Catechetical words

The first word is the first catechumen, which is part of the “Four Catechetical Discourses” from the series by A.I. Papadopoulo-Keramevsa (according to a Greek manuscript of the 10th century). This conversation was probably delivered by St. John Chrysostom in Antioch in 388 a month before Easter. He talks about the various names of the sacrament of Baptism (“bath”, “rebirth”, “enlightenment”, etc.), about its regenerating and cleansing power, thanks to which a person is born again and freed from all previous sins. The saint cites the differences between Baptism and the ablutions of the Old Testament, and also warns that those preparing to receive the sacrament will face a difficult struggle with the devil, who influences a person through temptations, passions and bad habits, among which is the uttering of an oath. The second word is the homily “Ad illuminandos catechesis 2 (Τῶν πρώην εἰρημένων)”, presented in another translation. Pronounced by St. John Chrysostom in Antioch in 387 At the beginning of the conversation, the saint gives the meaning of the words “catechumen”, “man”, “faithful”, “newly enlightened”. He talks about repentance and the need for moral preparation for Baptism. Those who are baptized are soldiers and fighters of Christ in the spiritual field. St. John calls on women to adorn themselves not with gold and pearls, but with chastity, modesty, almsgiving, philanthropy, love, friendliness to their husbands, meekness, humility, and patience. He opposes omens, omens, spells and the wearing of amulets. *The title of the work in Greek is ῾Ομιλίαι κατηχητικα πρὸς τοὺς μέλλοντας φωτίζεσθαι. *The title of the work in Latin is Catecheses ad illuminandos. WORD ONE. To those preparing for Baptism. - Praise to the zeal and reverence of those worthy of Baptism. - Various names for Baptism - bath, rebirth, enlightenment and others. – The difference between Baptism and the washings of the Old Testament. – Baptism, unlike them, washes the soul, not the body. – Baptism cleanses us from sins. – About repentance after Baptism. – An exhortation to avoid sins, especially sins of the tongue, oaths and perjury. WORD TWO. Benefits given to St. Baptism. A baptized person is called faithful because he believes in God; and God gives him purity and holiness of soul, adoption and the Kingdom of Heaven. – Duties imposed by Baptism. – The meaning of the words: “I renounce Satan.” It is necessary to renounce not only Satan, but also all his deceptions, such as theater, circus, superstitious observation of days, enchantments and similar abominations, which a person who has accepted the teachings of Jesus Christ must avoid. Two catechetical words were spoken to those preparing for Baptism by St. John Chrysostom is believed to have occurred in 387 during the Holy Pentecost: the first - thirty days before Easter, the second - ten days after the first To those preparing for enlightenment, and about why Baptism is called the bath of restoration of being, and not the remission of sins; and that it is dangerous not only to break an oath, but also to swear, even if we swear justly 1. How desirable and dear to us is the host of young brothers! I call you brothers even before you were born and greet you as relatives even before you were born. I know, I know for sure, what honor and what power you are entitled to; and those who are about to receive power are usually respected by everyone even before receiving this power, in order to preliminarily gain their favor for the future by obliging them. Now I am doing this too, since you are about to receive not only power, but the kingdom itself, and, moreover, not just a kingdom, but the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, I ask and implore you, remember me when you reach this Kingdom; Joseph said to the chief butler: “Remember me... when it goes well for you” (Gen. 40:14), so now I say to you: “Remember me when it goes well with you.” It is not for the interpretation of dreams that I ask you for this reward, like him, since I did not come to unravel your dreams, but to proclaim about heavenly things and to teach the gospel about those blessings, “for which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not sighed”; These are the blessings “that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Joseph said to the cupbearer: “Three more days, and Pharaoh will remember your rank, and again he will make you an elder of yours” (Gen. 40:13); but I do not say: three more days, and you will become the cupbearers of the ruler, but: another thirty days, and not Pharaoh, but the Heavenly King will lead you to the mountainous fatherland, to free Jerusalem, to the Heavenly City. He said: “And put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand” (Gen. 40:13); and I do not say: you will give the cup into the hands of the king, but: the King himself will give into your hands the Terrible Cup, and full of great power and most precious of every creature. Those initiated into the mysteries know the power of this Cup; You will find out in a little while. So, remember me when you enter that Kingdom, when you receive royal clothes, when you put on purple, stained with the Blood of the Lady, when you put on a diadem, emitting rays brighter than the sun from all sides. These are the gifts of the Bridegroom, although they exceed your dignity, but are worthy of His love for mankind. Therefore, I please you even before you enter that sacred bridal chamber, and I not only please you, but also praise your prudence, that you are approaching Baptism not with your last breath, like the most careless of people, but as prudent slaves, ready to obey the Lord with great goodwill, and from now on, with great humility and zeal, you bow your souls under the yoke Christ, accept this good yoke and take upon yourself this light burden. Although the gifts of grace are equal for you and for those who receive the Sacrament at the end of life, the disposition of the will and preparation for the task are not the same. They receive the Sacrament on their bed, and you in the depths of the Church, the mother common to all of us; those are in sorrow and tears, and you are in joy and joy; those with groaning, and you with gratitude; those are overcome with intense fever, and you are filled with great spiritual pleasure. Therefore, here everything corresponds to the gift, and there everything is opposite to the gift: there those receiving the Sacrament indulge in great lamentation and crying, there are crying children standing around, a wife beating her cheeks, sad friends, servants shedding tears, the appearance of the whole house is likened to some stormy and gloomy day; and if you open the very heart of the one lying down, you will find him sorrowful more than all this. Just as the winds, rushing against each other with great force, divide the sea into many parts, so the thoughts of the disasters befalling him then, penetrating into the soul of the patient, tear his heart into many worries. If he looks at the children, he represents their orphanhood; if he looks at his wife, he thinks about her widowhood; If he looks at the servants, the desolation of the whole house comes to mind; whether he turns to himself, he remembers his real life and, preparing to part with it, is covered with a great cloud of sadness. Such is the soul of one who then intends to receive the Sacrament. Then, amid such confusion and anxiety, a priest enters, which for the patient is worse than the fever itself, and for those close to the patient more terrible than death, because the arrival of a priest is considered a sign of greater hopelessness than the voice of a doctor despairing of the patient’s life, and the source of eternal life seems to be a sign of death. But I have not yet spoken about the most important evil: often, amid turmoil on the part of relatives and preparations, the soul, having left the body, flies away; and for many, its presence does not bring any benefit, because if the one preparing to receive the Sacrament does not recognize those present, does not hear their voice and cannot utter those words through which he must enter into a blessed covenant with the Lord common to us all, but lies like a lifeless tree or stone, in no way different from a dead one, then what is the benefit of receiving the Sacrament with such insensibility? 2. Anyone who intends to begin the sacred and terrible Sacraments must be sober and cheerful, free from all worldly cares, filled with great chastity and great zeal, remove from the mind all thoughts alien to the Sacraments, and make his church clean in all respects, as if he intends to receive the King Himself. This is how your mind is prepared, this is your thoughts, this is the mood of your soul. For such a wonderful disposition, expect a worthy reward from God, Who with His rewards exceeds the merits of those who obey Him. But since fellow servants must bring what is due on their part, we will also bring what is due on our part, or better - and this is not ours, but also the Master’s; for “what... and you,” says the apostle, “have you received him? Have you also accepted that you boasted as if it were not accepted?” (1 Cor. 4:7) First of all, I would like to say why our fathers legitimized at this time of the entire year to allow the children of the Church to receive the Sacrament (Baptism) and why, after our teachings, they decided to undress you and take off your shoes, and those undressed and barefoot, covered only with a sore, to be conveyed to the words of exorcists. It was not simply and not in vain that they established this species and this time; but both have a mysterious and deep meaning. I would like to open it to you, but I see that now the conversation calls us to another most necessary subject. It is necessary to say what Baptism is, why it was introduced into our lives, and what benefits it brings to us. But, if you want, we will talk in advance about the name of this mysterious cleansing. It is called not by one name, but by many and different ones. So, this cleansing is called the bath of restoration: “Save us,” says the apostle, “by the washing of restoration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). It is also called enlightenment, as Paul calls it again: “Remember... the first days, in which you were enlightened, and you endured many passions and sufferings” (Heb. 10:32); and again: “For it is impossible for those who are enlightened alone... and have fallen away, to be renewed again to repentance” (Heb. 6:4–6). It is also called Baptism: “As if you were baptized into Christ, put on Christ” (Gal.3:27). It is also called burial: “We are therefore buried in Him,” he says, “by baptism into death” (Rom. 6:4). It is also called circumcision: “And He was circumcised quickly with a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of sinful flesh” (Col. 2:11). It is also called the cross: “Our old man will be crucified with Him, that the body of sin may be done away with” (Rom. 6:6). We can indicate many other names, but so as not to spend all our time counting the names of this gift, let us now turn to the first name and, having explained its meaning, we will stop the conversation; Let’s start our speech a little from afar. There is an ablution common to all people through baths, which usually washes away bodily impurity. There is a Jewish washing, which, although more important than the first, is much lower than the grace-filled one, since it also washes bodily uncleanness, but not only bodily uncleanness, but also that which depends on a weak conscience. There are many things that are not unclean by nature, but become unclean due to weakness of conscience. Just as in relation to children, masks and other scarecrows, which by their nature are not scary, seem scary to children due to the weakness of their nature, so in relation to what I said; for example, touching dead bodies is not inherently unclean, but when it happens to a person of weak conscience, it makes the toucher unclean. That this matter is not unclean in nature was demonstrated by the founder of the law, Moses, who carried the dead Joseph with him, and yet remained clean. Therefore, Paul, speaking about such uncleanness, which does not come from nature, but from the weakness of the conscience, says this: “Nothing is bad in itself: just to the one who thinks that it is bad to be” (Rom. 14:14). Do you see that uncleanness does not come from the nature of things, but from the weakness of the mind? And again: “Everything is pure, but evil is a stumbling block for anyone who eats” (Rom. 14:20). Do you see that it is not eating, but tempting eating that causes impurity? 3. Such filth was cleansed by Jewish washing; and the washing with grace does not cleanse such uncleanness, but actual uncleanness, which produces great defilement along with the body and in the soul: it makes clean not those who have touched dead bodies, but those who have touched dead deeds. Whether someone is a libertine, or a fornicator, or an idolater, or has done any other evil, even if he combines all human vices in himself, but if he enters a pool of water, he will emerge from these Divine streams purer than the rays of the sun. And so that you do not consider this to be an exaggeration, listen to Paul, who speaks about the power of this font: “Do not flatter yourself: neither harlots, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexually prostitutes, nor sodomites, nor covetous people, ... nor drunkards, nor molesters, nor plunderers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). But how does this relate to the above? It is required to show whether the power of the font cleanses all this. Listen to what follows. “And by these things you were not born, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). We promised to show you that those who enter this font are cleansed from all depravity, but our speech showed more, that is, that they become not only pure, but also holy and righteous: he not only said: “washed,” but also: “sanctified” and “justified.” What could be more surprising than this, when justification occurs without work, effort and good deeds? Such is the love of mankind of the Divine gift: it makes people righteous without effort. If the decree of the king, written in a few words, releases those guilty of countless crimes, and raises others to the highest degree of honor, then how much more can the Holy Spirit of God, the Almighty, deliver us from all evil, and grant us great righteousness, and fill us with great boldness. And like a spark that falls into the vast sea, it immediately fades away and, absorbed by the multitude of water, becomes invisible; so all human depravity, plunging into the font of the Divine source, is drowned and disappears faster and easier than that spark. If this font forgives all our sins, then why, you say, is it called not the font of remission of sins or the font of cleansing, but the “bath of rebirth”? Because she not only forgives us our sins, not just cleanses us of sins, but does it in such a way that we are, as it were, born again. Truly, she creates and arranges us again, not forming us again from the earth, but creating us from another element, from the watery nature: she does not simply wash the vessel, but again melts it completely. What is washed, even if it has been thoroughly cleansed, retains traces of its quality and carries the remains of uncleanness; but what is thrown into the furnace and renewed through the flame, having been cleansed of all impurity and being taken out of the furnace, emits the same shine as newly cast things. Just as someone takes a golden statue, soiled by long time, smoke, dust and rust, and pours it over, returning it to us pure and shining; so God, having taken our nature, damaged by the rust of sin, darkened by the great smoke of sins and having lost the beauty that He gave it at the beginning, melts it again, casting it into the waters, as into a furnace, and instead of fire, sending down the grace of the Spirit, and then brings us out from there recreated, renewed and in brilliance not inferior to the rays of the sun, crushing the old man and having arranged a new one, brighter than the previous one. 4. Pointing out this contrition and mysterious cleansing to us, the prophet once said: “Like the vessels of the wicked, I have broken in pieces” (Ps. 2:9). And that we are talking about the faithful here is clearly shown to us by the preceding words: “Thou art My Son,” he says, “I have begotten Thee this day: ask of Me, and I will give Thee the tongues of Thy inheritance, and Thy possession the ends of the earth” (Ps. 2:7–8). Do you see how he mentioned the Church of the Gentiles and pointed to the Kingdom of Christ established everywhere? Then he also says: “I have saved you with a rod of iron,” not heavy, but strong, “like I have crushed the vessels of the wicked.” Here the font appears in a mysterious sense; he didn’t just say: “clay vessels,” but: “scarce vessels.” Understand: broken clay vessels cannot be repaired because they once received hardness in fire; and the vessels of the crafter, only made from clay, but not yet fired, if damaged, can easily take on a different appearance from the artist’s art. Therefore, when speaking about some incorrigible disaster, (God) cites as an example not the vessels of the poor, but an earthen vessel. So, when He wanted to impress upon the prophet and the Jews that He had given the city over to an incorrigible disaster, He commanded them to take an earthen vessel, break it in front of all the people and say: thus the city will perish and be crushed (Jer. 19:10-11). When He wanted to give them good hopes, He brought the prophet to the house of the poor man and did not point out to him a baked clay vessel, but pointed him to an unfired vessel that had fallen from the hands of the poor man, and added, saying: if this poor man, having picked up the fallen vessel, corrected it again, then how much more will I not be able to correct you who are falling (Jer. 18:2-6)? So, God can not only correct us, mortals, through the bath of rebirth, but also, upon accepting the power of the Spirit, bring the fallen to their previous state through sincere repentance. However, now is not the time to tell you about repentance; or better - may there not be a time when you need this healing, but may you forever preserve intact the beauty and lightness that you have now. And in order for you to always maintain it, we’ll talk to you a little about your lifestyle. In this wrestling school, falls are not dangerous for the wrestlers, because there is a fight between their own people and all the exercises are done on the bodies of the teachers. When the time of exploits comes, when the field opens, when spectators gather, when the hero of heroism appears, then it will be necessary either, being careless, to fall and retire with great dishonor, or, having shown zeal, to receive crowns and rewards. So for you, these thirty days are like a certain school of struggle, a time of study and exercise. Let us learn these days to defeat the evil demon, because after Baptism we will have to speak out against it, fight and fight with it. From now on, let us learn his machinations, how cunning he is, from where he can conveniently harm us, so that, upon the onset of exploits, we will not be amazed and embarrassed, seeing his tricks new to ourselves, but, having prepared ourselves through an exercise between ourselves and having studied all his machinations, boldly enter into a fight with him. He usually harms us in all ways, but especially through the tongue and lips. No other member is so suitable for him to deceive and destroy us as an intemperate tongue and an unbridled mouth. This is where many falls happen to us, and through this we fall into grave guilt. Explaining how easy it is to fall through the tongue, someone says: “Many fell with the edge of the sword, but not as one fell with the tongue” (Sir.28:21); and, showing the severity of such a fall, he adds: “to creep on the ground is better than to creep from the tongue” (Sir. 20:18). The meaning of his words is as follows: it is better, he says, to fall and break the body than to utter such a word that destroys our soul. And he not only speaks about falls, but also exhorts us to have great foresight so as not to fall: “For your mouth,” he says, “make a door and a bar” (Sir. 28:29), - not that we prepare doors and bars, but that with great care we keep our tongues from indecent words. And in another place the prophet, showing that with our diligence and before our diligence, we need higher assistance in order to keep this beast inside, and, stretching out his hands to God, says: “Lifting up my hand, the evening sacrifice. Set, O Lord, a guard over my mouth and a door of protection over my mouth” (Ps. 140:2-3). Likewise, the one to whom the admonitions were given before, and he again says: “Who will give me a storehouse in my mouth and a seal of understanding on my lips” (Sir.22:31)? Do you see how each of them is afraid of these falls, cries, gives advice and prays that the language will be carefully preserved? But why, you say, did God give us this member in the beginning if it brings us such destruction? Because it also brings great benefits; and if we made an effort, it would bring only benefit and no harm. Listen to what the one who said the same thing says: “Death and life are in the hand of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:22) 1. And Christ expresses the same thing when he says: “By your words... you have been justified, and by your words you have been condemned” (Matthew 12:37). The tongue is in the middle between one use and another, and you are its master. So the sword lies in the middle: if you use it against your enemies, then it becomes a saving instrument for you; if you strike yourself, then the cause of the defeat is not the property of the iron, but your iniquity. Let's talk about language the same way: it is a sword lying in the middle; sharpen it to expose your sins, and not to strike a blow at your brother. For this reason, God protected him with a double wall, a row of teeth and a fence of lips, so that he would not utter obscene words quickly and imprudently. Keep it behind them; if he does not restrain himself, then subdue him with your teeth, handing over his flesh to them, as if to executioners, and biting him - because it is better for him now to be bitten for his sins than then to thirst for a drop of water and, drying up in fire, not receive relief. And he usually commits many other sins when he slander, blaspheme, swear, slander, swear, and break oaths. 5. But so that, speaking to you today about everything suddenly, we will not burden your mind, we will first offer you one law - to keep yourself from oaths, warning that if you do not avoid oaths, i.e. not only crimes of oath, but if you do not avoid oaths pronounced in just deeds, then we will not talk to you about any other subject. It would be absurd if, while literacy teachers do not teach children another lesson until they see that the first is well imprinted in their memory, we began to teach further to those who cannot accurately retell the previous teaching; this would mean nothing more than pouring water into a leaky barrel. So, so that you do not block our lips, apply great zeal to this subject. Truly, this sin is grave, and very grave: it is very grave because it does not seem grave; That’s why I’m afraid of him, because no one is afraid of him; That is why this disease is incurable because it is not considered a disease. Just as simple conversation is not guilt, so it does not seem to be guilt, but this lawlessness is committed with great audacity; and if anyone begins to condemn, then laughter and a lot of ridicule immediately arises, not at those who are condemned for the oath, but at those who are trying to correct this evil. That is why I am talking at length about this, because I want to pull out the deep root and destroy the long-term evil; I mean not only perjury, but also the most just oaths. But such and such, he will say, is a good man, holding the rank of priesthood, lives very chastely and piously, yet swears? Do not tell me about this good, self-controlled, godly and priestly person; but, if you want, let it be Peter, or Paul, or an Angel descending from Heaven, even then I will not look at the dignity of the person, because I read the law on the oath not of a slave, but of a royal one; and when the royal decree is read, then all dignity of the slaves must be silent. If you can claim that Christ commanded to swear or that Christ does not punish for this, prove it, and I will submit. If He forbids this with such zeal and shows such care about this subject that He puts the one who swears on an equal footing with the evil one: “I sow too much,” i.e. “her” and “neither”, “it is of the devil,” He says (Matthew 5:37), “then why do you present such and such to me? God will pronounce judgment on you, based not on the negligence of slaves like you, but on the dictates of His laws. I commanded, He will say, and it was necessary to obey, and not refer to such and such and not be concerned with the sins of others. If the great David fell into grave sin, then tell me, is it really safe for us to sin? Therefore, we must beware of this and compete only with the virtues of the saints, and where there is negligence and crime of the law, we must flee from there with great care, since we are not dealing with slaves like ourselves, but with the Master, and to Him we will give an account of everything that we have done during our lives. So let us prepare for that judgment; no matter how amazing and great the one who breaks this law is, he will certainly receive the punishment prescribed for the crime, because God is no respecter of persons. How and in what way can this sin be avoided? It is necessary not only to show how serious sin is, but also to give advice on how to avoid it. Do you have a wife, do you have a servant, do you have children, and a friend, and a relative, and a neighbor? Instruct all of them to protect you in this regard. Habit is an important matter; it is difficult to get behind her and protect yourself; it often knocks us down against our will and our consciousness. So, the more you know the power of habit, the more try to free yourself from a bad habit and accustom yourself to another, more useful one. Just as now a bad habit can often carry you away, despite your efforts, fear, caution, care, so when you accustom yourself to the good habit of not swearing, you will never allow yourself to fall into the sin of swearing, despite even your desire and negligence. Habit is truly a great thing: it has the power of nature. Therefore, in order not to work incessantly, let us acquire another habit; Ask for mercy from everyone living and dealing with you, so that he advises and exhorts you to avoid oaths, and denounces you when you find yourself guilty of this. The warning they give you will serve as advice and encouragement for them to the same virtue, since he who condemns another for swearing will not soon fall into this abyss; and frequent oaths are not a small abyss, not only when they concern unimportant subjects, but also when they concern very important subjects. But we, buying vegetables, arguing about two obols, being angry with the servants, and threatening them, call God as a witness in everything. On such subjects, you do not dare to call as a witness in the marketplace even a free person, invested with some ordinary dignity, but if you decide, you will be punished for offense, and you drag the King of Heaven and the Lord of Angels into testimony in a conversation about trade, and about money, and about other trifles: is it possible to endure this? How can we free ourselves from this bad habit? Let us surround ourselves with those guards about whom I spoke, set ourselves a certain time for correction and impose punishment if, after that time, we do not correct ourselves. How much time will be enough for us to do this? I don’t think that people who are very sober, vigilant and vigilantly concerned about their salvation need more than ten days to completely abandon the bad habit of swearing. If, even after ten days, we are caught swearing, we will impose punishment on ourselves and assign the greatest retribution and penalty for the crime. What is the punishment? I do not determine this, but I leave the power of judgment to you. Let us do this with ourselves not only in relation to oaths, but also in relation to other offenses: we will set ourselves time for the most severe punishments, if we ever allow these offenses, so that we can come clean to our Master, get rid of the fire of Gehenna and boldly stand before the Throne of Christ, which may we all be vouchsafed by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom the Father, with the Holy One Spirit, glory forever and ever. Amen. To those preparing for enlightenment, and about wives who adorn themselves with braided hair and gold, and about those who engage in signs or pendants, or spells - that everything is alien to Christianity 1. I came to demand from you, first of all, the fruits of what was said to your love recently, since we speak not so that you only listen, but so that you remember what was said, and show it to us by deeds, or better, not to us, but to God, who knows the secrets of the soul. This is why our teaching is called a catechumen, so that even in our absence it can be proclaimed in your soul. Do not be surprised that we came to demand fruits from the seeds after only ten days: and in the course of one day we can both sow the seeds and reap the harvest, because we set out for exploits, relying not only on our own strength, but also on the help of God. So, those who have learned what was said and put it into practice, let them continue to strive forward; and let those who have not yet begun this good deed begin now, so that by subsequent diligence they may ward off the condemnation of carelessness. Yes, it is possible, even for someone who has been very careless, to compensate for all the loss of past time with increased subsequent diligence. Therefore, says the psalmist: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as if in anger” (Ps. 95:7-8). With these words he exhorts and advises never to despair, but, while we are here, to have good hopes, to stretch forward and strive “for the prize of the high calling of God” (Phil. 3:14). Let us do this and examine the names of this great gift. Just as ignorance of the greatness of the dignity makes those who are honored by it careless, so knowledge makes them grateful and disposes them to greater zeal. On the other hand, it would be shameful and funny, having received such an honor from God, not to know what its names mean. But what am I saying about this gift? If you begin to reflect on the common name of our family, then from here you will receive the greatest lesson and exhortation to virtue. We define this name – “man” – not as the outsiders (pagans) do, but as Divine Scripture commands. Man is not one who has only human hands and feet, and not one who has only reason, but who exercises zeal in piety and virtue. So, listen to what Scripture says about Job: having said that “a man ... lived in the country of Austidia,” it does not describe him with those signs that describe a person externally, and does not say that he had two legs and wide nails, but, combining the distinctive features of his piety, he says: “true, ... righteous, godly, shunning all evil things” (Job. 1: 1), expressing that this and there is a “man”. So another says: “Fear God and keep His commandments, as every man does” (Eccl. 12:13). If the name “man” contains such an exhortation to virtue, then even more so the name “faithful.” You are called faithful because you believe in God and He believes in you, giving justification, sanctification, purity of soul, adoption, the Kingdom of Heaven; He entrusted and provided all this to you, and you, for your part, entrust and provide Him with other things: alms, prayers, chastity and all other virtues. But what am I saying - alms? If you give Him even “a cup of cold water” (Matthew 10:42), and it will not perish for you, but He will faithfully preserve it until that day and reward it with great abundance: then it is amazing that He not only preserves what is entrusted to Him, but also multiplies it with rewards. He commanded you to do the same, according to your strength, with what was entrusted to you: to increase the holiness that you received, to make the righteousness received through Baptism brighter, to show this gift more brilliantly - as Paul did, who with subsequent labors, zeal and zeal multiplied all the benefits he received. And note the care of God: He did not give you everything here, and He did not deprive you of everything, but He gave one thing and promised another. Why didn’t He give everything here? In order for you to show faith in Him, by His promise alone, believing in what has not yet been given. And why, on the other hand, did He not postpone everything until that life, but bestow the grace of the Spirit, and righteousness, and sanctification? In order to make your work easier and, through what has already been given, to arouse good hope for what will happen. That is why you will be called newly enlightened, because you will always have, if you want, a new light that will never fade. Ordinary light, whether we wish it or not, is replaced by darkness, but this sun does not know darkness: “The light shines in the darkness, and darkness cannot comprehend it” (John 1:5). Indeed, the world is not so bright in the rays of the rising sun as the soul that has received the grace of the Spirit is clear and bright. Consider more carefully the nature of things: at night, during darkness, someone, seeing a rope, often mistakes it for a snake, runs away from an approaching friend as if from an enemy, and, hearing some noise, is overcome with fear, and during the day nothing like this happens, but everything appears as it is. The same thing happens with our soul: when descending grace expels darkness from the mind, then we learn the exact meaning of things and for us what previously seemed terrible becomes insignificant. We are no longer afraid of death, having truly learned from this sacred mystery that death is not death, but sleep and temporary tranquility; We are not afraid of poverty, or illness, or anything else like that, having learned that we are moving towards a better life, incorruptible, immortal and free from any such disorder. 2. So, let us no longer cleave to the things of this life, neither to luxurious meals, nor to precious clothing; you have the most important clothing, you have a spiritual table, you have the highest glory, and Christ is everything to you - the table, the clothing, the house, the head, and the root. “For as many as you have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ” (Gal.3:27) - this is how He became your clothing. Do you want to know how He becomes a meal for you? “He eats Me,” He says, “as... I live for the Father’s sake: ... and he will live for My sake” (John 6:57). It also becomes a home for you: “He who eats My Flesh... abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Also by the root: “I am the vine,” He says, “but you are the birth” (John 15:5). He is also your brother, and friend, and Bridegroom: “To whom I say you are servants; You are naturally my friends” (John 15:15, 14). And Paul says: “I have betrothed you to one husband to present a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). And again: “For He was the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). And not only are we His brothers, but also His children: “Behold,” he says, “I am the children whom God has given Me” (Is. 8:18). And not only the children, but also “witness” Him and His “body” (1 Cor. 12:27). But, finding all of the above as if insufficient to express the love and favor that He shows towards us, He offered another, greater and more immediate proof, calling Himself our “head” (Eph. 1:22). Knowing all this, beloved, repay your Benefactor with the best way of life and, imagining the greatness of the Sacrifice, adorn the members of your body. Think about what you are taking with your hand - and never allow it to hit someone, so as not to disgrace the hand that has been awarded such a gift with the sin of beating; Think about what you are accepting with your hand, and keep it clean from covetousness and all theft. Think that you are not only accepting with your hand, but also bringing the Sacrifice closer to your lips, and keep your tongue clean from shameful and offensive words, from blasphemy, perjury and all other similar things, since it is disastrous - that tongue, which serves such terrible Sacraments, is stained with such Blood and has become a golden sword, to turn into an instrument of slander, insults and ridicule; be ashamed of the honor that God has bestowed upon him, and do not humiliate him with the dishonor of sin. Pay attention also to the fact that after the hand and tongue, the heart also partakes of this terrible Sacrament, and never plot against your neighbor, but keep your mind pure from all malicious intent; in the same way you can protect your eyes and ears. Isn’t it absurd after this mysterious voice descending from heaven, i.e. from the Cherubim, to defile your ears with prodigal songs and depraved melodies? Is it not worthy of extreme punishment - with the same eyes with which you contemplate the ineffable and terrible Mysteries, look at harlots and mentally commit adultery? You, beloved, are invited to marriage; Do not enter dressed in dirty clothes, but take clothes suitable for marriage. If people invited to sensual marriages, even if they are the poorest of all, often borrow or buy clean clothes and thus appear to those who invited them, then you, invited to a spiritual marriage and a royal feast, think about what kind of clothes you would need to buy, or better yet, you don’t need to buy, but the Caller Himself gives it to you for free, so that you cannot plead poverty. Keep the clothes that you have received; if you lose it, you will no longer be able to borrow it or buy it, because such clothes are not sold anywhere. Have you heard how those once invited to the Sacrament groaned and beat their chests from remorse? Take care, beloved, that you too someday suffer from this; But how can you not endure it if you do not give up the bad habit of evil? Therefore, I said before, and I say now, and I will not stop saying, that whoever has not corrected his moral shortcomings and has not prepared himself for virtues should not be baptized. This font can forgive past sins; but the fear is not small and the danger is not unimportant, so that we return to them again, and so that healing does not become an ulcer for us. The greater the grace, the more severely those who sin will be punished. 3. So, let us learn from here - not to return to the former vomit (2 Pet. 2:22). And that you need to repent first and leave behind previous vices, and thus begin to grace, about this, listen to what John says, and what the chief of the apostles is about to be baptized. The first says: “Create... fruits worthy of repentance: and do not begin to say within yourself: father of the imams Abraham” (Luke 3:8); and the second said to those who asked him: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). The repentant no longer allows those deeds for which he repented; Therefore, we are commanded to say: “I deny you, Satan,” so that we no longer return to him. As it happens with painters, so let it be now: they, having laid down boards, drawn white lines on them and depicted the royal image, before they paint the true colors, with all their freedom they erase one, and write another instead, correcting errors and redoing what was not done well, but when they finally paint, they no longer have the power to erase and redraw again, otherwise they would damage the beauty of the image and the job would work out bad; Do the same thing: imagine that your soul is an image. So, before the true color of the Spirit is brought upon you, blot out the bad habits that are in you - swearing or lying, or insulting, or using foul language, or making fun, or, if you have the habit of doing something else inappropriate, destroy this habit, so that after Baptism you do not return to it again. The font destroys sins, and you correct your habit, so that when the colors have already been applied and the royal image has shone, you will not erase it and do not put ulcers and scars on the beauty given to you from God. Tame your anger, quench your rage; If someone has harmed or insulted you, mourn him, and do not be annoyed, have compassion, and do not be irritated, and do not say: my soul has been harmed. No one's soul can be harmed by anyone - unless we ourselves harm our soul; I'll tell you how. Has anyone taken your property? He did not harm your soul, but your money; if you bear a grudge, then you yourself will harm your soul. The money taken does not cause her any harm, but is still beneficial; and you, without leaving anger, will give account there for this rancor. Has anyone slandered or insulted you? He did not cause any harm to your soul, or even to your body; and if, on the contrary, you began to slander and insult him, then you yourself caused harm to your soul, since you will have to give an account of the words that you spoke. This is what I especially want to impress upon you—that it is the soul of a Christian and believer that no one can harm, not even the devil himself. And not only is it amazing that God has made us inaccessible to all intrigues, but also that He has made us capable of performing virtues, despite any obstacles, if only we want it - whether we are poor or weak in body, or rejected, or ignorant, or slaves. Neither poverty, nor illness, nor bodily injury, nor slavery, nor anything like that can ever be an obstacle to virtue. But what do I say about the poor, and the slave, and the lowly? Even if you were a prisoner, this does not serve as an obstacle to virtue for you; but how, I’ll tell you. Did any of your roommates upset or irritate you? Leave your anger on him; do bonds, and poverty, and a humiliated state prevent you from doing this? And what am I saying: they interfere? They even help and contribute to curbing self-conceit. Do you see another prosperous? Do not envy: here too poverty is not an obstacle. Also, when you need to pray, do it with a sober and cheerful mind, and there will be no obstacle. Show all meekness, chastity and sedateness - and for this you do not need external help. The greatness of virtue especially lies in the fact that it has no need for wealth, power, fame, or anything else like that, but only a sanctified soul, and does not require anything more. Look: the same thing happens with grace; Whether someone is lame, or has no eyes, or is crippled in body, or is extremely weak in health, grace finds no obstacles to coming to any of them; it requires only one soul, which accepts it with zeal, and leaves everything external aside. From worldly warriors, in order to enroll them in the army, both a certain measure of growth and physical health are required; and not only does one who intends to become a warrior need to have this, but he also needs to be free, and whoever is in a slave state is rejected; The Heavenly King does not demand anything of the kind, but accepts slaves, elders, and paralyzed members into His army, and is not ashamed of anyone. What could be more humane than this? What is more merciful? He demands only what depends on us. Slavery and freedom do not depend on us; also high and low stature, old age and blooming age, and all the like, are not in our power; but to be meek and kind, and the like, depends on our will. God demands from us only what is in our power; and this is very natural, because He does not call us for His own need, but for our good, to His grace, while kings call us to serve themselves; Moreover, they lead to a sensual war, and He leads to a spiritual fight. And not only in external wars, but also in military struggles one can see the same example. Those who intend to go to this spectacle do not begin their feats before the herald, having taken them, circles them in a circle before the eyes of everyone, exclaiming and saying: does anyone accuse him? Meanwhile, the struggle there is not spiritual, but physical; Why demand proof of nobility? But here there is nothing like that, on the contrary, since the art of fighting for us depends not on hand-to-hand combat, but on the wisdom of the soul and the valor of the mind. Here the Manager of the exploits does the opposite; He does not take the ascetic, does not circle him and does not say: is anyone accusing him, but cries out: even if all people, even if demons and the devil appear and accuse him of extreme and heinous crimes, I do not reject him and do not turn away, but, delivering him from his accusers and freeing him from vices, I lead him to exploits. And this is how it should be, because there the Director of exploits is a comrade-in-arms and assistant in the exploits of piety, assisting the ascetics in the fight against the devil. 4. And not only is it surprising that He releases to us, but also that He does not reveal them, does not make them obvious and generally known, does not force us to go out into the middle and declare our sins, but commands us to give an account to Him alone and confess to Him. If any of the worldly judges had invited one of the caught robbers or grave diggers to tell their crimes and thus get rid of punishment, they would have accepted it with all willingness, despising shame for the sake of their salvation. But here nothing like that happens, but God forgives sins and does not force them to be declared in the presence of others, but demands only one thing, that the one receiving the remission himself should know the greatness of the gift. Therefore, isn’t it absurd that while He, benefiting us, is content with our testimony alone, we, while serving Him, try to have others as witnesses of this and do other things for show? So, marveling at His condescension, let us do our due, and above all else, let us curb the intemperance of the tongue and not speak incessantly, for “by speaking too much you will not escape sin” (Proverbs 10:19). If you have something useful to say, then open your lips; if there is nothing necessary, then remain silent; this is better. Are you a craftsman? Sing psalms while sitting. But don't you want to sing with your lips? Make it a thought. Psalm is a great interlocutor; from this you will not be exposed to anything dangerous, but you will also sit in the workshop as in a monastery, because it is not the convenience of the places, but the severity of morals that gives us peace. So Paul, while doing needlework in the workshop, did not suffer any harm to his virtue. So, do not say: how can I, a craftsman and a poor man, be wise? This is why you can especially philosophize that for piety poverty is more suitable for us than wealth and activity is more suitable for idleness, and for the inattentive, wealth even serves as an obstacle. When you need to tame anger, extinguish envy, curb rage, perform prayer, show modesty and meekness, goodwill and love, then can poverty be an obstacle? To achieve this, you need not to waste silver, but to show good will. Alms especially need money, but it also shows up in greater splendor in poverty; Thus, the one who put two obols 2 was the poorest of all people, but she surpassed everyone (Luke 21:2-4). So, let us not consider wealth as something great and let us not think that gold is better than dirt; the dignity of a substance depends not on its natural properties, but on our opinion of it. Whoever examines carefully will find that iron is much more necessary than gold, since the latter has no application to life, while the former brings us much benefit, helping us in countless crafts. But why do I make a comparison between iron and gold? Even simple stones are more needed than precious ones, since nothing useful can be made from the latter, but houses, walls, and cities are made from the former. Show me what benefit pearls can have, or better yet, what harm there can be from them? In order for you to carry one such grain, thousands of poor people are starving; What excuse will you find, what forgiveness? Do you want to decorate your face? Decorate it not with pearls, but with chastity and modesty; then it will be more pleasant for your husband to look at you. That decoration usually gives rise to jealousy, enmity, disagreement and quarrels - and there is nothing more unpleasant than the face of a suspect - but decoration with alms and chastity removes every bad thought and binds the spouse more tightly than any bonds. It is not so much nature that makes a face beautiful as the disposition of the person looking at it; and favor is usually acquired by nothing more than chastity and modesty. Thus, even if the wife was beautiful, if the husband feels hatred towards her, then she will seem to him the most vile of all; on the contrary, even if she was not beautiful, if her husband is disposed towards her, then she will seem to him the most beautiful of all, because opinion depends not on the natural properties of what is visible, but on the disposition of those who see. So, decorate your face with chastity, modesty, almsgiving, philanthropy, love, friendliness to your husband, meekness, humility, patience - these are the colors of virtue; with them you will attract the love of not only people, but also Angels; God Himself will praise you for them; when God favors you, then, of course, He will bind your husband to you. If “a man’s wisdom enlightens his face” (Eccl. 8:1), then how much more will the wife’s virtue enlighten her face. If you consider your jewelry great, then tell me, what benefit will these pearls be to you on that day? And is it necessary to talk about the day when all this can be shown in relation to the present? Thus, when some, accused of insulting the king, were brought to the court and were exposed to extreme danger, then their mothers and wives, taking off their necklaces and gold things, and pearls, and all ornaments, and golden clothes, and putting on simple and poor clothes, covering themselves with ashes and prostrating themselves before the doors of the court, thus bowed down (to the mercy) of the judges. If, in these courts, gold jewelry, pearls and multi-colored clothing could change and betray, and modesty, meekness, ashes, tears and poor clothes are more likely to sway the judges, then all the more will this be at that incorruptible and Last Judgment. What answer, tell me, will you be able to give, what justification, when the Lord begins to condemn you for these pearls and brings you into the midst of the poor who died of hunger? Therefore, Paul said: “Not with wickerwork, or gold, or beads, or costly garments” (1 Tim. 2:9), since on this side there can be treason; and even if we constantly used them, then at death in any case we will lose them. On the contrary, virtue provides all security; it does not change or disappear, but here it makes us safer, and it accompanies us there. Do you want to buy pearls and never lose this wealth? Take all the decorations and transfer them through the poor into the hands of Christ. He will save all your wealth for you, and when your body is resurrected with great lordship, then He will give you better wealth and greater adornment than the present - insignificant and ridiculous. Think about who you want to please and for whom you are putting on this decoration - so that the ropemaker, coppersmith and shopkeeper, looking at you, will be surprised? And you are not ashamed and do not blush, showing yourself to those whom you do not consider worthy even of your greeting, and doing all this for them? How can you despise all this imaginary splendor? If you remember the words you uttered during the celebration of the Sacrament: “I deny you, Satan, both your pride and your service.” The passion for decorating with precious stones is satanic pride. You received gold not to bind your body with it, but to free and feed the poor. So, repeat more often: “I deny you, Satan.” There is nothing more reliable than this saying if we justify it by our actions. 5. Know this too, you who intend to receive the Sacrament, I ask you, because this saying is an agreement with the Lord. Just as we, when buying slaves, ask those who are being sold in advance whether they wish to serve us, so does Christ: intending to accept you into service. He asks in advance whether you want to leave that fierce and cruel tyrant, and accepts contractual terms from you, because His power is not combined with coercion. And look at (God’s) love for mankind! Before we give the payment, we ask those who are selling, and when we find out their desire, then we give the payment; but Christ is not so, but He has already given the price for all of us, His precious Blood - “at the price,” says (the apostle), “the purchase of nature” (1 Cor. 7:23), - and yet He does not force those who do not want to serve Him; If you don’t want to, He says, and you voluntarily don’t want to sign up for My service, I don’t force or force. Moreover, we do not at all dare to buy bad slaves, but if we do decide, we buy them with a bad intention and give such a price for them; and Christ, redeeming ungrateful and lawless slaves, paid a price for them as for the best slave, even much greater, so much greater that neither word nor thought can imagine its greatness - after all, He did not give heaven and earth and sea, but - what is more precious than all this - He paid with His Blood and thus redeemed us; and after all this, He does not require from us either witnesses or manuscripts, but is content with one saying, and if you say from your heart: “I deny you, Satan, and your pride,” then He received everything. Therefore, let us say: “I deny you, Satan,” let us say so, as those who are there on that day will give an account of these words, and we will observe them, so that this pledge will then be returned intact; and satanic pride consists of spectacles, horse races and every sin, also observation of days, divination and omens. What, you say, are omens? Sometimes someone, leaving his house, sees a one-eyed or lame person, and takes this for a bad omen. This is satanic pride, since it is not meeting a person that makes a bad day, but living a sinful life. Therefore, when you go out, beware of one thing only, lest you encounter sin; sin exposes us to fall, and without it the devil will not be able to harm us at all. What are you saying? Do you see a person and take this as an omen, but do not you see the network of the devil, how he arms you against someone who has not done you any harm, how he makes you an enemy of your brother without any just cause? God commanded to love your enemies, but you turn away from someone who has not offended you in any way, not knowing what to blame him for, and don’t you think how funny, how shameful, and even more, how dangerous it is? Should I say something else, something funnier? I am ashamed and blushing, but I am forced to say for your salvation. If a girl meets, they say: the day will be barren; and if he meets a harlot, then he is happy, good and very profitable. Do you close yourself off, hit yourself on the forehead and lower your gaze to the ground? But this must be done not when words are spoken, but when deeds are done. Look here too how the devil covers up his intrigues so that we turn away from a chaste woman and welcome and love a depraved one. Since he heard the words of Christ: “Everyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28), and saw that many overcame intemperance, he, wanting to lead them into sin again in another way, inspired them through such a sign to look with pleasure at depraved women. What can we say about those who use spells and pendants and tie copper coins of Alexander the Great to their heads and feet? Are our hopes, tell me, such that after the Cross and the death of the Lord we should place the hope of salvation in the image of a pagan king? Don't you know what the Cross has done? He destroyed death, suppressed sin, abolished hell, crushed the power of the devil - and is he really not worthy of faith in relation to bodily health? He restored the entire universe - and you don’t trust in him? What, tell me, are you worthy of? And not only do you use pendants, but also incantations, bringing old women drunk and out of their minds into your house, and you are not ashamed and do not blush, after such wisdom, clinging to such deeds? And this is what is most difficult in this seduction: when we exhort and reject it, those who think to justify themselves say that the woman speaking in this way is a Christian and does not pronounce anything other than the name of God. But that’s why I especially hate her and turn away from her, because she uses the name of God to insult Him, because she, calling herself a Christian, commits pagan deeds. And the demons pronounced the name of God, but remained demons; and they said to Christ: “We know You who You are, the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:24), and yet He rebuked them and drove them out. Therefore, I exhort you to be clean from this deception and to have this saying with you, like a rod. Just as none of you would dare to go out into the square without shoes and clothes, so never go out into the square without this saying, but when you intend to cross the threshold of the entryway, then say these words in advance: “I deny you, Satan, both your pride and your service; and I am united with You, Christ,” and never go out without this saying; it will be for you a rod, a weapon, and an invincible stronghold. Along with these words, draw a cross on your forehead; then not only the person you meet, but also the devil himself will not be able to harm you, seeing you everywhere with this weapon. Master all this for yourself from now on, so that when you receive the seal, you will be a ready warrior and, having won victory over the devil, receive the crown of righteousness, which may we all be worthy of by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. Amen. St. John Chrysostom attributes these words to Jesus, son of Sirach. “two mites” (Luke 21:2) – Editorial “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: