the poor in your houses (Mal.3:10). Since you, he says, did not give the usual offerings, you stole the property of the poor. With these words, He inspires the rich that they own the property of the poor, even if they have received their father's inheritance, or even if they have collected wealth in some other way. And in another place he says: “Do not deprive the beggar of his life” (Sir.4:1); and the one who deprives takes away someone else’s property; because taking away is what we call someone else’s and keeps it from us. So, from this we learn that when we do not give alms, we will be punished equally with the kidnappers. These possessions are the Lord's, no matter where we gather them from; and if we give from them to the poor, we will gain great wealth. God allowed you to have more than others, not so that you would spend on fornication, and drunkenness, and satiety, and expensive clothing, and on other luxury items, but so that you would give to those in need. Like a treasurer who has received royal money, if he does not distribute it to whomever he was ordered to do, but spends it at his own whim, he is subject to punishment and death; so the rich man is, as it were, a receiver of money to be distributed to the poor, having received the command to distribute it to the needy among his fellow servants; therefore, if he spends on himself anything beyond the necessary needs, he will be subject to the most severe responsibility; because his property does not belong to himself, but to his fellow servants. 5. Let us take care of property as if it were someone else’s, so that it becomes ours. How can we preserve it as if it were someone else’s? If you spend it not on unnecessary needs, and not only on your own, but also give it into the hands of the poor; if you are rich, but spend beyond your needs, then you will give an account of the money entrusted to you. This also happens in the houses of nobles; many entrust their treasures to their servants; and those who have received take care of what is entrusted to them and do not abuse the treasures, but distribute them to whom and when the master commands. So do you too; For you did not receive and receive more than others so that you could spend it for one, but so that you could be a good steward for others. And it is worthy of consideration why the rich man saw Lazarus not with another righteous man, but in the bosom of Abraham. Abraham was hospitable; Therefore, the rich man sees Lazarus with him so that this too would be a denunciation of his inhospitality. He caught those passing by and attracted them to his house; but this one neglected those who lay in his house, and, having such a treasure and a means of salvation, ran past him every day and did not properly take advantage of the protection of the beggar. But the patriarch did not do this, but quite the opposite: sitting in front of the doors, he caught everyone passing; and just as a fisherman, casting a net into the sea, pulls out fish, and often pulls out both gold and pearls, so he, while catching people, once caught Angels, and, what is more surprising, without knowing it. Amazed by this, Paul also exhorts: “Do not forget your love of strangers: therefore there are no angels who are ignorant and acquainted with strangers” (Heb. 13:2). And he said well: “ignorantly.” If the patriarch, knowingly, had accepted them with such favor, he would not have done anything great and wondrous; but his entire merit lies in the fact that, not knowing who those passing by were, and believing that they were ordinary travelers, he so diligently invited them into his house. Likewise, if you show great zeal in receiving some famous and glorious person, you will not do anything amazing; because the nobility of the guest often forces an inhospitable person to show all his readiness; but it is very important and wonderful when we accept ordinary people, outcasts and lowly people with great cordiality. Therefore, Christ, praising those who do this, said: “Because you have made the least of these, you have made them for Me” (Matthew 25:40). And again: “This is not the will of your Father, that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:14). And again: “Whoever shall cause one of these little ones to stumble... he shall not eat, and the millstone of the ass shall be cut off on his neck, and he shall drown in the abyss of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). And everywhere Christ expresses great concern for the little and the lesser. Knowing this, Abraham did not ask those passing by who they were and where they were from, as we do now; but simply received everyone who passed by; because the one who provides charity should not examine the life of the poor, but help poverty and satisfy need. The poor have only one excuse - lack and need; don’t ask him anything else; but if he, even if he was the most vicious of all, needs the necessary food, then we will satisfy his hunger. Christ also commanded to do this: “Be ye,” He said, “like your Father who is in heaven, as His sun shines on the evil and on the good, and rains on the righteous and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). The Merciful is a harbor for those in need, and the harbor receives all those who are shipwrecked and saves them from danger; whether evil or good, or whoever they are who are in danger, she takes them into her arms. So you, seeing a person who has been shipwrecked by poverty on earth, do not condemn or demand an account, but deliver him from misfortune. Why are you incurring labor on yourself? God has freed you from all care and worry. How much would many people talk and be indignant if God commanded to first accurately examine life, find out the behavior and actions of everyone, and then give alms? And now we are freed from any such difficulty. Why do we bring unnecessary worries upon ourselves? Another is a judge, another is a giver of alms. This is why alms are called that way because we give it to the unworthy. Paul also exhorts us to do the same: “Let us do good,” he says, “let us not grieve at all, especially against those who are with us in the faith” (Gal. 6:9,10). If we begin to question and investigate about the unworthy, then the worthy ones will not soon come across to us; and if we give to the unworthy, then the worthy ones, and those like them all, will fall into our hands, as happened with blessed Abraham, who, without asking or inquiring about those passing by, was once honored to receive Angels. Let us also imitate him, and with him his descendant Job; for this one too imitated the generosity of his ancestor with all precision, and therefore said: “My door is open to everyone who comes” (Job.31:32); It was not open for such and such, but closed for another, but for everyone in general it was open. 6. So, I exhort you, we will do the same, without exploring anything beyond what is necessary. The dignity of the poor is one need; no matter who comes to us with her, we will not explore anything further; because we give not to character, but to man, and we pity him not for virtue, but for misfortune, so that we ourselves may attract great mercy from the Lord, so that we ourselves, unworthy, may be honored with His love for mankind. If we begin to look for and examine the virtues in our fellow servants, then God will do the same with us; and in trying to demand an account from our equal slaves, we ourselves will lose our highest love for mankind. “Those who are in the majority,” says the Lord, “judge with judgment, they will judge you” (Matthew 7:2). But let us turn our speech back to our subject. So the rich man, seeing Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, says: “Father Abraham! have mercy on me and send Lazarus” (Luke 16:24). Why did he not address Lazarus? It seems to me because he was ashamed and conscience-stricken, and by his actions towards him he believed that Lazarus would certainly bear a grudge. If, he believed, I, enjoying such wealth and not suffering any insult, neglected this man, who was in such distress, and did not give him even a grain, then all the more he, so neglected, will not bow to mercy. I say this not to condemn Lazarus; no, he was not like that; but because the rich man, being afraid of this, did not ask him, but appealed to Abraham, who, in his opinion, did not know what was happening (on earth), and asked for that finger, which he often allowed to be licked by dogs. What is that one? “Child...thou hast received thy goodness in thy belly” (Luke 16:25). Look at the wisdom, look at the mercy of the righteous. He did not say: inhuman, cruel and wicked, who caused so much evil to this man; Do you now remember humanity, mercy and compassion and are not ashamed or ashamed? But what did he say? “Child, you have accepted your goodness.” “Do not overcome an irritated heart,” says the wise (Sir.4:3); Punishment is enough for him; Let us not yet attack him in misfortune. And on the other hand, so that the rich man would not think that Abraham, out of rancor for the past, did not send Lazarus, he calls him a child, as if protecting himself with this name. What I have power in, he says, I give to you: but to come from here to there is no longer in our power. “Thou shalt perceive thy goodness.” Why didn’t he say: “received”, but: “received”? A great, I see, abyss of thoughts is opening up to us here. Therefore, carefully observing everything that has been said, we will keep with all fidelity what was said, both now and before; and let this serve to make you more capable of hearing what is to be said; if it is possible for you, remember everything; if you cannot do everything, then instead of everything, I ask you to constantly remember that not to give to the poor from your property means to steal from the poor and take away their lives, and that we do not own our property, but theirs. If we are so disposed, then, of course, we will begin to distribute our property, and, having fed the hungry Christ here and accumulated great wealth there, we will be worthy to receive future benefits, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, is glory, honor, power, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen. A word about Lazarus and why Abraham did not say: “thou hast received thy goodness in thy belly,” but “took it,” and why the righteous are often exposed to dangers, while sinners avoid them 1. The parable of Lazarus has brought us a lot of benefit, both rich and poor, teaching some to easily endure poverty, and discouraging others not to be arrogant with wealth, showing by their very deeds that the most unfortunate of all is the one who lives in luxury and does not give any of his property to anyone. Therefore, today we will deal with the same subject again; so those who work in the mines continue to dig where they see many gold veins, and do not leave behind until they have extracted everything that is revealed. Let us return to the place where we recently stopped the speech, and begin it from there. Of course, it was possible to explain this whole parable to you in one day; but we are not concerned about just saying a lot and leaving, but so that you, having carefully accepted and assimilated what was said, receive spiritual benefit from such attentiveness. Likewise, if a child-loving mother, intending to transfer her infant child to solid food, suddenly begins to pour a lot of wine into his mouth, then she does not get any success: because the child spews out what is given to him and drenches his shirt on his chest; but if the mother begins to pour in gradually and little by little, then the child accepts it harmlessly. Therefore, so that you would not throw up what was taught, I did not suddenly offer you the cup of teaching, but divided it for you over many days and gave you, during the intervals of these days, to calm down from the labor of listening, so that what has already been taught would be firmly rooted in your mind, beloved, and what has to be said you would accept with a calm and cheerful soul. For this purpose, I often tell you several days in advance the content of what will be said, so that in these intermediate days, by taking up the Bible, reading the entire section of it and knowing what has already been said and what remains, you will make your mind more capable of listening to what will be said later. I always inspire and will not cease to inspire, so that you not only here listen to what is said, but also at home constantly read the Divine Scriptures. I have always instilled this in those who are privately with me. Let no one say to me these cold and condemnable words: I am attached to the court of justice, I am engaged in public affairs, I practice a craft, I have a wife, I raise children, I run a house, I am a worldly person; It is not my business to read the Scriptures, but those who have renounced the world, settled on the tops of the mountains and lead such a life constantly. Why do you say, O man, that it is not your business to study the Scriptures, because you amuse yourself with countless worries? No, this is your business more than theirs; because they do not so much need the help of the Divine Scriptures as they are turning among many things. The monks, having withdrawn from the marketplace and from the turmoil of the marketplace, having set up cells in the desert and not having any communication with anyone, but philosophizing unhindered in their peaceful silence, as if sitting in a pier, enjoy great security; and we, who are troubled as if in the middle of the sea, and fall into a multitude of sins, always need constant and continuous consolation from the Scriptures. They sit away from the fight, which is why they get a little wounded; and you are constantly in combat formation and receive continuous blows; That’s why you need medicine more. And your wife annoys you, and your son upsets, and a servant makes you angry, and an enemy plots intrigues, and a friend is jealous, and a neighbor slanderes, and a colleague trips you up, not infrequently a judge threatens, and poverty saddens, and the negligence of the household makes you cry, and happiness makes you proud, and misfortune plunges you into despondency; and on all sides we are surrounded by many cases and reasons, now for anger, now for worries, now for despondency and sadness, now for vanity and pride, and countless arrows are flying from everywhere. Therefore, we constantly need the full armor of the Scriptures. “Recognize,” says the wise one, “that in the midst of the snares of the city you walk and through the visor of the city” (Sir.9:18). And the lusts of the flesh rise up more powerfully against those who turn among men; for both a handsome face and a beautiful body strike us through the eyes, and a shameful word, entering through the ear, outrages our thoughts; and often the song, skillfully sung, disrupts the good mood of the soul. But what am I saying about this? What seems more insignificant than all this, it is the smell of incense, inspired somehow along the way by dissolute women, which, by simple chance, carries a person into its captivity. 2. And there are many similar circumstances that besiege our soul; why do we need Divine healing, so that we can heal wounds already received, and prevent those not yet received, but threatening, weakening from afar and repelling the devil’s arrows by constant reading of the Divine Scriptures. For it is impossible, impossible for anyone to be saved who does not constantly practice spiritual reading; but it’s still good if we, constantly using this healing, manage to be saved someday. If, receiving wounds every day, we do not use any medicine, then what hope do we have of salvation? Don’t you see how copper, gold and silversmiths, or those engaged in any craft, take care of all the tools of their craft intact, and, even if hunger forces them or poverty oppresses them, they decide better to endure everything than to sell, for their food, any of the tools of their craft? Many often decided to go into debt to feed their home and children rather than sell even the smallest of the tools of their trade; and very fair. They know that when the tools are sold, all their skill will be useless to them and all possibility of acquisition will be destroyed; and when the tools are intact, then, by constantly practicing their craft, they can eventually pay off the loans made; if they rush to sell them to others, they will no longer be able to find relief from their poverty and hunger anywhere. This is how we must set ourselves up. How for them the tools of the trade are a hammer, an anvil and tongs; so for us, the instruments of our art are the apostolic and prophetic books and all Scripture, inspired and useful (2 Tim. 3:16). And just as they use those tools to decorate all sorts of vessels, whatever they take up: so we, with these aids, arrange our soul, correct the disordered one, renew the dilapidated one. Moreover, they show their art no more than in arranging the appearance of things: for they cannot change the substance of the vessels, nor turn silver into gold, but only change their forms; but you are not like that: you can do more of them; Taking a wooden vessel, you can someday turn it into gold. A witness to this is Paul, who says this: “In a great house, the vessels are not just gold and silver, but also wood and clay: both for honor and not for honor. If anyone cleanses himself of these, the vessel will be an honor, sanctified, and useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Tim. 2:20,21). So, let us not neglect the acquisition of (sacred) books, lest we receive mortal wounds; Let us not bury gold in the ground, but let us accumulate for ourselves a treasure of spiritual books. When gold multiplies, it especially harms those who acquire it; and these books bring great benefit to those who have them. How the royal weapons stored somewhere, even if no one used them, provide great protection to those living in that place, because neither robbers, nor wall breakers, nor any other villains dare to attack this house; So, where there are spiritual books, all devilish power is driven away from there, and those living there receive great edification in virtue. Even the mere sight of such books makes us more abstinent from sin; even if we dare to do something forbidden and make ourselves unclean, then, returning home and looking at these books, we condemn ourselves more in conscience and become less inclined to repeat the same sins, and if, on the contrary, we live piously, we will receive even greater benefit from it. As soon as someone touches the Gospel, he immediately improves his mind, and with just one glance at it, he renounces (all) worldly things. If attentive reading is also added, then the soul, as if entering a mysterious sanctuary, is purified and becomes better, since God speaks with it through these Scriptures. What, they will say, if we do not understand what is contained in them? Even if you do not understand what is contained in them, there is great sanctification from the reading itself. However, it is impossible for you not to understand everything equally; It was precisely for this reason that the grace of the Spirit arranged that these books were compiled by publicans, fishermen, tabernacle workers, shepherds of sheep and goats, simple and uneducated people, so that none of the simple people could resort to such an excuse, so that everyone could understand what was being said, so that the artisan, and the servant, and the widowed woman, and the most uneducated of all people would receive benefit and edification from listening; for not for vain glory, like the external (wise men), but for the salvation of the listeners, those who in the beginning were worthy of the grace of the Spirit put all this together. 3. External philosophers, and rhetoricians, and writers, who were not looking for general benefit, but only intended to arouse surprise in themselves, if they said anything useful, covered it up, as if with some darkness, with ordinary obscurity. But the apostles and prophets did the opposite: they taught a teaching that was clear and understandable to everyone, as common teachers of the universe, so that everyone could understand what was said on their own with just one reading. Foreshadowing this, the prophet said: “all will be taught by God, and no one will teach his neighbor... saying: know the Lord; for all will know Me, from the least of them even to their greatest” (Is. 54:13; Jer. 31:34; John 6:45). And Paul says: “And when I came to you, brothers, I did not come in excellent speech or wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God”; and again: “And my word and my preaching are not in the words of the wisdom of men, but in the manifestation of the Spirit and power,” and again: “And we speak wisdom... not of this world, nor of the princes of the world that pass away” (1 Cor. 2:1,4,6). And for whom is not everything that is contained in the Gospels clear? Who, hearing that “blessed are the meek, blessed are the merciful, ... blessed are the pure in heart” (Matthew 5:5,7,8) and the like, will need a teacher in order to understand at all what is said? But aren’t the circumstances of signs and wonders and historical narratives clear and understandable to everyone? The above is only an excuse, an excuse and a cover for laziness. Don't you understand what is contained? But how can you understand when you don’t even want to just look at a book? Pick up a book; read the whole story, keep what is understandable in your memory, and read the unclear and incomprehensible parts several times; if, even with frequent reading, you are not able to understand what is being said; go to the wisest, go to the teacher, talk to him about what was said, show great zeal; and God, seeing that you use such diligence, will not despise your vigilant care; If a person does not explain to you what you are looking for, then He himself will undoubtedly reveal it. Remember the eunuch of the Ethiopian queen, who, being a foreigner and busy with many worries and surrounded by many things everywhere, although he did not understand what he read, he read while sitting in his chariot. If he showed such zeal on the way, then imagine what he was like while at home; if during the journey he did not want to be left without reading, then even more so while sitting in the house; if, even without understanding what he was reading, he did not stop reading, then even more so after he began to understand. And that he did not understand what he was reading, listen to what Philip says to him: “Do you understand what you read” (Acts 8:30)? Hearing this, he did not blush or be ashamed, but admitted his ignorance and said: “As best I can, unless someone teaches me” (Acts 8:31). Since he, without yet having a leader, read so diligently, he soon received a leader for this. God saw his zeal, accepted his zeal, and soon sent him a teacher. But now there is no Philip? But there is a Spirit that moved Philip. Let us not, beloved, neglect our salvation; All this was written for us, “for our instruction, in which we have reached the ends of the ages” (1 Cor. 10:11). The great protection from sins is reading the Scriptures, and ignorance of the Scriptures is a great rapids and a deep abyss; it is a great loss for salvation to know nothing of the Divine decrees. This ignorance gave birth to heresies; it also led to a depraved life; it turned everything upside down; for it is impossible, it is impossible that one who is constantly engaged in reading (the Scriptures) with diligence should remain without fruit. How much benefit has one parable brought to us? How much has our soul improved? I know well that many have left here having received much benefit from listening; if there are those who did not collect as much fruit, however, at least on the day when they listened, of course, they were better. It is not an unimportant thing to spend one day in contrition for sins, to direct one’s gaze to higher wisdom and to allow the soul, at least a little, to calm down from everyday worries. And if we do this at every meeting and without fail, then such continuity of listening will produce great and excellent good in us. 4. Now I will tell you the subsequent circumstances of the parable. What follows? When the rich man said: “Send Lazarus, that he may wet the tip of his finger and cool my tongue”; Let us listen to what Abraham says: “Child, remember that you received your good in your belly, and Lazarus was also evil: now here you are comforted, but you are suffering. And over all of these, between us and you, a great gulf has established itself, for those who want to pass from here to you will not be able to, nor will those from there pass to us” (Luke 16:24-26). These words are difficult and contain much that is regrettable for us. I know this too; but the stronger they act on the conscience, the more benefit they bring to the soul of those experiencing this effect. If this were said there to us, like the rich man, then we would truly have to cry, grieve and lament that we no longer have time to repent; but since we hear this here, where it is possible to repent, and wash away sins, and acquire great boldness, and correct ourselves, fearing the misfortune that happened to others; then let us thank the humane God, who by punishing others delivers us from carelessness and awakens us from sleep. This is why this is said in advance, so that we do not suffer the same thing. If (God) wanted to punish us, he would not have said this in advance; but since He does not want to subject us to torment, He speaks about it in advance, so that we, having come to our senses with this warning, do not actually experience torment. But why didn’t he (Abraham) say: “You are thy goodness,” but “received”? You, of course, remember what I said that here a great and immeasurable abyss of thoughts opens up to us. In the word: “accepted” a certain debt is shown and revealed; because they take their due. If this rich man was wicked and criminal, and cruel, and inhuman; then why didn’t Abraham say to him: he accepted “you are your goodness”, but “took it”, as if it rightfully belonged to him and was due? What can we learn from here? Because, although some are wicked and went to the extreme of evil, sometimes they did at least one, two, or three good deeds. And that I am not saying this now out of conjecture can be seen from the following. Who was more criminal, more inhuman, more wicked than that unrighteous judge who neither feared God nor was ashamed of people? But, living in such wickedness, he also did something good: he took pity on the widow who constantly bothered him, bowed to mercy, fulfilled her request and punished those who offended her (Luke 18:2-5). It so happens that someone is intemperate, but sometimes merciful; or inhuman, but chaste; if he is intemperate and cruel, he has nevertheless done at least one good deed at some time in his life. On the contrary, we need to think the same about good people. Just as the most wicked sometimes do something good, so the honest and virtuous often sin in something; for “Who will boast,” says the wise one, “to have a pure heart, or who will dare to resolve to be pure from sins” (Prov. 20:9)? Therefore, since it is likely that the rich man, although he reached the extreme of wickedness, did something good, and Lazarus, although he reached the height of virtue, sinned in something unimportant, then look at how the patriarch pointed out both with the words: “Thou hast accepted thy good, and Lazarus has also received evil.” The meaning of the words is this: if you did something good and you received a reward for it, then you have already accepted everything in that world, living in joy and wealth, enjoying great prosperity and well-being; and Lazarus, if he did anything bad, took it all in, suffering from poverty, hunger and extreme calamity; and each of you came here naked - he from sins, and you from deeds of righteousness; therefore, here he has pure consolation, and you endure joyless torment. Truly, if our good deeds are few and insignificant, and our sins are a great and unspeakable burden, and at the same time we still enjoy prosperity here and do not suffer any disaster, then we will leave here completely naked and alienated from the reward for our good deeds, as having already received everything here; just as, if our virtues are great and numerous, and our sins are few and insignificant, meanwhile we suffer some kind of disaster, then, having laid aside these few sins here, we will receive pure and perfect reward for our good deeds there. So, when you see that someone, spending his life in wickedness, does not suffer any calamity here, do not please him, but weep and regret him, as for a person who will be subject to all calamities there, like this rich man. On the contrary, when you see that someone cares about virtue and endures countless temptations, please him and imitate him; because here too all his sins are absolved, and there many rewards are prepared for his patience, as was the case with this Lazarus. 5. Among people, some are punished only here, while others do not suffer any disaster here, but receive all the punishment there; others are punished here and there. Which of these three (categories of people) do you please? I know that they are the first to be punished here and put aside their sins. And after them – whom do you put second? Are you, perhaps, those who do not tolerate anything here, but receive all the punishment there? And I am not these, but those who are punished both here and there; because whoever has suffered punishment here will suffer the lightest execution there; and whoever must bear all the punishment there will be subject to inevitable condemnation; just like this rich man, having not received any relief from his sins here, he was punished there so cruelly that he could not receive even a small drop of water. But even of these sinners who do not suffer any misfortune here, I consider those more unfortunate who, in addition to not being punished here, also enjoy fun and happiness. Just as the fact that sinners do not bear punishment for their sins here prepares for them the most severe punishment there; so the fact that they still enjoy prosperity, fun and wealth is for them the reason and reason for greater punishment and torment there. When we, despite our sins, enjoy mercy from God, this very thing can plunge us into the strongest fire. If someone who experiences only long-suffering (of God), but does not use it as he should, is subjected to the most severe punishment, then who will deliver him from such punishment if, with long-suffering, he receives even the greatest mercies, and despite this remains in wickedness? And that those who take advantage of (God’s) long-suffering here will accumulate full punishment for themselves there, if they do not repent, about this, listen to what Paul says: “Do you think this about man, judge the same on those who do it, and do it yourself in the same way, so that you will escape the judgment of God? Or are you careless about the riches of His goodness and meekness and long-suffering, not knowing how the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Because of your cruelty and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Rom. 2:3-5). So, when we see that some have wealth, live in luxury, anoint themselves with incense, spend their days in drunkenness, enjoy great power and glory, great splendor and nobility and, despite their sins, do not suffer any disaster, then we will cry and regret them especially because they, when they sin, are not punished. How, when you see someone possessed by a water disease or a liver disorder, or suffering from some kind of infection and with many wounds on all sides, and at the same time indulging in drunkenness and fun and thus intensifying his illness, you not only are not surprised at him and do not consider him happy from the fun, but for this reason you especially call him unhappy; talk about the soul in the same way. When you see that a person lives in wickedness, and yet enjoys great prosperity and does not suffer any disaster; then pity him more because, having been exposed to illness and the most severe infection, he intensifies the disease, becoming worse from joy and excess; for punishment is not evil, but sin; he removes us from God; and punishment leads to God and stops His anger. Where can you see this? Listen to the prophet who says: “Comfort, comfort my people... priests, say in the heart of Jerusalem... that they have received their sins from the hand of the Lord” (Is. 40: 1-2). And again: “O Lord our God, give us peace, for you have repaid us with everything” (Is. 26:12). And in order for you to be convinced that some are punished here, others there, and others both here and there, about this, listen to what Paul says, denouncing those who unworthily partake of the sacraments. Having said that he who eats and drinks unworthily the Body and Blood of the Lord, “will be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ,” he immediately added: “For this reason there are many in you who are weak and ill, and fall asleep contentedly. Even if they reasoned with themselves, they would not be condemned. If we judge, we are punished by the Lord, lest we be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:27,30-32). Do you see how the punishment here frees us from the torment there? And about the adulterer he says: “Deliver such one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 5:5). And from the example of Lazarus it is clear that if he did something bad, he washed it here, and thus went there clean; the same can be seen from the example of the paralytic, who, having been possessed by an illness for thirty-eight years, atoned for his sins by the duration of the illness. And that he suffered so much for his sins, about this, listen to what Christ says: “Behold, you are healthy, let no one sin, lest it be worse” (John 5:14). From all this it is clear that some here are punished and freed from their sins. 6. And that some are punished both here and there, if here they do not receive punishment corresponding to the gravity of their sins, about this, listen to what Christ says, concerning the Sodomites. Having said: “Whoever does not receive you, shake off the dust of your feet,” He added: “It will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that city” (Matthew 10:14-15). With the word “more joyful,” He showed that the Sodomites would also be punished, but easier, because they had already suffered punishment here too. And that there are those who, having not suffered any disaster here, will suffer all the punishment there, this was shown to us by the mentioned rich man, who there suffered unrelenting execution and did not receive the slightest consolation, because all the punishment awaited him there. Therefore, just as among the sinners those who do not suffer any calamity here will suffer greater punishment there, so among the righteous those who suffer many calamities here will receive greater honor there. And as of two sinners, one of whom is here punished and the other not punished, the punished is more blessed than the unpunished; so also of two righteous people, of whom here one will suffer greater and the other lesser sorrows, the more blessed is he who endured greater ones, because the Lord will reward each one according to his deeds. What then? Is it really possible, they will say, that there is not a single one who would enjoy peace here and there? This is difficult, man, and even impossible. It is impossible, truly impossible, for someone who lives here in negligence and carelessness, constantly enjoying everything and spending his life in vain and in vain, to be honored there. If he is not tormented by poverty, then lust is tormented, and he indulges in it, and this is a lot of work; if illness does not bother you, it kindles anger, and victory over anger is associated with considerable grief; If temptations do not attack, then evil thoughts constantly arise. It is not easy to curb vicious lust, tame vanity, humble pride, stay away from fun, lead a strict life; and whoever does not do this and the like, it is impossible for him to be saved. And that those who live in joy will not be saved, listen to what Paul says about the widow: “He who feeds in abundance, while alive she dies” (1 Tim. 5:6). If this is said about the wife, then even more so about the husband. And that it is impossible for those who lead a luxurious life to reach heaven, Christ explained this, saying this: “A narrow gate and a strait path you enter into the belly, and those who find it eat few” (Matthew 7:14). How then, they will say, does He say: “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30)? If the path is narrow and sad, then how else does He call it convenient and easy? This is due to the nature of temptations, and this is due to the will of those who go; for even what is unbearable by its nature can become easy if we take on it willingly. So the apostles, having suffered beatings, returned with joy that they were worthy to accept dishonor for the name of the Lord (Acts 5:41); although torment, by its nature, usually causes pain and sorrow, the will of those who suffered beatings defeated the very nature of things. Therefore, Paul says: “But all who want to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12); so that if man does not persecute them, then the devil is at enmity against them; and we need a lot of wisdom and great patience in order to be vigilant and vigilant in prayer, so as not to covet the things of others, to distribute property to the needy, to resolutely renounce all luxury both in clothing and in food, to avoid covetousness, drunkenness, slander, to control the tongue and not shout unruly, as the apostle says: “all sorrow, and anger, and wrath, and crying, and blasphemy, yes.” will be taken away from you” (Eph. 4:31), so as not to use foul language, so as not to utter humorous words. And it’s a lot of work to observe this with precision. To understand how difficult it is to be wise and how peace is incompatible with this matter, listen to what Paul says: “I put to death my body and make it into slavery” (1 Cor. 9:27). With these words, he pointed out the compulsion and great labor that must be used by those who want to make their body submissive in everything. And Christ said to the disciples: “In the world you will have sorrow, but take heart: for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). This sorrow, He says, will give you peace; real life is a place of struggle; and in the place of struggle and in the midst of exploits, the one who wants to be crowned cannot enjoy peace. So, if anyone wants to be crowned, let him choose a harsh and difficult life, so that, after toiling here for a little time, he can enjoy eternal honor there. 7. How many disappointments occur every day! What kind of soul should a soul be so as not to grumble and become discouraged, but to thank, glorify and honor with worship the One who allows such temptations? How many surprises, how many embarrassing circumstances! Meanwhile, one must suppress evil thoughts and not allow the tongue to utter anything inappropriate, just as blessed Job, enduring countless sorrows, did not cease to thank God. And there are those who, if they fail in anything, or hear slander from someone, or suffer from a disease, for example, of the legs or head, or some other, they immediately begin to blaspheme, and thus bear the burden of the disease, but are deprived of the benefits from it. What are you doing, man, blaspheming your Benefactor, Savior, Intercessor and Provider? Or don’t you feel that you are rushing towards the abyss and plunging yourself into the abyss of extreme destruction? Will you ease your suffering if you blaspheme? No, you only increase it and make your torment more severe. This is why the devil brings countless disasters in order to cast you into this abyss; and if he sees that you are blaspheming, then he immediately multiplies and intensifies the sorrows, so that, tormented by them, you grumble again; and if he sees that you are enduring courageously, and the more the suffering intensifies, the more you thank God, then he immediately retreats, as if he had already attacked in vain and in vain. Like a dog, standing at the table and seeing that a person eating food often throws him something from what is lying on the table, he remains there incessantly; if, after standing once or twice, he does not receive anything, then he moves away, like someone who pestered in vain and in vain; so the devil constantly stands before us with his mouth open; if you throw a blasphemous word at him like a dog, he will grab it and attack again; if you always thank God, you will starve him and soon drive him away and force him to run away. But you cannot remain silent while suffering from grief? And I do not forbid you to speak, but instead of blasphemy - thanksgiving, instead of grumbling - blessing. Confess to the Lord, exclaim loudly - praying, exclaim loudly - glorifying God; this will make your suffering easier, since the devil will run away as a result of thanksgiving, and God’s help will come closer. If you blaspheme, then you will reject God’s help and strengthen the devil against you, and you will subject yourself to great suffering; if you give thanks, then you will repel the machinations of the evil demon and attract the help of God the Provider. Often the tongue, out of habit, tries to utter a bad word. But when he tries, then before he utters such a word, bite him firmly with your teeth. It is better for him to bleed to death now than then, feeling the need for a drop of water, and not receive this consolation; It is better for him to suffer temporary pain than to then be punished with eternal torment, just as the tongue of that rich man, scorched by fire, did not receive any coolness. God commanded you to love your enemies, but you turn away from God who loves you? He commanded to exalt those who reproach, to bless those who curse, and you slander the Benefactor and Patron, without suffering anything bad? Could He not turn away temptations? But He allowed it so that you could become more experienced. But here, you say, I fall and perish. – Not from the quality of temptation, but from your own carelessness. What is easier, tell me, khula or thanksgiving? Doesn’t it make those who hear it your enemies and enemies, doesn’t it plunge them into despondency and then cause great sorrow? And doesn’t this bring you countless crowns for your wisdom, countless signs of surprise from everyone and great rewards from God? Why, leaving behind what is useful, convenient and pleasant, do you instead pursue what harms, saddens and torments? Moreover, if the cause of blasphemy were the severity of temptation and poverty, then all the poor would ought to blaspheme; and yet many of those living in extreme poverty constantly thank God; while others, enjoying wealth and fun, do not cease to blaspheme. Thus, it is not the essence of things, but our will that is the fault of both. This is why I read this parable, so that you know that wealth cannot help the careless, and poverty cannot harm the attentive. What am I saying, poverty? Even if all human misfortunes come together, then they will not disturb the soul of the God-loving and wise man, and will not force him to abandon virtue (Lazarus is a witness to this); just as neither wealth, nor health, nor constant prosperity, nor anything else can ever benefit the careless and pampered. 8. Let us not say, then, that poverty and illness and attacks from danger compel blasphemy. Not poverty, but madness; not illness, but negligence; It is not the attacks of danger, but the poverty of piety that leads the inattentive to blasphemy and all kinds of evil. But why, you say, are some punished here, others there, and not everyone here? Why? Because if it were like that, we would all die; since we are all subject to punishment. On the other hand, if no one were punished here, many would become even more careless, and many would say that there is no Providence; for if even now so many blaspheme, although they see that many of the wicked are being punished, then what would they not say if this did not happen? What evil would they not have reached then? Therefore, God punishes some here, but does not punish others; punishes some, cutting off their sins and easing the punishment there for them, or completely freeing them from it, and admonishing those living in wickedness with their punishment; and others, on the contrary, he does not punish, so that if they are attentive to themselves, repenting and being ashamed of God’s long-suffering, they will get rid of both the punishment here and the torment there; and if they continue in wickedness, not admonished by the long-suffering of God, they would be subject to greater punishment for their extreme negligence. If anyone who considers himself knowledgeable begins to say that those being punished suffer injustice (because they could repent), then we will say that if God had foreseen their repentance, he would not have punished them. If He tolerates those about whom He knows that they will remain incorrigible, then even more so He would spare those about whom He knew that they would use His long-suffering for good in this life, so that they would take advantage of the delay of time for repentance. Meanwhile, having struck them earlier, He eases the punishment there for them, and admonishes others with their punishments. Why doesn’t He do this to all sinners? So that those who remain (the living) will come to their senses through the fear and punishments of others, and, having praised the forbearance of God and being ashamed of His condescension, leave wickedness. But you say they don’t do anything like that? It is not God who is to blame for this, but the carelessness of those who did not want to take advantage of such benefits for their salvation. And to make sure that this is why He does this, listen. Pilate once mixed the blood of the Galileans with the blood of the victims, which some came and announced to Christ; He said: “Do you remember that these Galileans are the greatest sinners;... I tell you, unless you repent, you will all perish likewise” (Luke 13:2-3). Another eighteen died under the ruins of a certain tower; and He said the same about them (Luke 13:4-5). In the words: “Do you remember that these are the most sinful ones; neither, I say to you,” He expressed that those who remained alive were subject to the same; and with the words: “If you do not repent, you will all perish the same way,” he showed that God allowed them to suffer so that those who remained alive, fearing what happened to others and having repented, would become heirs of the Kingdom. What, you say, is someone else being punished so that I can become better? It is not for this that he is punished, but for his sin; but in addition, for those who are attentive, it becomes a means of salvation, making them more serviceable through the fear of what happened to them. Masters do the same: often, having punished one servant, they make others more prudent through fear. So, when you see that some either died in a shipwreck, or were crushed by a building, or were destroyed by fire, or drowned in a river, or ended their lives in some other violent way; while others, who sinned like them or worse, suffered nothing of the kind; do not be embarrassed and do not say: why did not those who sinned equally suffer equally? But think in this way: God allowed one to be killed and crushed in order to ease his punishment there, or to completely free him from it; but he did not allow the other to suffer anything so that, having learned from the punishment of the first, he would become more moral; if he remains in the same sins, then, through his own carelessness, he will incur constant punishment, and God will not be to blame for this unbearable torment. Again, if you see that a righteous person grieves or endures all of the above, do not lose heart: these disasters serve him to receive the brightest crowns. And in general, any punishment, if it befalls sinners, eases the severity of sins, and if it befalls righteous people, it makes their soul brighter; and for both there is the greatest benefit from sorrow, if only we endure it with gratitude; for this is what is required of us. 9. For this reason, the history of the Divine Scripture is filled with many such examples and presents us with both the righteous and the vicious as those who suffer, so that whether a righteous person or a sinner, having such examples, endures misfortunes generously. But she presents to you sinners who are not only suffering, but also prosperous, so that you will not be indignant at their happiness, having learned from what happened to this rich man what kind of fire awaits them later if they do not correct themselves. So, it is impossible, he will say, to enjoy peace both here and there? It is forbidden. Therefore, the righteous spent a difficult life here. What do you say, Abraham? But who suffered so many disasters? Didn't he leave his fatherland? Have you separated from all your relatives? Have you ever suffered famine in a foreign land? Didn’t he constantly move, like a wanderer, from Babylon to Mesopotamia, from here to Palestine, and from there to Egypt? What can we say about his struggles for his wife, about battles with barbarians, about the captivity of his related family, about other countless troubles? When he received his son, did he not endure the most severe grief, hearing the command to slay his longed-for and beloved with his own hands? Wasn’t Isaac, doomed to slaughter, constantly driven away from everywhere by his neighbors? Wasn’t he deprived of his wife, like his father, and didn’t he remain childless for so long? But Jacob, raised at home, did not suffer even more severe disasters than his grandfather? But so that we, listing everything, do not make the words lengthy, listen to what he says about his entire life: “small and evil were the days of the years of my life: in the days of the years of my life I did not reach my father” (Gen. 47:9). Who, seeing his son sitting on the royal throne and enjoying such great glory, would not forget past misfortunes? But he was so crushed by grief that even with such happiness he did not forget his previous disasters. What about David? What sorrows did he experience? Isn’t it the same as Jacob, and he expresses it with the words: “the days of our years are seventy years in them, and if we are able, they are eighty years, and their labor and sickness are multiplied” (Ps. 89:10)? What about Jeremiah? Doesn't he also curse the day of his birth, due to continuous disasters (Jer. 20:10,14)? What about Moses? Didn’t he say in exhaustion: “Kill me if you do this to me” (Num. 11:15)? And Elijah, this heavenly soul, who closed heaven, after many miracles, did not cry out with tears to God: “Take my soul from me, Lord, for I am not my best father” (1 Kings 19:4)? But why talk about each of them? Paul talks about all of them together like this: “they walked in clothing, and in goatskins, in deprivation, sorrow, embitterment, of which (the whole) world is not worthy” (Heb. 11:37,38). And in general, for someone who wants to please God and be virtuous and pure, it is absolutely necessary to lead a life that is not calm, pleasant and carefree, but regrettable and filled with many works and exploits; “For no one,” says (the apostle), “gets married unless he fights lawfully” (2 Tim. 2:5); and in another place he says: “Let everyone strive, and abstain from everything” (1 Cor. 9:25), and from words, and from looks, and from shameful sounds, and from slander, and from blasphemy, and from blasphemy (Col. 3:8). From here we learn that, even if temptation from outside does not befall us, then we ourselves must exercise ourselves every day with fasting, a harsh life, meager food, a simple meal, avoiding luxury in everything; for otherwise it is impossible to please God. No one tell me these empty words, as if such and such enjoys both here and there; this cannot happen to people who live in wealth, joy and sin. But, if it is necessary to say this, about those struck by disasters and sorrows, we can say that they enjoy both here and there blessings: there, receiving a reward, and here, feeding on the hope of those blessings and not feeling real disasters from the expectation of future benefits. But let us also listen to what follows: “And over all these,” says (Abraham), “a great chasm has established itself between us and you” (Luke 16:26). So David rightly said that “a brother will not deliver... he will not give God betrayal for himself” (Ps. 48:8); for this is impossible, even if it were a brother, even a father, even a son. Look: Abraham called the rich man a child, but could not show him anything fatherly; the rich man called Abraham father, but could not take advantage of the fatherly favor that a son usually enjoys, so that you know that neither kinship, nor friendship, nor compassion, nor anything else can bring benefit to someone who has previously betrayed himself with his own life. 10. I say this because many often, when we convince them to be attentive to themselves and to stay awake, remain careless, turn the admonition into laughter and say: you will intercede for me on that day, and - I am encouraged and not afraid. And the other says: my father is a martyr; and another: my grandfather is a bishop; others still point to all their households. But all these are empty words; for then the virtue of others cannot benefit us. Remember those virgins who were not given oil to the five virgins: they themselves entered the bridal chamber, and they remained outside the doors. It is a great good to have the hope of salvation in one’s own good deeds; and no friend will ever protect you there. If even here, where change depends on us, the Lord says to Jeremiah: “You do not pray for these people” (Jer. 7:16); then even more so there. What are you saying? Is your father a martyr? This is most special and can serve to increase your condemnation when you, having examples of virtue at home, prove yourself unworthy of the virtue of your ancestors. But do you have a valiant and wondrous friend? And he won't help you then. How does Christ say: “make for yourselves wickedness from mammon, so that when you become poor, you will be received into eternal shelter” (Luke 16:9)? It is not friendship that is protection here, but alms. If friendship alone protected, then one should simply say: “make friends for yourself”; meanwhile, wanting to show that it is not friendship alone that protects, He added: “from mammon of unrighteousness” (with unrighteous wealth). Maybe someone will say: I can make myself a friend without mammon, and a much better one than from mammon. But so that you know that alms serves as a protection for you, your own work and your virtue, for this He commanded you to rely not simply on the friendship of the saints, but on the friendship acquired through mammon. So, knowing all this, beloved, let us be attentive to ourselves with all care; whether we are punished, we will give thanks; Whether we enjoy prosperity, we will take care of ourselves, and, being admonished by the misfortunes of others, we will express gratitude through repentance and contrition, and unceasing confession; and if we have indulged in any sin in this life, then, having rejected it and with great zeal cleansed our souls from all filth, we will pray to God that He will deign us all, after leaving here, to come there so that we, not with the rich man, but with Lazarus, can rest in the bosom of the patriarch and enjoy the eternal blessings, which may we all be worthy of by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom To the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. Amen. The Word about the Rich Man and Lazarus, and about the fact that conscience usually reminds us of past sins, and about Joseph 1. Today we need to finish the parable of Lazarus. You may think that we have everything done; but I don’t want to take advantage of your ignorance to deceive, and I won’t leave until I take from the parable everything that presents itself, and then I’ll leave; and the farmer, having harvested all the grapes, does not leave until he has picked the last berries. So now I see that under the words (parables), as if under the leaves, there are still thoughts hidden, which I will now carefully collect, using a word instead of a sickle. The vineyard, once being harvested, remains without fruit, with only leaves; but this is not the case with the spiritual vineyard of the Divine Scriptures; but even though we take everything we see, there remains even more in it. Many, of course, have spoken about this subject before us; many, perhaps, will say after us: but no one will be able to exhaust all its wealth. This is the property of this wealth: the more you begin to penetrate into the depths, the more divine thoughts will flow out; this is an inexhaustible source. This debt should have been repaid to you at the previous meeting; but I recognized that it was not safe to pass in silence the exploits of Blessed Babyla and the two holy martyrs who came after him; Therefore, I postponed the payment of the debt, saving you the full payment until the present day. Now that we have given glory to the fathers, not according to their merit, but according to our strength, I will teach you the rest of the story about Lazarus. But do not get tired until I reach the end, starting the word where I left it before. Where did I stop him? On the abyss that separates the righteous from the sinners. When the rich man said: “After Lazarus,” Abraham answered him: “A great chasm has been established between you and us, for those who want to pass from here to you will not be able to, nor will those from there pass to us” (Luke 16:26). I have already said a lot to prove that, after God’s love for mankind, one must place the hope of salvation in one’s own deeds, not counting on fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, nor on relatives, friends, household and neighbors, for “a brother will not deliver: will a man deliver” (Ps. 48:8)? No matter how much those who left here with sins beg and plead, all their words will be in vain and in vain. And five virgins asked for oil from their peers, but did not receive (Matthew 25:9); and he who hid the talent in the ground, although he was much justified, was nevertheless condemned (Matthew 25:28); and those who did not feed Christ the hungry and did not give drink to the thirsty, although they thought to defend themselves through ignorance, did not receive forgiveness and justification (Matthew 25:45). And others could not even say anything, such as the one who was dressed in unclean clothes: when he was accused, he was silent (Matthew 22:12). And not only this one, but also the other one, who, bearing a grudge against his neighbor, demanded a hundred denarii and was then accused by the master of cruelty and inhumanity for this very thing, also could not say anything (Matthew 18:28-34). From here it is clear that nothing will help us there if we do not have good deeds, but whether we beg and beg or remain silent, punishment and torment will equally befall us. Listen to how this rich man, having turned to Abraham with two requests, failed in either of them. At first he asked for himself with the words: “after Lazarus”; then not about himself, but about his brothers; but failed in either one or the other request. The first was impossible, and the second about the brothers was unnecessary. However, if you wish, let us listen carefully to their very words. If at the time when the chief, having brought the defendant to the square and placed executioners near him, begins to torture him, everyone hastily flocks to hear what the judge will ask and what the defendant will answer, then all the more should one here listen with attention to what this defendant is asking for, i.e. rich man, and what the righteous Judge answers him through Abraham. For the patriarch was not the judge, although he spoke; but as in secular courts, the laws place the accused robbers and murderers far from the judge and do not allow them to hear his voice, turning this, by the way, to their dishonor, but some intermediary conveys the questions of the judge and the answers of the defendants; it was like that then. The defendant did not hear the voice of God to him, but Abraham was the mediator who conveyed the words of the Judge to the defendant; for he did not speak from himself what he said, but spoke to the rich man the laws of God and conveyed the sentences pronounced from above; That's why the rich man couldn't argue. 2. Let us diligently listen to the words (parables). I dwell on it with intention, and for the fourth day I do not lag behind it because I see great benefit from this story for both the rich and the poor, and for those who are embarrassed by the prosperity of the wicked and the poverty and sorrow of the righteous. Truly, nothing tempts and confuses the people so much as the fact that the rich, who live wickedly, enjoy great prosperity, and the righteous, who live virtuously, fall into extreme poverty, and suffer many other disasters more severe than poverty. But this parable can provide medicine, admonishing the rich and comforting the poor; teaching those not to be arrogant, and comforting the poor in real disasters; thereby instructing not to admire when the vicious do not suffer punishment here, since they will be subjected to the most severe torment there, and urging the poor not to be embarrassed at the sight of someone else’s prosperity and not to think that there is no providence for us, when the righteous suffer here, and the vicious and wicked enjoy constant prosperity. Both will receive their due there, one - crowns for suffering and patience, the other - punishment and torment for wickedness. Write this parable both rich and poor: the rich - on the walls of your houses, and the poor - on the walls of your soul; and if it is ever blotted out from oblivion, inscribe it again through remembrance. Better yet, even the rich, write it on the walls of your house, on your heart, and carry it with you everywhere, and it will be a school for you and a source of all wisdom. If we always have it written on our hearts, then neither the joyful circumstances of real life will be able to make us proud, nor the sad ones to plunge us into despondency and despair, but we will look at both of them in the same way as at pictures painted on the walls. Just as when we see an image of a rich man and a poor man on the wall, we neither envy him nor despise him, because what we see is a shadow, not reality; Thus, having learned the nature of wealth and poverty, glory and dishonor, and everything else sad and joyful, we will be free from the confusion they produce. All this is more deceptive than a shadow, and nothing brilliant and glorious can puff up a sublime and noble man with pride, and nothing humble and humiliated can bring him to despair. However, it is time for us to listen to the words of the rich man. “I pray to you, father,” he says, i.e. I ask, I beg, and send Lazarus to my father’s house; For the Imam has five brethren, that he may bear witness to them, that these also should not come to this place of torment” (Luke 16:27,28). Having failed to ask for himself, he asks for others. Look how philanthropic and meek he became from punishment. He who despised Lazarus, who was with him, cares for others who are absent; the one who passed by the one lying before his eyes now remembers those whom he does not see, and with great respect and zeal asks that some suggestion be made to them to avoid the evils that threaten them. He asks to send Lazarus to his father’s house, where the place of exploits and the field of virtues was open to him; Let, he says, those who saw him struggle see Lazarus crowned; witnesses of his poverty, hunger and many disasters, let them now be witnesses of the change that has happened to him, his honor and glory, so that they, having been enlightened by both and knowing that our affairs will not end with this life, prepare themselves so that they can avoid future punishment and torment. What about Abraham? “They have,” he says, “Moses and the prophets, that they may listen to them” (Luke 16:29); You, he says, do not care so much about your brothers as God who created them; He assigned many teachers to them, who convince, advise, and inspire. What about rich again? “Nor, father, but if anyone comes from the dead to them,” they will believe him (Luke 16:30). These are the words of the people's crowd. Where are those now who say: who came from there? Who rose from the dead? Who said that in hell? How many things like this and the like the rich man said to himself when he was having fun. It was not without reason that he asked for someone to rise from the dead, but because he himself, listening to the Scriptures, neglected them, mocked them and considered what was said in them to be fables; and as he himself treated them, so he thought about his brothers. And they, he says, reason in the same way: but if someone comes from the dead, they will not disbelieve him, they will not mock him, but rather heed his words. What about Abraham? “Unless they listen to Moses and the prophets, and unless someone rises from the dead, they do not have faith” (Luke 16:31). And the truth that he who does not listen to the Scriptures will not listen to those who rose from the dead was proven by the Jews: since they did not listen to Moses and the prophets, they did not believe even when they saw the dead risen, but they either sought to kill Lazarus, or attacked the apostles, although many rose from the dead during the death of the cross (Christ). 3. But in order for you to be convinced in another way that the teaching of the prophets is more reliable than the sayings of the dead, take into account the fact that each of the dead is a slave, and what the Scriptures say was spoken by the Master; therefore, even if the dead were raised, even if an angel descended from heaven, the Scriptures are more reliable than all, because they were given in the form of a law by the Lord of Angels, the Lord of the dead and the living. And that those who want the dead to come from there demand excessive things, this, in addition to what has been said, can be proven by the example of current judgments. Gehenna is invisible to non-believers: for believers it is obvious and clear, but for non-believers it is invisible; but the judgment seats are visible, and every day we hear that such and such is punished, the property of such and such is described, another works in the mines, another is burned in the fire, another died in another kind of execution and torment. However, hearing this, the wicked, evildoers and deceivers are not admonished. But what am I saying: those who have never been subjected to these punishments are not admonished? Many even of the condemned, having escaped punishment by digging into the prison and escaping from it, often turned to the same crimes and committed much more serious deeds. So, let us not try to hear from the dead what the Scriptures teach us much more clearly every day. If God recognized that those raised from the dead could benefit the living; then He, who arranges everything for our benefit, would not have abandoned or omitted such a useful means. In addition, if the dead were constantly resurrected and informed us about everything there, then this too would again be neglected over time; and besides, the devil would very conveniently introduce an ungodly doctrine. He could often show ghosts, or, showing some feignedly dead and buried as if resurrected from the dead, through them he could assure the minds of those being deceived of whatever he wanted. If now, when there is nothing like that, many are often deceived and seduced by night ghosts who appear in the form of the dead, then much more so if this were in reality and established in the minds of people, i.e. As if many of the dead were coming here again, the unclean demon would build countless intrigues and introduce great deception into life. Therefore, God has closed the doors (of eternity) and does not allow any of those who have departed to return and proclaim about life there, lest the devil, taking advantage of this, introduce something of his own (invention). Thus, when there were prophets, he raised up false prophets; when there were apostles, there were false apostles; when Christ appeared - false Christs; when sound dogmas were introduced, he introduced unhealthy ones, scattering tares everywhere. Thus, if even that had happened, he would have tried to fake it through his tools, not actually raising the dead, but deceiving the audience with some kind of ghosts and deceptions, or, as I said before: presenting some as pretending to be dead, and would have turned everything upside down and thrown it into disorder. But God, foreseeing all this, blocked his path to such intrigues, and, sparing us, did not allow anyone to come from there to proclaim to those living there about what was happening there, teaching us to recognize the Divine Scriptures as the most reliable of all. He showed us such deeds that are more striking than the appearance of the dead: He converted the entire universe (to faith), dispelled error, introduced the truth; He did all this through fishermen and ordinary people and everywhere presented us with sufficient evidence of His industry. Let us not think that our deeds are limited by the boundaries of this life, but let us believe that judgment and retribution will certainly come for everything we have done here. This is so clear and obvious to everyone that Jews, pagans, heretics, and all people in general agree on this. Although not everyone thinks, as they should, about the resurrection, regarding judgment, punishment and the judgment courts there, everyone agrees that there is reward for local deeds; for if this had not happened, then why did God spread out such a great sky, spread the earth, expand the sea, flood the air, show such providence - (why all this), if He did not want to take care of us to the end? 4. Don’t you see how many of those who lived virtuously endured numerous calamities and departed without receiving anything good; and others, on the contrary, lived very wickedly, stole other people's property, robbed and oppressed widows and orphans, enjoyed wealth, luxury and countless blessings, and departed without suffering the slightest disaster? When will the former receive the reward for virtue, and the latter be punished for wickedness, if our affairs end with this life? If God exists, as He really does exist, then everyone will say that He is righteous; if He is righteous, then it is certain that He will reward both of them according to their dignity. If God has to reward both of them according to their dignity, but here none of them received, one of them received punishment for sins, and this one received rewards for virtue, then, obviously, there will still be a time when both of them will receive their due reward. Otherwise, why did God place in our soul this continuously vigilant and vigilant judge, i.e. conscience? No, truly there is not a single judge among people as vigilant as our conscience. External judges are bribed with money, softened with flattery, and conniving out of fear, and there are many other means that pervert the justice of their court; and the judgment seat of conscience is not subject to anything like that, but even if you gave money, even if you flattered, even if you threatened, or did anything else, it pronounces a fair verdict against sinful thoughts, and the sinner condemns himself, even if no one else accused him. Moreover, conscience does this not once, not twice, but repeatedly throughout life; and even though a lot of time has passed, she never forgets what has been done, but strongly convicts us both when committing a sin, and before committing it, and after committing it, and especially after committing it. When we actually commit a sin, we, intoxicated with pleasure, are not so sensitive (to the reproaches of our conscience); but when the crime is done and over, then especially, after the disappearance of pleasure, a caustic feeling of repentance sets in - the opposite of what happens to wives who give birth. Before the birth of the baby, they endure great and unbearable suffering and cruel torment with pain that destroys them; and after birth they feel relief, as if the disease goes away with the fetus; here it’s not like that; but while we conceive and give birth to lawless intentions, we rejoice and have fun; when we give birth to an evil fiend - a sin, then, seeing the vileness of what is born, we grieve and suffer more severely than women giving birth. Therefore, I urge you not to accept vicious lust at the very beginning, and if we do accept it, then suppress these seeds in yourself; If, through carelessness, we do not do this, then the sin that has passed into action must be killed by confession, tears, and condemnation of ourselves; for nothing is so destructive for sin as its exposure and condemnation, with repentance and tears. Have you condemned your sin? Through this you have laid aside your burden. Who says this? The Judge himself is God. “Thou hast spoken thy iniquity before, that thou mayest be justified” (Is. 43:26). Why, tell me, are you ashamed and embarrassed to tell your sins? Do you tell a person who will reproach you? Will you confess to your equal slave who will divulge them? You show the wound to the Lord, the Provider, the Lover of Humanity, the Physician. Will He who knows our deeds before they are done not know if you do not tell? Is sin made more severe by its exposure? On the contrary, it is more bearable and easier. God demands confession from you not in order to punish, but in order to forgive; not so that He might know your sin—does He not know even without this? - But so that you know what debt He forgives you. He wants to show you the greatness of His goodness so that you will constantly thank Him, so that you will be slower to sin and more zealous for virtue. If you do not say how great your debt is, then you will not recognize the superiority of grace. I do not force you, He says, to go into the middle of the spectacle and surround yourself with many witnesses; Tell me alone, in private, the sin, so that I can heal the wound and save you from the disease. This is why He put conscience in us, which acts with love more than fatherly. The father, having punished his son once or twice, or three times, or ten times, if he sees him incorrigible, in despair renounces him, expels him from the house and excludes him from kinship; but this is not how conscience acts; at least once, or twice, or three times, or a thousand times you did not listen to her voice, she will speak again and will not stop until your last breath; both in the house and at the crossroads, at meals and in the marketplace, and on the way, and often in our very dreams, she presents to us images and types of sins committed. 5. And look at the wisdom of God. God did not make the reproof of conscience either continuous (for we, being constantly convicted, would not have endured this burden), nor so weak that it, after the first or second admonition, stopped it. If it began to bite us every day and hour, we would be overwhelmed with despondency; and if, having reminded once or twice, she stopped reproaching, we would not receive much benefit. Therefore, He made this reproof, although everlasting, but not continuous: – everlasting, so that we would not fall into carelessness, but, always hearing its reminders, would remain vigilant until our death; - not continuous and not incessant, so that we do not lose heart, but are encouraged, receiving some relief and joy. Just as complete indifference to sins is harmful and gives rise to extreme insensibility in us, so continuous and excessive contrition about them is harmful. Excessive despondency, often taking away natural prudence, can suppress the soul and make it incapable of anything good. Therefore, God arranged for the conviction of conscience to rise up against us at intervals of time, since it is very cruel and usually stings the sinner more than any edge. Conscience rebels strongly and loudly cries against us, not only when we ourselves sin, but also when others sin like us. A fornicator, an adulterer, a thief - he feels the blows not only when he himself is accused, but also when he hears that others are accused of similar crimes; for reproaches made to others remind him of his own sins; they accuse another, and he, even without being accused, suffers defeat if he is guilty of the same crimes as the other. The same thing happens with regard to good deeds: when others are glorified and crowned, then those who have performed similar deeds rejoice and admire, as if not those, but they themselves were glorified. What could be more miserable than a sinner if he suffers even when others are accused? What is more blessed than a virtuous person if he rejoices and triumphs even when others are glorified - from the praise of others, receiving a reminder of his own good deeds? These are the works of the wisdom of God; these are signs of His greatest providence for us. Conviction of conscience is like a kind of sacred anchor that prevents us from completely plunging into the abyss of sin. Often conscience, not only at the time when we sin, but also after many years, reminds us of previous sins; and of this I will present clear proof from the Scriptures themselves. Joseph's brothers once sold him, not for any guilt, but because he had dreams that foreshadowed his future glory. I saw, he said, that “your sheaves bowed down to my sheaf” (Gen. 37:7). For this he should be protected; because he was destined to be the crown of the whole house and the glory of all his family. But that's envy; it goes against his own good, and the envious would rather endure a thousand misfortunes than to see his neighbor glorified, even if the consequences of this glorification were to pass on to himself. What could be more pitiful than this? Joseph's brothers also indulged in this passion; Seeing him from afar, carrying food to them, they said to each other: “Come, let us kill him... and we will see that he will sleep” (Gen. 37:20). If you were not already ashamed of him as a brother, and did not respect (the unity of) nature, then at least you would be ashamed of the meal itself and his service, who came with food for you. Notice how they even prophesy against their will: “Come,” they say, “let’s kill him, and we will see that he will sleep.” If they had not planned evil, had not plotted and drawn up this shameless plan, they would not have known the power of those words; for it is not the same thing whether to ascend to the throne of Egypt without suffering any disaster, or to achieve the same glory after so many obstacles and difficulties. If the brothers had not intended evil, they would not have sold Joseph to Egypt; if they had not sold him to Egypt, the lady would not have been inflamed with passion for him; if the mistress had not been inflamed with passion, he would not have been thrown into prison, would not have interpreted dreams, would not have achieved royal dignity; and if he had not achieved this dignity, the brothers would not have come to buy bread and would not have bowed to him. Thus, through the very thing that destroyed him, they learned the meaning of his dreams. What then? Were they the culprits of all his subsequent blessings and glory? No; they planned to put him to death, sorrow, slavery and extreme misery; but the all-wise God directed the malice of those plotting to glorify the one whom they sold and planned to destroy. 6. And so that we do not think that the events of life depend on some chance or on the impermanence of things, God, through those very people who oppose and hinder, brings into execution what they hinder; He uses His enemies as instruments of His glory, so that you know that no one will upset the decrees of God and no one will turn away His high right hand; so that when someone plots against you, you do not lose heart or be indignant, but be sure that the intention will have a good end for you, if only you generously endure what happens. Here, too, the envy of the brothers acquired Joseph’s royal dignity, hatred brought the diadem and brought the throne; those who plotted against him themselves brought him to this great power; the one against whom the intrigues were built received the kingdom, and those who plotted the intrigues became slaves; he accepted worship, and these bowed. So, when frequent and continuous calamities befall you, do not be embarrassed or discouraged, but wait for the end; because something worthy of the great goodness of God will certainly follow, if only you will endure with gratitude everything that happens to you. And Joseph, although after those dreams was brought to extreme danger and sold by his brothers, although he was subjected to the slander of his mistress and was then thrown into prison, he did not say to himself: what is this? These dreams were a deception, I was expelled from the fatherland, deprived of freedom; for God I did not submit to the mistress who tempted me into adultery; I suffer punishment for chastity and virtue; and He did not take revenge and did not stretch out His hand, but allowed me to be given over to constant bonds and incessant disasters: after the ditch - slavery, after slavery - malice, after malicious intent - slander, after slander - prison. But all this did not bother him; on the contrary, he was in firm hope and confidence that the word of God would never remain unfulfilled. God, of course, could fulfill His word that same day; but to show both His power and the faith of His servants, He allows a long time to pass and many obstacles to be encountered, so that you may know His power in the fact that He fulfills His promises even when, apparently, there is no hope left, and you will see the patience and faith of His servants, who do not lose good hope, no matter what happens to them. Meanwhile, Joseph's brothers, as I said, went to Egypt when hunger, like some warrior, forcibly drove them and brought them to the commander Joseph, and they wanted to buy bread. What does he tell them? “They are spies” (Gen.42:9). They thought: what does this mean? We came to buy bread, why are we endangering our lives? In fairness; he once brought you food and was exposed to the danger of his life; only he actually suffered, and you suffer an imaginary danger; because he is not an enemy, but only took on the appearance of an enemy in order to learn more accurately about the house (parental). Since they were angry and ungrateful to him, and he did not see Benjamin with them, then, fearing for this youth, whether he had suffered like him, Joseph commands one of them to be tied up and left in Egypt, and sends all the others back with bread, threatening them with death if they do not bring their brother. When this was happening, he said to them: Leave someone here and bring your brother; otherwise you will be put to death; then what did they say to each other? “Behold, in our sins we are our brothers... always praying to us” (Gen. 42:21). Do you see how long it took them to remember their sin? They said to their father: “The beast eats Joseph” (Gen. 37:33); but in the presence and hearing of Joseph they confessed their sin. What could be more surprising than this? The trial takes place without exposure, acquittal - without accusation and evidence - without witnesses; those who have done the deed expose themselves and reveal what they have done in secret. Who convinced, who forced them to reveal a crime committed over so much time? Is it not obvious that conscience, that inexorable judge, constantly disturbed their mind and confused their soul? The one whom they destroyed sat silently and judged them; and when no ruling had yet been pronounced against them, they themselves pronounced a sentence of condemnation upon themselves. So they spoke; and one of them justified himself with these words: “Didn’t I tell you, saying: do not harm the child,” do not do him any harm, since he is our brother; “And behold, his blood will be required at our hands” (Gen. 42:22). The one who spoke this (Reuben) did not say anything about murder and violence, and the one sitting (Joseph) did not ask about anything like that, but only demanded another brother; but on this occasion their conscience rose up and began to torment their souls and forced them, without any outside coercion, to confess to the crime. The same often happens to us in relation to past sins: when exposed to misfortunes and sorrowful circumstances, we remember our previous sins. 7. Knowing all this, we, having done something bad, will not expect misfortunes and misadventures, dangers and bonds, but every day and hour we will erect this judgment seat in ourselves and pronounce sentences on ourselves; We will try in every possible way to justify ourselves before God, and we will not ourselves doubt the resurrection and judgment, nor will we allow others to express such doubts, but we will do our best to stop their mouths with what is said. If we were not required to give an account of our sins there, then God would not have placed this judgment seat (conscience) in us here either. But this is also proof of His love for mankind. Since He will then require us to account for our sins, He appointed this incorruptible judge (conscience) so that, by condemning us here for our sins and correcting us, He would deliver us from the judgment that was to take place there. Paul also speaks about this: “Even if they reasoned for themselves, they were not condemned” from the Lord (1 Cor. 11:31). So, so that we then do not be punished and fall into judgment, let everyone enter into his conscience, and, having examined life and carefully considering all sins, let him condemn the soul that committed them, curb his thoughts, grieve and contrite in his heart, and punish himself for sins with self-condemnation, strict repentance, tears, confession, sweat and alms, abstinence and love, so that by all means putting aside his sins, we could go there with great boldness, which may we all be worthy of, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. Amen. A word on the words of the apostle: “I do not want you, brothers, not to worry about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve” (1 Thess. 4:13), also about Job and Abraham 1. I spent four days explaining to you the parable of Lazarus, exhausting the treasure that we found in the body covered with wounds (Lazarus), a treasure containing not gold and silver and precious stones, but wisdom, courage, patience and great firmness. As with sensual treasures, it happens that on the surface there are only thorns, thistles and cruel earth, but if you dig deeper, great wealth is revealed; this is what happened with Lazarus: on top of the wounds, in the depths of inexplicable wealth; the body is relaxed, and the soul is courageous and vigorous; and here one could see the fulfillment of the words of the apostles: “even if our outer man decays, yet the inner man is renewed” (2 Cor. 4:16). One could still talk about the same parable today and fight the heretics who blaspheme the Old Testament, condemn the patriarchs and sharpen their language against the Creator of all - God; but so that speech does not produce satiety in you, I will postpone this struggle until another time, and now I will turn to another subject; monotonous food produces satiety, and varied dishes with frequent changes increase the urge to eat. Therefore, so that this does not happen with listening, let us return today, after a long time, to blessed Paul; It is timely today that an apostolic passage was read to us, the explanation of which will be in accordance with what was recently spoken about. So you heard how Paul cried out today and said: “I do not want you, brethren,” he said, “to be ignorant of those who have fallen asleep, lest you grieve, as others do who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). This is the Gospel story about Lazarus, this is the apostolic saying; but they speak in complete agreement. And in that parable we talked a lot about the resurrection and the future judgment, and now the word has led us again to the same subject. Thus, although we begin to dismantle the apostolic place, we will find the same treasure here; for even then my whole speech tended to teach my listeners to consider the brilliant objects of real life as nothing, but to aspire further and think daily about the verdicts there, about the terrible judgment seat and about the inexorable Judge. This is what Paul instills in us today in the words we read. Pay attention. “I do not want you, brethren, to know about the departed (κεκοιμημενων), so that you do not grieve, like others who have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so God will also bring with him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:13-14). Here, first of all, it is necessary to pay attention to why the apostle, when speaking about Christ, calls His death death, and when he speaks about our death, he calls it not death, but dormition. He did not say: “about the dead”; but what? - “about the dead”. And again: “so God will also bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus,” and did not say: “those who have died.” And again: “we who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord are not imams to precede those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thess. 4:15). And here he did not say “the dead,” but in all three places he called their death “assumption”; but not so about Christ, but how? “If we believe that Jesus died.” He did not say: “succeed,” but: “die.” Why did the apostle call Christ's death death, and ours - dormition? He does not use these various expressions simply and not without purpose, but with something wise and great in mind. Speaking about Christ, he used the word “death” to show the reality of His suffering, and about us - “dormition” to moderate our grief. Where the resurrection has already taken place, he boldly uses the word: “death”, and where the resurrection is an object of hope, he uses the word: “dormition”, by the very name both comforting us and strengthening good hopes. The sleeper will, of course, get up; and death is nothing more than a long sleep. Don’t tell me that the deceased does not hear, does not speak, does not see, does not feel; for this is also the state of the sleeper. If something strange can be said, then the soul of the sleeper seems to be asleep; and the deceased, on the contrary, is awake. But the deceased, you say, rots and decays and turns into dust and ashes. What of this, beloved? Therefore, you yourself should be especially happy. Anyone who wants to rebuild a collapsed and dilapidated house first removes the living from it, then destroys this house and erects it again in better condition. Those brought out do not grieve about this, but still rejoice; because they pay attention not to visible destruction, but imagine a future, albeit still invisible, building. So God destroys our body, intending to create it (again), and first takes out the soul living in it, as if from some house, so that, then, having erected it in a better form, he can again introduce the soul into it with greater glory. Let us pay attention not to destruction, but to future glory. 2. Likewise, if someone’s statue has deteriorated from rust and time, and many of its parts have fallen off, then he, having broken it, throws it into the crucible and, having carefully melted it, makes it better. And just as the destruction of such a statue in a crucible is not its destruction, but its renewal, so the death of our bodies is not destruction, but their renewal. So, when you see that our body, as if in a crucible, is decomposing and smoldering, then do not stop at this external appearance, but expect renewal, and do not be content with this side of the example, but stretch your mind to something more important. The sculptor, plunging a copper body (into the crucible), receives from there a statue that is not golden and immortal, but makes it the same copper, and God, plunging a earthy and mortal body (into the ground), returns to you a golden and immortal statue; for the earth, having received a mortal and perishable body, returns it incorruptible and immortal. So, when you see a deceased person, do not look at how he has closed his eyes and lies silent, but how he will be resurrected and receive inexplicable, amazing and wondrous glory, and from his present appearance, raise your thoughts to the hope of the future. Do you, out of habit, grieve and cry? But isn’t it strange - when you give your daughter in marriage and your husband goes with her to a distant country and lives happily there - not to consider this a disaster, since the grief of separation is eased by hearing about their well-being, but here - when not a person, not a slave like you, but the Master himself takes your neighbor to Himself - to grieve and lament? How, you say, is it possible for a person not to grieve? I'm not saying that; I do not reject grief, but the excess of grief; grief is natural, but excessive grief is characteristic of a reckless, frantic and weak soul. Grieve, cry, but do not complain, do not be faint-hearted, do not be indignant; give thanks to the One who took it and, having adorned the one who departed, conduct him to Him in light funeral clothes. If you begin to grumble, you will offend the deceased, and you will anger the One who took it, and you will harm yourself; but if you give thanks, you will decorate it, and glorify the One who took it, and you will benefit yourself. Weep as your Master wept for Lazarus, showing us the measure, rules and limits of grief that should not be transgressed. So Paul said: “I do not want you, brothers, not to know about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve, as do others who have no hope.” Sorrow, he says, but not like a pagan who does not expect the resurrection, who has no hope of a future life. I am ashamed, believe me, and blush when I see crowds of women rioting in the marketplace, tearing out their hair, breaking their arms, scratching their cheeks, and, moreover, in the eyes of the pagans. What won’t they say, what won’t they say about us? Are these the wise about the resurrection? It must be them; but their deeds do not agree with the teaching; in words they talk about the resurrection, but in reality they act as if they were not expecting it; if they were firmly convinced that there is a resurrection, they would not do this; If you were sure that the deceased had moved on to a better life, you would not cry. This and even more is said by the infidels when they hear such crying. Let us be ashamed, let us come to our senses, and let us not do so much harm to ourselves and to those who see it. Why, tell me, are you crying so much about the departed? Was it because he was vicious? In this case, one should be grateful that there is a limit to his vices. Or because he was an honest and kind person? And we must rejoice in him because he was soon “caught up” before “malice changed his mind” (Wisdom 4:11), and went to a country where he was already safe, where no change could be feared. Or because he was young? And for this glorify the One who took it, that he soon called him to a better life. Or because he was old? And for this again give thanks and glorify the One who took it. Be ashamed of the very sight of the removal: psalmody, prayers, a host of fathers and such a multitude of brothers - not so that you cry, grieve and murmur, but so that you thank the One who took it. Just as those who are called to power are seen off by many with honors, so the believers who depart are all seen off with great glory, as those called to the highest honor. Death is tranquility, liberation from everyday labors and worries. So, when you see that one of your neighbors has left here, do not complain, but be humble in your heart, go into yourself, examine your conscience, think that a little later the same end awaits you. Come to your senses and be afraid, seeing the death of another, reject all carelessness, consider your deeds, correct your sins, change for the better. We differ from non-believers in that we judge things differently. The unbeliever sees the sky and worships it, because he recognizes it as God; sees the earth - and honors it, and cleaves to sensual things. But we are not like that; but we see the sky and are amazed at the One who created it; because we believe that it is not God, but the work of God; I see all creation - and through it I ascend to the Creator. An unbeliever sees wealth and is amazed and in awe; I see wealth and I laugh; he sees poverty and grieves: I see poverty and rejoices. I look at things differently, and he does differently. We do the same in relation to death: he sees a dead person and considers him dead; I look at the deceased - and I look at death as if it were a dream. And just like we all look at letters, those who know and don’t know how to read and write, with the same eyes, but with different thoughts; those who do not know, seeing them, consider them to be simple letters, but those who know skillfully comprehend the meaning contained in them; so in life we ​​look at events with the same eyes, but not with the same thought and understanding. So, differing from the pagans in everything else, can we really agree with them in judgments about death? 3. Think about to whom the deceased went, and you will be comforted; he went to where Paul is, where Peter is, where the whole host of saints is; think in what glory and lordship he will rise; think that with tears and screams you cannot correct what happened and you will greatly harm yourself; think about whom you are imitating in this, and run away from fellowship in sin. Who do you imitate and compete with? To the unbelievers who do not have hope, as Paul said: “Do not grieve, as do others who have no hope.” Pay attention to the precision of expression; he did not say: “they have not the hope of the resurrection,” but simply: “they have not the hope.” For he who does not have the hope of the judgment there has no hope, knows neither that God exists, nor that He provides for everything present, nor that Divine truth watches over everything. But whoever does not know and does not think about this is more senseless than any beast, and has expelled from his soul laws, and courts, and definitions, and in general everything good; for whoever is not prepared to give an account of his deeds will deviate from all virtue and indulge in all vice. Having thought about this and considered the ignorance and madness of the pagans, with whom we are similar in lamenting about the dead, let us avoid such agreement with them. This is why Paul mentioned them, so that you, reflecting on the dishonor to which you have fallen, would rise above agreement with them and return to your inherent nobility. And not only here, but in many other places, Blessed Paul often does this. When he wants to remove us from sins, he shows with whom we communicate through sins, so that, being ashamed of the quality of this person, you run away from such a community. So in his letter to Thessalonians he said: “And let each one of you obtain his vessel for holiness and honor, and not in lustful passion, as the pagans do not know God” (1 Thess. 4:4-5). And in another place: “These things I say and obey about the Lord, in whom you must not walk, even as the rest of the nations walk in the vanity of their minds” (Eph. 4:17). Also here: “I do not want you, brothers, not to know about the dead, so that you do not grieve, like others who have no hope.” Usually it is not the nature of events that plunges us into sadness, but our will, not the death of the deceased, but the weakness of those who mourn; nothing real can upset a believer; He differs from unbelievers in that, even before future benefits, in this life he receives considerable benefits from Christian wisdom, which gives him the greatest complacency and constant joy. Therefore, Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again, rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). Thus, even before the resurrection, we receive a considerable reward in that we do not lose heart in any disaster that happens, but have great consolation in the hope of future blessings. Just as we receive double benefit, so the unbeliever suffers double harm - both because in the future life he is punished for not believing in the resurrection, and because in the present he falls into despair, not expecting anything good afterward. So, we must thank God not only for the resurrection, but also for the hope of resurrection, which can comfort a mourning soul and dispose to complacency during separation from those who have departed, as if they have to rise and unite with us. If you need to grieve and cry, then you need to cry and lament for those who live in sins, and not for those who have departed with virtue. This is what Paul does; in his letter to the Corinthians he says: “Let not my God again come and humble me among you, and I will mourn for many,” - he did not say: those who died, but “those who have sinned before, and did not repent of uncleanness and fornication and the sins they had committed” (2 Cor. 12:21). These are the ones you should cry about. Another teaches the same thing with these words: “Weep over the dead, for the light has disappeared; and weep over the dead, for reason has disappeared. Weep more sweetly over the dead, because he has rested to eat: but rather death is better than an evil belly” (Sir. 22:9-10). If the one who has lost his mind is always worthy of crying, then even more so is the one who does not have righteousness and has abandoned hope in God. We will mourn such people; such crying is useful; with our tears we often correct them. Complaining about the dead is useless and at the same time harmful. So, let us not transform order, but let us cry only about sin; and everything else - poverty, illness, premature death, insult, slander, and any other of the evils that befall a person - we will endure everything complacently. These calamities will be the occasion for us to receive many crowns if we remain watchful. 4. But how is it possible, you say, for a person not to grieve? On the contrary, I will say: how can a person who is revered by word and reason and the hopes of future blessings grieve? But who, you say, has not indulged in this feeling? Many, and often, both from us and from our ancestors. Listen to what Job said when he lost a whole host of children: “The Lord is given, the Lord is taken away: as the Lord willed, so it was” (Job 1:21). These words are wonderful when you simply hear them; and if you examine them carefully, they will turn out to be even more marvelous. In fact, think that the devil did not take half of the children from him, but left the other half; he did not take the greater part, but left the lesser; but he picked all the fruit, but did not knock down the tree; he disturbed the whole sea with waves, but did not sink the boats; exhausted all his strength, but did not shake the pillar; on the contrary, shaken from everywhere, he stood unshakable; clouds of arrows rushed, but they did not hit him; or better - they were aimed at him, but did not hurt him. Think what it's like to see so many children die! What was missing to hit him? All the children were kidnapped, all together and on one day, in the prime of life, distinguished by great virtue; ended their lives with this kind of execution; after so many blows, this last blow was dealt to the father, who was compassionate, and those who left were kind to him. If someone loses the children of vicious people, then although he is struck by grief, it is not so strong: for the depravity of the dead does not allow sadness to be strong; but if the children were virtuous, then the wound does not close, the memory of them is not lost, grief has no consolation, aroused by a double force - both the feeling of nature and the thought of the virtue of the deceased. And that Job’s children were virtuous can be seen from the following: their father cared so much about them that, getting up from sleep, he made sacrifices for them, fearing for their secret sins; and nothing was more important to him than this concern. And this proves not only the virtue of the children, but also the love of the father for children. If Job was a father, and so loving of his children, who had an affection for them, aroused not only by nature, but also by piety, and the dead were so virtuous, then from here comes a triple flame of grief. Again, when only some of the children are kidnapped, there is still some consolation in the grief; because those who remain moderate their sorrow for the dead; but when all the children die, then who can the (father) with many children look at, suddenly becoming childless? To these we can also add the fifth blow. Which one is it? The one that all these are stolen suddenly. If then, as others die in three or five days, women and relatives all cry especially because the deceased is so quickly and accidentally stolen from their sight; then all the more could Job grieve, not in three, not in two, not in one day, but in one hour, having lost all his children. A disaster expected for some time, even if it was extremely difficult, becomes easier from the very expectation; but what happened beyond expectation and suddenly becomes unbearable. When a disaster is severe in itself and is even greater because it happened unexpectedly, think how unbearable it can be: it is beyond any description! Do you want to hear the sixth blow? Job lost all his children in their prime. You know how sad premature deaths are and how many tears they cause. And this death was not only premature, but also violent; this was the seventh blow: for they were not exhausted on a bed and gave up the ghost, but were crushed by the building. Imagine what it was like for the one who, tearing up this pile, took out from there either a stone, or a part of his son, and saw first a hand still holding the cup, then another lying on a platter, then the very corpse disfigured, with a crushed nose, a broken head, torn out eyes, a scattered brain - in general, the whole image was distorted to the point that, behind the many wounds, the father could not recognize the features of the faces he loved. You are embarrassed and cry when you hear about this; Think about what it was like for him to see this. If, after such a long time, we cannot hear about this sad event without tears, and, moreover, hear about someone else’s misfortune; then what kind of adamant was he who saw this with his own eyes and philosophized not over the misfortunes of others, but over his own? However, he did not complain, and did not say anything like that: what does this mean? Is this a reward for my charity? Did I open the house to strangers so that they could see the graves of children? Did I take every care for them so that they would suffer such a death? He didn’t say or think anything like that; but he endured everything generously, although he lost them after taking such care of them. Like a skilled sculptor, finishing golden statues, he decorates them very carefully; So Job formed, improved and beautified the souls of children. And just like a hardworking farmer constantly irrigates palm or olive trees, fencing them, digging them in and caring for them in every possible way; So Job did not cease, like some fruitful olive tree, to perfect the soul of each of his children in virtue; Having seen that these plants were torn out by the pressure of the evil spirit, thrown to the ground and died miserably, he not only did not utter any blasphemy, but also thanked God, and thereby inflicted a mortal wound on the devil. 5. But, you say, Job had many sons, and another often loses his only son, and therefore the grief is not the same? Well you say; and I will say that the sorrow is not the same, but the sorrow of Job is much greater. What benefits did having many children bring him? His misfortune was all the more striking and his grief all the more painful because he was wounded in the faces of many children. If you want to see another saint who had an only begotten son, and showed the same, and even greater, courage: then remember the Patriarch Abraham, who, although he did not see Isaac die, but - what was even more painful and regrettable - received a command (from God) to slay him himself and did not resist this command, did not complain or say anything similar: did you make me a father for this reason, in order to make me a child killer? It would be better not to give it to me first, than, having given it, to take it away in this way. Do you want to take it? Why do you command me to slay and stain my hand with his blood? Was it not through this youth that You promised to fill the universe with my descendants? How can you produce fruit if you pull out the root? How do you promise offspring when you command to slay a son? Who saw, who heard this? I'm deceived, I'm deceived. He didn’t say or think anything like that, didn’t contradict the Commander, didn’t demand an explanation, but when he heard: “Understand your beloved son, whom you loved, Isaac, and go to the high earth, and offer him there as a burnt offering, one of the mountains whose river is the same” (Gen. 22:2), he fulfilled the command with such readiness that he did even more than the command. He hid this from his wife, and also from his slaves, leaving them at the bottom of the mountain, and ascended it, taking with him only the sacrifice; so not against his will, but with great readiness he fulfilled the command. Imagine what it was like for him to talk to his son alone, without witnesses, when the heart flares up more strongly and love becomes more ardent, and this not in one or two days, but over the course of many days. If he had immediately carried out the command, then this would have been amazing and great, but not as surprising as the fact that he, experiencing suffering and mental struggle for many days, did not show human weakness in relation to the youth. This is why God continued his exploits and expanded the place of struggle, so that you would better recognize the warrior. In truth, he was a warrior who fought not with man, but with the very force of nature. What word can describe his courage? He took the boy up the mountain, tied him up, laid him on firewood, took a knife and wanted to stab him. Then I don’t know how or what to say; only the one who did it knows; no word can describe how his hand did not become numb, how the strength of his muscles did not weaken, how the boy’s kind appearance did not embarrass him. Isaac is also worthy of surprise here. As his father obeyed God, so he obeyed his father; and just as he, when God commanded him to make a sacrifice, did not demand an explanation, so this one, when his father tied him up and laid him on the altar, did not say: why are you doing this? - but bowed under his father’s hand. Here the father and together the priest were visible, a bloodless sacrifice, a burnt offering without fire, an image of death and resurrection on the altar; because the father both slain his son and did not slay: he did not slay with his hand, but he slaughtered with his will. And God gave him such a command, not because he wanted to see the shedding of blood, but in order to show you the will of Abraham, in the midst of the entire universe, to proclaim his valor and to teach all descendants that the commandments of God should be preferred to children, and to nature, and to all property, and to one’s very soul. So he came down from the mountain, having Isaac with him as a living martyr. What kind of forgiveness, tell me, what kind of justification will we have if, seeing this valiant man so readily obeying God and submissive to Him in everything, we ourselves grumble? Don’t talk to me about grief or the unbearable severity of misfortune, but think about the fact that he overcame cruel grief. The command was able to confuse his mind, throw him into bewilderment and shake his faith in the previous promises. Who among ordinary people would not consider everything said about the many descendants promised to him to be a deception? But that was not the case with Abraham. One should be no less surprised by Job’s wisdom in misfortune, especially because after such virtue, after such mercy and love of mankind, when he did not recognize anything bad either for himself or for his children, and yet experienced such a great, extraordinary and unexpected disaster, which had never happened to any of the extremely criminal people, he was not upset, like ordinary people, did not think that virtue was useless and he himself had acted badly. Both of these men should not only be amazed, but also emulated and emulated by their virtue. Let no one say that they were wonderful people. Truly, they were marvelous and great; but from us now even more wisdom is required than from them and all those who lived in the Old Testament. “Unless your righteousness comes out, any more than the scribe and the Pharisee, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). So, having received admonition from everywhere and remembering this and everything that we have said about the resurrection and about those saints, let us constantly repeat to our souls, not only in times of sorrow, but also when we are free from sorrow. Therefore, I, although I do not see anyone in grief, have now proposed this word, so that when we are subjected to such a disaster, remembering what has been said, we will have sufficient consolation; Likewise, warriors in peacetime engage in military exercises so that, when war comes, when experience in the matter is required, they can demonstrate in good time the art in which they have improved during peace. Let us also prepare for ourselves weapons and medicine during the time of peace, so that when the struggle comes with unreasonable passions or sadness, or despondency, or anything else similar, we, well armed and protected on all sides, can with great experience repel the attacks of the evil one and with right thoughts, the broadcasts of God, the examples of righteous men, and in general defend ourselves in all ways. In this way, we can lead our present life complacently, and become worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven in Christ Jesus, to Whom be glory and dominion, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen. The word about the earthquake, and about the rich man and Lazarus, and about where slavery came from 1. Have you seen God’s power, have you seen God’s love for mankind? The power is that God shook the universe; love for mankind lies in the fact that he stopped her falling: or better yet, both strength and love for mankind; both to shake and to stop is a matter of strength and philanthropy; because He shook the world and established it, and restored it when it was shaken and ready to fall. But, although the earthquake has passed, let fear remain; the hesitation has passed, but let the reverence not pass away; We prayed for three days, but we will not stop our zeal. Because of this (we suffered) an earthquake, because of our negligence; we were careless and caused an earthquake; corrected themselves - and rejected (God's) wrath; Let us not again indulge in negligence, so as not to again provoke anger and punishment; God does not want “the death of the sinner, but that he should turn and live” (Ezek. 33:11). Have you seen the frailty of the human race? When the earthquake happened, I thought to myself like this: where is the predation? where is covetousness? where is the power? where is the arrogance? where is the dominance? where is the oppression? where is the plundering of the poor? where is the vanity of the rich? where is the power of the bosses? where are the threats? where are the fears? One minute of time - and everything came apart easier than a spider’s web, it all became upset; and there was crying in the city, and everyone ran to the church. Think what would happen to us if God wanted to overthrow everything. I say this so that the fear of what happened will always be alive in you and strengthen the minds of everyone. The Lord shook the earth, but did not overthrow it; because if he wanted to overthrow, he would not have shaken him; but since He did not want it, the earthquake, like a herald foreshadowing the wrath of God to everyone, occurred first, so that we, having become better out of fear, would deflect the punishment from ourselves in practice. This is what He did with the foreigners: “Three more days, and Nineveh will be transformed” (Jonah 3:4). Why don't you transform it? You threaten to overthrow: why don’t you overthrow? - Since I don’t want to overthrow, I threaten. - Why are you talking? - So as not to do what I say; let the word be warned and the deed be averted. “Three more days, and Nineveh will be transformed,” the prophet said then, and now the walls are uttering a voice. I say this and will not stop saying it to both the poor and the rich; think how great the wrath of God is, how easy and convenient everything is for Him; Let us leave behind vices; in a short minute of time He so crushed the soul and mind of everyone and shook the foundations of the heart; Let us think that on that terrible day, when there will be not one minute of time, but endless centuries and streams of fire, and terrible anger, and forces drawing to judgment, and a terrible Throne, and an impartial judgment, and everyone’s deeds will appear before their eyes, and no one will be an intercessor, not a neighbor, not a rhetorician, not a relative, not a brother, not a father, not a mother, not a foreigner, not anyone another - what then, tell me, will we do? I am putting fear on you to arrange your salvation. I made the teaching sharper than iron, so that each of you who has an ulcer may be freed from it. Haven’t I always said, and I say now, and I will not stop saying: how long will you be attached to the present? I speak to everyone, but especially to those who are sick and inattentive to what is said; or better, this word is useful for both: for the sick - for recovery, for the healthy - for avoiding illness. How long is the money? How long is wealth? How long is the splendor of the buildings? How long is the fury in the soulless love of pleasure? When the earthquake came, what benefit did wealth bring? The work of both was lost, the property was lost along with the possession, the house along with the builder. The city became a common coffin for everyone, suddenly built not by the hands of craftsmen, but by an accident. Where is the wealth? Where is covetousness? Do you see how everything turned out to be more insignificant than a spider's web? 2. But you will tell me: what is the use of your words? There is benefit if someone listens to me. I do my own thing; the sower sows. The sower went out to sow; and the seeds fell - some by the road, some on stones, some on thorns, and some on good ground (Matthew 13:3-8); three parts (of the seeds) perished, only one survived; however, (the sower) did not lag behind agriculture; but since one part was preserved, he did not stop working on the land. And now it is incredible that the seed, cast into such a multitude (of listeners), would not bring me an ear of grain; if not everyone listens, half will listen; if not half, then a third; if not the third part, then the tenth; if not a tenth, then at least one of such a multitude will listen, if only he listened. It is also important to save one sheep; so that shepherd (Matthew 18:12), leaving ninety-nine sheep, went after one that was lost. I do not disparage man; even if he were alone, he is a man, a living being, most dear to God; even if he were a slave, I do not consider him worthy of contempt; because I am not looking for a title, but for virtue, not for dominance, not for slavery, but for the soul; even if he were alone, he is a man for whom the sky is open, and the sun shines, and the moon flows, and the air is flooded, and springs flow, and the sea is widened, and prophets are sent, and the law is given, but why list everything? - For whom the only begotten Son of God became man. My Lord was slain and shed His blood for man, and shall I despise him? What kind of forgiveness will I have? Do you not hear that the Lord spoke to the Samaritan woman and spoke many words? He did not despise her because she was a Samaritan, but showed attention to her because she had a soul; He did not neglect her because she was a harlot, but took great care of her, because she too could be saved and showed faith. I will not stop saying, even if no one listens: I am a doctor, and I offer healing; I am a teacher, and I must exhort, because (the Lord) says: “I have given you a guard for the house of Israel” (Ezek. 3:17). Am I not going to correct anyone? What is it? I won't lose my reward. However, I said this by exaggeration; It is incredible that in such a multitude no one has reformed. But these are the excuses and excuses of careless listeners. Every day, they say, I listen and don’t act. Listen, even if you didn’t do it; because from listening they come to doing; even if you didn’t do it, you will be ashamed of your sin; even if you didn’t do it, you will change your way of thinking; even if you didn’t do it, you will condemn yourself for what you don’t do. Where does this self-condemnation come from? It is the fruit of my words. When you say: alas! I heard, and I don't! – This “alas” is the beginning of a change for the better. Have you sinned and cried? With this you have made amends for the sin; because (it is written): “You spoke your iniquities first, that you might be justified” (Is. 43:26). If only you were sad and grieved; this sorrow leads to salvation not by its own nature, but by the Lord’s love for mankind. For someone who has sins, grief about oneself is a significant relief; for “I saw,” says (the Lord), “that they were sad and went decrepit, and healed him” (Is. 57:17,18). Oh, inexpressible love for humanity! Inexplicable goodness! He became sad and I healed him! What was special about his being sad? Nothing special; but I found in this a reason to heal his sorrows. Do you see how He brought everything together in a short minute? Meditate continually on that evening of the earthquake. All others were afraid of the earthquake, but I was afraid of its cause. Do you understand what I said? Others were afraid that the city would collapse and that they would die; and I was afraid that the Lord was angry with us; because it is hard not to die, but it is hard to anger the Lord. So I was afraid not of the earthquake, but of the cause of the earthquake; the cause of the earthquake is the wrath of God, and the cause of this wrath is our sins. Never fear punishment, but fear sin that brings punishment. Is the city shaking? What is it? Just don’t let your soul waver; so in the case of illnesses and wounds, we mourn not those that are being treated, but those who are incurably. And sin is the same as illness and wound, and punishment is the same as cutting off and healing. 3. Do you understand what I'm saying? Be careful; I want to give you some wise advice. Why do we mourn those who are punished and not those who sin? The punishment is not as grave as sin is; because sin is the cause of punishment. So, when you see a person who has a rotten wound, from whose body worms and pus come out, and who ignores this ulcer and decay, and another who, suffering from the same thing, uses the help of doctors, allows cauterizations and cuttings, and drinks bitter medicines, which of them will you mourn, tell me - whether the one who is sick and is not treated, or the one who is sick - and is it treated? Obviously the one who is sick - and is not being treated. Likewise, let there be two sinners, one punishable and the other not punished. Do not say: this one is blessed because he is rich, robs orphans, oppresses widows, does not get sick, and enjoys a good opinion during his robbery, enjoys honor and power, does not experience any of the human disasters, neither fever, nor consumption, nor any other illness; he has a host of children, a venerable old age; but it’s him you should mostly mourn, because he’s both sick and not being cured. How? I'll tell you. If you see a man, possessed by dropsy, whose body is swollen from an illness in the spleen, but who does not rush to the doctor, but constantly drinks cold drinks, has a sumptuous meal, gets drunk every day, is surrounded by servants, and intensifies his illness, then tell me whether you consider him blessed or unhappy. And if you see another, obsessed with dropsy, but taking advantage of doctors, exhausting himself with hunger, denying himself many things, constantly taking bitter medicines, which, although unpleasant, contribute to health through this unpleasantness, then will you not please this person more than the other? Of course, because he is sick and is not being treated, but this one is sick and uses healing. But is the treatment unpleasant? But its ending is useful. This happens in real life too. Transfer your thoughts from bodies to souls, from illnesses to sins, from the bitterness of medicines to punishments and the judgment of God; for punishment from God is the same as medicine from the doctor, cutting off and cauterization. Like fire, through repeated contact, cauterizes a wound and stops its development; and how iron cuts off rottenness, causing pain, but delivering benefit; so famine, pestilence and all seeming disasters are sent to the soul instead of iron and fire in order to stop, as happens with bodies, the development of its diseases and make it better. Again, let there be two fornicators - let's say this in words for the sake of an example - two fornicators: but one is rich, and the other is poor. Which of them has more hope of salvation? Of course, poor. Do not say: this rich man commits fornication and becomes rich, and therefore I please him. Rather, you should have pleased him when he, committing fornication, was poor and suffered hunger; because he would unwittingly have a teacher of philosophy in poverty. When you see the wicked prospering, weep; because there are two misfortunes here: illness and lack of healing. When you see a wicked person in misfortune, be consoled, not only because he becomes better, but also because many of his sins are atonement here. Listen carefully to my word. Many of the people are punished here and condemned there; others only here, and others only there. Understand this teaching; because if you understand my words well, they will free your mind from much confusion. But, if you like, let’s first imagine a person who is punished there, but enjoys fun here. Let both rich and poor listen to my words; for this teaching is useful to both. That many are condemned both here and there, listen to this, as Christ says: “If you see a city or a whole city,... when you enter a house, kiss it, saying: Peace to this house. And if the house is worthy, your peace will come; but if it is not worthy, your peace will return to you. And if he does not receive you, he will listen to your words; coming from that city, shake off the dust of your feet. Amen, I say to you: it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that city. Whether you enter the city or the whole city, test who is worthy to eat in it: and you will remain there until you leave” (Matthew 10:11-15). Hence it is clear that the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah are both condemned here and punished there; for when (the Lord) says that it will be more tolerable for the Sodomites than for these people, he shows that although they are punished, it is not like these. 4. There are also those who are punished only here, like that adulterer, about whom blessed Paul in his letter to the Corinthians said this: “Fornication is heard in you, and such fornication is not named among the nations; as if someone is desperate to have a wife; and you will become proud, and no more than a poster, may the one who did this deed be removed from among you. For now, if he were not with you in body, but he who is alive in spirit, I have already judged, as he did, the one who has done this, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who were gathered together to you and my spirit... deliver him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 5:1-5). Do you see how this one is punished here, but not punished there? Since his body was punished here, he is no longer punished there. Finally, I want to show a person who had fun here, but is punished there. “A certain man was rich” (Luke 16:19). You already see the course of this narrative in advance, but wait until the end of the word. Of course, I am honored, and I commend you for the fact that when the firstfruits are just being sown, you are already gathering the ears of corn. Constantly listening to teachings has made you teachers; but since some strangers have also entered here with you, do not rush, but wait for those who are tempting. The Church is a body; There is an eye in it, there is also a head. As if a thorn pricks the heel, the eye bows down, because it is a member of the body, and does not say: I sit on high, I despise the lower member; but bows, leaving his height; What is lower than the heel or nobler than the eye? “However, this inequality is corrected by compassion, and everything is united by love.” So do you; If you are quick and prepared to listen, but have a brother who cannot follow what is proposed, let your eye bow to the heel, let it show compassion to the faltering member, so that because of your speed and slowness it is not left without learning. Do not abuse your understanding to his destruction, but thank God for your quickness. Are you rich? I rejoice and admire; but he is still poor: let him not remain in poverty because of your wealth. He has thorns - a restless thought: come down to him and pluck out the thorns. What does (the Lord) say? A person “someone is rich”, by name, not in reality. “A certain man was rich and dressed in purple,” offered a sumptuous meal, had cups of wine decorated with wreaths, and held feasts every day. The other is “a certain beggar named Lazarus.” Where is the rich man's name? Nowhere, he has no name. How much wealth - and he doesn’t even have a name! What kind of wealth is this? This is a tree that shows off leaves, but has no fruit; an oak tree that spreads high, but gives acorns as food for the dumb; a person who has no human fruit. Where there is wealth and predation, there is a wolf; where there is wealth and ferocity, there I see a lion, not a man; he ruined his nobility with the ignobleness of his vices. “Someone was rich and” every day “dressed in purple,” but in his soul he was covered with cobwebs; breathed incense, but was filled with stench; offered a sumptuous meal, fed parasites and flatterers, fattened the slave - the flesh, and left the mistress - the soul - to exhaust herself with hunger; his house was decorated with wreaths, and the foundation consisted of the lime of sin; the soul was immersed in wine. So, this rich man had a sumptuous meal and bowls of wine decorated with wreaths, fed parasites and flatterers - this indecent gathering of the devil, these wolves who captivate many of the rich, satiating their own belly, arrange their destruction, and with great helpfulness and flattery destroy their wealth. It would not be a mistake to call such people wolves who, presenting the rich man before everyone as a sheep, extol him with praises, puff up him with greatness, and do not allow him to see his own wound, but blind his mind and increase his rottenness. Then, when a change of circumstances occurs, these friends run away, and we, the denouncers, remain compassionate, while those feigned personalities hide, as often happens now. 5. So, this rich man fed parasites and flatterers, turned his house into a theater, filled everyone with wine, lived in great prosperity; and another certain Lazarus, covered with wounds, sat at the rich man’s gate and desired grains from his meal. Near the source he was thirsty; I was starving in the presence of abundance. And where was he thrown? Not at a crossroads, not on the street, not in an alley, not in the middle of a square; but at the rich man’s gate, by which this one was supposed to both enter and exit, so that he would not say: I did not see, I did not notice, my eyes did not look. At your entrance there is a pearl lying in the mud, and you do not see? The doctor is at the gate and you are not being treated? The helmsman is at the dock and you are shipwrecked? Do you feed the parasites, but do not feed the poor? That was then; but it happens now. This is why this was written, so that descendants will learn from these events and not be subjected to what the rich man was subjected to. So, a poor man lay at the gate, poor in appearance, but rich inwardly; lay covered with wounds on his body, like a treasure with thorns at the top and pearls at the bottom. What harm does it do to him if his body is sick when his soul is healthy? Let the poor hear this and not be overwhelmed by despondency; let the rich hear, and leave behind wickedness. This is why these two examples are offered to us, wealth and poverty, cruelty and courage, covetousness and patience, so that when you see a poor man in wounds and neglect, you do not call him pitiful, and when you see a rich man in splendor, you do not consider him blessed. Resort to this parable; when wavering thoughts trouble you, run to this haven; take comfort from this narrative; imagine Lazarus being neglected, imagine a rich man prospering and enjoying luxury, and let no event in life bother you. If you have the right judgment, the waves will not drown you; your boat will not sink if you discern the properties of things with prudent judgment. Why do you tell me: my body is in distress? If only your mind were intact. So-and-so is rich and wicked: what is this? Wickedness is not subject to feelings. Don't judge a person by his appearance, but by his inner qualities. When you see a tree, what do you look at – leaves or fruit? So it is in relation to a person; when you see a person, then judge him not by his external, but by his internal qualities, consider the fruit, not the leaves: is it not a wild olive, although it is considered a real olive; Isn't this a wolf, although it is considered a human? Recognize a person not by his (physical) nature, but by his will, not by his appearance, but by his way of thinking; and not only by his way of thinking, but also investigate his life. If he is poor-loving, then he is a man; if he is devoted to trade turnover, then he is an oak tree; if he is fierce at heart, then he is a lion; if it is a predator, then it is a wolf; if he is cunning, then he is an asp. But you will say: I am looking for a person; Why are you showing me a beast instead of a man? - Find out what a person’s valor consists of, and do not be embarrassed. So Lazarus lay at the gate, covered with wounds, tormented by hunger. The dogs came and licked his wounds: the dogs were more loving than man, they licked Lazarus’s wounds, removed and cleaned the pus. And he lay there, cast down, like gold in a furnace, becoming more brilliant; did not say, as many of the poor say: is this industry? – Does God look at human affairs? With righteousness I am poor; but this one is rich in unrighteousness. He did not think of anything like this, but indulged in the incomprehensible love of God, purifying his soul, enduring suffering, showing patience; lying down with the body, but striving with the mind, inspired by thought, preparing to receive a reward, moving away from evil and becoming an example of goodness. He did not say: parasites enjoy to excess, but I am not rewarded with even a grain; but what? He thanked and glorified God. “They were about to die.” The rich man died and was buried; Lazarus also departed; I won’t say: he died; because the death of the rich man was really death and burial, and the death of the poor man was an attitude and idea for the better, a transition from the field of struggle to rewards, from the sea to the harbour, from battle to triumph, from exploits to the crown. They both went to where objects have their true appearance; the theater closed and the masks were removed. At the local theater, at noon, curtains are used, and many appear on stage in a strange form and with masks on their faces, retelling an old fable and narrating about the affairs of that time; another appears to be a philosopher without being a philosopher; another is a king, not being a king, but only having the appearance of a king according to the content of the fable; another - a doctor, not knowing how to handle a tree, but only wearing a doctor's dress; another is a slave, being free; another - a teacher without even knowing how to read and write; they are not shown to be what they really are, but what they really are is not shown: a doctor is shown to be someone who is not a doctor at all; the one who has a philosophical hairstyle only on the mask is shown to be a philosopher; The one who wears only the warrior's dress is shown to be a warrior; but no matter how deceptive the appearance of a mask is, it does not change the nature by which it distorts reality; the masks are kept on while the revelers are sitting (in the theatre); but when evening comes, the theater closes and everyone leaves, then the masks are thrown off, and whoever seemed like a king in the theater turns out to be a coppersmith outside; the masks have been dropped, the deception has passed, the truth has been revealed: and outside the theater he turns out to be a slave, who seemed free inside; inside (the theater), as I said, there is deception, and outside there is truth; evening came, the spectacle ended - and the truth was revealed. So it is in life and in death. The present is theater; the objects here are deceptive appearances and wealth, and poverty, and power, and subordination, and the like; and when this day ends and that terrible night comes, or better yet, day: night for sinners, and day for the righteous; when the theater will close; when deceptive appearances will be cast away; when each will be judged with his own deeds, not with his wealth, not with his power, not with his honors and power, but each with his own deeds - both the ruler and the king, and the woman and the man; when (the Judge) asks us about life and good deeds, and not about the importance of titles, not about the low state of poverty, not about the high state of arrogance, (and says): give Me deeds, although you were a slave, better than those of a free man, although you were a woman, more courageous than those of a man; when deceptive appearances are cast away, then both the rich and the poor will be revealed. And how here, at the end of the theater, one of those sitting above, seeing a coppersmith in the theater philosopher, says: uh, wasn’t that one a philosopher in the theater? - and now I see him as a coppersmith; Wasn't this the king there? - and here I see him as some kind of low person; Wasn't this rich man there? - and here I see him poor; it will be so there too. 6. I do not spread the speech, so as not to confuse the listener with the abundance of what is said; but I want to present the deceptiveness of the spectacle in only two faces. I imagined two faces to pave the way for you through them and give you direction. I expanded your thought with an image of real life, so that everyone could know the difference between things. So, two faces: one represented by the rich, and the other by the poor; the face of the poor is Lazarus, the face of the rich is the rich man; visible objects are imaginary faces, not real ones. They both went there, both rich and poor; Lazarus was received by Angels, after dogs - Angels, after the rich man's gate - Abraham's bosom, after famine - endless abundance, after sorrow - unceasing joy; and after wealth the rich man suffered poverty, after a sumptuous meal - punishment and torment, after pleasure - unbearable sorrows. And look what is happening: they went there - and the spectacle stopped, the masks were removed - and finally the real faces appeared. Both of them went there, and the rich man, burning in the fire, sees Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, in good spirits, enjoying himself, having fun, and says: “Father Abraham! Send Lazarus, that with the tip of his finger he may make my tongue as cold as I suffer in the fire.” What about Abraham? "Child! Thou hast accepted thy good and Lazarus his evil; and now this one is consoled, but you suffer. And over all these, between us and you, a gulf has been established, so that those who want to pass from here to you will not be able to” (Luke 16:24-26). Be careful, because the word about this is useful: it frightens, but also purifies; upsets, but also corrects. Accept what is said. The rich man, being in torment, looked and saw Lazarus - he saw new objects. He was at your gates every day; more than once you went in and out and did not see him; and now, being in the flame, do you see from afar? When you lived in wealth, when it was in your will to see, you did not want to see him: why now do you see so vigilantly? Was he not at your gates? How come you haven't seen him? I didn’t see him up close, but now you can see him from afar, when there’s such a gap between you? And what does he do? Calls Abraham father! How do you call someone father whom you did not imitate in hospitality? This one calls him father, and the other calls him child; names are related, but no help. However, (the Lord) pronounces these names so that you know that there is no benefit from kinship. Nobility does not lie in the nobility of one's ancestors, but in virtuous morals. Don't tell me: my father is a consul. What's in it for me? That's not what we're talking about; Don’t tell me at all: my father is a consul. Even if your father was the Apostle Paul, and your brothers were martyrs, if you do not imitate their virtue, then there is no benefit to you from such a relationship, but rather it will harm you and serve to condemnation. My mother, you say, is merciful. What does this do to you, inhuman? Her love for humanity increases the guilt of your evil behavior. What does John the Baptist say to the Jewish people? “Produce fruits worthy of repentance and do not begin to say: father of the Imam Abraham” (Luke 3:8). Do you have a famous ancestor? If you imitate him, you will benefit; but if you do not imitate, then the famous ancestor will be your accuser, because you came out of a good root as bitter fruit. Never call a person blessed who has a righteous relative if he does not imitate his morals. Is your mother a saint? You have nothing to gain from this. Is your mother vicious? And none of this is for you. Just as that virtue does not benefit you if you do not imitate its virtue, so this viciousness does not harm you if you are not given over to vices. How is there more condemnation for you, because, having a model for yourself, you did not imitate virtue; so here too there is more praise for you, that, having a vicious mother, you did not imitate her vices, but came out of a bitter root with sweet fruit. It is not the celebrity of our ancestors that is required of us, but a virtuous lifestyle. I will call both a slave noble and a master worthy of chains, when I learn the way of life; and a noble person is not noble to me if he has a slave soul; for who is truly a slave except one who commits sins? Other slavery depends on adverse circumstances; and this slavery consists in the corruption of the heart; since in the beginning slavery arose from here. 7. In ancient times there was no slave; God, when creating man, created him not as a slave, but as a free man. He created Adam and Eve, and they were both free. Where did slavery come from? The human race has deviated from the right path, and, having exceeded the limit in desires, has reached corruption; listen to how it is. The flood came, the general collapse of the universe, the windows (of heaven) opened and the abysses opened up (Gen. 7:10), everything became water, everything visible decomposed into the elements and overflowed, the earth was not visible, but everything became the sea, on the basis of the wrath of God; there were waves everywhere, seas everywhere; The mountains rose high, but the sea covered them too; and there was only sea and sky; the human race perished, and only a spark of our race remained - Noah, a spark in the middle of the sea, but not extinguished, containing the beginnings of our race, wife and children, with a dove and a raven and all other creatures. And they were all inside the ark, and the ark was carried on top of the water in the midst of a storm and was not wrecked; because his pilot was the Lord of all; It was not the boards that saved, but the mighty right hand (of God). And look at the miracle. When the earth was washed, when those who did evil were consumed, when the storm was tamed, the tops of the mountains appeared, the ark landed, Noah sent out a dove. But there were secrets in the event described; the past was a prototype of the future; namely: the ark - the Church, Noah - Christ, the dove - the Holy Spirit, the olive branch - God's love for mankind. The gentle animal was released and departed from the ark; but that was an image, and now it is the truth; look then at the excellence of the truth. Just as the ark saved those within it in the midst of the sea, so the Church saves all those who are wandering; but the ark only saved, but the Church does something more; for example: the ark took in the dumb, and saved them dumb; The Church has accepted foolish people and not only saves them, but also transforms them; the ark received the raven and sent out the raven; The Church receives a raven and releases it as a dove; takes in a wolf and releases it as a sheep. When a predatory, selfish man comes here and listens to the broadcasts of the Divine teaching, he changes his way of thinking and becomes a sheep from a wolf: the wolf steals someone else’s property, and the sheep gives up its own wool... The Ark stopped and its doors opened; Noah came out, having escaped drowning, and saw the land devastated, he saw a tomb formed from mud, a common tomb for cattle and people, in which all the bodies of horses, and people, and all dumb cattle were buried together. He looked at this sad sight, looked at the land filled with disasters, and fell into great despondency; everyone died; neither man, nor cattle, nor any other creature left outside the ark were saved; he saw only the sky. Tormented by despondency and oppressed by grief, he drank wine and gave himself up to sleep to ease the wound of despondency. He lay on his bed, giving himself up to sleep, like a doctor, in order to forget in his mind what had happened, as happens to an old man who drinks wine and gives himself up to sleep. It must be said to justify the righteous man that what happened to him was not due to drunkenness and passion; but he was simply healing his wound. So Solomon said: “Give strong drink to those who are sorrowful, and drink wine to those who are sick” (Proverbs 31:6). Therefore, many people, especially during funerals, when someone loses a son or wife, when grief torments and despondency overcomes, and the consciousness of this exerts its power, take friends to their house and arrange a rich feast, and wine is served to the saddened one to ease his wound. The same thing happened then to this old man: tormented by despondency, he used wine as medicine, and the wine made him fall asleep. But you need to know where slavery came from. After a little time, his cursed son arose, his son by nature, and not a son by character (again I call nobility not the nobility of ancestors, but virtuous character); When the son entered, he saw his father's nakedness. He should have covered her, covered her with a dress, for the sake of old age, for the sake of grief, for the sake of misfortune, for the sake of the fact that this is his father; and he, coming out, divulged it and made a sad spectacle out of it. But his other brothers, taking clothes, entered, looking back, so as not to see what he was divulging, and covered their father. The father stood up, learned everything, and began to say: “Cursed is the lad Canaan; he will be a servant to his brothers” (Gen. 9:25). The meaning of his words is this: you will be a slave because you have discovered your father’s shame. Do you see that slavery is from sin, that slavery came from wickedness? Do you want me to show you liberation from slavery? There was a certain Onesimus, a slave, a despicable fugitive; he ran away and came to Paul, was baptized, washed away his sins and remained at the feet of the apostle. Paul writes to his master: “Onesimus, which was sometimes indecent for you, but now it is good for you and me, accept this as it was for me.” What happened? “Whom I gave birth to in my bonds” (Phil. 1:10–12). 8. Do you see nobility? Do you see that character brings freedom? Slave and free are simple names. What is a slave? One name. How many gentlemen lie drunk on their beds, and servants stand next to them sober! Who can be called a slave - sober or drunk? A slave serving man, or a captive of passion? He has external slavery; and this one carries slavery within himself. I say this and will not stop saying so that you have an understanding of things that corresponds to their nature, and do not get carried away by the delusion of the crowd, but know what a slave is, what is poor, what is ignoble, what is blessed, and what is passion. If you learn to discern this, you will not suffer any confusion. However, so that the word, spreading too widely, does not deviate towards an outsider, let us turn to the subject. So this rich man finally became poor; or better yet, he was poor even as he was rich. For what does it profit a man if he has what belongs to others and does not have his own? What does it profit a man to acquire money and not acquire virtue? Why do you take someone else's and lose your own? I have, you say, fruitful land? What is it? But you do not have a fruitful soul. Do I have slaves? But you have no virtue. Do I have clothes? But you have not acquired piety. You have someone else’s, but you don’t have your own. If someone entrusted you with a pledge, could I call you rich? No way. Why? Because you own someone else's; because it is a pledge; and oh, if only this were only a pledge, and not an addition to your punishment! So, the rich man, seeing Lazarus, says: “Father Abraham, have mercy on me” (Luke 16:24). The words of the poor, the beggar, the wretched! "Father Abraham, have mercy on me." What do you want? "Send Lazarus". Whom you passed by a thousand times, whom you didn’t even want to look at, are you now asking to send to you for salvation? "Send Lazarus". Where are your cupbearers now? Where are the carpets? Where are the parasites? Where are the flatterers? Where is the arrogance? Where's the pride? Where is the buried gold? Where are the moth-eaten clothes? Where is the silver that you honor? Where is the shine and pleasure? They were leaves; winter came - and they all withered; it was a dream; the day came and the dream flew away; it was a shadow; reality came and the shadow disappeared. "Send Lazarus". But why does the rich man see no other righteous man, not Noah, not Jacob, not Lot, not Isaac, but Abraham? Why? Because Abraham was hospitable to strangers and attracted passers-by to his tent; his love for strangers becomes a stronger accuser of the rich man’s inhumanity. "Send Lazarus". Hearing this, beloved, let us be afraid, lest we, when we see the poor, pass by them, so that instead of Lazarus alone we then have many accusers. “Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, as I suffer in this flame.” But with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:2); You didn’t give a grain, you won’t get even a drop. “Send Lazarus, that with the tip of his finger he may make my tongue as cold as I suffer in the fire.” What does Abraham have to do with him? “Son, you have perceived your good in your belly, and Lazarus has also received your evil; and now here he is comforted, but you suffer” (Luke 16:25). Here again he did not say: “received”, but: “received”. The application of a preposition makes a big difference. I have told you many times, beloved, that we need to take into account the syllables, because it is said: “test the Scriptures” (John 5:39); often even one iota or one feature excites thought. If you want to make sure that the addition of one letter gives a thought, then this patriarch Abraham was formerly called Abram, and God said to him: “Your name will not be Abram, but Abraham” (Gen. 17:5); added the letter “a” and made him the father of many nations. This is how the addition of one letter showed the great nobility (of the patriarch). So, don't let this pass you by. He did not say: “thou hast received thy goodness,” but: “thou hast received”; and whoever receives it receives what is due to him. Pay attention to what I'm saying. It is another thing to accept, and another to perceive. They will accept what they had; but sometimes they accept what they did not have. “Thou hast received thy good, and Lazarus his evil.” Behold, the rich man accepted his good, and Lazarus accepted his evil! I said all this in view of those who are punished here and not there, and those who have fun here and are punished there. Pay attention to what I say. “Thou hast received thy good, and Lazarus his evil,” is what they owed. Pay attention to this item, and I (according to the proverb) “hurry to the place, let me finish the fabric.” But don't be confused at the very beginning: when I say something like this, wait until the end. I want to sharpen your gaze, and not to occupy you superficially, but to bring you down into the depths of the Divine Scriptures, into a depth inaccessible to the storm, a depth safer than a quiet surface. The lower you go, the more security you will find; because here there is not a disorderly disturbance of the waters, but a harmonious arrangement of thoughts. “Thou hast received thy good, and Lazarus his evil; and now here he is comforted, but you are suffering.” Here is an important subject for research. I said that he who receives his due will accept. That Lazarus was righteous, as indeed he was, was shown by Abraham's bosom, crown, rewards, peace, pleasure, firmness, patience; but the rich man was a sinner, wicked, inhuman, given over to pleasures and drunkenness, offering a sumptuous meal, living in such debauchery and lasciviousness; Why does (Abraham) say to him: “As you have perceived”? What should be given to him, a rich, depraved and inhuman man? What should be given to him? Why did Abraham not say: “thou hast received”, but: “thou hast received”? 9. Pay attention to these words: torment followed him, punishment followed him, sorrow followed him. Why didn’t (Abraham) say: you accepted them, but: “thou tookst thy good things from before,” i.e. that life, “and his evil Lazarus”? Strain your mind; I descend into the depths of thoughts. Of all existing people, some are sinners, others are righteous. Notice the difference between the righteous; one is righteous, and the other is even more righteous; This one stands higher, and the other surpasses him. And how there are many stars, and the sun, and the moon; so there is a difference in the righteous; “one glory is the sun, and another glory the moon, and another glory the stars” (1 Cor. 15:41); some are higher in glory, others are lower. As are the heavenly bodies, so are the earthly bodies. And just as between these bodies one is a deer, another is a dog, another is a lion, another is some other animal, another is an asp, another is something similar: so there is a difference in sins. So, among people, some are righteous, others are sinners; but there is a great difference between the righteous, and a great and boundless difference between sinners. Listen: even if someone were righteous, even if he was righteous a thousand times and reached the very top, so that he renounced sins, he cannot be clean from filth; even if he was a thousand times righteous, he is still a man. “And whoever boasts of having a pure heart; or who dares to say that he should be clean from sins” (Proverbs 20:9)? Therefore, we are commanded to say in prayer: “forgive us our debts” (Matthew 6:12), so that we, constantly using this prayer, remember that we are subject to punishment there. Even Paul the Apostle, the chosen vessel, the church of God, the mouth of Christ, the lyre of the Spirit, the teacher of the universe, who went around the earth and the sea, who plucked up the thorns of sins, who sowed the seeds of piety, the one who was richer than kings, more powerful than the rich, stronger than warriors, wiser than philosophers, more eloquent than rhetoricians, who, having nothing, possessed everything, with his shadow loosed the bonds of death, with his clothes drove away diseases, set trophies at sea, was caught up to the third heaven, entered Paradise and preached Christ God, - and he says: “I have nothing in myself, but I am justified in nothing” (1 Cor. 4:4), - he, who has acquired so many and such virtues, says: “The Lord is the Lord who quarrels with me.” So, “whoever boasts of having a pure heart; or who dares to say that he should be clean from sins? It is impossible for a person to be sinless. What do you say: such and such is righteous, merciful, and poor? But he also has some shortcoming: either he offends unfairly, or is vain, or does something else similar; there is no need to count everything. Some are merciful, but often not chaste; and another is chaste, but not merciful; this one is famous for one virtue, and that one for another. Let someone be righteous, but often a righteous person who has all the virtues begins to be proud of this righteousness, and his pride harms his righteousness. Wasn't the Pharisee who fasted twice a week righteous? What is he saying? “I am not, like other men, predators and unrighteous” (Luke 18:11). Often a person with a clear conscience falls into pride; and if sin did not harm him, then pride does. A person cannot be completely righteous in such a way as to be clean from sin; and, on the other hand, no person can be so evil as not to have some, albeit small, good. For example: such and such kidnaps, indulges in covetousness, harms; but sometimes he gives alms, sometimes he is chaste, sometimes he speaks a kind word, and although he helped one person, sometimes he cried, sometimes he lamented. Thus, there is no righteous person without sin; There is no sinner without any good. What was more wicked than Ahab? He committed both kidnapping and murder: however, since he began to grieve, God says to Elijah: “Have you seen how moved Ahab was” (1 Kings 21:29)? Do you see in what abyss of sins some small good was still found? What is worse than Judas the traitor, captivated by the love of money? However, he later did some, albeit small, good: “I sinned,” he says, “by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4). Depravity, as I said, is not such in its nature that virtue does not take place with it. A sheep can never be fierce because it is naturally gentle; a wolf can never become meek, because he is ferocious by nature. The laws of nature are not broken or fluctuated, but remain unchanged. But I don’t have it in me; I can be fierce when I want, and meek when I want, because I am not bound by nature, but gifted with free will. So, as I said, there is no such good person who does not have the slightest blemish, and there is no such evil person who does not have the slightest good. So, for everything there is a reward, and for everything there is retribution; even if someone was a murderer, even a wicked person, even a greedy man, but did something good, he will be rewarded for this good, and for the vices that he committed, the good will not go unrewarded. Also, even if someone has done a thousand good deeds, but does something bad, he will have retribution for this bad thing. Hold this, observe firmly and unshakably: there is no good person without sin, and there is no evil person without virtue. I repeat the same thing again in order to root it, to plant it and place it in the depths of your soul. The devil brings some worries into your soul in order to mislead your mind and erase my words from it; so I embed them in depth. If you preserve them here faithfully, then even when you leave here you cannot lose them. How, having put gold in a purse, I tie and seal it so that the thief does not take the gold in my absence; I do the same for you, beloved: by the constant repetition of the teaching I consolidate and seal, I protect your mind so that it does not become confused from carelessness, but so that I, better preserving it, can ward off external confusion with this silence. So, what I said is not verbosity, but words of care, love and desire of the teacher, so that his words do not go to waste. To talk about this “is not lazy for me, but for you it is firm” (Phil. 3:1). I want to teach, not just show off. So, there is no righteous person who does not have sin, and there is no sinner who does not have good, and since there is a reward for everything, look what happens. The sinner receives a commensurate reward for his good deeds, no matter how small his good may be; and the righteous receives proportionate condemnation for his sin, even if he has done some small evil. What happens and what does God do? He determined that there would be retribution for sin both in this life and in the age to come. If someone is righteous, but has done something bad and, having suffered here, has been punished, do not be embarrassed, but think to yourself and say: this righteous person has ever committed some small sin and receives retribution here, so as not to be punished there. Again, if you see a sinner indulging in theft and greed and doing a lot of evil, and yet prospering, then think: he has ever done something good, and receives benefits here, so as not to demand reward there. Likewise, if a righteous person suffers some kind of disaster, he receives retribution here, so that here he can put aside his sin and go there clean; and a sinner, filled with evil, having many incurable diseases, indulging in theft and greed, enjoys prosperity here so as not to demand reward there. Since Lazarus happened to commit some sins, and the rich man happened to do something good, that’s why Abraham says: don’t expect anything here: “thou hast received thy good there, and Lazarus his evil.” And in order for you to be convinced that I am not saying this without reason, but that it really is so, (Abraham) says: “Thou hast received thy goodness.” Which? Have you done any good? That’s why I “took” my wealth, health, fun, power, honor: you no longer deserve anything as a reward; “thou hast perceived thy goodness.” But Lazarus did not sin in anything? No, he sinned and “received his evil.” When you received “good”, then Lazarus received “evil”; therefore, “now” he “is comforted, but you are suffering.” So, when you see that a righteous person is being punished here, consider him blessed and say: this righteous person either committed a sin and is punished for it, and goes there clean, or is punished beyond the measure of his sins, and the excess of righteousness will be imputed to him. There is a reckoning, and God says to the righteous: You have so much of mine; for example, God entrusts him with ten obols, and puts ten obols in his account. If he uses sixty obols for a task, then God says to him: I count ten obols for your sin, and I count fifty as righteousness. And in order for you to be convinced that the rest is imputed to him as righteousness, (remember): Job was righteous, blameless, just, pious, and abstained from every evil deed; but his body was punished here so that there he could demand rewards; for what does God say to him? “Do you think that I created you otherwise, so that you may appear truthful” (Job 40:3)? So, if we show patience similar to the patience of the righteous, if we show skill commensurate with their virtuous life, then we will receive the blessings prepared for the saints who love God, of which may we all be worthy by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. A word against those who went to the battlefields, and about the Gospel saying: “Enter the narrow gate, for the wide gate and the broad way lead into destruction, and many are those who enter into them” (Matthew 7:13), and towards the end about the rich man and Lazarus 1. I want to take up the usual teaching again and offer you a spiritual meal; but I hesitate and hold back, seeing that you do not derive any fruit from your incessant teaching. And the farmer, after he throws seeds into the bowels of the earth with a generous hand and does not see the growth corresponding to his labor, no longer takes up cultivating the land with the same eagerness; because the hope of fertility always lightens the burden of labor. Likewise, I would easily endure this great work of teaching if I knew that from my admonition something would be added for your benefit. And now, when I saw that, after so many of my admonitions, after so many suggestions and threats (for I did not cease to constantly remind you of the terrible judgment and inevitable punishments, and of the unquenchable fire, and of the undying worm), some of those who heard this (I do not pronounce condemnation against everyone, let it not be!), having forgotten all this, again surrendered to the satanic spectacle of the horse lists, with what more hope Will I take up the same work and offer them this spiritual teaching? Seeing that they do not derive any benefit from this for themselves, but simply out of habit and applaud my words, and show that they accept my words with pleasure, and after that they again run to the horse lists and applaud the drivers even more and with uncontrollable fury, and flock with great swiftness, often bicker among themselves and say: this horse did not run well, and that one stumbled and fell, and one takes the side of that driver, another - another, and they will never think or remember about my words, nor about the spiritual and terrible sacraments performed here, but, as if captured by the nets of the devil, they spend whole days there, indulging in the satanic spectacle and exposing themselves to shame both to the Jews and the pagans, and to everyone who wants to ridicule our (teaching) - who, even if he was completely stony or insensitive, can endure this without grief, and not just us, trying to show fatherly care for all of you? We are saddened not only that our work turns out to be useless for you, but we are much more distressed when we think that those who act in this way bring upon themselves the gravest condemnation. We expect rewards from the Lord for our labors; since they did everything they could - they offered the silver, distributed the talent entrusted to us and did not omit anything that we should have done; but those who have received this spiritual silver, tell me, what kind of justification will they have, what kind of forgiveness will they have when not only this silver is required from them, but also the profit from it? With what eyes will they look at the Judge? How will they survive that terrible day, those unbearable executions? Can they plead ignorance? Every day we appeal, exhort, convince, show the fatality of deception, the greatness of the harm, the deceitfulness of the satanic festival, and yet we could not touch you! But what am I saying about that terrible day? Let's take care of things here for now. How, tell me, can those who participated in that satanic spectacle come here with boldness, when their conscience rebels against and cries out loudly? Or don’t they hear what blessed Paul, the teacher of the universe, says: “What fellowship between light and darkness... or what part will I return with the unbeliever” (2 Cor. 6:14,15)? What kind of condemnation does it not deserve that the faithful, who participated in the prayers performed here and the terrible sacraments and spiritual teachings, after the local sacred rites, leaves and sits down at the satanic spectacle together with the infidel - with the one wandering in the darkness of wickedness, illuminated by the light of the Sun of Truth? How, tell me, can we stop the mouths of pagans or Jews? How will we admonish them and convince them to turn to piety when they see that those belonging to our society are mingling with them at these disastrous spectacles filled with all kinds of abomination? And why, tell me, do you, having been here and cleansed your mind, and tuned your soul to wakefulness and contrition, go there and become defiled again? Or don’t you hear what one wise man says: “One creates, and another destroys, what more can be accomplished than labor” (Sir.34:23)? The same thing happens now. When what we have built here through constant teaching and spiritual exhortation, you, having gone there, suddenly destroy everything and level it, so to speak, to the ground: what is the benefit of us building the building again, and you destroying it again? Isn't this extremely reckless and crazy? Tell me: if you saw someone doing this with material buildings built from stones, would you not look at him as if he were mad, who labors in vain and in vain and spends all his means inappropriately? Reason and conclude in the same way about this spiritual structure. Here I am, since I was placed in this (service) by the grace of God, every day I am raising this spiritual building to heights, and I am trying to lead you to the teaching of virtue; and some of those who come here, built with great difficulty, through inexplicable frivolity, in one minute of time, almost with their own hands, destroy it to the ground, thereby causing me great sorrow, and themselves the greatest harm and unbearable loss. 2. Perhaps I made too harsh a reproof; it is too strict in terms of my love for you, but in terms of the importance of the sin it is not yet quite strong. However, since it is necessary to give a hand to those who have fallen, and to show fatherly concern for those who have reached such carelessness, even now I do not despair of their salvation, if only they decide not to fall into the same offenses again, not to extend their carelessness further and refuse to go to horse races and any similar satanic spectacle. We have a humane, meek and caring Master, who, knowing the weakness of our nature, when we, through carelessness, stumble, fall into some sin, demands from us only that we do not despair, but abandon sin and hasten to confession. And if we do this, He promises us a quick pardon; for He himself says: “When food falls, it does not rise; or he who turns away will not be converted” (Jer.8:4)? So, knowing this, let us not be inattentive to the humane Master, but let us overcome the bad habit, and let us not walk through the wide gates and the broad path, as you heard today from the common Master of all, Who in the Gospel offers the following admonition: “Enter through the narrow gate; For the wide gate and the broad way lead to destruction, and many are those who enter through them” (Matthew 7:13). When you hear about the spacious gates and the wide path, do not be deceived by such a beginning and do not look at the fact that many follow this path, but think that in the end it becomes narrow. And think about this wisely, that here we are not talking about sensory gates and not just about the path, but an admonition is being offered regarding our entire life, and regarding virtue and vice. That is why the Lord began his speech with the words: “Enter through the narrow gate,” so calling the gate of virtue; then, having said: “Enter through the narrow gate,” he explains to us the reason why He makes such an admonition. Although, He says, these gates are narrow and it is very difficult to enter them, but if you work a little, you will come out into a great breadth and space, which can bring you great joy. So, He says, do not look at the fact that this gate is narrow, do not let the beginning confuse you, and do not let the narrowness of the entrance make you careless; for the wide gate and the broad way lead to destruction. So many, deceived by the beginning and the entrance, and not looking ahead to what would happen next, came to destruction! That’s why He says: “Like a wide gate and a broad way you lead into destruction, and many are those who enter through it.” And He rightly called wide the gate and broad the way that leads to destruction. Those who are in a hurry to go to horse races and other satanic shows, neglect chastity, do not care at all about virtue, want to be debauched, indulge in fun and satiety, are daily exhausted by an insane and frantic passion for money and cling to the affairs of real life, really go through the spacious gates and the broad path; when they, having gone far ahead and having collected for themselves a great burden of sins, come to the end of the path exhausted, they can no longer go further, since the narrowness of the path delays them, and they, burdened with the weight of sins, are not able to walk along it; therefore they inevitably fall into the very abyss of destruction. What is the benefit, tell me, for those who have walked a short, wide path to be subjected to eternal destruction, and for those who had fun, so to speak, in a dream, to endure punishment in reality? Truly, all real life in comparison with the punishment and torment awaiting us is the same as a dream of one night. Is all this really written for us to just read? Through the action of the grace of the Spirit of the Lord’s broadcasting, writings were given so that we, receiving from here preventive medicines against our passions, could avoid the punishment that threatens us. Therefore, even then, our Lord Christ, applying healing appropriate to the wounds, offered the following admonition: “Enter through the narrow gate.” He called these gates narrow not because they were narrow in nature, but because our will, inclined more toward carelessness, considers them narrow. And He did not call them narrow in order to turn us away (from them), but so that we, having turned away from the other wide gates and having learned one and the other path at their end, would rather choose the narrow path for ourselves. 3. But so that the speech is clear to everyone, now, if you wish, I will introduce such people who entered the spacious gate and walked along the wide path, and we will see what their end was; I will also introduce those who entered through the narrow gate and walked the sorrowful path, and we will know what blessings they achieved. To do this, I will introduce to you one of those who entered the wide gate, and one of those who walked along the narrow and sorrowful path, and I will prove the truth of the words of the Lord, again through the same parable of the Lord. So, who is this who entered the wide gate and walked the broad way? It is necessary to say in advance who he is, and how much space he has traversed, walking along the wide path, and then explain to you to what end he has come. I know that you, as knowledgeable people, have already understood what will be said; however, I also need to say. Remember that rich man who dressed himself in purple and fine linen every day, gave brilliant feasts, fed parasites and flatterers, poured out a lot of wine, was satiated every day, indulged in great joy, entered the vast gate, and was constantly in the pleasure and joy of life. Everything flowed to him, as if from sources - numerous servants, indescribable joy, physical health, excess money, honor from the people, praise from flatterers, and nothing had yet saddened him. Besides the fact that, living among such an abundance of drinks and delicacies, he not only enjoyed bodily health and every pleasure, but also past poor Lazarus, who lay in the gate, covered with wounds, surrounded and licked by dogs and tormented by hunger, he passed mercilessly and did not give him even a grain. So this rich man, having entered the spacious gates, walked along a wide path of fun, debauchery, laughter, pleasures, gluttony, drunkenness, abundance in money, effeminacy in clothes. And for a long time, throughout his real life, he walked along a wide path, not experiencing any sadness, but constantly striving, as if with a tailwind; and since he always walked along the broad path, he strove with great pleasure. There were no rocks, no rapids, no pitfalls, no shipwreck, no extraordinary upheaval, but, as if constantly walking along a solid and level road, this is how he went through real life; although he was daily flooded with waves of vices, he did not feel it; although he was tormented every day by vile wishes, he still enjoyed it; although he was constantly besieged by intemperance, satiety, and an insane passion for money, he did not at all feel these evils and could not foresee how his path would end: on the contrary, enjoying only the pleasantness of the present, he did not even think about eternal sorrow, but, so to speak, walked in enchantment along the wide path, striving for the very abyss, which he could not see from great intoxication. Success in all everyday affairs, having fogged his mind, blinded his mental eye and he, as if he had lost his sight, walked, not knowing where he was going. Or perhaps he no longer thought about human nature, seeing that he had not failed in anything. He not only had fun, but was also rich; not only was he rich, but also enjoyed physical health; not only enjoyed bodily health, but also the services of others; and with this great helpfulness, seeing that everything was flowing to him, as if from sources, he lived in continuous pleasure. Do you see, beloved, what pleasures did the man enjoy who entered through the wide gate and walked constantly along the wide path? But let none of those listening to this decide to please him before the end, but let him wait until the end of the matter, and then pronounce the sentence. Now, if you wish, I will also introduce the one who entered through the narrow gate and walked the sorrowful path, and then, having looked at the end of both, we will pronounce a proper opinion about each. Who else can you imagine now if not Lazarus, who lay at the rich man’s gate, was covered with wounds, saw the tongues of dogs touching his sores, and did not even have the strength to drive them away? How he, having entered through the spacious gates, walked along a wide path; So this blessed one (I already call him blessed because he decided to enter through the narrow gates) entered through the narrow gates, opposite in every way to the wide ones. Just as he was constantly having fun, so this one was constantly struggling with hunger. He, with luxury and physical health, enjoyed an abundance of money, and spent all his time in satiety and drunkenness; and this one, in hunger, exhausted by extreme poverty, constant illness and unbearable wounds, did not even have the necessary food, but wanted grains from the rich man’s meal, and was not rewarded with them. 4. Do you see how this one, having entered through the narrow gate, constantly walked along the narrow path? Do you see how he passed through the spacious gate and along the wide path? Let us look at the end of both of them, how one came to the narrow end, and the other to the wide and full of great joy, so that, having known this well, we should not strive in every possible way for the wide path and do not try to enter through the wide gate, but seek the narrow gate and follow the narrow path in order to reach the good and joyful end. When the end of everyone’s life (the rich man and Lazarus) came, look what (the Lord) said before about the one who walked the sorrowful path. “The beggar came to die, and the angels carried him into the bosom of Abraham” (Luke 16:22). Perhaps the Angels took him away, preceding him and surrounding him, and after many sorrows and a close journey, escorting him to the land of peace. Do you see what space opens at the end of the narrow gate and the narrow path? Then look at the disastrous end of the wide path. “And the rich man will die,” says (the Lord), “and will be buried.” No one precedes him, no one surrounds him, no one guides him like Lazarus. Since he enjoyed all this on the broad path, he had many surrounding him and pleasing him, i.e. flatterers and parasites; then, when he came to the end, he lost everything and remained alone after many previous pleasures, or better, after a short contentment and prosperity; because the whole present life is short in comparison with the next century. So, after the short-term contentment that he enjoyed while walking along the broad path, he entered the land of hardship and sorrow. He rested in the bosom of the patriarch, receiving reward for his labors and many sufferings, and after hunger, wounds and lying at the gate, he enjoyed indescribable and inexplicable joy; and this one, after fun and contentment, after great satiety and drunkenness, having undergone inevitable punishment, suffered in the flames. And so that both of them actually learn, the first is the benefit of the narrow path, and the last is the harm and destruction of the wide one, they see each other at a great distance. Listen to how: “And in hell, when he lifted up his eyes, he who was in torment, he saw Abraham from afar, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:23). I think that the rich man felt the greatest sorrow when he saw such a sudden change in circumstances, as the one who lay in the gate and was harassed by the tongues of dogs, uses such boldness and remains in the bosom of the patriarch, and he himself is covered with such shame, and, moreover, is still burning in the fire. Thus, seeing that circumstances have come to the opposite state, that he himself, so to speak, having had fun in a dream and a shadow, is now suffering intolerable punishment, and that the wide path and spacious gates have led him to such a narrow end, and with (Lazarus) the opposite has happened to this, and for his patience here he enjoys the ineffable blessings there, the rich man, who came into confusion and learned from experience that he had been subjected to complete seduction, having chosen the broad path, he makes a request to the patriarch and utters pitiful words and filled with tears. The one who previously did not want to turn to Lazarus and look at this poor man lying in the gate, and, one might say, abhorred him because of the stench of his wounds and because of his own effeminacy, in which he constantly lived with joy, now begs the patriarch and says: “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, let him dip the tip of his finger in water, and make my tongue cold; as I suffer in this flame” (Luke 16:24). These words could lead to pity; however, he did not help himself in this way either; because the confession was not timely, and the prayer was offered at the wrong time. Send, he says, Lazarus, this poor man, whom I previously disdained, to whom I did not give even a grain; I need it now and am looking for that finger that the dogs licked. Do you see how the punishment humbled him? Do you see to what narrow end the broad path led? He makes a request not to Lazarus, but to the patriarch; and rightly so: because he didn’t even dare to look at the poor man. I think that he remembered his own inhumanity, and, reflecting on how mercilessly he treated Lazarus, he thought that this one, perhaps, would not even deign to answer him. That’s why he doesn’t turn to him with a request, but begs the patriarch. However, he did not receive any success in this way: so great is the evil - untimeliness and abuse of the time of life, which was given to us by God's love for mankind for the work of our salvation. What adamant would not be softened by these words and disposed to pity and compassion? However, even at this the patriarch does not bow to the request, but although he honors him with an answer, he explains to him that he himself was the culprit of his disasters. The Patriarch says to him: “Child, remember that you received your good in your belly, and Lazarus also your evil; now here he is consoled, but you are suffering. And over all these things, between us and you, a great gulf has established itself, so that those who want to pass from here to you will not be able to, but those who pass from there to us will not be able to” (Luke 16:25-26). These words are terrible and can touch those who have the mind. To make the rich man understand that although he, for his part, shows him compassion and bows to pity, seeing the severity of his punishment, but cannot do anything to relieve him, the patriarch, as if justifying himself, tells him: I would like to give you a helping hand, ease your suffering and reduce the strength of the torment, but you yourself have deprived yourself of this consolation in advance. That’s why he says: “Child, remember.” Look at the goodness of the patriarch: he calls him a child! But although this may show the meekness of Abraham, it does not provide the rich man with any help, because he betrayed himself. “Child,” he says, “remember that you received your goodness in your belly.” Bring to mind the past, do not forget how much fun you enjoyed, what contentment, what pomp, how you spent your whole life in satiety and drunkenness, thinking that this is what life consists of and considering these blessings. He made an answer to the rich man in accordance with his own opinion; for, not thinking about anything lofty, and not having before his eyes the future disasters awaiting him, he considered these pleasures to be blessings. 5. And now many of those addicted to luxury and satiety, when they want to express very great contentment, have the custom of saying: we have many blessings. Do not, man, call only these things good, reasoning that they were given from the Lord so that we, using them with moderation, would support life and strengthen the weakness of the body, but there are other true benefits. Nothing here is good - neither fun, nor wealth, nor precious clothing, but all this has only the name of good. What am I saying: has only the name of the good? Often these objects are also the cause of our death when we use them improperly. So wealth would then be a blessing for the owner if he spent it not only on fun, not on drunkenness and harmful pleasures, but, using the fun in moderation, he would distribute the rest to the poor for food: then wealth is a blessing! If someone indulges in fun and other debauchery, then wealth will not only bring him no benefit, but will also bring him down into a deep abyss, which is what happened to this rich man. Therefore, the patriarch says to him: “Child, remember that you received your goodness in your belly.” What you considered to be true blessings, that is what you accepted; “and Lazarus is also evil”; - not because Lazarus considered it evil - let it not be! - but in relation to the opinion of the rich man (Abraham) said these words. For he formed such an opinion that he considered wealth, fun, satiety and effeminacy to be blessings, and considered poverty, hunger and serious illness to be evil. Therefore, as you yourself believed, having such a false judgment, then remember that, according to your opinion, you received these blessings when you walked along a wide and spacious path, and Lazarus is evil, also according to your judgment, when he walked through a narrow gate and a narrow path. While you had in mind only the beginning of the path, he also looked at the end, without becoming more careless at the beginning of the path; therefore now here he is comforted, and you suffer; Both of you came out with the opposite end. You have actually seen the end of a wide and spacious path; learned how, through the narrow gates and the narrow path, those who chose them came to a good end; listen to something even more terrible. “And over all of these, between us and you, a great abyss has established itself, so that those who want to pass from here to there will not be able to, nor those from there who will pass to us.” Let us not pass these words without attention, beloved, but let us reflect on the accuracy of the expressions and the honor and high place enjoyed by the one who lay in the gate, despised, beggar, constantly struggling with hunger, covered with wounds, accessible to dogs. I willingly turn to this subject so often, so that no one living in poverty or illness and hunger despises himself or considers himself unhappy, but, enduring everything with patience and gratitude, is nourished by good hopes and expects those indescribable rewards and rewards for his labors. “And above all these.” What is it - “above all these”? Having said to the rich man: in this life you accepted everything that you considered good, and Lazarus accepted everything that you considered evil, Abraham added these words, instilling in him that each of them reached the corresponding end, beyond all that was said: you - sorrow, hardship and unquenchable fire after enjoying what you considered good, and he - joy and enjoyment of goods and being with the saints, after struggling throughout his life with what you considered it evil. And since each of you has reached the corresponding end - the spacious gates and the wide path led you to this cramped space, and his narrow and cramped gates led to this joy, then “above all of these, between us and you, a great abyss has established itself.” Look: the poor man, who was covered with wounds (I’m talking about this again), was taken to the patriarch and added to the host of the righteous; “between us and you,” he says. Do you see what fate was given to the one who endured serious illness and hunger with patience and gratitude? “Between us and you,” he says, “a great abyss has established itself.” Much, he says, divides us, and not just an abyss, but a great one; because the distance is really great and the difference between virtue and vice is great: the latter is spacious and wide, and the former is narrow and cramped; luxury is spacious and wide, but poverty and need are narrow and cramped. Therefore, just as here the paths are opposite, and one follows the narrow and cramped path, observing chastity, preferring non-covetousness and despising vanity; the other, in a hurry to follow the long and wide path, indulges in drunkenness and fun, an insane passion for money, intemperance and disastrous spectacles, and the difference between the two is great! – So during punishment and reward there will be a great difference in rewards. “A great abyss,” he says, “has established itself between us,” that is, the righteous, virtuous, those worthy of this fate, “and you,” that is, those who spent their lives in wickedness and sin. And this abyss is so great that “those who want to pass from here to you will not be able to, nor those from there who will pass to us.” Do you see the greatness of the abyss? Do you see an answer worse than Gehenna? When at the beginning you heard about the prosperity of the rich man and about the great helpfulness that he enjoyed, surrounded by everyone and indulging in fun every day; did you not consider him blessed; also, seeing him lying at the gate and suffering from cruel wounds, did they not consider his life pitiful? But now, at the end of everything, we see the opposite - this one in the flames after fun and drunkenness, and this one in the bosom of the patriarch after extreme poverty and hunger! However, in order not to continue the word too much, we can end the teaching here and ask you, beloved, not to look for the wide gate and the wide path and not to seek pleasure in every possible way, but to think about the end of both paths and imagining in your mind the fate that befell the rich man, to avoid the wide path, but to look for the narrow gates and the narrow path, so that after this sorrow you can come to the land of joy. Flee, I admonish you, from satanic spectacles and harmful visits to horse races; for regarding those who were carried away and followed the wide path, I was forced to say this, so that they, having come to their senses, would leave this path and follow the narrow path, i.e. the path of virtue, and thus were worthy, like Lazarus, of Abraham's bosom, and so that all of us, having completely freed ourselves from the fire of Gehenna, could enjoy those indescribable blessings, “whom no eye has seen, and no ear has heard” (1 Cor. 2:9), which may we all be worthy of, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor now and always and in forever and ever. Amen. Those. martyrs Juventinus and Maximinus. You might be interested in: