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Matthew 19:5. “And he said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh,” “The love of the Lord is greater than the love of a mother. My mother carried me in her womb and brought me into the world by God’s dispensation, then she began to feed me, caress me, and carry me in her arms; when I became able to walk on my own, then she left me to carry me in her arms and even earlier stopped feeding me with her nipples. The Lord always, so to speak, carries me in His womb: whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, He says, and I am in him [Jn. 6:56] or: since you are neither warm nor cold, the imam will vomit you from my mouth [Apoc. 3:16] 5, always carries me in His arms: in My hands your walls were written, and you are always before Me [Isa. 49:16 ]; bearing all things with the verb of His power [Heb. 1:3 ]; He is my strength, my peace, my sweetness and joy, the light of my mind and heart; He constantly nourishes me, like a mother with breasts, with the various products of the earth. He is my strong food and inexhaustible drink [akaf. Iis. Sladch., ikos 10]. Parents leave us and we them according to their age, for it is said: a man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife [Matt. 19:5 ] (either in the proper sense understood, or in a figurative sense - to Christ, Who is the highest and holiest love, more than a loving wife). The Lord, from the beginning of our existence until our death, does not leave us for a minute (you are always before Me), every moment providing for us, like a cocosh for his chicks. He is our hope even in our death, He is our consolation at His judgment, He will not put us to shame even then [akaf. Iis. Sladch., ikos 5], and will lead us into the eternal abodes of the Kingdom of Heaven” [5, vol. 2, 383]. Matthew 19:11. “He said to them, “Not everyone can receive this word, but to those who have been given it,” Matthew 19:12. “For there are eunuchs who were born like this from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who are castrated from people; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever can accommodate, let him contain.” “When praying, adhere to the rule that it is better to say five words from the heart than ten thousand words with the tongue. When you notice that your heart is cold and reluctant to pray, stop, warm your heart with some living idea, for example, of your wretchedness, your spiritual poverty, poverty and blindness, or the idea of ​​God’s great, moment-to-moment blessings to you and to the human race, especially to Christians, and then pray slowly, with a warm feeling; even if you don’t have time to read all the prayers in time, there is no problem, and you will receive incomparably more benefit from warm and unhurried prayer than if you read all the prayers, but hastily, without sympathy. I would rather speak five words with my mind than ten thousand words with my tongue [1 Cor. 14:19]. But it would be very good, of course, if we could say a thousand words in prayer with due sympathy. The Lord does not leave those who work for Him and who stand before Him for a long time; they measure in every measure, He also measures and, according to the abundance of the true words of their prayer, sends into their soul an abundance of spiritual light, spiritual warmth, peace and joy. It is good to pray long and unceasingly, but not everyone can receive this word, but to them it has been given to eat, let him who can receive it receive it [Matt. 19:11, 12]. For those who cannot endure long prayers, it is better to say short prayers, but with a warm soul” [5, vol. 1, 127]. “Some put all their well-being and service before God in reading all the prescribed prayers, not paying attention to the readiness of the heart for God, to their internal correction; for example, many read the rule for communion this way. Meanwhile, here, first of all, we must look at the correction and readiness of the heart to accept St. Tyne; if your heart has become right in your womb, by the grace of God, if it is ready to meet the Bridegroom, then thank God, although you did not have time to read all the prayers. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (1 Cor. 4:20). It is good to obey the mother of the Church in everything, but with prudence, and if possible, let him accommodate - long prayer - let him accommodate. But not everyone can comprehend this word (Matthew 19:11); if prolonged prayer is incompatible with fervor of the spirit, it is better to say a short but fervent prayer. Remember that one word of the publican, spoken from a warm heart, justified him. God does not look at the multitude of words, but at the disposition of the heart. The main thing is the living faith of the heart and the warmth of repentance for sins” [5, vol. 2, 596]. “The third is prevented from going to the Supper of the Kingdom of Heaven by his wife: I got married, she says, and therefore I cannot come (Luke 14:20). But why does the wife interfere with the salvation of the soul? Because he who gets married cares about the things of the world, how to please his wife (1 Cor. 7:33), and not about the Lord’s things, not about pleasing the Lord most of all. A married person connects his will with the will of his wife: what kind of will is this? ABOUT! Experience says that the will of a spouse is often contrary to both the will of the spouse and the will of God: deign to please your beloved spouse and, out of love for her, break the commandments of God, deign to drink with her the cup of earthly vanity to the dregs and refuse the Supper of God; but no - if you do not want to serve vanity with her and destroy your soul, she will deprive you of her love: and strife and strife will ensue. Oh! How many married people are really forced to say to the Lord, who invites us into His Eternal Kingdom: I got married and therefore cannot come (Luke 14:20). I can’t come: because I have to please my wife, her desires and whims, which for me have become a law. So why not get married, some will say? No, no one says this: not everyone can comprehend this word, but to them it is given to eat; He who is able to contain, let him contain (Matthew 19:11, 12). Please your wife, but not in that which harms the salvation of your soul, but not in that which is contrary to the will of God. As the head of your wife, know how to stand above your wife’s whims and yourself direct her desires to the heavenly world, not the earthly one” [9, 343]. Matthew 19:13. “Then the children were brought to Him, so that He could lay His hands on them and pray; the disciples rebuked them.” Matthew 19:14. “But Jesus said, Let the little children come, and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:15. “And he laid his hands on them and went away from there.” “Next - about two debtors. Ch. 19, 13–15. Then the children were brought to Him so that He could lay His hands on them and pray; the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said: Let the little children come and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for to such is the Kingdom of Heaven. And he laid his hands on them and went from there. (Matthew 19:13–15) That’s who will easily get the Kingdom of Heaven – innocent children, if they, not spoiled by the stifling breath of the world, pass into the next century pure and simple” [1, 81]. Matthew 19:16. “And behold, someone came up and said to Him: Good Teacher! What good thing can I do to have eternal life?” Matthew 19:17. “He said to him: Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. If you want to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:18. “He said to Him: which ones? Jesus said: Do not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; don't steal; do not bear false witness;" Matthew 19:19. “Honor your father and mother; and: love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 19:20. “The young man said to Him: I have kept all this from my youth; what else am I missing? Matthew 19:21. “Jesus said to him: If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.” Matthew 19:22. “When the young man heard this word, he went away sad, because he had great possessions.” Matthew 19:23. “Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:24. “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:25. “When His disciples heard this, they were greatly amazed and said, “Who then can be saved?” Matthew 19:26. “And Jesus looked up and said to them, “This is impossible for men.” With God everything is possible.” “Believe strictly and hope to receive from the Lord everything good for the creation of your neighbor or everything that is good for salvation. Don’t hesitate and don’t doubt for a moment that you can get what you ask for. All things are possible for the Lord, and all things are possible for him who believes, and hope does not put him to shame [Cf.: Matt. 19:26 ; Mk. 9:23; Mk. 10:27 ; Rome. 5:5]. Only unbelief, lack of hope in our hearts shames us” [5, vol. 2, 603]. “Remember that man is a great, dear creature to God, but this great creature, after falling into sin, is a weak creature, subject to thousands of weaknesses; love him, honor him, but also endure his infirmities, weaknesses, passions, and actions. - Love your sincere one - a sinner, a sinner - as you love yourself [Matt. 19:19]. – Bear the infirmities of the weak, and thus fulfill the law of Christ [Cf.: Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2]. These words are great: think about them more deeply. They mean the same as the words of the Lord’s Prayer: we forgive our debtors” [5, vol. 2, 605]. “When you pray loudly or silently for others, for example, for your family or for strangers, although they did not ask you, pray for them with the same warmth and zeal as you pray for yourself. Remember the commandment of the law: You shall love your true self as yourself [Matt. 19:19 (Matthew 22:39); Wed: Lev. 19:18]. In all cases, observe this, that is, love your neighbor as you love yourself. Do not be deceitful before the Lord, testing the hearts and bellies with him [Jer. 11:20 (Apoc. 2:23 6; Ps. 7:10)], may He not despise your prayer as vain and false” [5, vol. 2, 593]. “One cannot help but marvel at the simplicity of heart, impartiality to earthly goods of the Galilean fishermen and their unconditional submission to the voice of the Lord. A few words from the Savior - and they leave their treasures, their only wealth, their best treasure, and follow Him without reasoning - where or for what. What simplicity! what detachment from earthly goods! what childish obedience! what easy access the word of the Divine Messiah has to simple hearts! No sooner said than done! Such are many of the simple people who live in labor and low lot; but the rich are not like that: what do we see in one of them, to whom the Lord invited him to sell his property and follow Him? He did not follow Him, but after his wealth... He left, it is said, grieving [Matt. 19:22]" [5, vol. 2, 584]. "Version 23. Jesus said to His disciples: Verily I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven; and again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. When His disciples heard this, they were greatly amazed and said: So who can be saved? And Jesus, looking up, said to them: With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:23–26) This means that the Lord can easily save a rich man, although for people it seems impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, when this entrance is as narrow for him as the ears of a needle are for a rope. But a rope, it is said, can pass through the eye of a needle more easily than a rich man can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, Lord, everything is possible for You, but nothing is possible for You. This comforts me. I believe that Your goodness, wisdom and omnipotence will find means to save me, a sinner” [1, 82]. “There is a beginningless, personal Being, whose name is Being (I Am) and Who cannot not exist. It gave both being and existence to every thing in the world, and the world itself received its being from Him. It created all beings as being, in a word, in one word: let there be light, and there was light; let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and a firmament appeared (Gen. 1:3–6); and so on and so forth, until everything proposed in the Creator's intention came into its position and solid existence. This personal, beginningless Being, which we call God, as an all-good and all-powerful Being, could give a person a secondary moral existence when he lost it by free will, and called it rebirth in the Holy Gospel (See Matt. 19:26). But the gift of re-existence to man came at a very high price - it was bought at the price of the terrible suffering of the God-man Creator and the Blood shed on the cross and His death: bought at a price (1 Cor. 6:20), you will not be slaves of man. You were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver and gold, from the vain life handed down to you from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as an immaculate and pure Lamb (1 Pet. 1:18–19). Do we value this? Do we appreciate this sacrifice of Christ” [6, 62]. “If any proud thoughts and self-pleasure are crowding into your heart, then say to yourself: we, sinful people, have absolutely nothing to be proud of, nothing to boast about before God and before people: every good disposition, every good deed we have from God, and that it is not from ourselves, but from God, the proof of this is that we ask God for it in prayer sometimes after a prolonged bad disposition of our soul; and if we have good dispositions from our parents by nature, that is, at birth, then we have nothing more to boast about: because every good in nature is the good of God; They praise a person’s kind heart - but what does our kind heart mean? A temporary flash of kindness, a temporary display of some relative good, but in fact our heart is always unclean, which means it is not full of sincere love for God and our neighbor, which means it is not good. The word is true that no one is good, only one God (Matthew 19:17) - Triune Goodness, and we are as good as we are illuminated by the Triune Goodness" [8, 197]. “In this Gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ solves an important question proposed to Him by a rich young man: what should I do to inherit eternal life (cf. Matthew 19:16)? The Lord points him to the commandments given to people from God through Moses, moreover, to the commandments about love for neighbors, bypassing the commandments regarding the Lord God Himself, of course, because love for God is based on love for neighbors, and without love for one’s neighbor it is impossible to love God: for he who does not love his brother, whom he sees, how can he love God, whom he does not see? - says the holy Apostle John the Theologian (1 John 4:20). So, the Lord says to the rich young man: if you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments, namely: do not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; don't steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother; and: love your neighbor as yourself (cf. Matthew 19:17–19)” [9, 232]. “So, it is necessary to dwell on these commandments and go deeper into their meaning in order to see all the necessity and benefit of their fulfillment and the breadth of their application to life. The first word is said: do not kill (Matthew 19:18); it means many other similar commands, namely: do not offend; do not be irritated, do not be hostile, do not be angry, do not fight; do not be hateful: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,” says the apostle (1 John 3:15); do not be impudent in word or hand; do not be hard-hearted towards the poor and stingy; do not torment your assistants with backbreaking labor; save the dying if you can, for example, the hungry, the drowning, do not exhaust yourself with backbreaking labor or ruin your health with passions and vices; do not tempt others and do not betray to the devil the souls redeemed by the priceless Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the broad meaning of this commandment. Further, the Lord says: do not commit adultery (Matthew 19:18) not only in deed, but also in thought, unclean sight, lust; give up all lustful dreams and imagination, and everything that leads to adultery: delicacy, satiety and drunkenness; immodest, seductive conversations, reading immodest, seductive books; immodest treatment of persons of the opposite sex, immodest paintings, etc. And one view of a woman with lust is already adultery, according to the word of the Savior (cf. Matthew 5:28). Try for the purity of thoughts and feelings, for the purity of morals of yourself and your neighbors, your children and servants, subordinates and everyone with whom you have connections and close relationships. It further says: do not steal (Matthew 19:18); here of course not only theft, but also parasitism, and bribery, or bribery, and extortion, or the ruinous interest for the poor that the lender takes, and various unjust gains, the acceptance of things known to be stolen; a ruinous game of cards, through which the gambler steals money or family property from his parents and relatives, or from his wife and children, or simply from himself; and, finally, the one who does not give alms to the poor, having every opportunity to do so, for the Lord gives excesses to help the poor; If someone who is sufficient does not do this, then he steals the property of his neighbors and conceals the gift of God. Further the Lord says: do not bear false witness (Matthew 19:18), or slander your neighbor; for from slander, condemnation, slander, ridicule and false testimony, people suffer very much, they are deprived of their good name, sympathy, they are persecuted, oppressed, deprived of a place of service and means of living, and sometimes, not having the strength to endure the slander, they take their own lives. Because of false witness and slander, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was brought to the Cross and the most blasphemous death. A terrible evil - slander! And the holy prophet king prays to God to deliver him from slander: deliver me from human slander, and I will keep Your commandments (Ps. 119:134). Honor your father and mother (Matthew 19:19), it goes on to say. For respect for parents, the Lord promises prosperity and longevity in this life and eternal bliss in the future. We owe our lives to our parents and, for the most part, our very upbringing, at least the initial one, and, it would seem, there is nothing easier and more natural than to honor our parents. Meanwhile, in reality, especially in the present time, the opposite is often the case: children are burdened by their parents, deny them due respect, are rude to them and insult them to their faces, they never consider their love, cares and concerns that were about them for anything; do not help them, do not support them in poverty, old age and illness. But woe to them if they do not come to their senses, they will suffer no good in this life, and eternal torment in the life to come: troublemakers, says the apostle, will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:10). Love your neighbor as yourself, says the commandment (Matthew 19:19), that is, take care of him as you take care of yourself; wish him the same as you wish for yourself; do with him the same way as you would like to be treated with you; pray for him the same way as for yourself, for the living or for the dead; do something good and useful for him, just as you do for yourself: for we are all children of one Father - God, redeemed by one Blood; Children of one mother - the Church, we all await a common Kingdom. These are the commandments that lead to eternal life! The young man boasted that he had kept all these commandments, but in reality it turned out that he was far from achieving perfection in fulfilling them: for with all his heart he was attached to wealth and, therefore, did not sincerely love either God or his neighbor; for the Lord says, and experience confirms, that it is impossible to work for God and wealth, just as it is impossible to serve two masters (cf. Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). He departed from the Savior with sadness when the Lord, for the sake of his perfection, offered to sell his property and give it to the poor, for he saw that it was binding his spiritual feet. That is why the Lord said that it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, more difficult than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (cf. Matthew 19:23, 24). But what is difficult and impossible for people is convenient for God: for God can make a rich man merciful, just as many of the rich are truly merciful, and he can make a rich man virtuous and an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven, if he does not resist the will of God, but diligently fulfills it. Here is the interpretation for today's Gospel. Remember, and try to fulfill it according to your strength. Amen" [9, 234]. “The Lord says to you in the Gospel: if you want to be taken into eternal life, love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and your neighbor as you do yourself (Matt. 19:17; Matt. 22:37, 39; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5). You say: teach me how to love God and my neighbor? And here’s how: The Lord said: if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word (John 14:23), or: if you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15). And His commandment is this: I command you this, that you love one another (John 15:17)” [10, 171]. "Mariam kept all these verbs, composing them in Her heart (Luke 2:19). What do you call Me: Lord, Lord, and do not do the things I say (Luke 6:46), says the Lord. - But the Lady was the first to keep the verbs of the Lord, composing them in Her heart. If you want to be taken into the belly, keep the commandments, said the Lord to one lawyer (Matt. 19:17). The Most Holy Virgin Mary, as can be seen from the above words of the Evangelist, had an always wonderful mood of spirit - to keep all the verbs, all the commandments of God, placing them in Her heart (Luke 2:19). Is it the deepest, purest Humility to be guided in anything by one’s own, and not by the Divine will? - Truly not. - Composing in one’s heart. - O wonderful custom - composing the words of God in the depths of the heart! it's full! But do we, brethren, keep all the words of God, laying them down in our hearts? It is easy to say: keep all the verbs of God, but it is not easy for us, many sinners, proud, who willingly do the will of our flesh and our thoughts (cf. Eph. 2:3), to fulfill the verbs of God. And who among us can boast that he keeps all the verbs, all the commandments of God, laying them down in his heart? “There is hardly one such person among us, and in all likelihood there won’t be.” And can we, without great faith in the Lord, without firm hope in Him and the most zealous love for Him, keep the words of God, putting them in our hearts, when our hearts are devoted not to the Lord, but to the world, to the many different worldly concerns and the vanity of the world, when there is no place in our hearts for the words of God? - ABOUT! How unclean and many sinners we are, unworthy and insignificant before the Lady Theotokos, whose whole heart was given to the Lord without reserve, who loved Him as Son and God, with all her soul, with all her heart, with all her strength and with all her mind (cf. Matt. 22:37; Deut. 6:5). Therefore, in retribution of such faith and love, the Trinitarian God forever sanctified and adorned and glorified Her, becoming Her fullness, One Spirit with Her (cf.: 1 Cor. 6:17), as She gave herself entirely to Him” [10, 463]. "God! grant me wisdom, strength, patience to love my neighbor as myself, according to Your commandment [Wed: Matt. 19:19 ]; Grant that you can overcome your neighbor’s pride with humility, anger with goodness, envy with goodwill, shamelessness with chastity, and covetousness with selflessness. Grant me to pray internally for my enemies, to feel sorry for them, but not to have the slightest evil against them, not to take revenge on them either in thought, or intention, or word, or deed, for this is usually the last thing for our corrupt hearts” [12, 22]. Matthew 19:27. “Then Peter answered and said to Him: Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what will happen to us? Matthew 19:28. Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the rebirth, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:29. “And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:30. “But many who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.” "Verses 27-30. Peter answered and said to Him: Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what will happen to us? Jesus said to them: Verily I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or land, for the sake of My name, he will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But the first will be last, and the last will be first. They have left everything - that is, not only the fishing nets and their most insignificant state, but especially the passions, desires, inclinations and habits of the world. word: re-being, that is, secondary being. Each person will have two beings, two lives: one temporary, and the other eternal and infinite. Eternal life will be completely different from this temporary, planetary life; we inherit it after death, which serves as the end of our earthly existence, and that is why it is called rebirth. The apostles are appointed as judges for the twelve tribes of Israel in accordance with their concepts of the Kingdom of the Messiah. What a multitude of defendants! The entire nation of Israel, from the time of its division into twelve tribes and destined to exist until the end of the world, will come to the judgment of the twelve fishermen. But this is not what awaits the faithful followers of Christ, who sacrifice for the Lord everything that is dear to them in this life. They will receive a hundred times (it is said vaguely) more than what they left, and in addition will inherit a blessed eternity. That life will be different in everything from the present: many who were first here will be last there. Here, primacy depends on merit to the king and society, on origin, on brilliant natural talents, on an adventurous character, on cunning, cunning and other conditions. It won't happen there. Whose moral perfection is higher than others, he will be higher, he will prevail. On earth, and primacy, so to speak, is earthly, elemental, determined by the conditions of life on this planet on which we live, where untruth often sets its throne and where external virtues often take precedence over internal ones” [1, 82]. “There is no one who will leave deception and all sorts of delicacies and all addiction of the heart to the blessings of this world for the sake of the Lord and for the sake of a warm and worthy conversation with Him in prayer and will not receive a hundredfold (cf. Matthew 19:29) more than food and all other (imaginary) earthly pleasures of the heart” [8, 393]. “Who knows, maybe the soul of a beggar is sometimes higher in the eyes of God than all of us and, like gold in a furnace, shines before Him. This is hidden from us. Let us not despise any of them, despite their sometimes unseemly appearance. Let us leave the Judgment to God, and we will condemn ourselves for various passions and addictions, for excess in food, drink, clothing, room decoration, etc. This will be much more useful. Let us not forget the following words of Jesus Christ: once upon a time the many will be first and last, and the last will be first (Matthew 19:30). May these words humble our pride and inspire each of us to take care of acquiring poverty of spirit, that is, humility, for blessed are the poor in spirit: for of them is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3). Amen" [9, 361]. Open 3 – approx. email editors. Open 2 – approx. email editors. You might be interested in: