Слово 1. Об отречении от жития мирского

1. Of all the venerable creatures created by the good and most good and all-good God and King (for it is fitting for a word to be addressed to the servants of God), intelligent and with the dignity of autocracy, some are His friends, others are true slaves, some are indecent slaves, others are completely alien to Him, and others, finally, although weak, nevertheless resist Him. And His friends, O sacred Father, as we weak-minded believe, are actually intelligent and incorporeal beings surrounding Him; His true servants are all those who unlaxly and unremittingly fulfill His will, and the indecent ones are those who, although they were worthy of baptism, did not keep the vows given at it as they should. By the name of those who are alien to God and His enemies one should understand the infidels, or evil-believers (heretics); and the opponents of God are those who not only did not accept and rejected the commandments of the Lord, but also strongly armed themselves against those who fulfilled them. 2. Each of the above states requires a special and decent word; but for us ignoramuses, in the present case it is not useful to expound this at length. So let us now hasten to fulfill the command of the true servants of God, who piously compelled us and convinced us by their faith; in undoubted 11 obedience we will stretch out our unworthy hand and, having accepted the reed of the word from their own mind, we will dip it in dark-looking but luminous humility; and on their smooth and pure hearts, as on some paper, or better to say, on spiritual tablets, we will begin to paint Divine words, or rather, Divine seeds, and begin like this: 3. Of all those endowed with free will, God is both the life and the salvation of all, faithful and unfaithful, righteous and unrighteous, pious and ungodly, dispassionate and passionate, monks and laymen, wise and simple, healthy and infirm, young and old; since everyone without exception takes advantage of the outpouring of light, the radiance of the sun and the changes in the air; “There is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11). 4. The wicked is a rational and mortal creature, arbitrarily moving away from this life (God), and thinking about its ever-present Creator as non-existent. A lawbreaker is one who contains the law of God through his own evilness and thinks to combine faith in God with contrary heresy. A Christian is one who, as far as humanly possible, imitates Christ in words, deeds and thoughts, rightly and immaculately believing in the Holy Trinity. A lover of God is one who uses everything natural and sinless and, according to his strength, tries to do good. An abstinent person is one who, in the midst of temptations, snares and rumors, strives with all his might to imitate the morals of one free from all such things. A monk is one who, being clothed in a material and perishable body, imitates the life and state of the incorporeal. A monk is one who adheres only to God’s words and commandments in all times, places, and deeds. The monk is the ever-present compulsion of nature and the unflagging preservation of feelings. A monk is one who has a purified body, clean lips and an enlightened mind. A monk is one who, while grieving and sick in soul, always remembers and reflects on death, both in sleep and in vigil. Renunciation of the world is voluntary hatred of the substance praised by the worldly, and the rejection of nature in order to obtain those benefits that are above nature. 5. All who diligently left the things of life, without a doubt, did this either for the sake of the future kingdom, or because of the multitude of their sins, or out of love for God. If they did not have any of these intentions, then their removal from the world was reckless. However, our good hero is waiting to see what the end of their course will be. 6. Let him who departed from the world in order to get rid of the burden of his sins imitate those who sit over the tombs outside the city, and let him not cease to shed warm and hot tears, and let him not interrupt the silent sobs of his heart, until he also sees Jesus, who came and rolled away the stone of bitterness from the heart, and our mind, like Lazarus, loosed the bonds of sin, and commanded His servants, the angels: “release him from his passions and leave him to go” (John 11:44), to blissful dispassion. If not, then (from being removed from the world) there will be no benefit to him. 7. When we want to leave Egypt and flee from Pharaoh, then we also have a necessary need for a certain Moses, that is, an intercessor to God and for God, who, standing in the midst of action and vision, would raise his hands to God for us, so that those instructed by him would cross the sea of ​​sins and defeat Amalek’s passions. So, those were deceived who, having placed their trust in themselves 12, considered that they had no need for any guide; for those who came out of Egypt had Moses for their guide, and those who escaped from Sodom had an angel. And some of them, that is, those who came from Egypt, are similar to those who, with the help of doctors, heal spiritual passions, while others are similar to those who want to remove the uncleanness of the accursed body; That’s why they require an assistant - an Angel, that is, an equal-angelic husband; for due to the rottenness of the wounds, we also need a very skillful doctor. 8. Those who attempt to ascend to heaven with their body truly need extreme compulsion and incessant sorrow, especially at the very beginning of renunciation, until our voluptuous disposition and insensitive heart are transformed into love of God and purity by true crying. For labor, truly labor and great hidden sorrow are inevitable in this feat, especially for the careless, until our mind, this fierce and voluptuous dog, through simplicity, deep lack of anger and diligence, becomes chaste and prudent. However, let us be complacent, passionate and exhausted; Our weakness and spiritual impotence with undoubted faith, as with the right hand, presenting and confessing to Christ, we will certainly receive His help, even beyond our dignity, if only we always lower ourselves into the depths of humility. 9. All those embarking on this good deed, cruel and cramped, but also easy, should know that they have come to be thrown into fire, if only they want immaterial fire to take possession of them. Therefore, let everyone tempt himself, and then let him eat from the bread of the monastic life, which is with a bitter potion, and let him drink from this cup, which is with tears: let him not fight against himself in judgment. If not everyone who is baptized will be saved, then... I will remain silent about what follows. 10. Those who come to this feat must renounce everything, despise everything, laugh at everything, reject everything, in order to lay a solid foundation for them. The good foundation, three-part or three-pillar, consists of gentleness, fasting and chastity. Let all infants in Christ begin with these virtues, taking as an example sensual infants who never have anything malicious, nothing flattering; They have neither insatiable greed, nor an insatiable belly, nor bodily fertilization; it appears later, with age, and may be due to the increase in food. 11. It is truly worthy of hatred and disastrous when the fighter, upon entering the struggle, weakens, thereby showing a sure sign of his imminent victory. From a strong beginning, there will no doubt be benefit to us, even if we subsequently weaken; for the soul, which was previously courageous and weakened, is awakened by the memory of former jealousy, like a sharp instrument, therefore, many times some raised themselves in this way (from relaxation). 12. When the soul, betraying itself, destroys the blessed and longed-for warmth, then let it diligently examine for what reason it lost it: and let it direct all its labor and all its diligence to this reason; for the former warmth cannot be returned except through the same doors through which it came out. 13. He who renounces the world out of fear is like incense, which first smells fragrant and then ends in smoke. He who has left the world for the sake of retribution is like a millstone, which always moves in the same way; and he who comes out of the world out of love for God at the very beginning acquires fire, which, being thrown into matter, soon ignites a strong fire. 14. Some people build bricks on top of stones; others established pillars on the ground; and others, having walked a short part of the way and warmed up their veins and members, then walked faster. Let him who understands understand what this fortune-telling word means 13. 15. As those called by God and the King, let us diligently set out on the journey, so that we, who have a short time on earth, on the day of death will not appear barren and perish from hunger. Let us please the Lord as soldiers please the King; for having entered into this rank, we are subject to a strict answer regarding service. Let us fear the Lord even as we fear beasts; for I saw people going to steal, who did not fear God, but when they heard the barking of dogs there, they immediately returned back, and what the fear of God did not do, the fear of animals managed to do. Let us love the Lord even as we love and honor our friends: for many times I have seen people who angered God and did not care at all about it, but the same ones, having upset their friends in some small way, used all their art, invented all sorts of ways, expressed to them in every possible way their grief and their repentance, and personally, and through others, friends and relatives, apologized, and sent gifts to the offended, just to return their former life. love. 16. At the very beginning of renunciation, without a doubt, we fulfill virtues with difficulty, compulsion and sorrow; but having succeeded, we cease to feel sorrow in them, or we feel it, but little; and when our carnal wisdom is defeated and captivated by zeal, then we commit them with all joy and zeal, with lust and Divine flame. 17. How commendable are those who from the very beginning fulfill the commandments with all joy and zeal: how worthy of pity are those who, having spent a long time in monastic training, still with difficulty perform, although they do, feats of virtue. 18. Let us not despise or condemn such renunciations that occur due to circumstances; for I saw those who were on the run, who, having accidentally met the king, against their will, followed him, and having entered the palace with him, they sat down with him to eat. I saw that the seed that accidentally fell to the ground bore abundant and beautiful fruit; just as the opposite happens. Again I saw a man who came to the hospital not to be treated, but for some other need, but, attracted and held by the doctor’s affectionate reception, he freed himself from the darkness that lay before his eyes. Thus, the involuntary in some was firmer and more reliable than the voluntary in others. 19. No one should, exposing the severity and multitude of his sins, call himself unworthy of the monastic vow, and for the sake of his sensuality, imaginary humiliate himself, inventing excuses for his sins (Ps. 141:4): for where there is a lot of rottenness, there is a need for strong healing that would cleanse the filth; and healthy people do not go to the hospital. 20. If the earthly king called us and wanted to put us in service before his face, we would not hesitate, we would not apologize, but leaving everything, we would diligently rush to him. Let us take heed to ourselves, so that when the King of kings and the Lord of lords and the God of gods calls us to this heavenly order, we do not refuse out of laziness and cowardice, and at His great judgment we do not appear unanswered. One who is bound by the bonds of everyday affairs and cares can walk, but it is uncomfortable; for they also often walk with iron shackles on their feet: but they stumble many times, and receive wounds from this. An unmarried person, but only bound by affairs in the world, is like one who has shackles on one hand; and therefore, whenever he wishes, he can freely resort to monastic life; a married man is like one who has fetters on his hands and feet. 21. Some people who live carelessly in the world asked me, saying: “How can we, living with our wives and entwined with worldly cares, imitate the life of a monk?” I answered them: “Do whatever good you can do; do not reproach anyone, do not steal, do not lie to anyone, do not be proud of anyone, do not have hatred for anyone, do not leave church meetings, be merciful to those in need, do not seduce anyone, do not touch someone else's part 14, be satisfied with the dues of your wives. If you do this, you will not be far from the kingdom of heaven.” 22. Let us begin this good deed with joy and fear; Let us not be afraid of our enemies, for they look at the face of our soul, although they themselves are invisible; and when they notice that it has changed from fear, then these insidious ones arm themselves more fiercely against us, knowing that we are afraid. So let us arm ourselves against them complacently, for no one dares to fight with a courageous fighter. 23. The Lord, in His special providence, made the battle easier for the beginners, so that at the very beginning they would not immediately return to the world. So always rejoice in the Lord, all you servants of God, seeing in this the first sign of the Lord’s love for you, and that He Himself has called you. However, we know that God often acts in other ways; that is, when He sees courageous souls, from the very beginning He allows them to be attacked, wanting to crown them quickly. But from those living in the world the Lord hid the inconvenience, or better yet, the convenience of this field; for if they knew this, no one would renounce the world. 24. Diligently offer to Christ the labors of your youth and you will rejoice in the wealth of dispassion in old age: for what is collected in youth nourishes and comforts those who are exhausted in old age. Young! Let us labor zealously, let us flow soberly; for death is unknown. We have enemies who are crafty and evil, insidious, sneaky, who hold fire in their hands and want to burn the church of God with the very flame that is in it 15, enemies who are strong and never sleep, insubstantial and invisible. So, no young person should listen to hostile demons when they inspire him, saying: “Do not wear out your body, lest you fall into illness and disease.” For there is hardly anyone, especially in the present generation, who decides to kill his body, although some deprive themselves of many sweet foods; The intention of the demons in this case is to make our very entry into the feat weak and careless, and then the end consistent with the beginning. 25. Those who wish to truly work for Christ, first of all, should make an effort to, with the help of spiritual fathers and their own reasoning, choose for themselves decent places and ways of life, paths and training: for community life is not useful for everyone, due to voluptuousness. And not everyone is capable of silence, due to anger 16; but each one must consider which path suits his qualities. 26. The entire monastic life is contained in three main dispensations and images of ascetic achievement: either in ascetic solitude and hermitage; or in being silent with one and, many, with two; or, finally, to remain patiently in the hostel. “Do not turn aside,” says Ecclesiastes, “not on the right hand, nor on the right hand” (Prov. 4:27), but follow the royal path. The average of these ways of life is decent for many; - for the same Ecclesiastes says: “Woe to one,” for if he “falls” into despondency (Eccl. 4:10), or into drowsiness, or into laziness, or into despair, then there is no one to “raise him up.” “And where there are two or three congregations in My name, I am in the midst of them,” said the Lord (Matthew 18:20). 27. So, who is the faithful and wise monk? Who kept his ardor unquenchable, and even until the end of his life did not cease every day to add fire to fire, ardor to ardor, zeal to zeal, and desire to desire. First degree. Whoever has entered into it, do not turn back. From Paisiy Velichkovsky: “those who betray themselves.” According to the explanation of St. John of Raifa and Elijah of Crete, St. John Climacus speaks here about those who renounce the world. Those who erect a brick building on a stone mean those who, having renounced the world, enter into community life and begin with great external virtues, but without obeying the spiritual father and cutting off their will before him; and therefore, not being experienced in the humble feats of obedience and not having help from a mentor who would teach them to fight passions and instruct them in good deeds, they gradually cool down in zeal and, weakening, indulge in some negligence, changing the well-begun structure to a more humiliated and weaker one. The affirming pillars on earth are those who, having renounced the world, immediately retire to a silent life, without laying the foundation for hermitage in the community through feats of obedience, humility and mortification of passions; and therefore they quickly fall and rise up awkwardly. Those who, having walked part of the way and warmed up their members, then walked faster, mean those who have entered the field of monasticism, who entrust themselves to the guidance of a good mentor, walk alien to pride by cutting off their will and, having made a beginning through the works of obedience and humility and having been tested in battles, are strengthened, kindled with the warmth of reverence, and by the grace of God they become tireless and invincible even without stumblings holyly run their course to the end. (See in Migne J.-P. Patrologiae cursus completus. Series graeca. T. 88 [Further PG 88. Interpretation of the “Ladder” by Elijah of Crete, John of Raifa and others, p. 649. Also see the modern Greek translation of the “Ladder”, with interpretations of Hieromonk Athanasius the Cretan. Venice, 1693, p. 8). In the old Translation: Do not touch someone else's bed. That is, by the flame of his own passions. “One monk,” writes Rufinus, “often feeling the stirrings of anger in himself in the monastery, decided to go into the desert, so that when he had no one to argue with, this passion would leave him alone. But when he retreated into the cave, it happened that the mug, which he filled with water and placed on the ground, overturned and spilled three times in a row. This irritated him; he broke the mug; and, having come to his senses, he said: “The demon of anger deceived me; Here I am alone, and this passion never ceases to defeat me. But when, in order to become a conqueror of it, it is necessary to wage war against it everywhere and endure it, and first of all the help of God’s grace is needed, then now I am returning to the monastery!” You might be interested in: