Раздел первый. Письма 1–80

Beloved children in the Lord! Today we remember how the most merciful Lord, at His Last Supper, taught His disciples His most divine, most pure Body, and His most pure and life-giving Blood, for the forgiveness of our sins, and so firmly united us all with Himself, saying: Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My blood, He abides in Me and I in him (John 6:56), and the Church sings in the 5th irmos: “The apostles are bound by a union of love, like lovers of war, they exalted Christ for themselves” I, a great sinner, intended to write this to you on this very day to remember and confirm your union in the Lord, since the inscrutable providence of God called you into one holy place. monastery and has disposed your hearts to live a harmonious life in partnership, in order to more conveniently and joyfully undergo the feat of self-sacrifice, overcome passions and seek salvation. For woe to one, if he falls into despondency or laziness, do not lift him up, says the wise one. (Eccl. 4:10). But in order for this union to be established and strong between you, you must ask God for help and endure much temptation and warfare from the enemy, raised up in you against each other, for he hates good, will try to sow unpeace and confusion among you for the most insignificant things, and when you, due to the weakness of thought and lack of understanding, and more importantly due to pride, accepting the thoughts that arise, will not reflect them, but will still multiply them in thoughts, then what will happen? Confusion will increase day by day and instead of the desired peace, enmity will settle, from which may the Lord deliver you! The beginning of this had already begun to appear here, and what is even more dangerous is that when you were embarrassed for accepting or for the pretext of a thought, considering yourself already guilty and a criminal, when you had the firm will to preserve the friendship, you were afraid to tell your sister that she would not tell you in advance or would be offended, and I was also afraid that I would grieve for you, and these speculators tormented you for quite some time. Likewise, you, N... were embarrassed that you had caused and are causing her grief due to your poor skill. With the help of God, you can turn all these and similar battles to your advantage. First of all, I ask you, as I advised verbally, so that there is no one greater between you, and each one tries to consider herself lesser, each have the intention of bearing the infirmities of the other. Meanwhile, from the unforeseen tendencies that happen, each must recognize her own weakness, when she does not bear any word or action, reproach herself, and not the other, from which the machinations of the enemy will be destroyed and the movement of the heart will receive peace. Afterwards, at that time, and certainly at the end of the day, having explained to each other the embarrassments that you had, ask for forgiveness and you will be peaceful, and when you do not do this, but are embarrassed for your thoughts and conceal them, then they can grow and bear bad fruit. To your conviction, read 31st in the words of Simeon the New Theologian, 209 in Mark the Ascetic, and in St. Abba Dorotheus “Oh hedgehog, reproach yourself, not your neighbor” and others. Don’t be embarrassed at all about making excuses or accepting thoughts against the intention and will of the main one, the enemy is amused by this and will arm himself more. Fell in thought? Humble yourself, repent yourself, repent and be satisfied, and when you are embarrassed for having thoughts, then pride and reluctance to humble yourself are shown. How can you soon become righteous and, thinking about this, not get bogged down by opinions? Or how can you receive a crown of victory without having been in battle? Do not be embarrassed, do not be discouraged and do not despair, God is with us! After the Last Supper, our Lord Jesus Christ bequeathed to His disciples and to all of us to have love among ourselves: of this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love among yourself (John 13:35). This covenant will be read tomorrow at Matins; listen to it. How lovingly did the King of Glory, the Lord, treat His disciples, give them a covenant of love and pray to His Heavenly Father for this? Accept this in your feeling and, thanking the merciful Lord, try to fulfill His commandments, and especially this love, which covers a multitude of sins and unites us with each other and with God. May the Lord establish peace, love and harmony between you, I pray for His goodness, and may He arrange your salvation. Mnogohreshny I.M. April 8, 1848. Yesterday afternoon, I received your letters and asked the Lord, may He bless your arrival at the monastery, take away fear and win over the hearts of Mother Superior, and other mothers and sisters, and may the Mother of God accept you under Her roof, and may He protect you from all the arrows and snares of the enemy, may peace, harmony and love in the Lord be established between you. I was pleased to read your letters and know the details of your adventures; I was not at all bored by lengthy letters. I was glad that you escaped from the noisy world and are striving for St. monastery for doing the commandments of God and fighting a good fight in the place appointed by God for you. And in the world, although there is a pleasant reception from relatives, their diligence and love, but the constant crush, temptations of the world and worldly conversations, what mind will not be darkened and not knocked off its point? And yet it was not without benefit: seeing and hearing what worldly sorrows there are, you please the monastic life and thank God, who has made you worthy to be called to the monastery and to take upon yourself His good yoke and light burden. Although we have sorrows, they show us our structure and provide a means for healing passions. Here you have the consolation of St. a church, a service, a cell, a book, an occupation, a sister in the Lord, all this can console in sorrows more than worldly false joys and more than gold and silver treasures. Just always have God as your helper, do not trust in your own mind and in your own strength, consider yourself the last of all and have love for the Lord and humility among yourself, let there not be an eldest among you, but consider yourself the last, and consider all your sisters to be your best, do not look at anyone’s vices and do not judge, then the peace of God will be with you! I.M. May 10, 1848. I received your letters today, you write that you are preparing for the communion of the mysteries of Christ tomorrow, you will confess today, and as you ask me for forgiveness for your sins and guilt before me, may the most merciful Lord Himself forgive you, and I forgive the sinner. I wish to approach the sacrament with a peaceful spirit and a contrite and humble heart. I believe that you are now worthy to receive the life-giving mysteries of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all my zeal, I congratulate you on this Divine and priceless Gift, may this communion be for the health of your souls and bodies, and may the peace of God multiply richly in you! And guard Him like the apple of your eye with attention and humility. I saw your indignation against each other and I am not surprised by it: the enemy envies your peaceful life, tries with various intrigues to disturb your peace and destroy your harmony, but thank the Lord that the enemy did not rejoice, but was put to shame by your explanation and humility before each other. Do so in the future, I warned you that love, friendship and harmony are tempted by the opposite, not only when they are firm when we love those who caress and respect us and do not notice what passions of pride, pride, malice, anger, envy and so on lie in our hearts. No matter how it happens, by accident or unintentionally or through the enemy’s pretext, to offend each other or to be offended and indignant, do not become rigid in it, do not give food to passions, do not console the enemy: you have already experienced, you know how to defeat him with God’s help: self-reproach, humility, forgiveness! And if you fan the spark of hostility and weave thoughts, then the flame will not ignite for long, and you will become entangled in captivity of thoughts, self-thinking and self-justification, you will lose peace - what is more disastrous and deplorable than this? From which may the Lord deliver you and establish peace, harmony and love in the Lord between you, and may you help each other like a strong city (Prov. 18, 19), and the blessing of God will be upon you. The general anxiety, which, by God's permission, is disturbing these countries at the present time, should not be allowed to lead to a loss of spirit, but one must resort to the Lord with repentance and humility. He is able to deliver from these misfortunes, we see many examples, and even more so in the city of Nineveh, doomed to destruction, but repentance for the sake of the pardoned. Let us not despair, but accept every opportunity with submission to the will of God, as we are worthy of it, and then sorrow will turn into consolation. Peace be with you! The many-sinful Hieromonk Macarius. June 11, 1848 Yesterday I received your messages, which were somewhat more pleasant than before. Thank the Lord that you have peace among yourself, guard it like the apple of your eye, do not allow the enemy to rejoice in your embarrassment. And it is gratifying to me that you were consoled by the visit to your cell by your Mother Superior, God save her for her maternal attention to you, she consoles you both spiritually and physically. Thank you for telling me about your joy and sorrow, as if I participate in them, I rejoice with those who rejoice, and with those who mourn I will grieve, although I do not have the strength to help. You can’t always rejoice, you need to accept something sad with gratitude, sometimes things happen to you languidly and sadly, be patient, don’t be overbearing, thank God. Chapter 43 of Callista may be useful for you. But when you always have joy and consolation, there is no benefit, “the love of God is tempted by the contrary,” and be patient, humble yourself, considering yourself unworthy of consolation. And being always in spiritual abundance, you cannot bear it without harm. You yourself, speaking about the greatness of God’s love for us in His sacraments, felt it with feeling, but did not keep it in humility, and therefore, until we humble ourselves, we are not yet worthy of such God’s gifts. Glory to His all-good providence and mercy for us. You write that a disease has appeared in your city - cholera, signs of which appear in your monastery, but there is no mortality, thank God. Do not have panic fear and do not lose heart, as a result of which your physical strength changes. Let God's will be upon us, it is clear that it must be so according to the righteous judgment of God for our sins, the effect of this disease is spreading almost everywhere, we don’t have it yet, but there are several in the surrounding villages. In past letters, I wrote to you so that you would not be afraid of death, but would trust in the Lord, and now I also confirm: I ask and pray you, be complacent, he will die only to whom it is currently appointed. The will of the Lord be done! You write about the prayer service you had and the procession near the monastery, by which everyone was touched and comforted, may the Mother of God protect you! Peace be with you! I. M. July 1, 1848. With a heartfelt feeling of pity and compassion I read about your departed sisters, may the Lord rest their souls in the Kingdom of Heaven. Today we had a liturgy at the monastery, and all five of your newly departed ones were remembered and a requiem service was served. As a human being, we regret those who depart from this into another world, but we do not know what else would meet them and what will meet us. Times are fierce, nothing pleases us, may God's will be done on us! Do not lose heart about death, but try to pacify your conscience as much as possible with repentance, humility, and surrender to the will of God, then even though the hour of death befalls some of us, we will depart with hope in God’s ineffable mercy. In our neighborhoods we hear illness and mortality, but the Lord preserves us. The strong blow that happened to you frightened you, and no wonder why a sudden shock wouldn’t frighten you? But God is marvelous in everything, generous and merciful, and in His anger He shows His mercy to us! Our brothers and sisters depart from here to another world with repentance and parting words, and this gives them and us hope and consolation, and meanwhile many who are healthy are preparing to receive these Sacraments, just like our sisters, and you and you, preparing for Saturday, ask me for forgiveness and permission: may the most merciful Lord Himself forgive you of all your sins, and I forgive the many sinners! I think that you have already been granted this gift, for which I heartily congratulate you. Submit your desire to die together or one soon after the other to the will of God, and keep peace and love among yourself: then the Lord will unite you there too. You are both in fear: if you have your own cells, how will you live on the outside and inside? You are just like children, afraid of fear where there is none, and I assure you that you will find everything contrary to what you think, and you will be good housewives, as long as the peace between you is not disturbed. We are all born with some abilities, but until there is a chance for them to unfold in us, they remain inactive. Now, although you are in a cramped cell, you are all housewives, every day you are busy, busy, tidying up, arranging, order and order are maintained and, as much as necessary, peace. Whenever there was an opportunity for this, could you learn something? But if I had told you about this first, this is what will happen to you, you would be in joyless confusion from one opinion, but now these cases, although not without difficulty, teach you the knowledge of things and your weaknesses and the benefits of work. What would happen to you if you sat with your hands clasped in every place of rest, and behind other people’s labors you imagined yourself to be something else, like ascetics, and now you are learning patience. So then, when you have your own cells, the matter itself will show you how to act, and you will be sure that, although some mistakes will happen, they will be a lesson for us in the future, then what is there to be afraid of? Whomever you accept from strangers into your cell, of course, you must keep it within the boundaries of obedience, and not equality, and even more so not seniority. There is nothing tricky about preparing a supply and having supervision over it, from time to time you can see for yourself how things have been tidied up or left out, and if you follow the advice of the cell in everything, as if aware of your own foolishness, then she, taking advantage of this and finding a weak side in one of you, can sow tares and create discord between you, but you should never exchange friendly advice for the cell. In big things you can relate to the Mother Superior, but through great trust in the cell, didn’t a small upset happen to some?! May the Lord deliver you from this. And regarding the cells for you that are being offered to you, I don’t like it, your current cramped conditions and the peace between you are more pleasant to me than space and diversity of thoughts, now your mind and feelings in a small cell are very limited and turn more to God, and then they will have fun in different rooms and objects, you occupied one cell before, and now too, and do not interfere with each other to do spiritually what they want, and the Holy Spirit, through the prophet David, pleases those who agree living together: whatever is good or good, but let the brethren live together (Ps. 133:1), When you have two of your own cells, then you try to make sure that there is peace and harmony between them, and so forgive each other to destroy the displeasures that arise, then you will have unbreakable peace through them. May the Lord give you a peaceful, calm and harmonious life. Asking for God's blessing on you, I remain. I.M. July 13, 1848. I congratulate you on the acquisition of cells by the grace of God and Mother Superior. Thank the Lord that there is peace between you, may it remain forever, but that peace cannot be strong when there are no battles and is inexperienced, and if insults appear in feelings against each other, then you need to destroy them in yourself with humility and love. The enemy will not leave, so as not to raise zeal and reproaches against each other, but you have experienced, self-reproach and humility overthrow his machinations, and when one says that, although with love, the other is offended, and after the embarrassment, by revelation, takes on the thought “I will not speak now,” I cannot praise this. In the simplicity of your heart, warn each other with love and consult in everything, although some confusion may happen, it will still be overthrown, God forbid, if a spark sinks into the heart and is hidden, it can cause a big fire, don’t let this happen: you don’t have an elder in your cell, but each consider yourself smaller than the other, then each will be the elder, and in necessary cases, Mother Superior and sisters will not leave you with advice. Be careful that your heart does not exalt itself, that although you live well and have peace, you can endure great temptation for your opinion, consider yourself the worst and the last of all. May the Lord bless you for the construction of this church here, which will rest your bodies, and from there may you in time be worthy to move into a church not made by hands, eternal in heaven! For because of this we groan heavily; we desire to be clothed in our heavenly habitation (2 Cor. 5:1,2). You both ask about a clear rule: when someone stops you from finishing, then you supposedly start again? This is unnecessary, but to continue and finish. What great thing should we undertake? Well, they didn’t finish a little, they stopped you, finish a little and be peaceful, but if you start again, a murmur will be born, if you don’t do it, there will be embarrassment. I congratulate you on today’s highly solemn feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, may He help us to be transformed from the darkness of sin into the light of His commandments! Thank God that you are peaceful, although the enemy is trying to shake your dispensation on both sides, but with the help of God you overthrow him with humility. If the foundation of this life of yours remains firm, then on it you will comfortably build the house of your salvation. May God's blessing be upon you! I feel sorry for both of you, one more, as she is suffering, and the other is compassionate in illness, I believe that God will accept both of you, one with patience, and the other with complicity. May the Lord bless you to complete the construction of your cell peacefully and not rebelliously, and with the hope of a calm life, bear all your labors complacently. I am sending you a notebook of notes on humility, which you can copy for yourself and return to me, but I will continue to write out, but woe is me: I write, I teach, but I myself do not create. I. Macarius. August 6, 1848. Before lunch I received your mournful letters about the death of the dear and unforgettable Mother Superior. This upset me so much, I can’t express it to you! I feel sorry for her, I feel sorry for the monastery, I feel sorry for you. When reading the description of her illness and death and the grief of the sisters, struck by this accident, tears involuntarily flowed from my cruel heart. He also announced to your sisters who are here, they created great weeping and lamentation for their loving mother and for their orphanhood. Mourning the deprivation here and the departure of Mother Superior from us, we must strengthen ourselves with the faith that God’s will was for this, so that at the present time we can accept her from her sorrowful life to eternal peace, of which we have no doubt. Her meekness, patience, humility, love for the sisters entrusted to her and concern for their salvation, moreover, the sorrows that she endured, which are partly known to me, and she was simply on the cross, in the honor of the abbess, and surely she would have exchanged it for a cramped corner of a silent, cozy cell, and imaginary pleasures - for simple cabbage soup and a piece of bread. But the Lord did not so favor, but it pleased Him to lead her into blissful eternity through the narrow path of involuntary sorrows! She, our mother, will receive God’s mercy and will pray for you, her children, (Woe to me, a sinner! I console you, but tears flow involuntarily, but it seems they are more than tears of joy about her bliss). And you will be comforted, mourning your orphanhood, she is with you invisibly, and her remains were not carried far from you, but her grave is near you. In moments of sorrow, resort to it, and God will give you consolation. She has now been delivered from the local sorrows and with a blessed death has moved into eternity, rejoicing there with the righteous. Both sadness and joy are sure to give way! Remembering the deprivation of her and the orphanhood of the monastery and yours, sorrow envelops the heart. And that she received freedom from the sorrows that burdened her and is now calming down, one cannot help but feel spiritual joy. Her blessed death and the crown of stars seen above her cell are a clear sign of God’s mercy towards her! Now everyone will appreciate her virtues, which did not favor her, and, perhaps, caused sorrow and, most likely, they regret and repent of this quite a bit. Today at three o'clock your sisters came to me, and together we celebrated a memorial service for the deceased, newly departed Abbess Magdalene, may God rest her soul in the Kingdom of Heaven! I wrote her down in the annual table for commemoration in our psalms and liturgies, and in my memorial book I transferred her name from the living to the deceased. Will the Lord send you someone as abbess? Pray to Him and the Mother of God, may He give you a mother who cares for her children and surrender to His holy will. Be peaceful and calm and healthy, and in the upheavals that occur, I wrote to you what to do: you cannot do without them, and through them the dispensation of each of you is revealed, and work and feat are revealed to fulfill the commandments of God; even love your enemies, when it seems so in your gloomy dispensation. May the Lord give you His help both in this and in all your affairs. In your present vain time, if you happen to fail to fulfill the rule, then do not be embarrassed, but replace it with humility. Now I will not write moral teachings to you: may the Lord Himself enlighten you, He cares about you, sending you people who care about you and participate in your affairs. May the Mother of God console you in this sorrow over the deprivation of an earthly spiritual mother, may our Mother, the heavenly Queen Theotokos, take you under her shelter, She has called you to the monastery and will protect you from all the slander of those who are hostile and will arrange your salvation. I.M. August 30, 1848. Yesterday evening I received your letters from two post offices, but I don’t know when I’ll find time to write to them: I tear off one or the other, there are a lot of letters, no one knows my strength, and everyone writes, thinks, he’s the only one waiting for an answer, but I have a bunch of letters every mail. Now is your blessed time, you have it freely for spiritual pursuits and examining yourself, but I only look at human weaknesses and offer what I myself have not touched with my finger, woe is me! Last mail I wrote to you each separately, but now at least I could write something more important together. Thank the Lord that you are peaceful among yourself and calm in your cell, but guard this gift with humility, beware of exaltation and the opinion that you live better than others, on the contrary, consider yourself worse than everyone: you are protected by all the comforts, have servants to you, are provided with everyday support, you just need to humbly thank the Lord and try to fulfill His Holy will. Others live in need, in poverty, with their own hands they get bread and everything they need, there is no time to read books, but you, with all the contentment, have both time and books, so you should please them, and curse yourself, and not rise above them in mind. How long does it take to turn from silence and peace into storm and confusion? This is something you often experience yourself, and this should serve as a test and training for you in humility. I ask you, please, try to acquire humility not in words, but in deeds, every case may expose your opinion and pride about yourself, otherwise you will become so blind that you will not even see how you will go into the abyss of delusion. If you are reproached and reproached, then you are happy when you accept it, even with illness, but with self-reproach, and when you add your own or demonic praise to someone else’s praise, then what will come out is contrary to the will of God. When you humbly observe yourself, then peace and love in the Lord will remain between you. Love without humility cannot be strong and firm. I noticed in your letters that both of you were deprived of peace, each in turn, from nothing other than pride, and humility not only had no place here, but was also driven far away. Find out better for yourself. Be peaceful and calm, I remain the wisher for your health and salvation. Mnogohreshny I.M. December 18, 1848. “Christ is born, glorify!” - (The Troparion) calls to His children the Holy Church. And the Holy Angels at the very hour of His birth sang praises: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14)! And I greet you, beloved children of the Lord, on this day of joyful remembrance of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us peace and eternal salvation! Be peaceful and agreeable with yourself and with everyone, offering unceasing thanks to our most merciful and loving Lord for His ineffable mercy and love for us, as well as for His special calling of you to His sweet service!!! I am not at all burdened by your letters, but with pleasure I read your childish babbling, if only from this consciousness of yours, seeing your weaknesses, you come to humility. This would be the fruit of your consciousness and attitude towards me. Asking for God's peace and blessing upon you, I remain the desirer of your salvation, many sinners I. Macarius. December 25, 1848. Yesterday evening I received your letters, but I will not praise you for the fact that you were deeply confused and gave faith to a dream that was presented by the enemy in order to confuse you more. Here is a lesson for you, so as not to go into sleepy reasoning and not to believe it. And at that time I was, thank God, peaceful and calm in everything, and my health was in its usual state, and you were embarrassed in vain. I notice from your letters that your life is beginning to be distracted, your frequent outings and visits to many of you are depriving you of a pleasant, private activity, and even more so, I find it harmful for you to give advice to others, as if you were old ladies and sensible people. Although you think and in the simplicity of your heart we give advice to those who need it, you still cannot avoid opinions about yourself, and in the monastery you will be embarrassed. I advise you to be careful, with humility to distance yourself from advice and teaching; this matter is not yet yours. You do not understand that your cell and you will not have peace from those who visit and seek advice from you, having heard from one another about you, advisers, and they will come to you with bewilderment and drag all the rubbish of the monastery into your cell, and then you will know what you should not and do not want to know, and you will become participants in gossip. You would have a good idea about some mother or sister, but rubbish is brought to you, and your opinion has changed, you no longer understand her the same way and look at her differently. Our hearts are already unclean, but here even more rubbish will be added, beware of this. Here, perhaps, is an act of the enemy to deprive you of your own benefit under the guise of doing it for your neighbor and puffing up your mind with an opinion about yourself. Remember the word of St. Isaac the Syrian: “At all times, beware of leading yourself in nothing, so that you may escape from the rebuke of those who come from suspicion,” etc., word 56 in half. Have peace among yourselves, this is what I wish for you, great sinner I. Macarius. January 4, 1849. Beloved children in the Lord! Thank God that you accepted my warning with love and want to follow it; with God’s help it will be useful to you in the future, and you will get rid of many snares and snares of the enemy. You cannot do this so as not to go anywhere, not to accept anyone, but you must have reason for all this and not enter into such conversations that can weigh on your heart with blackness on others, and beware of giving advice without already having a calling and sound reasoning for this. For example, N.N. completely believed that they had found prudent advisers in you, and would have passed the same on to others, and you, while giving advice, in your opinion, in the simplicity of your heart, could not help but be carried away by an unhelpful opinion about yourself and others. Although they grieved at you, you are innocent here, and God will send them consolation from others who are more prudent and more pious than you. You could tell them that I wrote to you about this. I have written to you many times about your relationship to each other and offered the teachings of Elder Paisius in 173 countries, and also read in 168 countries, but all of it must be tested: the enemy and the hater of good, the enemy is building many intrigues between you to destroy this peaceful agreement of yours: one has envy, the other has zeal, and then reproach why one or the other does not remind of infirmities. All this must be resisted, because it destroys love and peace is lost. But I see that you are concerned about eradicating these actions that harm you and explain to each other, making a good start towards correction, then the Lord will help you fulfill your good intentions. You write that there is disagreement between your cellmates. Is this surprising? Will the demon bypass them? And will he not fight against enmity, lust for power and disobedience? And they have no idea what should be opposed to this and that the cause of their unworldliness is their own passions, and what should be resisted against them, and not submitted to the enemy, instill in them to have self-reproach and humility and reveal to both of you their weaknesses regarding this, and not something else. You read to them St. Abba Dorotheus: “O reproach yourself, and not your neighbor, and with resentment,” then, perhaps, the good seed will fall on the good earth. This is necessary for your peace of mind and for their salvation, but don’t think that you have already become a mentor: this is a private matter, not an outside one. Looking at your life and at some consolation given in bodily food, you should not be embarrassed, but thanks to God, who has given you food, look at yourself and humble yourself, and although you will not live as an ascetic, do not consider yourself lost, but make up for it with humility and attention, as Elder Basil writes at the end of the preface to the Nile of Sora. See, moreover, that the Tat thought would not creep in that you live better and more attentive than others, and it is so dangerous that, like a poppy seed lying on your heart, you will not see how it will grow to a gigantic Pharisee and give in to complete pride and beyond. And before God, a sinner with repentance is better than a righteous man with pride. Remember in the short teachings on January 25th at the end it is written: “For even if someone has done countless good deeds and accomplished every virtue, and is highly wise about himself, he is the poorest and most wretched of all.” For this reason, I pray to you: guard your hearts from thoughts that exalt you, and the enemy in any case can make his own excuses: I corrected the rule and was carried away by the thought, we are sitting in the cell, peaceful, etc., and you oppose the commandment of God, Luke chapter 17, verse 10, and remember your sins, consider yourself the last of all, then the Lord will preserve you! Peace be with you! Much-sinful I. Macarius, January 27, 1849. Before Vespers, I had some free time, and I decided to talk a little with you, beloved children about the Lord. Thank God, we have reached the end of cheese week and the eve of Lent. And then, as St. writes. Dimitri: “Some people are already bored with permission for everything.” Today we read the Gospel about forgiving our neighbors, isn’t that why it has become a custom to say goodbye on this day and make peace with those at war? Since everyone is preparing for the Lenten feat and saving repentance, I forgive you in everything, and I also ask you to forgive me for what I have sinned. I wish you to meet the sacred healer of our souls and strive valiantly in the forty-day field of fasting and repentance in order to be worthy to meet with heartfelt joy the solemn and bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ. Last mail I wrote to you a lot, especially to... I feel very sorry for you, poor thing, exhausted by illnesses and the excuses of an evil enemy. I tried as much as I could to both strengthen and console you, but how can my words succeed, even if they were filled with all wisdom, both spiritual and worldly, without special assistance and help from the grace of God? I have already matured myself for the fact that I thought to console you with my letters, but placed my trust in the most merciful Lord, who is able to preserve and save you and all of us, and you place your trust in Him and resort to Him with your infirmities. February 14. Lent has arrived! Let us ask the Lord: “Open the doors of repentance, O Giver of Life,” and pray to His holy church. I congratulate you on your Holy Fast and wish that the Lord will strengthen your weakness and establish you in peace, harmony and love. Beloved children in the Lord! I received your letters: I see the grief of one for the deprivation of a father and for the remaining grieved mother, and the other’s complicity and compassion in it and the desire of both of you to bring comfort to the grieving widow-mother. I wrote to you about the inconvenience of your absence, but, seeing your and her grief in her present almost solitude, I hesitated for a long time in the thought of not sinning in both ways, that is, by both going and staying. God's love should prevail over parental love, but as you have not yet reached such a measure, and it requires the most consolation in the present time, although it does not depend on you, but God is the joy of everyone, He is able to give it to her, and you can only serve as an instrument in this case. It’s truly a pity to leave St. at such a favorable time for salvation. monastery, and especially Holy and Bright Weeks, and according to the monastic image that you recently accepted M.A. I decided to leave this to the will of God. If He pleases, He will arrange your path. And the first thing is when m. the abbess, without any doubt or controversy, will agree to dismiss you, and secondly, when the path is favorable and the road is not upset, then on my part, may the Lord bless you on this journey, complete it smoothly, peacefully, agreeably and safely. I read your lines about the death of daddy, his blessed death was very touching for me! Of course, it is clear that the Lord loved him, sending him such a disease that brought him to his saving death, cleansing him from the sinful mire. Where is our greatness? Where's the glory? Where is the wealth? At this hour everything leaves us and we need nothing. All human vanity (Eccl. 2.) I look at your...impressions of thoughts with which you frighten yourself and promise ominous things, but, on the contrary, something else comes out. When you were driving or planning to leave from here for the first time, you lost heart: “And why will I be there? What would it be like without you? and so on. And now you see the opposite of it, you leave the monastery as if from your birthplace and cry for it. So in many cases I noticed about you, and yet all this falls on the heart and relaxes the nerves. Be more generous! Thank you for accompanying your sister on her journey to consoling her mother’s grief. It was very touching for me to read how your mothers and sisters caringly let you go, but I’m afraid that you might think about yourself that you deserve it. But N.... humbled you, and this is good for you (Ps. 119:71.) How did your mother accept you? It was true, it was gratifying to see you in her sorrow and to see A... in the monastic form, you there be complacent, follow the rules according to your strength, read the books, be peaceful among yourself, you can ask the priest for a triodion, see if they have an extra one, and at home read the stichera and canons for your attention, and especially when you are not in the service. Be peaceful, healthy and prosperous, I entrust you to the protection of God. Much-sinful I. Mak. March 14, 1849. Having congratulated my mother on this joyful holiday, I congratulate you too: the church today calls the earth to the gospel of great joy, and the heavens to the praise of the glory of God. In this cathedral we, sinners, are called, and having been in St. church, you too, even at different distances, as with one mouth you sang to the most pure and blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God: “The Archangel’s voice is pure, rejoice, the Gracious Lord is with you!” (Chorus on the 9th paragraph) I believe that She, our Intercessor, comforted you spiritually, those outside your monastery, for your love for your neighbors. Yesterday and today they sang: “... Gabriel was sent from heaven” (Verse to Blagov), - in a wonderful chanting, as you heard with us, how striking the words are: “for I stand, and do not say to the Virgin: Rejoice, full of grace, rejoice, pure” (Ibid.). For whom the Lord will comfort, a great mystery will be imagined... And tomorrow is another holiday, a great miracle - the resurrection Lazarus, and there is the entrance to Jerusalem. This is how the Church, our mother, feeds her children with spiritual food, and then also with physical food, giving them comfort, allowing them two days for fish, and one day for caviar. What is Father doing... not according to the charter of the Church, reading the Apostle and the Gospel for the repose on the clock, you have nothing to do with this. Of course, he shouldn’t do this, but he, apparently, is out of human-pleasing, or at least to console the mourners, but you won’t give an answer for his deeds, and on Sundays you read the Apostle and the Gospel for the repose, but this shouldn’t be - why are you silent? And even if they talked, they wouldn’t get anything done. May the Lord forgive you for this vision. Peace to you and everyone who is with you! May the Lord vouchsafe us to begin Holy Week and remember with a grateful heart the saving passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Concluding the letter, I congratulate you on the approaching all-joyful holiday of the Resurrection of Christ and greet you in absentia: “Christ is risen!” - and I remain the wisher for your health and salvation. Many sinners I. Macarius. March 25th, 1849. Now we have spent the day, thank God, peacefully and calmly, although without fruits and proper feelings, but what can we do, we must give thanks for the fact that the Lord tolerates our unworthiness. I didn’t sleep at all during the night, the gospel broke at 12 o’clock, and I only read the 1st Gospel, and listened to three more and went to my cell, I thought I’d fall asleep, but no, and that’s why I feel languid. Shouldn't I or anyone else thank God for this? He endured unbearable suffering, torment and sorrow for us, so that in the Garden of Gethsemane he said: my soul is sorrowful unto death (Matthew 26:38). This was not due to weakness, but the sins of the whole world weighed heavily on Him. We do not want to endure hardships for our own sake, but we are always looking for joyful feelings, and when they appear, we are already secretly convinced of our imaginary dignity, but we do not want to bear the cross. I wrote this so that you, and especially you..., often have such a visit. I ask you to pray for me and for me, a sinner, at the relics of St. saint of God Mitrofan, may he beseech the Lord to grant me salvation for my sinful soul, and also at St. Tikhon, remember me and our entire monastery. For the embarrassment that happens to you, do not be discouraged and do not give the enemy a blow, but defeat him with self-reproach and humility and eradicate your passions. Carefully, perhaps, you are allowed to fall in order to come to true humility, otherwise, when you soon see your passions exhausted, and imagine yourself to be perfect, you will fall into delusion. Otherwise, apparently, you still have to work hard and involuntarily expose yourself mentally to everyone. Read the chapters of John of Carpathia, you will find much there for your strengthening. Why did you decide to grieve for me so much that I was temporarily relaxed mentally and physically, am I wood or stone, or some kind of metal? I am a person subject to change, and you have already decided to abandon the intention of traveling to Voronezh to worship the great saint of God Mitrofan. I am a sinful man, what can I do to you? And he is a great saint of God, he will intercede for your salvation and peaceful dispensation. I don’t want you to prefer my thinness to the saint glorified by God, but I want you to definitely visit there. I see how you met and celebrated the holiday, and thanksgiving to the Lord in every place who cares for us and not according to our dignity, but according to His mercy, visiting us. You intended to go to Voronezh on the 20th, why, I believe, you are now there and honored to venerate the relics of the holy saint of God Mitrofan and in Zadonsk Tikhon, for which I heartily rejoice, and even more so for the fact that she never had the opportunity to be at such a shrine, God willing, so that by your faith you receive spiritual consolation. Commit yourself to His intercession for your peace and salvation. Be peaceful and healthy, be courageous in spiritual battles, and not cowardly, a strong weapon against the enemy is self-reproach and humility, because it is difficult because it crushes all his strength, and he resists it, temptation will show its benefit! I can’t tell you anything more, but I wish peace, health, harmony and salvation to all of you traveling. Many sinners I. Macarius. May 6, 1849. I sincerely rejoice that you have received spiritual consolation, having been worthy to be with the holy saints and kiss the remains of their laborious incorruptible bodies, and have entrusted yourself to their prayers and intercession for salvation, and even more so to the precious or priceless shrine - the nail that pierced the Life-giving flesh of Christ. Although there was a lot of troubles, hardships and sorrows along the way, but because of the many illnesses in my heart, Your consolations made my soul glad (Ps. 93.19). Glory to God that your affairs are going well, and He keeps you in peace and comforts you with His mercy, the prayers of the Mother of God and His saints, and will allow you to continue our journey with peace and love. And that there were shocks and embarrassments for you on the way, you know that “every good deed is either preceded or followed by temptation.” Thank God in everything and seek an abundance of temptations in self-reproach and humility. Now they have come from mass: today is the year of our unforgettable mother abbess Magdalene, we had mass in the monastery, they remembered her, and after mass the father abbot celebrated a requiem mass at the cathedral. May the Lord rest her soul in the kingdom of heaven! I imagine how both solemn and mournful it is now in your monastery; I think you also served a memorial service for her somewhere. I found a moment to convey to you my sinful feelings and inform you about myself - where to send this letter or hand it to you personally, you can’t say everything in words. You were in Moscow, and I was 60 miles away, in the Zosima Desert, we dined and spent the night there, and I really like the place and their way of life. I was very pleased with the attention to me from Mothers V. and M., they treated me diligently and greeted me cordially, consoled me with the spiritual singing of their interrogations, I was in the church, in all the cells and in the refectory. From your letters I see how much the Lord consoled you when visiting holy places and worshiping His saints, but their prayers and their servants were ready for your consolation, I rejoiced heartily about this. And in the midst of them I saw that there were some shocks, but do not be exalted, but let each of you, reproaching yourself, humble yourself. Your heart ached when reading about the confusion and shock that happened between you, what to do, it was not a lack of love and humility, but, on the contrary, contemplation and justification that brought you to this, you should gain benefit from this trial in advance in order to stand stronger in battle, making allowance for each other, attributing more to weaknesses than to anything else. I do not justify both of you: under the influence of passion, both formed with justification, and each saw passion in the other, and not her own rightness and imaginary offense, and what kind of edifice of unworldliness was erected from this? Thank God that it did not stand for long and was not established, you can see for yourself afterwards: after its destruction, not one stone remained on another, below its trace can be seen (God grant that this is true). How long have you been criticizing each other? On the one hand, it is good that they came out, so that they would be consumed forever (Ps. 91:8), hidden and would still be fed, and would be destroyed by explanation and forgiveness. You see how strong the machinations of the enemy are and how he plunges his arrows into those who are inattentive and careless about humility. Be smarter, more careful, and even more humble in the future and care about love, each preferring the benefit of the other to its own; in this activity, self-love can be expelled, which you respect a lot and in any case defend it and fight for it. May the most merciful Lord forgive you and continue to strengthen you and help you to crush the snares, arrows and networks of the enemy - with humility! Note that you received God's mercy at holy places through consolation, which should have been strengthened by the fire of temptation, for it either precedes or follows the grace-filled visits, so that we may acquire humility and not become arrogant, considering ourselves worthy. You write to scold you for your efforts: yes, this would be necessary, but where there is repentance and humility, there the battle becomes scarce, and mercy appears, otherwise, both violence and punishment are needed, but now your consciousness and perfect reconciliation prevail. Be peaceful among yourself, kill pride and pride and acquire the wealth of humility, it will calm you down, which is what I wish for you. As I saw you off, my children, I regretted not that you had gone, but that you were bored on the way; however, I hope that the Lord will give you good reasoning and console you with the trust of peace in your monastery and in your humble cell, working for the Lord and resisting passions. With your departure the weather changed, and I think it was not without difficulty for you to travel. May the Lord keep you on this journey, be prosperous, healthy and peaceful! Glory to the most merciful Lord, and on this day I have been honored to be a partaker of His immortal Table, the Body and Blood of the Most Pure Christ, even though I am unworthy of this great gift, but due to His ineffable love for mankind alone I was not rejected: glory to His bounties! This day is the day of my coming to the monastery, I turned 39 years old, and began my fortieth year, I have lived out my days badly, woe to me, a sinner! If only from now on we could make a beginning towards repentance and correction, the end is unknown! How will I appear before the court of God! We don't know. His mercy alone, insurmountable by the malice of creatures, gives hope for mercy. Not because of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:9). Thank God that you arrived safely and are now in your cell, at the place of your work, I sincerely rejoice in this, and the Lord is able to instruct us and strengthen us in the deeds of virtue, only if you strive to acquire the wealth of humility, then that good will be, and the burden will be light (Matthew 11:30). Thank the Lord that Mother Superior and some mothers and sisters are well disposed towards you and, in case of need, will support you with God’s help. It’s impossible, you also need a brush to clean your silver from the rust of vanity and pomp. All these days we were in pleasant troubles: on Friday evening, respectable and kind guests consoled us with their visit: the Lavra governor, Fr. Archimandrite Anthony with Maloyaroslavets abbot Fr. Anthony. What a gentle, pleasant way he treated us wretched people, and even more so with me, worthless! You should have been surprised! It seems that he breathed love, that everything was expressed by his tender feelings, every word of his loving conversation was imprinted in our hearts, and my dull pen with the same mind does not have the ability to describe them. He rewarded our monastery with a shrine and promised to send more. With what reverence he accepted the handicrafts of our monastery, spoons and turned things - one had to be surprised, and wanted to present them to the Metropolitan. Well, in a word, he left us a memory and an example of unflattering love and humility! What can we give him? Just keep this feeling in a grateful heart and pray to the Lord with a simple word: Lord save him! In short lines she wrote what she would not place on the sheet of paper, according to her passionate feelings and imagination. You needn't worry about money. We have everything in common, as long as there is unanimity, which is most important, as long as I see this in you, which makes me heartily happy, it will bring you a lot of benefit on your path. Drive out selfishness and ambition from your hearts, and inculcate humility and meekness, preferring each one to your own benefit over another, making this an everlasting rule, then the covenant will be unanimous and the enemy will succeed in nothing with his machinations, although he will arouse the self-loving part with confusion, but when the root of your mind is established in Christ’s humility, then nothing will succeed, but if infected, it will break. Do not be embarrassed about the fact that passions are still moving in you: there must be work and labor, it is too early to have peace, it has not yet been acquired; everything that is quickly and easily acquired is fragile. May the peace of God be with you! Tell your cellmates that their obedience will be blessed by God and their labors will be accepted when they do everything with blessing and not arbitrarily, otherwise there will be great harm and their labors will be wasted. The Holy Fathers consigned everything that was done arbitrarily to fire or to the beasts. I sent you the latest book, "Enthused Classes." Read and feed your souls and cool off from the heat of passions scorching with the slander of the opposition. How sorry I am for you that you are all sick, and especially poor, but I can’t help in any way, apparently, this is necessary, the will of the Lord be done, may the Lord help you to gain mental health in case of physical illness. I see that upheavals occur among you, confusing and disturbing you, of course, these are the machinations of the enemy, but they are attacking you for your inattention and for the opinion about yourself that you live peacefully and, perhaps, judge others. Again, I give you advice, beloved children of the Lord, always be prepared for each other with love and humility and make a covenant in your hearts not to offend each other in thought, word, or deed and be ready to even anticipate what serves to calm each other. When, through the envy of a well-hated enemy, you happen to inflict some kind of insult on someone in word or deed, intentionally or casually, then be prepared to bear it with love and humility and call on God’s help, and without this, what embarrassment have you ever had? Even to the point that “I will now speak and act with caution.” This thought is not a matter of love and humility, but it is obvious that the spark of enmity subsides, and then, you see for yourself, after reconciliation it fades away. Many people look at you enviously, that I am more interested in you than anyone else, then you should have a good life, these rumors reached me both verbally and in writing; try, with the help of God, to justify this, but not in such a way as to consider yourself that you are better than them, but to consider yourself the worst and weakest of all, if you happen to receive reproach or neglect from someone, teach your heart to say that dreams are worse than them, not with the edge of your tongue, but with your heart’s pledge. God, seeing your doing this, will give you His help in everything. Although you write that there is peace between you, I still see that there is confusion, and this upsets me. It is impossible that there cannot be storms and upheavals, but during a storm everyone runs to hide somewhere when it overtakes him, even to the most wretched and humble place, and you run rather to humility and love. Love endures everything, accepts faith in everything, and falls away from nothing (1 Cor. 13, 14, 8), but humility is also needed here. Or maybe love has forgotten to say: “I love, but I don’t exist!” I do this and that, but she doesn’t!” Destroy each one yourself, and the enemy will have time to attack you. Otherwise, he strongly opposes your peace and incites you with various excuses, suspicions and suspicions. May the Lord crush it under your feet. Peace be with you, my beloved children in the Lord! Glory to God, that He also vouchsafes you... to be clothed in the robe of salvation, and may He vouchsafe both of you to preserve this image in its purity, humility and love. Congratulations to you... I am very happy about this: may God grant you to take the name of your late mother and the present one - Magdalene. We have nothing special to tell you, we all live monotonously. Glory to God, with His help the brethren are at peace, and each, according to his strength, strives as best he can and cares for his salvation, although we move slowly, we do not despair of God’s mercy. Be healthy, peaceful and calm, I pray to the Lord for this and I entrust you to His omnipotent providence and the protection and intercession of the Mother of God. I remain the sinful I.M. November 19th. Today the 61st year of my life will end, God knows how much longer I will live, the 62nd year will begin on the 20th. In 61 years there are 22,280 days, 534,720 hours, 32,083,200 minutes, and then more than 1,924,992,000 seconds. What a small moment honors the time of our life, and every second brings us closer to eternity, and there is endless infinity! Grant us, O Lord, to be present for the unfading days of Thy kingdom (Canon of Easter), according to Thy ineffable mercy, which surpasses the sins of the whole world and is not blocked by the malice of Thy creatures! The temptation that happened to you is heartbreaking for me: how your temper tries to break our union in the Lord, peace and tranquility, but, as I see, the evil one did not succeed in anything, but even more so, through this, the evil and stingy matter that had accumulated in you broke through with this discovery and flowed out, you need to heal it with love and humility, then your peace will be more strengthened. May the Lord forgive your common efforts and establish your unshakable union, which is so necessary in the matter of your salvation. You all talk about what, how, which and what kind of view on things, and you each think about your own rightness, what you see is confirmed in your opinion, but you forget to look at your own things, and only time passes in the gaze of one another. Is there any truth to this, that I look at things one way and she looks at things differently? If love and humility found a place in your hearts, this would not exist. But with God’s help, I hope that you will give them free entry and calm down with them. And the shock that has occurred will serve as a strong affirmation: there is no such thing as a battle without injury, fall and rise, and stand firm, relying on humility and love. Maybe I’ve bored you with repeating the same thing, but I can’t imagine you better or easier than them. I.M. December 14, 1849. Yesterday, having received your letters, beloved children in the Lord, I could not read them, something was not right, I did not sleep at night, the reason for this - I will not hide - your letters. I’m so bad, even worse than you, when something touches the heart: the excitement of the blood deprives me of sleep, and I spent the whole day languidly, with difficulty I was at the hotel and spoke with visitors, at night I also couldn’t fall asleep until the first hour, but, thank God, I had some refreshment from it, I feel more capable. Just now I read your letters and it was sad to see your worries, which, although they were stopped by explanations, it was clear that something was wrong between you. Everyone sees their rightness and the insult from the other. What kind of lasting peace will there be here? If each of you considered yourself to be the last, then with such a preparation the enemy could not have time to sow his tares among you, and even if they accepted something against each other, then it would also be consumed by explanation, as it was before between you. About love and humility - these saving means, I told you a lot, now there is no need to remember them, it seems that you are moving them far away from yourself, when the seeds of enmity have crept in, so that even after an imaginary reconciliation, an ulcer remains, and as soon as small attacks touch it, it is again poisoned. God forbid what this will lead you to! Such an allowance followed you, as did M.... assumes, for your exaltation and opinion, that you live peacefully, and better than others, carried away by these thoughts, look at what network you are entangled in. You both write: “Take me apart, instruct me.” How can one dissect and instruct, when much has been written and instructed, so as to accept with self-reproach, and not with self-justification, or out of embarrassment, rather expel this serpent with an explanation! However, I also know a strong reason why you do not follow my advice: because it does not come from my deeds and is a canopy of shame, and not a repository of hope. At least accept the instructions and teachings of St. fathers, whom you have in abundance. Do not think that I am grieving for you, but I am writing out of heart disease and regret for you. I know that the enemy’s struggle is great, but our strength is weak, but where there is humility, the networks of the enemy will soon be abolished, and when, instead of self-reproach and humility, you weave thoughts and multiply the ulcer, allowing the serpent to pour poison into the hearts, then how can the world be? I cannot seek from you unfallen perfection, but after the fall I wish for a quick uprising, for which I ask you to do your best. Again I turn to you, wanting to see affirmative peace and union in you: the enemy does not tolerate it, but strives with all his might to disturb it, understand his deceits, and consider any confusion that comes to your heart as an action and quickly abolish it by self-reproach, calling on God's help and explanation. You already know its power, and that you need to force yourself, what’s better: without forcing, to remain in darkness and confusion? Or, by forcing yourself, get peace of mind? Of course, this feat has sorrow, but for that it brings peace. Again, beware of attributing this to your virtue when self-reproach or suffering from one another. You know what you suffered from this! In the last letter, I wrote to you so that you, each having your own view of things, do not consider it correct, and especially when it relates to reproaching your neighbor and violating the peace, and having submitted your thought to the judgment of another, remain calm in this: as she affirms, even if the opposite seems, you will thereby come to the skill of not compromising your mind and abandoning your desires, which often violate your peace. I wish and hope that you will show me, the worst, obedience in this and thereby bring you and me peace and joy. I congratulate you on the upcoming holiday of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. I earnestly wish to meet and celebrate it peacefully and joyfully, O many sinner I. Macarius. December 14, 1849. Yesterday, having sent a letter to you, in the evening I received your message from December 22nd, my beloved children in the Lord! I was not much comforted by your peace, but I again see: the depth of passions has risen against you and a storm of contrary winds. I am not surprised by this, but I grieve when I see you, and especially the sick woman, falling under this cross, and it hurts me even more that during your temptations, my words, and especially not mine, but those of the God-inspired fathers, have no effect on you. You yourself read and see how passions creep up, you know how to resist: but in these times Your (God’s) destinies are taken away from his (your) presence (Ps. 9:26). You see everything that is disgusting in each other, what a sharp arrow of the enemy pierces your hearts! But the true guarantee of love in your hearts is missing. ABOUT! If its spark had sunk into them, it would have ignited greatly, it would have endured everything, believed everything, and would have fallen away in no way (1 Cor. 13:4-8), but the trouble is: it does not find a place in you, because there is no humility, with it it is peaceful, agrees and loving, and when it is not there, then the enemy’s sophisticated arrows pierce your hearts and all the fruit of your labors and exploits yours are exhausted. You know this from the writings of the fathers: whoever practices prayer or some other virtue is protected from the strong temptations of the enemy, but victory for them is humility; if you had not tempted them, you would not have known their sorrows and torment. You were comforted by the world and thought that I would never move (Ps. 29:7), but when God allowed it, you were again embarrassed. I hope that you will return to your rank and calm down. Read chapter 43 of Callistus and Ignatius, it describes the storm and silence of our dispensation and the surpassing glory of humility, think about this how to acquire it. You reproach yourself, but, apparently, only with your pen and lips, and not with your heart - resort to this last resort, and then the enemy’s intrigue will be rejected. The beginning of your letters also did not make me happy, but then, thank God, I see that after the storm that worried your hearts, silence arose, and with all my cruelty I could not help but be moved to tears and give thanks, seeing such a quick response and your reconciliation. Keep this peace on both sides with humility and love! The penance given to you seemed impossible to fulfill, but all the more so when you see those who fail to fulfill it, you must humble yourself, and humility will be created by itself, and love will not separate from you, God will look at your humility and give you His help. Tomorrow is New Year. Oh, when would we be renewed for the best, having shed the decay of passions, I congratulate you on this. Peace be with you! I.M. December 31, 1849. God bless! 1850. January 1st, morning. Having come from mass, I congratulate you, beloved children in the Lord, on the beginning of this year. May the Lord give you peace and health, mental and physical, and harmony among yourself! I congratulate Mother Superior in absentia and all my sisters in Christ; I wish them peace, harmony and health. Father Superior Gerontius and Fr. Ioannikiy were with us, and not without sorrow I had to, at their request, give the icon of the Most Pure Virgin Mary of Vladimir to the priest of Vladimir, for it was Fr. Theodora and blessed by Fr. Joannikia. What to do? Apparently for my unworthiness, the Mother of God allowed me to be deprived of this treasure, but I hope that She, by the mercy of the Mother, will not deprive me of Her sinful protection, intercession and intercession for the salvation of my sinful soul. The beginning of your letters bothered me not a little, that everything in you is justification and accusation of your neighbors, from which your peace is disturbed and your health is upset, it cannot be said that passions act involuntarily, but voluntarily and influence the deprivation of the world, but what would it cost at the same time to contemplate oneself, to reproach, and not to inflate and increase? You know the remedy, you have tested it, and be careful not to allow the enemy to inflame your feelings to the point of such embarrassment. Sincerity, simplicity, humility and love should guide you, then everything and your actions will be quiet, peaceful and calm. We must forget about the past, keep in mind the present, and the future is hidden from us. Thank God that you remained peaceful. I. M. February 14, 1850. In your letters I notice that the enemy, who hates goodness, is trying to outrage you with insignificant things and has suspicious thoughts, although he will disturb your peace of mind, but I see that with the help of God, needing to explain to each other, you are destroying his treachery. I know that on the path of spiritual life, warfare is necessary, but if you add humility and love to your work, although not so ardent, but Christian, you will be more likely to succeed. You console me by the fact that, at least out of obedience to my badness, you will force yourself and will not become rigid, and when you further force yourself both to explain and to put down suspicious and speculative thoughts, you will find God’s help and will not be forced to fulfill it. I am sending you the book “Lavsaik”, recently published, which has not yet been published either in Russian or in Slavic translation, and only part of it was included in the prologue. It is similar to the “Spiritual Meadow”, but it was compiled much earlier, read and use it. Again, I will repeat to you that I am very glad that you are at the place of your work, may the Lord help you in the battle with invisible spirits not to fall, but to gain victory with humility. No matter who it is, everyone consider that he is better than you, and so you will gradually get used to it, you will see everyone as angels, and yourself as calm, but while the proud part of you is not yet tamed, it takes a lot of fire to burn it. Do not believe that sorrows are inflicted on you from others, no, they come from within you, and people are only the instruments with which God acts in the matter of our salvation and our purification. I wrote and spoke to you a lot about this, and you read much more about this. Keep peace among yourselves, as a gift of God that will advance you on the path of your salvation, do not grasp at little things, do not crush them into pieces and do not make a mountain out of a grain of sand, let love cover, and let humility strengthen your union. The most insignificant incident confused you from the lack of self-reproach and love, it’s good that it passed soon, but what is it like to console the enemy for a short time and from him mutually receive spiritual confusion and torment? Here the memory of the past, long forgotten, will appear, to the great indignation of all this, may the Lord deliver you. You gave advice to N.N., apparently you have already achieved the gift of reasoning, I want you to use it too, I am writing this to you out of humility and do not advise you to go into advice, otherwise the door in your cell will not stand on its hinges. N.N. definitely asked for this, but you need to be very careful about this and not suddenly dare to do this. Your grief over the taking from me of the icon of the Queen of Heaven is unnecessary, and your reproach on others is in vain. You would rather say that I also recognize that it was because of my unworthiness that the Mother of God was pleased to deprive me of seeing her most pure icon. And o. Ioannikiy had every right to take this holy icon; it was Fr. Leonid blessed us in general, and not just me, for it came from his uncle, Fr. Theodore, and when he moved to Tikhonovka, he took it by right, and not with the intention of wanting to insult me, but you talked a lot and blew a grain of sand into the mountain. But the Mother of God is so merciful to me not because of my dignity. She, the Queen of Heaven, was pleased to send me her Most Pure Icon of Akhtyrka, painted at the closest time of her appearance, 130 years old, in a silver-gilded robe, with a pearl trim and a crown of stones, where there are several diamonds, and now the iconostasis of my cell is magnificently decorated with this icon, which consoles me a lot. This icon was brought to me by P.N. with great zeal and love; her grandmother and mother were blessed with it for marriage. Recently, two years of your consent have passed, God grant that it will be strong and saving you forever, may the Lord bless you. The sinful hieromonk Macarius. February 21st, 1850. Beloved children in the Lord! I received your letters, which touched me to the depths of my soul: about the illness of M. M.... what a strong shock you had during this time, all this malicious enemy rises up against you and arms itself with by-catch, and you, not having the strongest weapon of humility, fall under his blows. You read, pray, apparently, listen, but before the first meeting, the thought confused you - and they began to inflate, I don’t know what to write to you and how to strengthen you? Everything is the same. You should bear the infirmities of your neighbor with humility and love, but you both have excuses that do not calm you down, but destroy the world. I see that the enemy is strongly rebelling against you, but where can you hide from his fired arrows? Be courageous, do not lose heart: you are both in a struggle of passions, resort to God and the Mother of God and do not lose heart. For your self-reproach and compulsion, God will give you the strength to overthrow the machinations of the enemy, and gain victory, only reproach yourself, and not each other. Read from St. Isaac the Syrian in the 35th Word: “Having given over our souls to virtue alone for love, we allow many to be tempted to be so (sorrows), and a lot of evil from every place leaves them to arise, wounds them in their body like Job, and so on. “It is not possible, when we walk the path of righteousness, that we may not be contented with lamentation and the body in illness and illness, and remain unchangeable, but love to live in virtue”... “it is not proper to deviate from this path, but it is proper to take it up with joy without torture, and to thank God for sending him this grace,” and so on, oh sorrow: “...if they come from men, or from demons, or from the body,” and so on. Read for yourself (Sk. 35). In the 36th word towards the end: “... for God was not pleased, so that His beloved may rest, even though they are in the body, but rather the desire to be in sorrow, in hardship, in labor and in poverty, and nakedness and solitude and need, and sickness and humiliation, and so on, further: “there is nothing from them in free sorrows, and in the labors of your passions.” You see from this that sorrows are inevitable for those who seek salvation, and note that the labor of your passions is no small feat, in which you are now. You are both to blame for the confusion that has now arisen between you, not by humbling yourself and not bearing each other’s infirmities, but by despising each other. From now on, may the Lord help you to stand firmly against the arrows of the enemy, always reproaching yourself and considering yourself worthy of humiliation and contempt. I believe that peace will reign between you. Cheese week has come, it’s stupid, many don’t praise it, but are involuntarily drawn to fulfill its law. For us, although not to the same extent, we still have excessive consolation in food, but for that it is the harbinger of Holy Lent, spiritual healing, when we behave more self-controlled now, we will meet Lent more pleasantly and easily. May the Lord protect you! Have peace and love with yourself and with everyone. I. M. March 1, 1850. March 5th, evening. Today is the day of forgiveness! May there be peace and harmony between you forever. I believe that if there was any kind of unpeacefulness from your passions, then when you entered the field of Holy Lent, it was surely destroyed by the power of God through your self-reproach and humility! Peace be with you! And I forgive you in everything, and I ask for Christian forgiveness, even if I have sinned before you. March 6th, morning. Glory to God, we have entered the field of Holy Lent. Having returned from Matins at 8 o’clock, I want to write a few lines to you and, congratulating you on your fast, wish you to spend it peacefully, calmly and soul-savingly, in mental and physical health. March 21st. I congratulate you on the joyful feast of the Annunciation, Most Holy Theotokos, may the Queen of Heaven comfort you on this bright holiday with spiritual consolation. After this I immediately received your letter and many others. It was sad to read about your upheavals, but, apparently, God is pleased to teach you through skill in patience at this time. You read books, we repeat, we understand, but we also need to know ourselves through temptation: is there even a spark of love in us for our enemies? But no, so I reproached myself; we know my weakness, and the Lord is able to strengthen you. Do you see how dear the internecine cell peace is to you? And he was hesitant about what would happen without him given the current upheavals. Although I deeply pity you, who loves and pities you more than God? But it is He who visits with His honey-digging actions, which come from love. Glory to His mercy and bounties that you are not forgotten before Him. I can’t write about all your stuff now, because I need to send mail now, and I’ll write some bits and pieces. M.M. was mistaken about bows; the statute does not say that great bows should be placed on the “honest” one, but it directly says small bows, and it is explained what is a great bow and what is a small one. I will send you an extract from the charter, but you yourself do not enter into the dispute, but convey to M. the abbess as she wants. Where I have been, neither in Ploshchansk, nor in White Beregi, nor here, in Optina, do they make big bows. I sincerely regret that the shock that happened to you confused you, and the consequence of it was to pay with your health. Yes, you write that in general echoes reach you from everywhere, that a very bad reputation has spread about you, and many are gnashing their teeth at you. Perhaps, since you treat everyone freely, and sometimes you say an extra word, and everything is weighed, I think that they really don’t like what you said about bowing, that they accepted it from me, of course, it’s difficult for them to break their custom, even if it’s wrong, and it’s as if it’s impossible for you two to resist the whole monastery. And since there is no heresy in this - whether to bow deeply or not, at the presanctified liturgy during the light of Christ..., then in order to avoid hostility, you too can bow according to theirs, and maybe this will pass. You M.M. did well that you did not stubbornly argue with M. M., otherwise she would have been even more irritated, of course, her jealousy cannot be called according to Bose, but violent jealousy, of course, at that time the enemy was pushing her to do this, and you try to accept these waves with humility and believe that you can only do what God allows for your correction and salvation. After all, how many passions do we have? Self-love, love of fame, pride and others cannot be counted; we must heal them when we ourselves do not want to seek healing. Accept the dishonor done to you “by inflicting future glory,” according to the words of St. Mark the Ascetic. May the Lord help you to pass this path without stumbling and not to lose heart and discouragement. Seeing that the Lord preserves your peace, I rejoice heartily, may He continue to preserve your peaceful consent, which will serve you as a joy in external adventures. Believe me, how difficult it is for me: I write and write, I don’t have time to feed my hungry soul with spiritual food. Pray for me. May peace, harmony and tranquility be established between you, which I earnestly wish for you, The sinful hieromonk Macarius. March 25th, 1850. Beloved children in the Lord! Today is Holy, Great Thursday, the remembrance of the Last Supper, on which our most merciful Lord gave His most pure Body and most pure Blood to His disciples, and thereby united all believers with Himself and with each other in a union of love. Glory to His bounty and ineffable mercy! I think you have been worthy of this great gift today, with which I heartily congratulate you; I will also say about myself that the Lord has vouchsafed me, along with my brothers, to be a communicant of these Holy Mysteries. Thank the Lord! All this time we have had frosts, and only now is the first day there is no frost, but it is raining, and the river began to overflow its banks, and the meadow began to be covered with spring water, and now we have a great and spacious sea. These days I expect all the letters from you and did not write to you, but there were others, and I read “Stavrofil”, translated into Russian. Here it is quite possible for you, M.M., to be convinced that the Lord measures everyone’s strength and sends him a cross, and the exhaustion in it comes from our cowardice. It would be nice if they would allow this Russian translation to be published, but if they don’t allow it, then it wouldn’t hurt to have it in manuscripts. “The Ladder” is a translation by Archimandrite Macarius, we read it except the title and ending, i.e. word to the shepherd. There is very little change, we followed the translation of Elder Paisius exactly, now they are rewriting it, it would be good for you to copy it too, but which you M.... copied, let it remain so. We also have a thought, if the Lord helps us put it into action: the printed “Ladder”, in its exact syllable, to correct the meaning from Paisieva, we can’t even think about printing, but even if it’s in a manuscript, it would be good half-written, although it’s difficult, it will be true. All this is good, wonderful, but there is only one preparation, the sowing, when will it sprout? And when will what is sown bear fruit? In the hope of fruit, plow, sow, and thresh (1 Cor. 9:10). We have been so blessed by the grace of God, we have an infinite treasure and an inexhaustible source of fatherly teachings, but what will we repay the Lord for this? We should act according to their teaching, but we drift far away, and only boast that we have books, and perhaps someone will think something about us, but when we look into it, we will see: against what passion did we become bloody (Heb. 12:4)? Aren't you more prepared for the fulfillment and action of these? And when we fix something, we become enslaved by self-praise and ruin everything. We don’t learn patience, but what can we say about death? But in our, and even more so in my poor dispensation, it would be necessary to be imbued with this activity. When the Lord gave us the first commandment about this: blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:2), and set an example to learn from Him meekness and humility (Matthew 11:29), and, even if they did everything commanded, they would say about themselves that we are inexcusable slaves (Luke 17:10). Let's look at ourselves, is there even a shadow of this activity in us? But we must try about this every day, and with every deed, word, and rumor about us or word against us, we must humble ourselves, considering ourselves worthy of being worthy of it, and reproach ourselves only, and not others. Always have this preparation, it will calm you down and will not allow either embarrassment or rancor to spread into the distance, remember St. Isaac the Syrian in the 46th word: “Humility, apart from works, can save us, and works without it are useless...” May the Lord vouchsafe you to acquire this virtue, which love itself strengthens. Be in agreement, calm and healthy, I earnestly wish you and, entrusting you to the protection of God, I remain the sinful hieromonk Macarius. April 8, 1850. Beloved children in the Lord! I received two of your letters at the same time, they brought me no small consolation about your peace among yourself, and that you, M., were consoled by receiving my meager writing. Be sure of my disposition towards you in the Lord, and even if something happens to write to you rudely or harshly, it also comes from love and from the desire for your true good. You like the simple and consistent address of M.... and...., and you imitate it, but after all, everything “good is tempted by the nasty.” The enemy, who hates the good, how many tricks does he make to disrupt your peace both through your own passions and external events? Know his machinations and do not allow him to grow stronger; you know the weapons and power that destroy them: self-reproach, humility and love. Remember, when a storm of passions rages, they fly away from you, forcefully attract them, force yourself and call on God for help. You write about the impoverishment of your finances, what can I say about you? Should I praise or not? I leave it to your judgment, after all, you need to stretch your clothes, I don’t like stinginess, but excessive spending is not commendable. Even if you have it, but even large capitals are being destroyed, it is good to do charity wisely. You ask how you should deal with N. and N. I don’t see anything bad in them, but we all, as people, are in a struggle of passions, we fall and rise. You definitely need to have a spiritually located cell: from the outside you can see more, they can warn you, and if necessary, protect you, and experience itself will teach you this. ... Try to comfort her in a friendly manner, although you see a change in her, but this does not depend on her will, but on the abuse of the opposite. Have peace among yourselves and destroy the machinations of the enemy through self-reproach and humility. Many are not peaceful towards you and strive for envy: in all such cases, I ask you, try to be careful, do not give guilt to those who seek guilt (2 Cor. 11, 12). Accept my advice without offense and, when you disciple me, a sinner, then listen to me, humble yourself, and especially not me, but our Lord Himself - Jesus Christ, who says: learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29). You live in your cell, I am sure, you are engaged in the rule, reading and handicrafts, but this work of yours requires skill, so that it is revered and understood and in practice learned to pass: God sends it to you, and you accept it kindly and with submission to the will of God. God, testing Job with sorrows, said to him: do not reject My judgment, if you think that I have created you differently, unless you appear truthful (Job 40:3). According to the commandment of God, love them, they do us more good than harm, we ourselves do not see our shortcomings, and we are also deluded by the opinion of correction, but they clearly show us everything. We learn from the writings of our fathers, and we must also come to do them. Our ill-wishers benefit us more than harm us; they force us, who are dormant and not heedful of our misdeeds, to look after themselves. Do not be wounded by memory of them, but see in this the hand of God and His providence, caring for our salvation. When you feel sorrow, do not look at the people who bring it upon you, but say: the cup that my heavenly Father gave me, should not the imam drink it? (John 18:11). Moreover, in these days, remembering the passion of Christ, it is fitting for us to think about this. For the Lord’s sake, I ask you, be more modest in your treatment of your sisters, both in deeds and in words, consider yourself the last of all that the Lord will inflict on you first. Love everyone, even if they don’t love you, don’t seek love from others, but love them yourself, it’s more forgivable for them, they are not as knowledgeable as you. Be courageous in spiritual warfare, and the Lord will help you. Always have self-reproach, it will calm you both in soul and body. Do not neglect these words of mine, offered to you from a sincere heart and desire for true good. I congratulate you on this holiday of the resurrection of Lazarus and tomorrow – the glorious entry into Jerusalem of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, may He resurrect our souls, killed by sin, and grant us the opportunity to ascend to the heavenly Jerusalem! I wish you to be peaceful and calm. I. Macarius. April 15, 1850. Beloved children in the Lord! Yesterday we celebrated the glorious entry into Jerusalem of our Lord Jesus Christ, and from this day we began to remember His most pure sufferings, for the sake of those we endured, and we are already reading the Holy Gospel: His stay with us in His earthly life, His teaching and suffering. The Holy Church offers her children spiritual food and the teaching of our Savior and the cup of sorrows that He drank for our salvation, and so that after this sorrow he could comfort us with the glory of the resurrection. And I wish you, remembering with a feeling of gratitude and heartfelt contrition these His sufferings, to meet with heartfelt spiritual joy the bright holiday of His Resurrection, on which I earnestly congratulate you and spiritually greet you: “Christ is Risen!” For you will receive this letter either on the holiday itself, or on the eve of it. Be peaceful, calm and healthy! From all your letters I see that peace remains between you, although there were small outbreaks, but transitory and destroyed by explanation with self-reproach. God bless! I am heartily consoled by this, but I grieve a lot about poor M.’s illnesses, although I attribute all this to the will and providence of God, which arranges everything for the benefit of our souls, but after all, we all have a vigorous spirit, and our flesh is weak. I advise you not to neglect this disease, and with trust in God’s help, it doesn’t hurt to consult a doctor. Oh......, you write in one letter opposite the other the opposite, i.e., in the evening there may be mourning, but in the morning there is joy (Ps. 29:6), so it happens in her training, from which she must learn the art of how to move forward. God Himself, seeing her tired, sent her light, and she, enlightened after the darkness of passions, calmed down. I’m very glad that you have a desire and desire for fatherly books, perhaps copy John Climacus, I think it’s better to start copying books than protracted work. I. Macarius. April 17, 1850. Easter. April 23rd. Christ is Risen! And on this very day I heartily congratulate you, my children in the Lord, on celebrating this joyful holiday. May the Lord Himself comfort you with spiritual, unspeakable joy! How did you start and get through this day? According to our custom, mass was solemn; I did not serve, but I dared to begin the sacred meal, out of God’s great mercy towards me, a sinner! I read your letters, thank God that you celebrated the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ safely, during the joyful celebration of the holiday, the enemy was jealous and embarrassed you, and you are both wrong, and each in turn supported it with self-justification, and you both ask me what should I do? And I don’t even have words for this, what answer to give you. Both were in the heat of the moment and each saw herself in the right, but there was no peace. I must again resort to reminding you of love and humility when these means are available and the networks of the enemy are crushed. And you, on the contrary, both of you, considering yourself to be right, do not want to break your proud necks, one considers herself to be right, that she spoke boldly out of an open character, although she did not want to offend her sister, but when she was offended, then you need to reproach yourself for your insolence, and not learn from silence, which does not bring either love or humility, but blows a nasty spirit. And the other one was offended by the word, instead of reproaching herself for not bearing, but thanking for the warning and seeing in this the sister’s love, she looks forward to another kind of warning: “Don’t touch me, then I’ll be good.” When you both enter into yourself, you will find yourself guilty without any justification, and then, of course, you will be admonished in advance when to be silent and when to speak. And so, in order to demand that you should do this and that, then I will accept - through this the passions that lie within you will never be healed. You did the same as the brothers described by Abba Dorotheus in the word: “Reproach yourself.” And now your confusion by the power of the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ and His glorious Resurrection has all dissipated, like dust and turned into nothing. Be peaceful also to all those who are supposedly at enmity with you, I have written to you enough about how the enemy hates good and causes confusion, but everything is for our benefit: let us show ourselves skillfully (1 Cor. 11:19). Thank God that the temptation between you has been abolished and passed, and you should take note of how the power of passions in you, through the action or suppression of the enemy, resists the will of God and erases your spiritual neck, drives away the world and to whom does it make you like? God planted love in us, and from it the much-desired peace, and the enemy, on the contrary, instills enmity and confusion for the most trifles: “I said the word wrong! I didn’t look at it that way!” And the very tone and sound of the words matter and measure. I am writing this to both of you and have written a lot before, and where there is love, and humility, and self-reproach, this would not be there. Beware then, and from your very former falls descend into the depths of humility, what should you do? Be in the struggle, be courageous, even if you fall, don’t be broken, but take a closer look at your poverty. To your question, M., about your character, outburst and cooling again, I cannot tell you thoroughly and decisively, consider yourself, and even more so, the current case will show you your structure, that you have not yet come to a good position and involuntarily must humble yourself. Be peaceful and healthy! I'm staying sinful and... M. May 8, 1850. From your letter I see your situation: illness, health, emotional turmoil, and calm. Thank God for everything! Let us recognize our weakness in everything, and do not reproach or blame anyone, when we see anything contrary from them, then they are the instrument of God’s providence, with which God acts in the matter of our salvation. We are so blind that we do not see even a hundredth part of our shortcomings, but they see clearly and vigilantly and benefit us more than they hurt us. Congratulations to you, M.M., on the day of your angel, God grant that you imitate Saint Mary Magdalene in your love for the sweetest Jesus, this will help you divorce your passions, which do battle with you and overcome you. And you, M.A., are also susceptible to the same thing. Considering your actions in words and letters, I find the main root of these disasters of yours - pride. I will not go into a detailed analysis, I leave this to your impartial consideration and consciousness on both sides, and then, with the help of God, correction. Thank God that you were peaceful among yourself; when you reproach yourself and humble yourself, the enemy with his machinations will achieve nothing, and you, seeing your insignificance and remembering your efforts, having become accustomed to humility, will receive greater help from God! Peace be with you! May there be love and harmony between you, strengthened by humility. I. Macarius. July 22, 1850. I still don’t know where you are wandering, I hope that, protected by God’s protection, the intercession of the Mother of God and the prayers of His saints, you are in the God-saved city of Kyiv and have the consolation with faith of kissing the most honorable icon of the Mother of God and the relics of St. saints of God, I wish to know about your journey and peaceful dispensation. Force yourself to self-reproach and humility, then the enemy will have no time, although he will be cold in thoughts, but, disgraced, he will leave, and if you seek from each other: “Why does she treat me this way and not that way? And I do better than her!” – then there will be no more feelings of self-reproach. The Lord commanded us to love not those who love us, but our enemies, and about this he said: if you love those who love you, what reward will you receive? Don’t tax collectors do the same thing (Matthew 5:46). If they do not love us, we will not give an answer, but for the fact that we ourselves do not have love, we will give an answer, and even here it is still strictly punishable by deprivation of peace and tranquility. Why am I writing, you have quite a lot of holy father’s writings, which you yourself read and prostrate yourself to do. I hope that you will have pity on me and will not demand extensive letters, you have enough for edification. Be peaceful and healthy! I'm staying much-sinful I.M. August 18, 1850. From your letter I know about you, my children, and I rejoice that you are at peace with each other and are consoled by the mercy of God at the Kyiv service and veneration with worship of the shrine, meeting with your relatives and greeting your kindest brothers. May the Lord preserve your peace forever as an inalienable and undoubted help to your salvation; may humility make it firm. You were rewarded with a bit of shrine, you were comforted spiritually and calmed in body, and you spent a favorable time together with your close family. Glory to God, for all this, bring thanks to God and try to walk prudently in the field of your deed, have peace among yourself and consider yourself the worst and last of all, this doing can only attract God’s help to you, and the machinations of the enemy will be crushed, and when you are overcome by pride, pride and other branches that grow from them, then beware, lest the passions of envy and opinions, glaring and conceit, but the former world and love will be driven out by many illnesses and your belly will be full of sighs. And in the future I can’t tell you anything more useful, but let this be a constant reminder to you. Maybe I won’t be able to repeat this to you in the future, judging by my rumors, the short time and time-consuming physical weaknesses. You have already been tempted and you know where the enemy is rising against you, overthrow him with humility, with self-reproach, and explaining to each other. Thank God that you returned safely to your native abode, and it seemed pleasant to you after your wanderings. Your journey miraculously worked out so well that you could not have expected anything better; all this was helped by the prayers of the Most Pure Virgin Mary and the saints of God. Be grateful to the Lord and live according to His commandments peacefully and humbly; in the field of your feat you cannot help but fight, but the power of self-reproach and humility will crush all the forces of the enemy. Thank God that your sister and children stayed with you and were comforted by your residence, peaceful both externally and internally, and I sincerely rejoice that you have peace among yourself and that you have learned where each person’s confusion comes from - from yourself and from your own dispensation, know also that when there was no war, there would be no temptation; you have seen warfare, victory and motivation, you have known the weapon against the evil enemy - self-reproach and humility, which also attracts God's help. You, M..., write that now the concepts of the fatherly writings are revealed differently in you. What is this? This is the betrayal of the right hand of the Most High (Ps. 77:11), but take care that “your humble hearts be covered with the fear of God, lest those who are exalted fall from Him, the all-generous” (antiphon, tone 8). Let not all flesh boast before God (1 Cor. 1:29). You write that you received spiritual consolation from the visit of the Queen of Heaven to her holy icon and the dean’s service in our church; try to cleanse the church of your hearts, so that the grace of God may richly come to you! Today there was frost and killed our beautiful dahlias and other weak flowers, but enough was enough for them: for more than three months they showed off and delighted the eyes of people to the glory of our Creator, who adorned the earth with heterogeneous and varied plants - from the cedar of Lebanon to hyssop. The Lord does not tell us to worry too much about clothes: And why are you worried about clothes? Look at the villagers, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin: but I tell you, as Solomon was clothed with all his glory, as if he were one of these (Matthew 6:28.29). How true and saving is the power of the word of God in all His writings! But we are deaf, dumb and blind to it. Even if we do little, we pretend to be something, and we destroy, we are deprived of reward, and we are also strict judges of people, and we must remember not only that we must have humility in wisdom, but also the pain of the heart, according to the teaching of the fathers (in the life of Elder Paisius): “No matter how great our corrections may be, but if they do not have a painful heart, they will not bear fruit.” And we are looking for all the spiritual consolation that the Lord sends to you out of His mercy, as you write, M..., but in taking it away and in sending the spiritual cross you are cowardly, after which the light of consolation will shine again. It is impossible to always remain in consolation alone. We see that the joy of joys our Lord Jesus Christ at the time had a visitation of sorrow not for the Divine, but for humanity, when he said: ... my soul is sorrowful unto death (Matthew 26:38). Of course, the cause of the whole world was our sins, which He took upon Himself, and the truth of the heavenly Father punished Him for us sinners - what was and is His love for us sinners? And externally, what did He endure for our salvation? He even poured out His most pure blood for us in order to wash away our sins. And when we bear something, it is for our sins, sent from God: a burden, sorrow or illness of some kind and for our humility. May His Holy will be upon us! He started about flowers, and ended about the spiritual structure, so matter merged with the pen. Nowadays we take them out so that the frost does not damage the trunks, and you need to do the same. Your dispute about offering the worldly food on Monday is vain, especially since both wanted to keep their word: and truth without humility is blind, that’s why it is established on justification, and remained a thorn in your hearts until you asked each other for forgiveness. Monday is not prohibited for the worldly, but such food, which you also eat on other days, then you can make permission for them, your shrine would not be violated. I regretted your, M..., former suffering, the reason for this seems to be excessive rumor and vanity, but what to do? I am greatly consoled by your peaceful agreement, which I rejoice at as my own good; it will give you much strength for your feat, which will henceforth appear in the field of your life. It seems that you have had enough experience and learned what burden comes from embarrassment, and what is the reason for it? It is obvious that self-love and pride, from which A... was indignant and envy, and M... zeal was inflamed. Let the past not be remembered, but for the present let us give thanks to the Lord, and in advance let us ask for the establishment of peace and love in the Lord between you, and you yourself keep this with humility on both sides, and the God of peace will be with you. Amen. Do not enter into judgment about the current order or disorder, but avoid yourself as much as possible, so as not to enter into the advice that you know. Perhaps you won’t get carried away for long, but after that you won’t be able to get rid of it. Asking for God's blessing on you, I remain sinful I.M. September 14, 1850. Firstly, I congratulate you, beloved children of the Lord, that you have been honored with a visit to the icon of the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of God, may She be your protection and intercession in your life and the guardian of your peace, driving away from you all the machinations of the enemy and crushing their snares. I feel sorry for you that you never stop fighting with each other; you yourself see that the enemy is trying to upset you with insignificant things, and even more so, he outrages you with your passions. I was so glad about your peace and tranquility, but I didn’t enjoy it for long; I think the enemy was allowed to arm himself strongly against you because you thought that you had gained peace. Humility is a great weapon against the enemy, but acquiring his great power is labor and compulsion. Narrow and strait is the way, bring the eternal into the belly (Matthew 7:14)! It is sad to hear about your illness M..., and the reason for it is your inappropriate zeal and coercion beyond your strength. The Mother of God did not demand such a donation from you, but here, it seems, vanity was mixed with zeal, but be that as it may, you are suffering from pain, from which may the Queen of Heaven heal you and forgive you for the zeal you have taken upon yourself beyond your strength. May your daily shocks among each other make you wise in the knowledge that the world is more precious than anything else, and try to despise the insignificant things that excite your pride. You know the victory for these - humility and self-reproach, hold strong this saving weapon! Yes, from the outside they shook you a little, or, better to say, they touched the strings of your pride: this is forward science, because everyone has their own view of things. By God's will they were the culprits of your benefit, to show you the scabs and ulcers of your heart. And you heal them, thanking God. I warned you about the pain of the heart, so as not to be carried away by your opinion about yourself: whether you are doing prayer or doing something else that you are correcting. Are you asking how to acquire it? And what do I know, I myself am poor and wretched from everything, read the 1st edition of the life of Elder Paisius and on the 56th and 57th pages, he teaches there quite clearly about this work. And at St. Isaac the Syrian in the 89th word of the 1st section. There you will find that “sadness of thought is an honest gift from God; a person who has closed his tongue against people about good or evil deeds is not worthy of this grace.” Your vanity has quite shocked you, and to it you will judge your peaceful and unheard-of refuge. Take a look at the current structure of the commander’s cell; there is almost constant bustle there. The whole monastery calms down through her care, then shouldn’t you value those in charge, and not desire and not seek leadership or interfere in their affairs, from which may the Lord deliver you. Thank you to the Lord, who preserves peace and harmony between you, when you watch yourself and always humble yourself in everything, then the arrows of the enemy will all be crushed, they all fight you with one thing or another, now with one passion, now with another, but where there is true self-reproach, you will achieve nothing, and victory will always remain on your side with the help of God, for the humble one who looks upon. Beware of self-conceit, remember the word of the prophet Isaiah, and more so of God: ... woe to those who are wise in themselves and understanding before themselves (Is. 5:2)). I don’t remember if I wrote you verses from the word on humility of John Climacus according to the translation of Archimandrite Macarius: 17th, 32nd, 34th, 37th, 51st. Read them, they will bring you a lot of benefit when you listen to them. I wrote to you a lot about love and humility when you were in temptation and confusion, but then it had little effect, it seems, because I wrote to you not because of my deeds. You have now experienced in practice how necessary and dear peace is to us and what the opposite contrast is - confusion. Take care of the world like the apple of your eye. Today is October 6th, the day of my arrival at the monastery, the 41st year began. Good Architect St. May the Apostle Thomas intercede with the Lord to build me even the slightest church there, I see and feel myself a great sinner and unworthy, only God’s mercy and love do not deprive me of good hope. May His Holy will be with us. Be healthy and peaceful, and the God of peace and love will be with you. What I truly and earnestly wish for you. Many-sinner Jer. Macarius. October 6, 1850. It was sad for me to read your scene when your cell was sent to the village, and how it shocked, M..., your frail health, however, I do not justify you in this, although you write that it was involuntarily, but after reading my previous letters, you will find that from previous similar cases of yours, you voluntarily brought yourself to such an extent. So, when you reproach yourself, and not the cases that are arranged by God’s providence, you will quickly calm down, for here you will acquire humility, and if you again excuse yourself for the weakness of your feelings, then you will not see God’s justice and providence here, and it may be harder. L.... certainly had to send, because St. John Climacus consoles: “It is better to expel a novice from the monastery than to allow him to do his own will; he who is driven away can become chaste, and when he is allowed to do his will, he will weep less at the end” (v. 4). When she comes to her senses, then it will be seen, but if you had not sent her now, then I would have stopped your mouth about her. Now, perhaps, you will learn more about her, because she was told a lot, but she considered everything for nothing, let her now know the truth. And you try to delve into the economy yourself and see that there is peace between them, and keep it with you. Now it’s two years since I broke my hand, thank God for everything, and it’s not enough for me, a sinner. Thank you for the memory of my fortieth birthday and your well wishes and prayers for me, who is depleted in virtues. In the 40 years I spent in the monastery, I don’t know what answer I will give to the most merciful Lord, who called me with His mercy to the monastery. You please me, and sometimes you humble me; I am more worthy of the latter. I cannot solve the incident that confused you with the fall of the holy icon, but, leaving it to the will of God, there is no need to be embarrassed about this. You blame yourself for not leaving, but from your description it is clear that she only grieved greatly and killed herself with crying and sobbing, and her repentance is not visible, and she also said: “What wrong have I done”? You let her go with the hope of accepting her again when her desire for the monastery is constant, and meanwhile this temporary absence will serve as a lesson for her in the future when she lives with you; soothe your conscience with the fact that this did not happen of your own free will. May the Lord protect her and give you consolation and peace of conscience. You, M., take care of your health, do not allow your nerves to irritate; when you consider yourself guilty, as I previously described about these actions, then humility will settle with you, and when you blame your nature as the cause, the illness may multiply. When we sincerely regret you, grieve and share with you, wish you perfect health, then how much more does God, who loves you and called you to serve Himself, regret about you and wants you not only to be healthy in body, but also in soul and save you in eternal life. There is no doubt that He can give you healing, but we do not know whether perfect health would benefit you and whether it would not harm your soul? And God, who knows everything, knows this. So, He, loving you, visits you with bodily illnesses for mental healing. Our passions are diverse, you could get carried away by some stupid passion. Receive with thanksgiving from the hand of the Lord whatever He pleases to send you, and believe that it is for your benefit. Do not believe in your dreams, the enemy will outrage you with them when you begin to believe, very edifyingly from the Svyatogorets, read how cunning the machinations of the enemy are, that even by God’s permission the cross can appear in dreams, but may the Lord protect you from all his snares, right and wrong. Is your opinion or criticism about your letters to me fair? One must believe the fatherly writings and examples. (In relation to me, we can safely say that I am a blind guide and a sick doctor, and, of course, we must be wary of those sayings that the word of God speaks, but, in the hope of His mercy and admonition by faith of those who question, I do not dare abandon and despise them if they take advantage of anything, I attribute it not to myself, but to God and their faith, and maybe the Lord will have mercy on me and forgive me, the abyss of my plunging sins into the abyss of His mercy). If, on the contrary, someone suffers for my foolishness and pride, then in this case I dare to plunge myself into the same abyss of His mercy, as the Church sings: “Walk in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unsearchable abyss of Your mercy.” Thank God that peace is preserved between you, this greatly comforts me, for I know that it is by God, and not by passion, and therefore the enemy often tries to violate it between you, but preserve it through self-reproach, awareness of your badness and humility. Every virtue is corrected through labor, achievement and time, but what is quickly acquired is unsteady, fragile, and unhelpful. Now the Lord has blessed you with peace and harmony, but what turmoil and confusion were there between you? It was necessary to endure a lot of labor, and God’s help was needed to destroy the confusion and establish peace. But the enemy even now does not cease to sway you with your passions, watch and value peace, how dear it is on our path, take everything for your skill, so that you may gain the peace given to us by Christ. When there is peace in the cell, then external shocks can be more easily endured and each other can be strengthened, but when there is no such thing, and something else happens from outside, then what is more disastrous than this? Now is the time for your training, that is, the feat of passion, as if yelling and sowing, and there will be a time for harvesting fruits, look at the sowing: what kind of fruit will be, expect such fruit. Asking for God's blessing on you, I remain and. M. October 17, 1850. I have now received mail, including your letters, some of which are quite shocking in terms of complicity in them; your disposition in judgment and sad view of the future do not console me. You firmly believe that the Lord Himself shepherds you, intercedes and covers the Mother of God, just follow the right conscience, do not be cunning, do not flatter, and try not to see or hear other people’s sins and infirmities, but ask God: “By God, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother!” They cannot do anything to you more than what God allows, and you must submit yourself to this with obedience to His will. I tell you, have peace among yourself, then you will bear external sorrows more easily, but in your difficult circumstances, resort to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother to instruct you and strengthen you, asking Their help. That you are worthy to serve a sick woman, thank God for this, but do not let your heart be lifted up about this, for the sick woman to do a very good deed. Both the commandment of God and the duty of love require this, but only not beyond one’s strength and with the loss of one’s health. May the Lord protect you! Beware of shame and condemnation; you will not give an answer for the failures and misdeeds of your neighbors, but you must give an answer for your own, and even more so for condemnation. Who does not have passions and spiritual weaknesses and who is not overcome by them? One has one, another has another, some more, others less, and we often see the mote in our neighbor’s eye, but do not see the log in our own. Do you, M., doubt whether your salvation is accomplished? How do you want to know it? Of course, what kind of notice? Then beware of accepting a wolf instead of a shepherd. The Holy Fathers, with all their holy lives, considered themselves the last of all, but they did not despair and did not believe in seeking salvation in their deeds, but hoped in the merits of our Savior. Read the chapter of Mark the Ascetic “about those who think that they will be saved by works”, you will see better there. I will say a few more words about condemnation. How important and lawbreaking it is, we all know this, but we don’t try to refrain from it, and as if through a blessed guilt we open our mouths to it, and if we trained ourselves to cut off our wills and to keep the word, although forcing ourselves to do it with illness, we would come to the habit of this, since now we are in the habit of not restraining ourselves from condemnation. It seems that I recently wrote to you about heart pain from the 89th word of St. Isaac the Syrian: “Sadness of thought is a good gift from God; a person who has closed his mouth against people about good and evil is unworthy of this grace.” I am writing to you, but I myself am doing nothing good, woe to me, a sinner! I advised you that you should help the sick person according to your strength, but when you, M., suffered through this yourself, then what is the use of it? I feel sorry for you, please take care of yourself and don’t risk your health. You, reading the opposition of the scholastic Mark the ascetic, agreed to patience, but with the grief inflicted, you were already exhausted by the thought, this is how unstable our structure is, let us recognize our weakness and humble ourselves, and may the Lord have mercy on you. There is nothing more to write, all that remains is to wish you, entering the field of Holy Lent, to reverently accompany it, to be worthy to receive the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ for the health of soul and body. Asking for God's blessing on you, I remain sinful and... M. November 13, 1850. Upon receiving three of your letters from two post offices, a small one quickly caught my eye, and after reading it, I realized that after your private shipwreck there had been silence. Glory to God, who did not allow the enemy to completely abuse us. The reason for this is your pride, which shakes your inner sea of ​​passions. Oh! We need, we really need humility and love! How sorry I am for you that almost daily upheavals happen to you, sometimes from the outside, sometimes from the inside, which is even more painful with M’s illness. I already noted above that the reason for this is your pride, which is why the enemy arms itself so strongly against you and overthrows you. Keep, I say, keep your cell peace, you need it to make it convenient for the battles that happen from outside. One cannot marvel at where they come from; God alone knows and allows it. These cases, of course, are not without benefit for you: how would you learn patience if no one bothered us, and everyone would please you? For the repentance you bring to your attempts and past embarrassments, may the most merciful Lord Himself forgive you, and I, a sinner, forgive you. Remember that humility brings you peace, but, on the contrary, pride and pride crush your bones and upset your body! Thanks be to the Lord, who gives you consolation and delights your monastic life. Of course, our life, according to the words of John Climacus, is an understanding unknown to the people, but only when we lead our lives correctly and humbly, without being carried away by the opinion that we are better than others or worldly people, does everyone go their own way. And when, having enjoyed ourselves, we are carried away into arrogance, then this sweetness is taken away, and the cross appears, and it is impossible to do without it, for with it the Kingdom of Heaven is achieved. Therefore, there is no need to lose heart in the sorrowful circumstances that befall you, and sometimes you become faint-hearted, which I often see from your letters. M. N... received the mercy of God and, as it were, a guarantee of consolation, but one must also be prepared to accept temptations, for the crucible of sorrows is also necessary to cleanse the gold from impurity, and without them, impurity will creep in and become dirty. In all this, we need to see something sorrowful, both concerning us and affecting others, that God’s providence is at work here, like St. Mark teaches in classes, then we will bear it more conveniently, and when we blame others and make them the cause of sorrows, then we aggravate and aggravate them, according to the word of St. Isaac in the 51st word. I see this weakness in you: you made a beginning so as not to judge, and yet you are still doing the same thing. What help will you bring to yourself or others? Not only no harm, but even great harm. I congratulate you on the holiday of entering the church of the Mother of God, be peaceful and healthy, the Church today sang in honor of the Mother of God: “The King will bring virgins in Her footsteps.” Doesn't this apply to you too? And how can one be worthy of this bringing in Her footsteps? The Church also sings that “all the glory of the Tsar’s daughter is within Her.” It is not external clothing that is needed for this, but internal glory, and what kind of glory is this? A person hidden in the heart, consisting of meekness and humility, patience and love and other virtues. Let us try and pray to the Lord, that He will grant us these virtues and entrance into the palace of heaven. Again, I repeat to you, beloved children of the Lord, be careful and take care of yourself, do not torment yourself and each other with indignations, and tame each of your passions, envy and rage with self-reproach and straightforwardness, and not with political conversion. Peace be with you! I remain a wisher for your health and salvation. May the Lord bless the beginning of this year and the continuation of living in fulfillment of His commandments in humility and love. I congratulate you, my children in the Lord, on the beginning of this new year, may your hearts be renewed by the grace of the Holy Spirit and may they be inflamed with love for the Lord and for your neighbors and may they be protected by great humility, strengthening all the virtues and interceding for us to the Lord when things become scarce, and especially may peace be established between you, I wish and pray to the Lord. I.M. January 1st, 1851. Now you are in your monastery, in the place of the field of your spiritual work. Do this, while it is still day (John 9:4), walk in the light of the face of God, His commandments that enlighten you, so that the darkness of passions may be cleared from your hearts, and may the peace of God abide with you. Thank God that you are at peace with each other, may it remain between you and all the sisters. God save you from special parties and so that one does not know the other, this means destroying the love planted by God and confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He commanded us: then everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourself (John 13:35), and if there is no love, then whose disciples will there be? And St. The Apostle John pierced all his epistles with love, wanting to establish it in the disciples of Christ, and St. The Apostle Paul exhorted to keep the faith in the unity of the spirit and the union of peace, and so he firmly cemented his good faith in all respects: if anyone preaches the gospel to you more than before, let him be anathema (Gal. 1:8.) But what else? He added: Even if an angel comes from heaven and brings good news. According to all this clear evidence, it is necessary to maintain peace and love in society, and to accept attacks or insults from anyone as sent from God to test our faith and to heal the passions nesting in us, as the saints teach us about this. fathers. However, love for neighbors is not shown by visiting all the cells, but by not avoiding community and brotherly greetings, not as some believe that one mother’s daughters should no longer have any intercourse with others. This is not pleasing to God, and I do not advise you to follow these rules if something like this were to happen, but I hope that your M. is not of this spirit, but I am writing to you that some have this leaven, against which I have always rebelled and grieved over this blindness. During community and meeting, you should not have harmful judgments and condemnations of your neighbors, not enter into any orders and structures that do not concern you, and not allow both the sensual church and the mental one to bring in the rubbish of alien infirmities and errors, but try to see everyone as angels, regardless of the fact that even if someone blames you for this, in this case, it is better to grieve a person than God. When you do this, you will get rid of a variety of gossip that could confuse you. From which may the Lord deliver you. I was glad that you arrived safely at your monastery, were joyfully greeted and entered the peaceful cell with complacency and comfort. God bless! May He give you peace and tranquility of soul, and in battles help, admonition and strengthening. What will happen next is unknown, but the Lord is strong to give you understanding. And even more so, when you maintain peace and harmony among yourself, the word of Holy Scripture will come true on you: we strengthen brother from brother, like a city that is strong and fenced (Proverbs 18:19). In judging the affairs of others, be wise like a serpent, and your goals like doves (Matthew 10:16), for which you ask the Lord for help, consider everyone like angels, and consider yourself the last of all, and you need to force yourself to do this. I wish you to meet St. fast reverently and conduct it soul-savingly, with humility and love to acquire your salvation. I. M. February 15, 1851. I congratulate you on welcoming Great Lent, may God grant you to see it off reverently and soul-savingly. The third day has already arrived, and I must get to work, serve the glorious mystery of repentance, even though I am unworthy of this service. Thank the Lord that you are at peace with each other. May this peace remain forever between you, and it will be a great help to you on the path leading to eternal life, strengthen and comfort each other, compassionate in weaknesses and sorrows, may the word of Holy Scripture be fulfilled for you: brother from brother we help, like a strong city (Prov. 18, 19.) Although the enemy tries to violate it with his machinations, love and humility, when they exist, are nothing But the enemy will succeed with his machinations, may the Lord protect you. Guard yourself from knowledge of other people's affairs in order to get rid of judgments about them; it is enough for you to see your own weaknesses and sympathize with them, and when you creep into judgments about others, you yourself will be carried away into similar weaknesses. You write that you have no peace for..., what should you do? Ask God to give you help and keep yourself in order, “to be wise like serpents and whole like doves,” although you will have to endure something. May the Lord guide you and strengthen you in this matter. I congratulate you on partaking of the Divine meal, may it be for the health of your soul and body. From your letters I see that the enemy tried to disrupt your peace with different opinions and suspicions of each other, but, thank the Lord, he did not succeed, but remained disgraced. Keep yourself humble and do not get carried away by opinions. Each of you look at your weaknesses and do not get carried away with noticing in others their imaginary dispensation; the enemy will resist this and you will suffer a lot; you know that sometimes we see and hear, to our deception, something that is not there at all. Beware of this. Here is a lesson for you not to get carried away into vanity and to do everything for God’s sake: God commanded us peace and love, but the enemy introduces enmity, suspicion and confusion. Notice, where God’s work is, there is peace and tranquility, and where the enemy’s is - excuses and instigations, and after accepting them, what happens in the soul? What storm and confusion? Just hell! At this time, did you, A., have any trace of humility? And there is nothing to say about love, I am deeply sorry for you that you suffered so much. For God's sake, leave empty squabbles and suspicions, even if exactly what happened, we must consider it a reason for philosophy and teaching what we read and learn, and even want to do, humble ourselves and love. May the Lord forgive you for such a strong attempt and strengthen you in the future, not relying on yourself, but on His help and mercy. When you have yourself in thought under everyone, then the enemy will have no time to attack you, in our morality the change is exactly the same as in the air, you see this for yourself, there are cellars of patience everywhere. You, M.M., are asking me about a conversation about God, about His omnipresence, His destinies, and so on, do you feel comfort with it, and is this feeling permissible? Everything that leads us to the love of God and humility is permissible, but we need to know our limits and not get carried away into heights, and even more so in our passionate disposition. I think you remember how one brother told the elder that he always sees God, and he answered him that blessed is he who sees his sins; and when the brother came to the great Pimen, when he asked him about great, divine things or matters, he was silent and did not answer anything, and when he, having been admonished, began to ask about weaknesses and passions, then he opened his mouth and the grace of God was poured out, however, one cannot completely renounce this conversation, but not be carried away by consolations. After all, we read and sing, and we all learn about God, about His providence and commandments. There is a need for humility everywhere! From your letters I see your weak dispensation, you still cannot eat solid food and the bitter drink of reproaches and annoyance, but it is still time for work and sowing, and not for harvesting and gleaning the fruits of dispassion. When they reproached and convinced themselves with humble thoughts, then they felt a relief from the abuse, but, subtly hoping for this peace, again, at the sight of the offending person, abuse arose. We need great humility and let us not rely on ourselves, but on God. And glory to His many mercy that you achieved reconciliation after an explanation with M.N. Apparently, the enemy, with an indignation in his heart, raised false suspicions against you, and this bothered you and outraged you against them, seeing your innocence; But we must learn patience not when we are blamed for guilt, but when we are innocently reviled and reproached. You know this quite well, and you are sure that this should be so, but you need to learn in reality, and the Lord Himself sends cases for this and acts as instruments in the matter of our salvation. Don’t worry about the fact that they blame you for falling into delusion, but beware so that you don’t fall into it with the thing itself. Whatever good you do: whether you go through prayer, fasting, reading, handicrafts, not leaving your cell, and even calmness itself, do not consider it too great, for if you add an opinion about yourself to every day, then the inner Pharisee will be educated and imperceptibly grow, as Elder Basil said about this in the superscript on Nile of Sor. May the Lord protect you from the deception of the enemy and allow you to find the true and unforgettable path of humility. I advise your girls to learn humility, and not self-righteousness and perseverance, where there is humility, there is peace, and where there is pride, there is confusion and disorder. Salvation is achieved through humility, not pride, and they came to seek salvation. I send them my unworthy blessing. For God's sake, keep peace among yourself, harmony and love, do not grab onto small twigs, look at each of your own logs, and you will be more humble and calm. You, M.M., are looking into the future, how will you live when I’m gone? Who knows, when the Lord will please to move me into eternity, but at present I am in normal health, be calm and do not be embarrassed. You say that you don’t have a person there, and then monastic life will be a heavy yoke for you. Oh! It’s in vain that you think and write like that, you have dedicated your life to the Lord and, to the best of your ability, care about what is due, although with weakness and laziness, but you still stand and struggle with passions, then will He leave you when you don’t have a person there: and the Lord Himself is near you, He strengthens you, helps you and even consoles you in times of need. How could you endure your sorrows and headaches if the Lord did not help and strengthen you? If you are worthy, and it will be useful to you, then the Lord will place some kind of mother or sister in your favor, and you will not go away with sorrows anywhere, wherever you go, they will settle down everywhere, so I will arrange them for the Lord. Read in my letter where I wrote to you about sorrows and what do they mean? How many comforting reinforcements will you find in the chapters of St. Mark of the Ascetic, St. Isaac the Syrian, Abba Dorotheus, St. Ephraim and others who passed along this path. St. Isaac also calls this a gift, that you are worthy to endure, according to St. the prophet, through many sorrows there are also consolations (Ps. 93:19), but whoever goes through sorrows is enslaved by passions. But sorrows do not come blindly, but are sent by God’s providence, according to our strength and need for them. I know that you firmly believe this. Asking for God's blessing on you, I remain a wisher for your health and salvation the sinful hieromonk Macarius. March 20th, 1851. I congratulate you, beloved children of the Lord, on this joyful feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, on the conception of the Eternal Child, the Savior of the world. Today the Church joyfully calls out to the Most Immaculate and Most Pure Virgin Mary: “The Archangel’s voice cries out to you, pure one: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you” - and solemnly rejoiced about this day, the main thing of our salvation. I believe that you too were honored to be participants in this great celebration, and, by the mercy and intercession of the Queen of Heaven, spiritual consolation. May the Lord and His Most Pure Mother strengthen you all in your life, have an unchanging will to please God, and with His help overthrow and defeat all the forces of the enemy rising against you, let humility and love be your weapons and supporters. It was no less regrettable for me to see your frequent clashes with each other, and for what? Absolutely nothing. I am sure that you have the good will to blame each other, but in moments of opportunity you are amazed and your rotten dispensation is exposed, not to mention love and humility, but if there had been a preparation and self-reproach at the very time, then nothing would have been done by the enemy to your excitement. Let me remind you of the words of St. John of the Climacus: “Where there is no light, everything is dark, and where there is no humility, there everything we have is unclean and vain.” And again: “If in the true feeling of the soul we consider that each of our neighbors is superior to us, then the mercy of God is not far from us.” Even if one of you actually happened to say something with intention, then even then you would have to bear it as an accident sent from God to heal your infirmities, but all your affairs consist of false opinions about each other. Where is the love? Where is the humility? In addition to everything else, you need peace from your cell to suffer from the shocks that occur, sent by the providence of God. That tremors occur to you, it is clear that this must happen, so that your good will will be purified by fire. Be patient and heal your weakness by doing the vexation of the cross, not seeking the glory of the cross, which God Himself knows when to give, receiving not much, do not seek more. We have already completed the spiritually beneficial Pentecost, but what anyone has acquired, everyone’s conscience knows about it. And I see only my own thinness and poverty, with what will we destroy Christ, who is coming to free passion? You, perhaps, have worked and mastered the virtues of patience and humility, meekness and love, and give me a piece of your wealth. I’m very glad that your girls are peaceful and calm you down. The Lord will reward them, I send them my blessing. I wish you perfect peace and health, mental and physical. I remain the sinful hieromonk Macarius. March 31st, 1851. Today I received your letter, thank God that He visits you with consolations and sorrows, and I warn you, M. M.: do not get carried away by the thought of consolations, so as not to be deceived by them. Of course, the fire of illness and sorrow humbles you, may the Lord protect you. I congratulate you on this great Holy Week of the Passion of Christ, and on the approaching bright and joyful feast of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may He grant you true spiritual consolation and heartfelt joy with the onset of this celebration. For God’s sake, I beg you to be the worst of all from the bottom of my heart, then God’s mercy will be near you, consolations are sweet but dangerous, and with humility God will preserve you. I congratulate you on this great spiritual holiday, on which our Lord Jesus Christ, out of His inexpressible love for the human race, at the Last Supper, gave us His most pure Body and His Most Holy Blood to eat and drink, for the remission of sins and to eternal life, and thereby united us with Himself in the closest union. Oh, unspeakable love! I think that you too have been honored with this divine meal, I congratulate you. And our brethren, together with I, a sinner, have been worthy of this gift, thank God! Yesterday I received your letter, I see that you are gradually visited by sorrows and illnesses, then by joys and spiritual consolations, thank God, who arranges it this way! This is how it should be in our life and in spiritual training. You complain in vain about your imaginary orphanhood: my father and my mother abandoned me, but the Lord took me in (Ps. 26:10). You are called by Him to serve Him in the monastery of virgins: He also takes care of you, and gives you understanding either from Scripture or from a person. You, M.M., when you receive consolation from the Lord, you do not know how to thank God for calling you, and when sorrow comes, you become faint-hearted and preach orphanhood, and meanwhile God strengthens you, and everything passes, but you come to know your dispensation and learn the skill. In your moderate distance from.... I see your benefit; in proximity you would receive only praise and satisfaction and would not avoid people-pleasing with damage to conscience in advice. And now you will get used not to praise, but to reproaches, which are more useful and lasting for you; over time it will pass, and God will not send temptations beyond measure. I approve of you for seeking healing in your sorrows in the books of the Fathers, which affirm your trust in the Lord. Don’t lose heart, M.M., when inner gloom comes upon you; as you suffer, the consolation of the Lord will gladden your soul (Ps. 93.19). Consolations will either be preceded or followed by sorrows; on the 21st and 24th you were in consolation, but on the 25th there was darkness, so that you did not become exalted. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, as can be seen from his life, written down, when he was in spiritual consolation, he cried out to the Lord: The Lord reigns, clothed in beauty (Ps. 93:1) and so on. And when darkness visited him, he said: It is good for me, for you have humbled me (Ps. 119:71). This is what a great man experienced changes. Thank the Lord that you too are on the path walked by the saints. Read the 78th word of Saint Isaac, even if it is all of it. Be peaceful, calm and healthy, and may God bless you. I remain the desire for our salvation sinful and... Macarius. April 5, 1851. Christ is Risen! Easter, April 8th. Morning. I congratulate you on celebrating Holy Easter and greet you: “Christ is risen!” For us, Matins will depart at 4 o'clock, and mass will be at 7 o'clock, and for you it will depart at this time. We remembered you in church and greeted you in absentia. April 9th. Yesterday we spent the day safely, mass was held at 10 o'clock, Fr. abbot, 14 servants and 7 hierodeacons, 18 people read the Gospel. The cathedral is great! And a consoling celebration! God bless! I feel great weakness after the service, although pleasant and comforting, but tiring for the sinful flesh, and therefore I will not write to you much, be peaceful and spend the days of Holy Easter with a feeling of gratitude to our risen Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. May the Lord save you from your zeal to save yourself from fishing in the net, a young and inexperienced chick, her enemy stammered to tell you about herself, and may the Lord deliver you from the opinion of yourself, as if you were able to take advantage of others, so that your weaknesses prove to you that you are nothing, but through her faith the Lord granted her relief. Try to get along with your girls, not with severity and despotism, but with love and humility, because after all, they serve you and those like you. In your weaknesses and spiritual struggles, may the Lord forgive you, consider yourself the last of all, and God is near you. I will not go into the details of your actions, may the Lord protect you from great temptations. Glory to God that He consoled you in the remembrance of His Mystical Supper, of which He also honored St. His suffering. He is merciful, able to console you with His Resurrection, but don’t let your heart be lifted up, see your thinness and the coming fire of cleansing will be easier to bear, but it is needed in due time and you will involuntarily say: it is good that you have humbled me, so that I may learn through your justification (Ps. 119:71). It is impossible to always be in favor, this will no longer be a painful path, but a joyful and extensive one, until humility reigns in our lands, there will be many changes, glory to God’s merciful providence for us! April 17th. I don’t know what to tell you: there’s nothing special, we spent the holiday safely, now we get to work in the garden and in the forest. How about your Christmas trees? Have they started? When sprouts appear on the tops, it is a sign that they are accepted, but it is too early to plant dahlias, you just need to expose them to the air for a day, and about the spiritual garden you must try to pluck out the thorns and tares, plant good plants and seeds of virtue and preserve them with attention and humility. I am quite surprised by the trouble you had, which shattered your spiritual bones. After so many of your former consolations, it was necessary to go through fire, the consumer of vain and self-important boastfulness, and so that you would recognize the weakness of your dispensation and always humble yourself; It is good for us, for the Lord humbles us! I heartily pity the poor sufferer M.M., but I hope that the Lord, with His mercy, strengthened you and eased your illness. I send my unworthy blessing to your girls: tell them to be humble, then they will be peaceful. God bless you. I remain a wisher for your health and salvation the sinful hieromonk Macarius. April 17, 1851. It’s heartbreaking to read about your frequent illnesses, M.M. You are sick, and it hurts us, according to St. Apostle: if you suffer one day, then all people suffer with him (1 Cor. 12:26). But you have also become so cowardly and afraid of death; Merciful Lord, you will still live with us, do not be afraid as you are afraid of death. The true memory of death does not have such cowardly fear as I see in you, but it encourages you to be wise and to live a good life. The death of a Christian believer is a consolation; he hopes, having been freed from the heavy bonds of the flesh, to move on to peace and pleasure. Sins frighten you. And for whom did the Lord come into this world? Endured suffering and diarrhea? Shed His most pure and priceless blood? To redeem sinners and wash away their sins with His blood. Despair is inappropriate, but the enemy is trying to confuse you with it, and you do not obey him. Read from St. Peter of Damascus on folio 58 on the reverse and on folio 64 about repentance..., in St. Isaac the Syrian in the 89th word, leaf 167 on the back. See how the great father depicts God’s mercy and love for us sinners: “Like a handful of sand falling into the great sea: such are the sins of all flesh in direct resemblance to the providence and mercy of God. And just as a source that is abundantly drained by a handful of dust is not blocked, so the alms of Sodetel is not overcome by the malice of His creatures.” And further on page 170: “The Son of God endured the cross, for sinners we dare to repent.” You see what our hope is: not in our works, but in God’s indescribable mercy and love for us sinners, who brought Him from the throne of glory to us, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. For all this, let us cleave with love to Him who was crucified for our sake and Shed His blood, let us cry out in hope through His merits, and to this end let us take care to gain the humility about which St. writes. Theognostus in the 61st chapter: “I speak a terrible word, and do not be surprised if you do not receive dispassion for the tormenting undertakings, but, during the exodus, find yourself in the abyss of humility, nothing less than dispassionate, and you will ascend in appearance.” How many of these and similar flowers are there in the garden of our fathers’ writings? Do not lose heart, my beloved children, you are still in a militant church, even if you receive ulcers, do not lose heart, but rise up and, running to the stronghold of humility, stand vigilantly, the One who will save you will soon come! When it is the will of God to call one of us to eternity, then, with hope in the goodness and mercy of God, we will not regret leaving our frailty here, and hand over our souls into the hand of God. With Him the days of our years are numbered, and the time of our departure is appointed for everyone, but this is hidden from us by uncertainty for our benefit. Watch and pray, for you do not know at what time the thief will come (Matthew 24:42. 43). Be calm! God is able to fulfill the desire of your heart and for us to rest from your labors, if only it is His will. The Lord preserved your monastery from the fiery entrapment with the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, and visited Him with a visit due to unknown to us destinies, M.P..., and of course out of love, even if He punished us in this way. Thank God that you have a hunger and thirst for reading the books of your fathers, strengthen your weary spirit with them in the sorrowful battles that happen, as you write that the words of St. Isaac the Syrian helped you in your offense, and all this is not our doing, but God’s mercy, giving food to our hungry souls. Not to us, Lord, not to us, give glory to Your name (Ps. 113:9)! If you receive true understanding of Scripture, then guard this gift with humility. The words “previous and received reward of good things” and so on. It is precisely necessary to understand that they refer to humility. Yes, and at St. John Climacus in the 26th degree is that “The Lord gives some reward at the beginning of their exploits,” etc., and then asks which of them is more humble. This seems to agree with the same: “Who is the first to accept retribution?” Only we must heed the fact that what we are looking for consists not in the understanding of words, but in the power of action, that is, in the acquisition of humility. When binding the books of St. Isaac the Syrian cannot help but trim the sheets, they are very large and sloppy, and notes can be made in pencil there. But when the Lord opens our minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45), then notes will be unnecessary. Be peaceful, calm and healthy. I remain a sinner and... M. April 28, 1851. External or internal sorrows that happen to you are, of course, visits from God, but do not become exalted in your opinion of the good that is found in peace, for even with them, demonstration and vanity attack you: what would have happened without them? It is good for us, for the Lord humbles us (Ps. 119:71)! To many other teachings of St. fathers, about whom I wrote to you before, to strengthen yourself in the spiritual gloom that occurs, read also St. Isaac the Syrian word 88 on the 166th page, on the reverse: “... by the providence of God this should not happen” and so on. Note that these temptations also happen to great ascetics to test their faith, and not always and they are found in consolation, then we, the least, should not accept them with thanksgiving, but not the same sorrows as ours, which they endured, but a shadow of them. The merciful Lord, sparing our weakness, according to His strength, sends us His fatherly rod, so that we do not perish. Glory to His many bounties and mercy! It’s amazing how your mothers, in their simplicity, were afraid of fear, even without fear (Ps. 52:6), about a solar eclipse, having applied their astronomy to it. There will definitely be an eclipse of the sun this year, on July 16th according to our calendar, and on the 28th according to the Gregorian Western calendar. It’s on the same day, only their count is 12 days later than ours. This is quite clearly described in the current calendar on page 43, and at the end of the calendar there is an extensive description of total solar eclipses. There is nothing surprising here that it will happen, for the science of astronomy, by calculating the course of the planets, warned about this phenomenon, i.e. on July 16 at 4 hours 42 minutes the moon will be born, and at the very time of its departure it will stand between the sun and the earth, the dark side facing us, and it will be dark for several seconds, as it was the 26th day of June in 1842. What is there to be afraid of? We must glorify God, who opened the minds of people about the flow of planets. Among unenlightened peoples, even now during an eclipse of the moon (or sun), they believe that Shaitan (the devil) is doing harm to it, and at this time they shoot from various weapons in order to free the moon from his attacks. Be calm and inspire others that this happens according to times and according to the laws laid down by the Creator of the universe during the course of the planets. Try as much as you can to remove all squabbles from yourself, so as not to be judges of other people’s affairs; you are still so small, weak and unreasonable that you cannot bear without damaging yourself and fall into condemnation. When will we see ourselves and when will we be moved to resist passions and learn monastic life? When will we humble ourselves and see ourselves under all creation? Although we will humble ourselves from our weaknesses. I don’t understand and don’t remember why I brought you to tears with my letter, but in your expression, “sweet-tongued”? I have such a memory: what I wrote yesterday, I forgot today. When we received consolation, it was surely by God’s mercy. Give thanks to His goodness and maintain peace and harmony among yourself and with everyone, and avoid gossip. I cannot follow your instruction, M. M., about my imaginary shrine, but I must sadly remember that woe is always spoken to you by all men for good (Luke 6:26), and the fatherly words: “Woe to that man whose name is higher than his works.” And again, isn’t it scary that the elder, revered by everyone as a saint, how he turned out to be before God and what was his end (in the fatherland)? You do not strive for my glory, but how to be worthy of the forgiveness of my sins and receive the mercy of God: I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me (Ps. 50:5). Again I will repeat to you about glorification, which is disastrous for me: you do it out of love, but it does not benefit me. I do not reject your faith, but it is enough for you and for your nourishment, for even in those who are unworthy, God works for the benefit of those who ask, but I should consider myself pale and the worst of all, as I am, but have not reached this measure, and you will pray for me. Thank God that your sewing is moving forward, albeit quietly, but what can you do! And I’m not surprised that sorrows happen to you; apparently, you need to be trained in patience, you work for the splendor of the house of God, for the offering of a bloodless sacrifice and preparation for it on St. altar of clothing. The fire of sorrow burns your vanity, which could have carried you away with goodwill. Glory to God that He helps you to be useful to those who need help, but let not your heart be lifted up about this, or rather let it be humble. I advise you, as much as possible, to keep your lips in judgment and entering into matters that do not concern you. The weather is good, the feathered singers are having fun, nightingales decorate nature with their singing, and other birds, each with its own tone, create a pleasant harmony. There is nothing more to write, be peaceful and healthy. May the Lord help you in your labors, mental and physical. I remain the desire for your salvation. I. Macarius. May 21, 1851. Having read your letters, there is nothing to rejoice about your poor dispensation and should I say this: I wait for the grapes to form and create thorns (Isa. 5:2), on both sides there is one voice: “Touch me not”! When will we be healed? Isn’t it through God’s vision that opportunities for our healing are allowed to happen? And we reject them. I don’t know whether I should write to you about love and humility and preference for each other and considering myself last? Every self-esteem has its spokes sticking out upward. You read books, you learn that each should try not to insult each other, and if this happens unexpectedly, try to bear each other with love and humility, but you are alien to them. One says, “Don’t stop me when I want to do something.” And the other: “Don’t tell me these words that you’re embarrassed by me.” Judge for yourself: should each of you try not to say or do anything that is displeasing to your sister, and vice versa: shouldn’t each of you also have to endure the battles that happen? And see for yourself: which of you is right and who is wrong? But I can’t take this upon myself anymore, because I’m insulting you. The 31st chapter of Simeon the New Theologian is pleased to assure you of the reason for your indignation, and of Elijah Ekdik’s chapter, which he repeated to you many times. However, thank God, although at the end of the letter I saw you pacified, but what is it worth spending this time of indignation? I do not ask you individually, but I beg both of you together not to inflict insults of this kind on each other, but if necessary, bear it and humble yourself. You yourself know how important the sin of judging people is, but you are all carried away by it and can you do any help with your judgment? Most likely, you can get caught in gossip and get confused. Make a beginning for good and guard your lips. I see your zeal and zeal for work and your exhaustion of strength. I thank you for this, but I’m also afraid that such compulsion may harm your health, so that you abandon your rule, and what can we do without God’s help? Whatever it is, even if an extra week or more is spent at work, the work will not become dusty, I don’t need you for one or the other and I won’t bind you to autocracy. You write that the test from... is enough for you, but it passes, and meanwhile you by skill recognize the properties of people that are different from yours and find benefit in advance from their understanding, however, without reproaching or condemning anyone, but only by condemning your own dispensation and recognizing your weakness and the far distance from fulfilling the commandments of God, then how can we torture others? For the consciousness of your attempts, may the Lord forgive you, and I, unworthy, send you forgiveness. Thank you for reassuring our wandering brothers; hospitality on the road is very comforting; you yourself have experienced it. You, M.M., write about the languor of the spirit that was with you, but above you also remember the consolation that was in the church, and you are quite aware that one consolation, if it always continued, could have done more harm to you, read in the 78th word of St. Isaac: “...when you find the world unchanged, then be afraid.” Therefore, you “stand on the path walked by your father.” Just be careful, as it is written further there, that you are not tempted by pride, the need for humility everywhere. I received a letter from K., he writes that their little son has passed into eternity, and more sorrow, in the village there was a hailstorm of bread. This is what worldly life is like, it is dissolved by sorrows incomparably greater than ours, we grieve over the spiritual dispensation that we give and anger God and do not have humility, and they grieve over other things - worldly things - that strike their hearts. May the Lord strengthen them! Our weather is beautiful! I wish that you too are peaceful, calm and healthy, and that there is clear weather on the horizon for your dispensation. I'm staying the sinful hieromonk Macarius. June 2, 1851. Glory to God, who keeps you in peace and gives you consolation on the great feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit, although after there were shocks and sorrow, all this is transitory with the help of God, and you receive temptation in your life. Be wise like serpents, and your targets like doves (Matthew 10:16). May the Lord help us to continue our work with success, but without loss of health, I am very glad that it consoles you, God grant that it will be for the glory of God. For your participation in the V... situation, I thank you; what to do with P..., it’s difficult for her to get along with herself, you, even younger and with passions, fight like animals, and you know this path, and she, having no idea about the enemy’s battles, sees others as guilty in the confusion of her passions. There is no need to serve a memorial service for the baby, but rather remember it at the proskomedia; memorial services are served for the forgiveness of sins, and at the proskomedia a sacrifice is made, and parts of the saints are taken out, the infant burial is sung - they ask not for the forgiveness of sins, but “for the repose of the baby.” Thank you for remembering the day I was accepted as unworthy of the high priestly rank. You are consoled by your work, which is good, and I, looking at it mentally, thank you for your labors, which come from diligence; may the Lord Himself reward you. You write that sometimes you feel bitter and sorrowful, but there are also intercessions from grace, but without sorrows you will not know yourself and will not be cleansed of passions, all the holy fathers teach us this, no matter what book you grab, they teach us everywhere to endure sorrows, now we came across the word of Peter Damascene, on the 14th page: “Humility is a product of reason, but reason is a product of temptations.” Therefore, there is no need to be faint-hearted in these matters, but to bear the burden with hope. What else can I tell you? After all, what is written above, I wrote yesterday, and today I’ll add at least a little: I remembered that this time last year we were on the way from Kursk to you: and how time flies! A year has already passed, and who knows: will the annual circle of the sun still pass over our heads? But that doesn’t matter, and if the sun of righteousness, Christ our God, did not set from us, he would eternally sanctify our souls. Because of our deeds we are unworthy of this, but let us still humble ourselves, and He will have mercy on us with His mercy! He is love and wants to save us. Thank the Lord that you are at peace with each other and your work is going successfully and beautifully. May the Lord help you to finish the other half with success. Where there is zeal and diligence, there God’s help helps. The day has come, a beautiful morning, the weather, everything is growing and blooming, feathered singers praise the Creator. What should we do, gifted with intelligence and freedom? Continuously praise and thank Him for all His ineffable mercies towards us in the material, visible, and in the spiritual, invisible world. But we do the opposite, instead of loving God by fulfilling His holy will, we anger Him daily by breaking His commandments in relation to our neighbors, we work with passions instead of ruling over them, we are always learning, but we do not want to come to true reason. Given our poverty, we must involuntarily humble ourselves and thereby gain God’s mercy. Congratulations to you, M.L., on your birthday, you are now 30 years old - the perfect manly age. It is necessary, through reason and action, and even more so through humility, to manage, according to the number of degrees of the spiritual ladder, to reach the top of it – love. Last year I celebrated this time with you, that’s how quickly time flows, and you didn’t see how the year flew by, but what good did we gain? Something is not visible, but we constantly add sins, I don’t know about others, but about myself I can say: I know my iniquities and I will take away my sin before me (Ps. 50:5); and I can boast of nothing except my weaknesses. What's the use of praise? And when would I resign myself to even a little of this! I am poor in humility, and it is very necessary, we all know this, but we move away and run from it, and the prophet David accepted it as good: it is good for me, for you have humbled me (Ps. 119:71)! But we don’t accept sweets. Today I happened to read in the notes of Metropolitan Philaret on the book of Genesis about Abraham: what temptations he endured after God’s promise about the origin of the Blessed Fruit from him (I. X). He applies to this that something similar happens to a person on the inner path of faith: after completing part of this path, he already receives from God some gifts of grace and begins to taste that the Lord is good (Ps. 33:9); after “grace shows him, as if with a finger, the land of promise—the inner kingdom of God; she hides again, and he remains dry and barren, greedy and thirsty. There is a dangerous state for him when he desires and thinks to find food in Egypt, that is, in the exercises of the world, the soul insensitively becomes a captive of its vanities and is threatened with corruption from its charms. In these circumstances, merciful providence often, with unexpected and, however, sometimes heavy blows, breaks the bonds that tie a person to the world and returns him to his path with new zeal and in new security! I wrote out this moral teaching for you, so that you too would recognize in yourself the providence of God in the withdrawal and poverty of grace-filled gifts, in the presence of sorrowful adventures, and accept all this complacently and gratefully. Likewise, you have an application of Leah and Rachel to the cross and spiritual consolation from the same work. Peace and blessings of God be upon you! I remain wishing for your health. I’m stealing time to write you a few lines today, having received your letter this very day. I am saddened to hear about the sorrows that happen to you due to your work, but, however, it is not without the providence of God that this happens to your temptation and is not beyond measure: I am sorry that you are cowardly, and it falls on your health. May the Lord help you to graciously bear such adventures, if He pleases to send them to you. to experience and to the knowledge of your own structure, and perhaps this fire burns in you the pride of exaltation and vanity for praise from others, as you yourself understand. Seeing your own weaknesses, you can judge condescendingly the weaknesses of others. It is also necessary to remember that your zeal for the splendor of the church of God is a good deed, but every good deed is either preceded or followed by temptation (Abba Dorotheus, 105th folio). From your last letter I see that M.I.’s health was not good, and the mental state of both of you at the time of sending the letter did not please me very much. You both blame yourselves, but apparently it is not yet true when peace has not been restored. Note: this temptation is with you, just before the day of your preparation for communion of the most pure Mysteries of Christ, the enemy intensified to shoot his arrows with tension, in order to shake your peace at the most necessary time. And what’s wonderful is that you, M.M., on the eve of this embarrassment, wrote that you felt in yourself a feeling of your insignificance, and not with the tip of a pen or the word of a tongue, but with the most heartfelt feeling. And what was the consequence after this? Is it possible to hope for this silence and that it does not foreshadow a storm? What I wrote to you before about humility will serve well for your instruction in this case: it is good for us, for the Lord humbles us (Ps. 119:71) both through irritation and being drawn into worldly thoughts. I hope that with the help of God the works of the devil were destroyed, and you, having pacified yourself, proceeded to the most pure mysteries of Christ, for which I congratulate you. Peace be with you! I know that you, M.M., are attracted by the feeling of friendship spent in your youth with D., and I do not reject it, but I cannot guarantee whether this meeting will bring any benefit? And won’t it make impressions on the world and its charms, which partly subside in you, but at the sight and memory will flare up again? We need to think about this better. Today I also spoke with V., she does not have the slightest self-reproach, she considers herself better than her aunt and smarter, and yet she is losing her peace of mind, although I say that this is because there is no self-reproach, but she says that she cannot. I reminded her of that brother who, humiliating one at a time, became proud of the Holy Trinity (Abba Dorotheus, teaching 2 - about the humble). I don’t know what effect this will have on her. I am very glad that you liked the extracts I sent you, I also wrote to you quite clearly about humility, that those who desire it and seek it, not in word, but in deed, need to learn from cases, so I had to write to your letter when I saw in you a deviation from this path, but I don’t know how you accepted my proposal, but my true desire is to make the path leading to salvation easier for you, and to comfortably find peace in the face of disturbances of passions. It’s still raining here, last night there was a thunderstorm and rain, during the day there was weather, and in the evening it rained again; This morning, although cloudy, there is no rain, what will happen next? How is your mental state somehow? Is it weather, or gloom, or storm? In any case, be courageous and firm, flee to the stronghold of humility, against which all the arrows and machinations of the enemy will be crushed, and you learn the art, otherwise the “unchangeable” world is unreliable, according to the words of Isaac the Syrian. I entrust you to the protection of God and the intercession of the Mother of God, may they keep you in peace, harmony and health. Many sinners and... Macarius. July 3, 1851. Today I received our letter and, having chosen a nice little freedom of time, I want to talk with you, my beloved children in the Lord, otherwise they won’t let you write. We have quite a few visitors of every class, they come to me, then I go there, but mostly I go to hotels myself; there is little time left for writing, and without reading I go hungry. I feel sorry for M. X. and others who suffer and stumble in judgment. Of course, this is a test allowed by God, although I don’t know everything in detail, I partially understand, and maybe I’m wrong. Only everyone will bear his cross in due time; one today experiences the burden of it, while another awaits it tomorrow. And, perhaps, when M. N. had not had a cross, she could have been carried away by ambition and ardor and would have inflicted crosses on others with them, but now she herself is cleansed by them. The depth of God’s wise destinies is incomprehensible to us; are there really blind cases here? It won't happen! Yesterday I sent you a letter, may the Lord help you in your labors and finish by the 15th, and I will be waiting for you. There is nothing to write to you about your letter, I wrote to you about V. and P. and now nothing yet, they are peaceful, they read the stavrophile and, it seems, are ready for anything, and if necessary, we will give them a splash. Thank God that my reproof had an effect on you, and you realized that your work in seeking humility and finality consists only in words, but when it comes to action, it is as if this alphabet is unfamiliar. If your intention is good, may the Lord help you correct it with deeds; if unexpected disturbances occur to you, this will bring you great benefit, peace and tranquility, and the latter will be the first to be humble before God, without seeing it themselves, just as the proud do not see it in themselves. Chapter 37 of Elijah Ekdik. This time last year I was at your monastery, and I was not received according to my dignity, but woe to me, a sinner, what answer will I give to God for acceptable false glory? I received two short notes from you on the way. I felt sorry for you that, with your poor health, you were making such a quick journey, but thank God, who helped you and kept you unharmed from everything unpleasant. You saw your brother, and now you are with your mother and relatives, rest, be peaceful and healthy, may the Lord bless you! I still don’t have anything special to tell you, except that I advise you to remember our title, act humbly in deeds, words and thoughts, then you will have peace with yourself and with everyone, and passions will not have the upper hand over you. Lent is coming, and we will fast “a fast that is pleasant and pleasing to the Lord; alienation of passions is a true and favorable fast” (stichera). It’s been sixteen days since you’ve been calming down with your loving mother, my children, God grant that while you are physically calm, you will also be mentally calm, although it is impossible for us to be completely calm without having yet conquered the passions, the deposits of which lie within us; Until then, they are silent until the enemy disturbs him with his struggle and incidents, and therefore it is necessary to have a cheerful eye and attention, “let us not be robbed and stand confidently, lest we fall” (1 Cor. 10:12), and, being in the haven of silence, not be carried away by the wolves of passions. However, you know quite well that it is impossible not to be overcome by passions. But in struggle there is victory and conquest, and in sensory warfare according to the measure of physical strength and skill, and in our spiritual warfare - according to attention, vigilance and humility, and most of all, God’s help, which we must always call upon, without relying on ourselves. Remember that humility can save you even in addition to works; stick to it and love, which covers sins. I received your letter and rejoiced at your consolation, with which the Lord consoled you with the prayers of His saint Mitrofan at his holy relics. Glory to the most merciful Lord, who has honored you with this grace, and to the Mother of God and the saint Mitrofan, who preserves you. I wish to know about your safe return to your mother, who is waiting for us with love. I hope to receive our letter tomorrow, but now I will only say about myself that, strengthened by the grace of God, with my weak mortal frame I am tired and will again rest. May the Lord protect us, and may the Mother of God intercede with her many-powerful prayers with the saint of God Mitrofan. I'm staying and. Macarius. August 10, 1851. I congratulate you, beloved children in the Lord, who have received great consolation from the Lord, having been honored to bow to the saint. Mitrofan on his memory day and return safely to your loving mother, by which she is greatly consoled. I am also consoled by the fact that you are calm and peaceful among yourself. When you destroy your pride and self-love through self-reproach and humility, each considering yourself to be the last, then the peace will not be disturbed. However, it is not just by yourself that you can have such a structure, how can you know yourself and learn to pluck out these thorns if there are no occasions for this? Remember what I wrote to you and take it as a lesson, you prayed for the extermination of these passions in yourself, you must show on your part the compulsion to do this on occasion, then you will receive God’s help. I received two of your letters this morning and thank you earnestly for the detailed information about yourself, and I wrote to you, and now I also want to write to you in more detail about our journey, knowing that you will not be bored with this. After a favorable overnight stay in Peremyshka with the simple-hearted and hospitable A.G.B. (who supplied us with tea and sugar for the road instead of the forgotten home), near Kaluga, 15 miles away, we met Hieromonk D., returning from his journey. He invited us to come and therefore returned with us to Kaluga, where we spent four hours together during feeding and rest. I went to the nunnery for a short time, we spent the night halfway to Maly Yaroslavets and on Saturday, at about eight o’clock, we arrived at Father Abbot’s, by whom we were received with loving hospitality and reassured in everything. We spent Sunday with him, and on Monday we went early to the West Desert, where we arrived with the help of stand horses at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, 60 versts. From the abundance of their joy and love, they did not know what kind of reassurance to give us, but we were pleased and one cannot help but be grateful to everyone’s joyful and diligent greeting and the dissolved frank feeling. But at the very time of our stay with them, their joy increased: they received news that tomorrow, that is, the 16th, the father governor of the Lavra, father Archimandrite A., would come to them and they would spend the day of their angel the former Andrew of Crete, on the 17th, which came true. On the 16th, at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Father Archimandrite arrived, and this was such an unexpected consolation for us that even if we had written off for the congress, it would have been impossible to accommodate it. His pleasant, loving, simple address, soulful and edifying conversations served as a great consolation for one and all, and during this time all the sisters’ work and activities were abandoned except for the necessary ones, and everyone sat at his and our feet and fed on the spiritual food coming from his lips, having gathered in M’s cell. V., all evening, until late at night, they sat on the floor and listened to his words and, like in S., when leaving from somewhere, he was surrounded by a large number of sisters. We were in all their cells and institutions, and I especially went to them, wherever there was a need and for whom, not only without restraint, but also with conviction. On the 17th there was a vigil and liturgy, then a prayer service, Father Archimandrite distributed to all the sisters in the image of St. Sergius, the appearance of the Mother of God to him, two inches in size, brought them for a meal and bodily consolation: flour, cereals, fish and other things, we all dined that day with the sisters in a meal that consisted of cold botvinya with sturgeon, Srachinsky soup with smelt, fried potatoes, oatmeal jelly with a full meal and various snacks he brought. On the morning of the 18th, after eating pancakes, he and we left them at 10 o’clock. We arrived in Borovsk at two o'clock, while they were preparing dinner at Father Archimandrite's, they struck for vespers, we went, stood there and then had lunch, and having drunk tea, went to bed at nine o'clock, having worked quite hard and having swung, and now at half past 6 we left from him and arrived here at half past nine, before mass. I found your letters and also from my brothers, having read them, I began to answer so as not to be late for the post office, and now there is still a way ahead, albeit a difficult one, 20 miles to the East and West. This is how I described our journey to you in detail and this, it seems, I learned from you. I.A. calms me down on the road and here, he bows to you and thanks you for your greetings. And o. Hegumen A. also thanks you for the memory of him and sends you his blessing. I’ll tell you our joy, I received the book of John Climacus in Russian translation from the father governor, just printed, but our translation is better than this, we’ll check it at home. I sincerely rejoice that you are peaceful and in agreement with each other, I thank God, who strengthens you and does not allow the enemy to abuse you, I remembered you when I was in Z. and here. Be peaceful, healthy and calm, I remain the desire for your salvation sinful and... Macarius. October 19, 1851. Yesterday's mail brought me news from you from V. on November 2, thank God, you found a warm welcome and reassurance there, what was your further journey like? The weather became damp and the road deteriorated. May the Lord and Mother of God protect you from all nasty actions and allow you to live in peace and harmony, pleasing Him. You, M.M., write about your mental weakness when you left us, although you tried not to grieve and convince yourself to be complacent, but you couldn’t. I'm sorry about you, but I can't praise you. May the Lord strengthen you in the future not to be faint-hearted, may the Lord bless your covenant of peaceful living and send His help, for which I pray for His goodness! It’s already the eve of Holy Lent! I congratulate you on this and, having “fasted through physical fasting,” I advise you to “fast also through spiritual fasting,” as the Church calls us with this greeting to the Holy Pentecost, and from this you will be worthy to acquire spiritual fruit. You described everything that happened to you. Thank God, the Lord preserves you both in your cell world and in the monastery, and that spiritual languor happened to you is not surprising, and much has already been written about this, and you yourself understand that in spiritual life this inner cross is necessary, and even more so when in the external you are calm in everything and do not tolerate bitterness from anyone, but you also accept praise, although this time can be bitter, you involuntarily get used to it patience, and then the Lord sends consolation, thank God for this. Lord help you to maintain peace among yourself, as you have the will to do so, through self-reproach and explanation. Although you think that you are each trying to make yourself worse than your sister, this can only be realized in practice by disparaging or preferring someone. Then the movement of your heart will show you what your structure is, but you cannot do without warfare, from which we become skillful and come to true reason and humility. You are doing well that you retire “to walk in judgment about the affairs of the monastery, look at all the saints to be, and yourself under all creation, as the holy fathers teach, and especially the saints. Isaac and Barsanuphius, who came to your heart, M.M. It seems like a lot to make notes, but take notes or write down in a special notebook which book the sheet is in. The Word of God is active; it reaches the members and brains when we are worthy of its touch. From whom and from what book did Mary of Egypt learn the Scriptures! We are verbal, and the word is in us, but it is darkened by our negligence; we must purify it by doing the commandments of God and humility. Now they have come from church and have been honored to be partakers of the most pure mysteries of Christ. God bless! And I immediately put my pen to work, I don’t know when this will end, as I sent the last mail, I almost don’t get up from my seat, I write everything, I don’t even have time to read a book, my soul is happy, and still more than 50 letters lie unanswered, and many are still unread, every mail is being added. Thanks be to the Lord, who preserves you and has established peace among you, I rejoiced that there is peace among you and you are calm in your cell studies! But, however, you cannot rely on this, your passions have not yet been defeated, but are only covered, from the outside or from within the storm that has arisen - then you need to skillfully steer your ship, or from external battles - you don’t need to lose heart, otherwise while everything is silent, and everyone strokes you, then your passions are calm, but during the battle we learn art and see our victory and victory and from that we come to humility, and now, in your uniform life, you seem to remain insensible, and it is dangerous, lest pride and opinion creep into your hearts. Painless living is like a tree, adorned with leaves, but without fruit, and this is what I remind you of, and I myself abide in this. It’s a pity that you have a lot of sick people, and you, M. M., write that you’re weak, it’s a pity that I won’t have news until Sunday, the mail takes a long time. You, for your part, help your sick neighbors as much as you can, but without arrogance, but out of love and compassion, and the word of the Lord will be fulfilled on you: what we do for our neighbors, He takes upon Himself (Matthew 25:40). You, not seeing rude tendencies in yourself at the present time, reproach yourself for the past, just to humble yourself. You can go to obedience when you have the strength, tearing yourself away from activities that are not so necessary and require quick correction, and in obedience you can recognize your weakness and show others competition. About your walking from cell to cell, although out of compassion for your neighbors, sometimes the thought of vanity will be mixed in, and a lot of rubbish will fill your head, do this with consideration to the best of your ability: sometimes go, and sometimes send something. The book of Saint Barsanuphius, perhaps the Lord will help, will be published; 90 sheets have already been released from censorship and you will have it, just be ready to read and do it. Peace to you, be calm, peaceful and healthy, I remain my wish for you the sinful hieromonk Macarius. December 5th, 1851. Thank God that peace is established between you, but when indignation occurs, it will serve to your temptation, to the knowledge of your structure and weakness, and do not exalt yourself with the blessings you have acquired, but do not become rigid in explaining and realizing to each other your guilt and see yourself as the last sister. The struggle is not just for one day, and training in it requires a lot of time, labor and God’s help. Although your grief for the old woman is blessed, you cannot change it, and if you endure it with self-reproach, you will not lose the benefit. And N., apparently, is such a cross, where should she go? Akaki suffered even more from his elder, but was crowned with a victorious crown. I feel sorry for the old woman, but there is nothing to do. My letters can only be of use to you because of your faith, and when I look back at myself, I am afraid that they will condemn me in court, a teacher and not a creator! You, M.M., complain about yourself that always, as soon as you begin to say the Jesus Prayer, you fall asleep and are embarrassed about this, there is no need to be embarrassed, it is better to fall asleep with prayer than with some bad thoughts. When you want to correct her more soberly, then go early. Beware of looking for a high dispensation in yourself, but be humble, imputing yourself to be rabble (chapter 123 of St. Nilus of Sinai). I sincerely regret your sick people, I wish them mental and physical recovery. Thank you for your diligence and work on the candle. Our brothers bow to you and thank you for your memory of them. You describe in detail what happened to you with... and your former participation in it. Everything is worthy of regret, and the reason you described, but it seems that her illness was also in the world and was hidden in her until the incident that happened to her last year. To your question, how to proceed forward in such cases, the answer follows from your other letter, from the stories of M. N. you learned that you should be careful in advance so as not to get entangled in gossip, and about the others I wrote to you in previous letters, so as not to be too rash, but to be more modest, of course, you cannot limit every case, but in the necessary case the Lord Himself will give you the true reason on how to act. By taking V. in with you due to illness, you did well, and I thank you for this, it’s true, and M.P. will be grateful to you. Thank God that it is easier for her to eat, God grant that she recovers completely. But I don’t find it at all useful for her to live with you, and you will have to lose the peaceful dispensation with which the Lord is now rewarding you, and she will not receive peace. Now, having lived apart from you, she values ​​more your disposition and attention towards her in the Lord, for her abuse is directed to the other side, and she receives peace from you in the Lord, and then the abuse will be against you in general or in turn towards one or the other. From whom will she receive consolation then? After my reproof, you yourself recognized in yourself when you received the icon of the Queen of Heaven into your cell that vanity was also intertwined with your zeal, and you yourself quite know how to avoid it: drive out this serpent from your hearts by self-reproach and avoid what can give him food, and whatever good you do, it is not yours, but the help of God and His property, you are only a tool, yes and the weakest. How to proceed in such cases, you ask? It will not be soon and then it will be clear how to do it. It is best not to show yourself better than others and more diligent than others; the Mother of God sees your love and zeal for her. To your question, M.M., about my death, you will always receive an answer - silence. You seek from me beyond my measure and dignity; who can know the depth of God’s destinies?! This is demonic warfare in you, you try to destroy it, it saddens me. Book of St. Barsanuphius, written by me, perhaps I can give you, only V.V. has it now, he asked me for it, but I refused, saying that I would need it for myself to check what was printed. It will be printed, although not so soon, you will have a printed one, just don’t be lazy to read and do, having yourself under everyone, and not like I, a sinner, say and do not do. You will say that I haven’t written enough, but what am I going to write when there is nothing in my head? After all, a lot has already been written and everything that needs to be said has been said, only the trouble is that it does not come from deeds, and perhaps it is a canopy of cold, and not a repository of hope, will you help this misery of mine? Try to live humbly and peacefully! Then, negli (maybe), and I will receive a pardon. I am sending you a dear book by St. Barsanuphius, I have no regrets for you, as long as you comply, at least partially, with what she teaches, and with peace among yourselves. Asking for God's blessing on you, I remain the sinful hieromonk Macarius. December 19th, 1851. Today I received your letter, and yesterday I wrote to you without receiving a letter from you. I read your four-day actions and incidents, glory to God, who strengthens and comforts you in your life and, through your own infirmities, heals your souls from exaltation, and at the same time spares you, not allowing you temptations beyond measure. Thanks to the Lord, you do not become arrogant about this and do not think that this is due to your dignity, but rather look at your weakness and consider yourself worse than everyone else and unworthy to enter into temptations and be partakers of the passions of Christ, and, as you see, opposite other sufferers there are various sorrows, deprivations and illnesses, and let these thoughts be to you to lower your elevation, and not to seek madly and attract sorrows upon yourself. The Lord Himself knows about this when, to whom and what to send, when the poor person knows how long the pot needs to be on fire in order to be able to use it, no less or no more, then how much more will the Lord not leave His rational creation without benefit, in times of sparing and visiting with sorrows and consolations. “When their faith is strengthened,” writes St. Isaac, - then the Lord sends temptations to strengthen themselves on them, and when they ascend, He allows them to be greater.” And in the 61st word there is quite a decent amount of this. But do not be afraid of sorrows and do not be daring, but be established in faith, according to the word of St. Peter of Damascus: “... how to acquire faith” (although this is high); try to be like cattle, led by the will of God: you have cattle, and I will go with you (Ps. 72:22). December 25th. I came back from mass and started writing letters again so as not to weaken after lunch. Paki, I congratulate you on this real holiday. Peace be with you! Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth! And may the now born Child give us this peace, our God before this age. Be peaceful and calm. During the all-night vigil, when we met with yours, we remembered you and congratulated you in absentia. May the most merciful Lord Himself instruct you in what is appropriate to do in your current situation, and may He console you in your sorrow by destroying it. Reading your letters and seeing the silence, as if in some kind of inaction I was expecting something, which is what happened. The Lord arranges everything for the good, and may this case turn to your and her advantage. Having read your letters, I hasten to write to you before it flies out of my memory, which is filled with many other matters. It was your good will to receive you into N.’s cell, and the Lord will bless you to calm the thoughts of the sisters and the old woman, I believe that this should have been the Mother Superior’s blessing. One must regret about N.N., who is in temptation, but there is no need to condemn, and about oneself one should not indulge in panicky fear and not have self-reliance on one’s own strength and correction, but on the Lord, who can save our boats from the storm of passions and drowning in the waves of that muddy sea. Remember the teaching of St. John Climacus: “Where the fall followed, pride preceded it.” The Lord has given us the power to step on and trample upon this lion and serpent through the humility of Christ; take care of him as much as you can. After your former cell silence, the storm of sorrows that you describe has come, and this is how it should be, but what would have happened? Couldn't they have damaged their conscience more by pleasing people, or gotten into an obvious quarrel or anger, standing far away and wasting their conscience; or accept sorrows as your testing and teaching for your sins, and if there were no sorrows, your little gold would rust. To strengthen yourself, read the books of the fathers, where you remember about the patience of sorrows in Mark the Ascetic, St. Isaac from 34 to 38, 51 and so on. from Abba Dorotheus and others. Who has lived his life without sorrow, walking the path of salvation? When you accept it humbly, the Lord will ease your sorrows. Here is another temptation for you, a reward for going to the sick S.A., perhaps the reason for this is your vanity mixed in, you will be more skillful in the future. You need to give a good reprimand for me, you are already attributing to me miracles through the apple... but isn’t the demon cunning - to deceive you and me, they will throw you into the ditch of pride with his imaginary aversion to the apple, do not believe this, but know that I am a sinner when St. The Apostle, writing about sinners for whom Christ suffered, says: from them am I first (1 Tim. 1:15), then what can I say about myself? Thank God that you are peaceful with each other, and M.P. is peaceful with you, it’s just a pity that V. is capricious against her, you need to bend over and destroy your pride. Thank you to the Lord that you prepared to receive the most pure mysteries of Christ, and, I believe, were worthy of them on Thursday, for which I congratulate you. You, M.M., I think, have weakened from the former sorrowful battles. We cannot yet say firmly about ourselves, and our stomach (stomach) does not digest sorrowful battles, but may the will of the Lord be upon us. In your infancy, wanting to accustom you, I wrote the Jesus Prayer to go through in this way in order to accustom you, but do not be embarrassed because sleep takes you away from it, and even more so, humble yourself, for the prayer itself must be imbued with extreme humility, for we ask for mercy on us sinners, and apparently a secret thought of arrogance and the opinion that something is running through you. Read Nile the Faster about prayer and so on. Do not look for high actions in prayer and do not despair of God’s mercy. He will not abandon those who cry out to Him for mercy. December 31st. It’s still seven o’clock, and I’m already starting to write, so many letters have accumulated that I don’t know how to pay. I rarely go to the hotel anymore, because my cell is full of people with letters. Oh, yes, this will not be a judgment against me. I wish you peace, health and salvation. The sinful hieromonk Macarius. December 31st, 1851. 1852. 1st January. Morning. Now they’ve come back from mass, and I’m getting down to my endless needlework – writing. I congratulate you on the upcoming New Year, may the Lord bless you, grant you and arrange the salvation you long for! I read your letters yesterday, and, as always happens, I didn’t sleep all night wondering what to do. I saw your adventures of those days, and thank God that they went well, but it is impossible for your heart not to be electrified, but it is necessary for you to learn patience, come to reason and humility, may the Lord enlighten you and strengthen you. You should not have a strong claim to take N. the orphan to yourself, it is enough that you have the will to take care of her, and made an offer to the Mother Superior, leave the rest to the will of God. He knows how to arrange this matter, but intensified action, perhaps, will not be useful. For congratulating me on the holiday and Happy New Year, I thank you, you describe all your adventures, activities and infirmities that met you at this time, and the illnesses that visit you, M.M., that you need to thank the Lord about everything and see in everything His wonderful and expedient providence for us. He makes up for the lack of our deeds either with illnesses or sorrows, and thus will not allow us to rise above others, but so that, seeing our weaknesses, we consider ourselves the last of all, which we learn a lot about in books, but do not even touch with our deeds. In... it is impossible to praise that she still does not understand our life and does not see her dispensation, but only blames others, forgetting that the tireless struggle of demons with us, and not understanding their treachery, fights for herself instead of others, gives food to her passion and does not weaken it, but multiplies it, and therefore does not have peace of mind, but perhaps she will come to true reason when she gets tired under the weight of what she is doing to herself cross. There is no rumor yet about the sale of your estate, M.M., but it would be necessary to sell, better a small one with consent than a large one in non-worldliness. I am sure that you will not count yours and mine, but everything that is common, then it will be yours; in the primal Church there was everything in common and they cared only about salvation, so may the Lord help us in the union of peace and unity of spirit to work out our salvation. I received your letter from the 2nd and I would like to answer at least briefly while the matter is still in my memory: and first of all, thank you for congratulating me on the New Year; Reading your ending of the old year in peace and the beginning of a new one with the same, I rejoiced mentally and thanked God, who saved you from cowardice in the coming storms. On the morning of the 31st there was a storm and the waves rose, but in the evening they subsided: The Lord admonished you to get rid of N..., but I do not approve of you that you went to her sick, you have already tempted the former embarrassment through her and that’s enough, and there was still no need to talk about the disease of demon possession, when it is taken for a cruel reproach and reproach, it’s good that you got rid of her, God save M. N. for her good advice. Although it is a good deed to take care of the sick and visit them, you must have the reasoning: where your spiritual structure is damaged, then the matter will manage without you. Just as the Lord has hitherto preserved you and admonished you in unforeseen cases, so may He continue to admonish and preserve you in the future. For your diligence and labor in the work of candles and shrouds, may the Lord reward you, and I appreciate it. Your deacon's candle was renewed at our vigil on the 7th. Very good! This is for your heart. Oh woe to me, a sinner! Again I am considered a prophet among you, but I don’t even know what will happen to me. There is no need to write off your notes on the ladder, but it is better to write off our entire ladder, straightened by us, there they are all in their place, and in particular they have no connection. I send you my unworthy blessing and wish you to spend your life in peace and harmony. I. Macarius. January 15, 1852. Yesterday I received two letters from you: from the 9th and the 12th. Glory to the most merciful Lord, who covers and preserves you in peace and harmony among yourself, although some skirmishes happen, but they pass and teach you art and protection, until the passionate leaven of the furious dispensation is incinerated, and in its place the flower of meekness, humility and love blossoms, giving peace to its participants. Thank you for congratulating me on the holidays and on the day of my angel, you write that in the festive service the Lord consoled you with spiritual joy, thanks to Him for His mercy given to you! But do not delude yourself that you are worthy of it, read in the 25th degree of St. John Climacus, soon after the beginning of it about the different degrees and growths of this helicopter city. There you will find that “even the gifts themselves consider themselves unworthy, and only by the arrival of torment, why is the mind, enclosed in the ark of humility, not damaged by their thieves,” etc., and in case of indulgence in grief or spiritual darkness, do not lose heart, for consolation alone is not useful, but the fire of temptations is also needed for your humility, which is what happened to you through N. capricious. You write that you hinted to her about her weakness, but did not receive consciousness, and it is difficult to have this from her, if she had such faith in you, she would not have hidden it, but would have revealed it to ease her conscience, you judge for yourself how difficult it was to say something like that or a passionate movement with all your faith and disposition towards the Lord towards me. You are already working very hard and until you tire yourself, it is in vain: it is better in moderation and with rest, God will accept your diligence. Do not leave the poor to help those who ask for what and what they need, but without vanity and the search for glory. Thank God that V. and M.P. have become more peaceful, God grant that peace always reign between them. I sent you prosphora and prosphora bread for your birthday, M. M., and I will congratulate you tomorrow. They came from mass and, sure enough, you congratulated me in absentia, I thank you, but I had a lot of brethren and with difficulty I got to the letter: our service was good, solemn, the prayer service was a cathedral in two pairs, lunch will be at Fr. abbot, there will be yours too. Now I congratulate you, M.M., on your birthday, 25 years have passed, God grant that the rest of your life will be pleasing to the Lord and peacefully, spending your time in harmony, you will receive salvation by the mercy of God! Thank you, beloved sisters in the Lord, for your work and the diligence with which you made the candle, the example of it is very good, which I am returning back. Work for the glory of God! The only thing I don’t like is that you work so hard, that even with the loss of health, why bother yourself so much? Whatever you do, it will be good, because you set the deadline yourself, but what is it for? It’s the same in the shroud, I don’t like your compulsion, my health is exhausted, so be healthy, peaceful and calm. Today is the memory of the great saint of God and universal teacher Gregory the Theologian and the day of the angel of our bishop, we had a service and a prayer service, having come from church, I begin to write to you. Yesterday I received your letter dated the 19th, thank the Lord that you are at peace with each other, even if shocks occur, but they show you your weakness, until humility is established in you. For your childish congratulations to me on Angel’s Day and the celebration together with your loved ones, I earnestly thank you, on Tuesday I did not write to you, but sent a letter with M.F., and also sent with it a birthday prosphora for you, M.M., and to eat our skete bread in general, etc. - all this is from our zeal. But you have received a booklet, this is food for the soul, eat and be satisfied with it to your fill, so that your souls are not hungry. In all our deeds, the most necessary thing is humility, and it teaches us to consider ourselves as nothing and to have ourselves under everyone, and somehow this alphabet is not solid for us, although often cases are a test for learning this, and our previous sins should humble us and remember that “a monk is an abyss of humility and a pillar of patience.” Your impatience was exhausted by curiosity to find out what kind of book this was? The task is no small one, judging by the belittled title, you could not have guessed and cast your thoughts on this book (St. Barsanuphius), but this unexpectedness was all the more comforting for you, I understand this, God grant that it only bears the desired fruit. Thank God, now there is hope that the printed version will come out, I can’t say how soon? It's up to censorship, not all of it has been reviewed yet, but half of it is already in hand, and they started printing, and the preface was printed, and 4 pages were sent to me. Congratulations to you, M.M., on your birthday and the beginning of the 26th year, may God grant you to be reborn and renewed with spiritual life and achieve spiritual intelligence in the humble wisdom of pledge. Now from mass, we prayed for you at the liturgy and at the prayer service, and in general for Mother Superior, and also for some famous namesakes, may the Lord hear our prayer and have mercy on all of you. Your brothers congratulate you, today we have consolation at our meal, for your health there are pies, two fish and apples, this is a great consolation! This is how we will celebrate your birthday sensually, but spiritually we should not do it this way: we are still babies, not men. Woe to us who are merciful to the belly, but the soul is glad! Peace be with you! I remain the desire for your salvation, the sinful hieromonk Macarius. January 26, 1862. I am writing therefore only to you to congratulate M.M. on the day of the angel, and also M.A., but I don’t know whether you will receive this letter by that day, but I fulfill mine with the usual wish for you peace, tranquility and health. But we will see how fasting approaches, he reminds us in petitions: “Lord! Grant me to see my sins,” and even illness gives this feeling and care about our afterlife fate, how will we appear before the impartial Judge? He is merciful, but also righteous; the prophet sings of mercy and judgment to Him (Ps. 100:1). If in truth there is a judgment against us, then who will stand and how will we be justified? And the hope is only in His ineffable mercy, goodness and condescension, but it appears to the repentant, and therefore the Church has twice invited us to ask the Lord to open for us the “door of repentance,” and we always need it. Today I received your letters dated January 23rd, I admit, I was not pleased with your arrangement, which caused me to swear for two days, but for what? I see that with you love and humility take place only before the occasion or in the tongue, and with a small word or movement a fire of passion ignites, why do you have books, and why do you read them? To have skill in battles through them and, recognizing these enemy excuses, not to allow the fire of passion to spread and burn the good dispensation. You should, it seems, know how to prevent this from happening, open the door and not allow passionate thoughts to accumulate; in such a dispensation we see and hear everything in a different form. Yesterday I didn’t have time to write anymore. Today we had a liturgy, the remembrance of the dead, instead of Saturday, for then there will be the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Again I turn to you: I often see in your letters that each one says that she considers herself worse than her sister, but in reality it turns out differently, and therefore, apparently, this thought has not been planted in the inner deposit of the soul, which would not be a bad thing to try and work hard for and, on occasion, take advantage of the acquisition of this treasure. The excuses of passionate thoughts show us our structure and the inclination of the will, on which side anyone wants, and if you become captives and are involuntarily led away, then, of course, there is a reserve of preliminary pride, which must be stepped on, like an asp and a basilisk, and trampled upon, like a lion and a serpent, with the help of God. But what to do! We cannot undo the past, but at least for this reason, try, seeing your own badness, to acquire humility. You saw an inscription made in the book of St. Barsanuphius, but the very next day the opposite was revealed in your dispensation. Don’t make me repent of the fact that I’m giving you books in vain, and so that it doesn’t come true for you - “don’t throw pearls” and so on. (Matt. 7.6,). However, I hope that the shock that happened to you will establish you on the stone of humble wisdom, and you will receive God’s help in harmful times. I earnestly thank you for your work in sewing the veil and accept your zeal, may the Lord help you and reward you with His mercy. I congratulate you on the current holiday of the Presentation of the Lord and on the eve of the day of the angel M.M., I wish you to celebrate peacefully, calmly and in health. One cannot be surprised that when you want to maintain peace and harmony between you, there are attacks that outrage you; when you are peaceful and calm, this happens from the grace of God, and when outrageous thoughts enter, then your will and good or bad dispensation are tempted. Here it is necessary to work hard to turn for the better, driving away passion with self-reproach and humility, St. Read Isaac the Syrian word 85 at the beginning. In your gloomy situation, M.M., the former tangle of sorrowful thoughts must also be attributed to your temptation: where is faith and trust in God? Where is the memory of so much of His mercy towards you, which you feel and proclaim when you visit you with grace-filled sensations and consolations? And when it comes to trial, and perhaps even to punishment for pride and humility, then you lose heart. It is impossible to always be in the same dispensation without harm, but we must always expect a change in our dispensation: “evening may end in weeping, but in the morning joy,” and when I thought that “in my abundance I cannot move,” then I again saw a change: I turned away Your face, and I was confused (Ps. 29:6, 7, 8). This should be our disposition until we achieve humble wisdom. The silence of your relatives should not surprise you: if you were from the world, then the world would love its own, etc. (John 15:19), and, moreover, your substance, alienated from them, has alienated you too, and you have never seen love from them before, how can you look now, being in a life opposite to theirs? They left you, but God does not leave you, but for the former things, place your trust in Him. The Lord has preserved you for 25 years and will preserve you in the future, and have no doubt in us, with God’s help we wish, according to our strength, to bring you peace, and your very wealth serves for your general peace. Begin your life with an infantile, humble mind, and the Lord will give you and both of you, who bear each other’s burdens, peace and tranquility, which I fervently wish for you. It is heartbreaking to see from your letter about your illness, M.M., and about you, M.A., participating in the illness. This is the eighth day of your letter, and now I don’t know what situation you are in? But I hope that the merciful Lord will raise you from illness to the glory of His holy name. Take courage, and let your heart be strong (Ps. 30:25). I have written to you many times and asked you not to force yourself to work so hard, and it is clearly evident that by not giving yourself peace and rest, you have developed some kind of illness. I appreciate and accept your diligence, but I don’t force you, so what should I do? Let us pray to the Lord that He will give you healing. Thank God, the book of St. Barsanuphius is already being printed, and I already have two printed sheets, that is, 32 pages, of which the preface and the life of the elders occupy 28 pages and 4 of the present book, and not all of them have been sent out from the censorship. I wish us to meet the holy fast with reverence and be healthy mentally and physically. Now I have received your letters, beloved children in the Lord, it is very sad to see that you, M.M., are still ill and very weak, but I expected better and most joyful news, now I will expect it on the 6th on Wednesday. I pray to the Lord and the Mother of God that they will give you complete healing of soul and body; Of course, the illness was not sent without His will, but we must ourselves be more careful and avoid those cases that cause illness. I now ask you to leave your work for us until you have fully recovered; there is no rush or deadline. I hope that you will accept reproach from me not out of malice, but out of zeal, as I wrote before, ardor in work has greatly damaged your health. Take care of it; for the salvation of your soul, you need to offer God the labors of your youth, so that in old age you can enjoy the wealth of dispassion, according to the advice of St. John Climacus. But you sick people, what kind of work will you bring? Only humility and gratitude remain, but they are not always necessary for us. For your illness, if it continues, you need to pray to God and consult with a doctor, maybe he can help you with some means with God’s help. You, M.A., wrote in your last letter that if it doesn’t get better, you will bring M.M. here, and now you are writing, expecting an answer from me to this, but I did not find the need to answer this, because the very circumstance should show it, it is necessary to wait too much for an answer for two weeks, I even now cannot say anything about this, because if you drive sick along such a deadly road, you can damage your health even more, the road is terrible, from the ditch to the ditch rushes over potholes. If the weather is good and the road is calm, why not do this? I myself would be pleased to be able to serve as consolation to the sick as much as possible, but at the present time, it seems, this is impossible. Take absentee consolation from me in your illness, M. M., and do not be faint-hearted, thank God. Because of the multitude of illnesses, Your consolation has made my soul glad (Ps. 93:19), the psalmist sings, and you hope in the mercy of God, for you too have experienced them a lot, but in the future may the Lord and the Mother of God make you glad! Half past 9. We’ve come now from the rule after saying goodbye, I say goodbye to you in absentia, I forgive you in everything and I ask you all for forgiveness. I wish you to meet Lent reverently and peacefully. R. with his mother and B. and the entire staff of guests of your gender were present; they looked with emotion at the humble bows of the brothers, decorously asking each other for forgiveness and making a complete circle of themselves. The Church has set out everything appropriate for our salvation, now the Gospel is read at mass: if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive you your sins (Matthew 6:15). That is why we give forgiveness to each other, so that we too may receive forgiveness from God for our sins. The Holy Lent began successfully, may God grant it to be soul-saving, I congratulate you on the onset of it, peace be with you! May the Lord help and strengthen you in the feat of fasting physically, and more than spiritually, as the Church sings: “Let us fast, brethren, with a pleasant fast, pleasing to God,” and so on. We spent a day of fasting, another day has come, and so our whole life flows: divided into time and into the smallest seconds, and soon flows towards eternity! May the Lord give you health and strengthen you in this Lenten time and spiritual deeds. I ask God's blessing on you. I just received your bitter, deplorable letter dated the 6th. I could not read without tears, seeing one painfully suffering, and another pouring tears from a heart oppressed by grief. The words froze in my heart, and tears involuntarily rolled down, and this sad feeling remained in M.’s memory of Bose’s affection, love and zeal for my thinness and with you, M.A., peaceful coexistence. I can’t remember without a shudder of heart, what will happen? What kind of response will I receive to my letters and what news will your mail bring us? I can neither judge nor assume anything, but my heart just hurts. If it pleases the Lord to take her now to eternal rest (of which there is no doubt), then His holy will be done! We must humbly accept His visit, and moreover, the inevitable limit for everyone - the transition to eternity. Now I can’t write anything more. I pray to the Lord for her healing and restoration from the bed of illness, but at the same time I surrender her to His holy will. His fate is incomprehensible to us! February 16. God bless! You have arrived, and there is nothing more to write about, be peaceful and healthy. Having left the monastery with a feeling of gratitude and love for our beloved fathers, brothers, and sisters, I thanked God for instilling in them such feelings to my detriment. We arrived in N. at two o'clock, and mass was still going on there. After lunch, we set off on our further journey, arrived at Ugra at 9½, got up at 3 o'clock and arrived in K... at the end of the 6th hour. We started to worry about a passport, went to the nunnery and went to the bishop. Before mass he received us favorably and blessed us on our way. At three o'clock we left, spent the night halfway along the road, and today we arrived at the end of the 9th hour at Fr. Abbot A., we were at mass and after lunch, after resting, I am writing these letters. I am writing to you urgently to notify you of our arrival here. 12th hour After mass, we were honored to receive a blessing from the Bishop and were privileged to have a conversation with him. I was with him for about an hour, talked about various subjects, more spiritual and above my dignity, showed my archpastoral mercy, ordered him to come at two o’clock for dinner, where he promised to introduce my thinness to the Right Reverend Gregory of Kazan, well, am I worth it? I am afraid that this will not be a condemnation for me. After the 20th he gave his blessing to go to the Lavra. May 17th. Thank God, we’ve already been living in Moscow for four days, we’ve fixed a few things and some have had some. I wrote to you about our successful arrival and about receiving a blessing from the Bishop, and now in the morning, having free time, I am writing these lines to you, talking with you. Yesterday it was not too early to receive letters from the desert from you, from the brothers, all sent in my name to the desert. I sincerely regret you, my children: the one who is sick, and the one who serves, and the one who participates, of course, the first is more difficult, but I am sure that faith and submission to the will of God strengthens you in this sorrow, and in bearing an involuntary cross - the one who is sick, and the other - the one who sympathizes with it. And again, I affirm to you in this: who is so good and merciful and loves us like God, and to Him everything is possible: but out of His love He does with us that which is saving and beneficial to us, may His holy will be upon us! I was pleased to receive letters from you and from the brethren and to know about our native monastery and spiritual family, close to my heart. Not only joy, but also sorrow is combined in it, when members hurt physically or spiritually, one cannot exist without the other: one or the other either precedes or follows. On the 15th, after my letter to you, I was honored to be a table companion of two hierarchs, truly not according to my dignity, looking at my careless life, and, moreover, woe to me! For my name is higher than my deeds, but I, the accursed one, catching glory, run far from reproaches, but have no equality with one and the other. But what to do? “Lord, weigh the fate of the image! Save me, unworthy!” Now the Bishop has again blessed me to visit him, and I will go there at 8 o’clock for mass and hope to receive his blessing. May 18th. Today is the Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, and I, a sinner, was vouchsafed beyond my dignity to be a co-celebrant with the Metropolitan in the Chudov Monastery, he served the liturgy and I was among the servants. Thank the Lord! We found M. here, who treats us very favorably. I remain the desire for your salvation Now I have received your letter and I see that your health, M. M., is not improving, but what are we going to do? To submit to the will of God, He knows better than we do what is good for us, He allowed the outer man to decay, so that the inner man might be renewed (2 Cor. 4:16). You yourself know that you could rather deviate into something if you were in a healthy position; we were created for eternity, and not for one temporary life, which is as short against eternity as a drop against the entire ocean. Let us thank the Lord, and He is able to alleviate your suffering when He sees fit for your benefit. In memory of Metropolitan Alexei, I was in Chudov, Vladyka served, and I stood on the altar with M. Afterwards I was at the Vladyka’s for a snack, and he blessed me to go to the Lavra; I'm thinking of going there tomorrow or Friday. And you, it seems, are raving in the heat about my imaginary height, not understanding that I mean nothing. Vladyka has hardly spoken to me yet, but when he does, he will see my foolishness and lazy and careless life. He, perhaps, thought to find in me some high talents and spiritual fruit, but I am alien to all this, and am alone with the sinners and the weak. You can ramble as you please, but in reality I know better. May 26th. I am writing to you from the Lavra of St. Sergius, the saint of God, where we arrived on Friday the 23rd at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and on the same day the Bishop also arrived here. The next day after Matins we served a prayer service to St. Sergius, where we also remembered your names. After lunch we went to the monastery, and the father governor came there and showed us all the establishments there. We were there at the all-night vigil and at mass on Sunday, there we fasted, and on the same day Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna came to the Lavra. This morning we arrived at the Lavra, the Bishop will serve. I am writing to the ambassador of mass. Before mass, T.B.P. was in my cell, we talked about something in a Christian spirit, in the church we stood in the altar and we could see the Grand Duchess and her son quite clearly. They will go to Moscow now. Thank God that our sovereign court has such zeal for the saint of God, St. Sergius, they came on purpose to worship, they only spent the night in Moscow. 12 o'clock. Now let's go to the monastery. At three o'clock I received all the letters, and yours dated the 20th: my heart aches for the sufferer, but what to do? Who can resist the will of the Lord? But there is no doubt that illness was sent for salvation; be complacent and take courage in the Lord! May 30th. Secondly, I am writing to you, beloved children in the Lord, from here from the Lavra, where we will stay until Sunday or Monday. I also received your letters here, thank God, who arranges everything for good! What we do not understand, but only in the devotion of faith we calm down. Vladyka advises me not to rush home, but to get treatment in Moscow, he promised to write to our bishop about a reprieve, but I won’t live long, and I won’t make it home in time. Now I don’t have much time to write, and my mental repositories are meager. I received a lot of letters, barely had time to read them, and there’s nothing to even think about replies. Have peace among yourselves, and the Lord will be in your midst! May He give you mental and physical health, I earnestly wish you. Many-sinful priest. Macarius. Thanks to the Lord, having been honored to stay in the Lavra of St. Sergius and venerate his holy relics, yesterday we returned to Moscow. That’s why I wrote to you, why now I find it unnecessary to describe to you our stay there, I will only say that through the prayers of the saint of God we had a very good time there, the Bishop graciously and fatherly received us and saw us off with a blessing and an icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, and blessed the coral rosary from his saintly hands. And o. The governor showed his great love for us and provided us with everything: images, books, tea, sugar, a samovar, money, a cassock and a kamilavka with a hood, gave us his horses and a restless carriage to Moscow, and he himself escorted us 10 miles away, where we drank tea. And o. F. with o. D. was carried out until half of the road, t.s. until overnight. By order of the bishop, we stayed in the monastery and in the monastery for 10 days, I told him that our time was approaching, and he said: “We can postpone it, if necessary, I will write to your bishop, but you need to get treatment in Moscow.” We only have 7 days left, and no one has been here yet, what should we do? Asked about. The abbot will send another extension for two weeks, and in the meantime we will often talk in letters, which is what I do all sorts of mail, I write to my brothers and sisters, that is, to you, and you write to me and don’t be bored. From your letters I see a quarrel that has occurred between you and I am not surprised; when humility becomes impoverished, such cases can often occur; Let the enemy not rejoice, but be crushed by the power of God, who looks upon our humility, about which you have care. You repeat about the insult and embarrassment that happened between you, about which I grieved quite a bit and regretted you, forgetting my poor dispensation, but what to do, you need to come to your senses and as much as you can prepare to see your badness, then, perhaps, it will come to pass on us: we were prepared and not embarrassed (Ps. 119:60), but for now let’s hold on to this: we were confused and not in verbs ( Ps. 76:5), but with self-reproach. You assure me of your sincere disposition to make a start towards correction, I believe this, I only ask that this not be in words, but carried out in deeds, you will say that this word is cruel (John 6:60), but it is necessary and saving. May the Lord help your good will to fulfill this deed. You write that on the 30th and 31st there was a thunderstorm and heavy rain. At that time I was in the monastery, there was no thunderstorm, but thunder rumbled a little, and the rain was heavy, and this greatly enlivened nature, then the sun shone, and now it is warm. May the righteous Sun shine in us and drive away the darkness of sin and the storm of passions. Book of St. Barsanuphius is being printed, and 30 sheets have already been printed, i.e. 480 countries, and another 12 sheets will be printed, the catalog is not ready yet, we have undertaken to correct it ourselves. I congratulate you, M.A., on your birthday, and I congratulate you, M.M., on the same. 31 years have passed of your existence on earth, and it is eternal in the future. May the Lord help you to use the time given to us here to acquire the eternal blessings prepared for those who love the Lord and do His will. I couldn’t find a better one to send you as a gift, like the icon of the Most Pure Virgin Mary who appeared to St. Sergius. May She be the intercessor for your salvation and all of us, and may the prayers of the saint of God preserve us from all the snares and snares of the enemy. God bless you. I’m also sending you a prosphora, but I thought more about what to send, but I didn’t find anything, God’s blessing is more precious than anything. How is your health, M.M.? Yesterday I spent a very difficult day, I was tired from the road, I slept little at night, and here the brethren are preparing, I confessed with difficulty. Today, thank God, I fell asleep well and was not at Matins. Having returned from mass, I received your letters, written yesterday, and marveled at the cunning of the enemy, who outraged you with insignificant excuses. You see what power and authority he has where justification is born in the heart, may this be a lesson to you in the future, and may the Lord forgive you, and may he help you forward to crush his machinations with the power of humility, which the Lord looks upon. How many mental and verbal arrows have flown from your hearts, and all not to defeat the enemy, but to defeat yourself. Be smarter ahead. In this case, I do not justify either one, both are equally guilty, and if one of you had accepted it with self-reproach, then, of course, the other would have been more guilty. I will note to you, M.M., that you are afraid that I will blame you more, and M. A., to justify, but it would be much more pleasant for me if you wanted to be accused, which would show your humble disposition, which, however, I myself do not have and can I exact from you? Woe to me, a sinner! I write, read and study, but still gain nothing. Glory to God, who consoled you by receiving His property, but you, M.M., write, nothing consoles you. This does not make us happy either, I beg you, for God’s sake, do not be cowardly, believe that the Lord, having sent you this cross, sees your suffering and strengthens you, otherwise you could not bear it, if your suffering had not contributed to your salvation, then it would not have been sent. Here is an all-wise Provider, all-good, all-merciful, and in one word he can say: God is love (1 John 4:8), and this love desires your salvation and works, the decayed waste of the flesh and the old man, renewing the spiritual and new man. And your very spiritual burden is a test and expectation of the fruit of patience. Who in prayer cried out to the Heavenly Father: “My soul is sorrowful unto death”? He who is the joy of the angels, but what has He endured? Who are we? You grieve for insulting me, but I forgot to even think about it, I expressed it, and that’s all, rest assured. We must grieve over the fact that we anger God every day, but repent badly. At 11 o'clock B. returned and brought news from you and a letter dated December 2nd. Thank God that you arrived safely, and God grant that your journey will be completed in good health. The electrification of your morality continues, but you need to achieve it in health, having a lot of skill, and, having learned what is the benefit of indignation, you need to pacify it by preparing yourself for humility, and it is an invincible weapon for everything. May the Lord give you spiritual strength. About N. it is very unfortunate that while she was here, she did not receive any benefit and did not learn at all humility, she worries both herself and you, and therefore in advance I advise her not to bother herself and not to come here, because she does not receive any benefit, and you, for your part, as much as possible, be lenient, recognizing your weaknesses. Today I received your letters dated December 10th and 13th. Thank God that you arrived at your native monastery and were received with love from your mothers and sisters; I accept a detailed description of your incidents and activities and will rejoice in you in the good, and I will sympathize with you in the sorrowful. Now I can imagine your grief upon receiving such unexpected news about the death of sister V.N. What should I do? The destinies of God are incomprehensible to us, we must humbly reverence the will of God and believe that the Lord builds everything for the best; do we know whether she could have comfort from her children in the future? But now “sickness, sadness and sighing will escape from her.” Let's pray for her soul. E. and G.A., having heard about this sad news, came to visit me today, God save them! I told them about your arrival and that you wrote to them. Yesterday I sent a letter to you, and attached it to Z., I am glad that she has taken kindly to you, and I advise you to act with her not in the tone of eldership, but to answer questions more friendly and humbly. Thank God that old lady P. is peaceful towards you and V., but you yourself are all cutting your hair. After all, you know that this is not a matter of Christianity, and even more so of our title, then we must always humble ourselves and prepare ourselves, and although it happens when we hear or see something rough, having preceded the imams worthy of ourselves, and according to the word of St. Abba Dorotheus “let us not be embarrassed.” May the Lord help you not to have an excuse for anything, but even more so to have self-reproach that can calm you down. It is a pity from the bottom of my heart that your N. treats you harshly, but you cannot heal her with severity: perhaps she has some kind of heartfelt sorrow that she cannot tell, but, hiding in her heart, is embarrassed. Sometimes you need to make do with severity, and sometimes with gentleness: whatever you do, you need it, then you need to maneuver somehow. December 18th. I was at mass, remembered my late sister, today is her birthday, now she is in another spiritual world, not a carnal, dumb one, she sees and understands everything in a different form, she will not return to us, but it will be our turn to move to another world. In the meantime, enjoying this life, we glorify God and pray for the salvation of our neighbors and those struggling with passions. Be peaceful, calm and healthy, I remain the wisher for your health and salvation the many-sinful Hieromonk Macarius. December 18, 1852. 1853 God bless you to start! January 1st, morning. Having returned from mass, I wish to have a little conversation with you and mentally congratulate you on the upcoming New Year. May the Lord bless you and grant you peace, love and harmony, and therefore peace of mind, both at the beginning of the year and throughout the course of your life. Thank God that you have found peace and consolation in your monastery, every bird flies to its nest, may it bring forth children, and the monk strives in his cell, may he acquire spiritual fruit. These are the words of the spirit-bearing fathers. And you, living in the monastery, in any case, keep in mind the fulfillment of the commandments of God, and in the quiet of your cell, count the gains or losses of the day, recognize your weakness and repent, and I wrote to you a lot about treating each other and now I remind you: if you consider yourself the last and worst sister and the gain, that is, the peace of another, yours, then love, which never falls away and never ceases, will find a place in your hearts through humility supported. Oh, that the Lord may vouchsafe us to acquire this treasure! It is more valuable than all the blessings of this world! Glory to God, who keeps you in peace and silence and gives you consolation in your cozy cell. Live and give thanks to God, who saves (remember) the upright in heart (Ps. 7:11), try to preserve this righteousness, for He loved righteousness (Ps. 10:7). Take care to acquire humility and love; God is loving (1 Jn. 4:8), and he who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him (1 John 4:16), and He looks upon the humble (Ps. 113:6). How great is this virtue - “the humble does not fall,” and how will he fall when he stands in the last place of all? Oh, if only I, who writes and speaks about this, would be worthy to at least kiss and assimilate this treasure for myself! You, M.M., do not be faint-hearted in your exhaustion, but thank God, who has given you the closest means to salvation. And about what St. wrote. Macarius of Egypt, in order not to be treated, refers to the perfect, and not to us, the weak, and you read from St. Barsanuphius questions 507 and 522 and answers 523 and 524, healing of the body is not rejected here, but healing must be entrusted to God, and you, as the weakest, choose the easiest, and God will not extract from you what the strong and perfect can. Above all, humble yourself and thank God for everything; you cannot be in church, pray at home according to your strength. “You are the churches of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16),” writes St. Apostle, keep this church cleaner. Z. the current situation is very difficult, but it will serve to teach, to know oneself and one’s weakness, only it is necessary that she try to blame herself for her disorder, and not others, who, if they insult us, then only by the sight of God show us our structure, so that we recognize our weakness and take care of healing; and they are the instruments of God, and you will have sorrow, but what can you do, for the love and benefit of your neighbor you cannot renounce him, as long as it is not with alien intentions. One must also feel sorry for M.R., and she is also in a feat, not having overcome her passions, has a cold and sees herself offended, and in this I praise her, thank her and give honor that she, who was blind and enchanted, received her sight and saw me in the form that I am - a sinner. She turned the praise that she brought me into reproach, and thus, at least a little, eased my burden, which I am burdened with, accepting false glory and having a name above my deeds. I send my blessing to all of you, I wish you to spend the time of your residence in peace, tranquility and health, working for your salvation, may the Lord grant you to meet the holy fast, the healer of souls and bodies, and strengthen you in spiritual deeds. May humility and love accompany you in everything! The sinful hieromonk Macarius. February 24th, 1853. Today is a damp period, or a spell, and I want to tell you a few words: fasting is approaching and has almost arrived, how are we going to fast? We cannot preserve sensual fasting from brushens, as our fathers and teachers preserved it, but even if we preserved it, what will be used without spiritual fasting, which the Church reminds us of: “We fast with spiritual fasting, favorable to the Lord,” etc. (stichera of the triodion). So, we must try, remembering our sins, firstly, to have a contrite and humble heart (Ps. 50:19), not to listen to the shortcomings of others and not to judge them, but to pay more attention to our passions and not allow them to come into play. Our main passions: pride, pride, and from them anger, rage, envy, resentment, defamation of our neighbors, contempt of our hearts. These passions lie hidden in us until someone shows them to us. And instead of thanking those people and trying to eradicate them (passions), we rise up against them (those who offended) with rage, reproach and resentment, and we slander ourselves like demons. But it would be necessary for the struggle with passions to humble us, and, seeing our weakness, we would run to God, asking for His help, and would undoubtedly receive it. But we, on the contrary, torture others to fulfill the commandments, justifying ourselves and thereby violating the peace, which I noticed in your last letter: you were unclean from excuses, and I would like you to each consider yourself the last and most guilty, then peace would remain between you. Humility and love are very necessary for us, I always remind you of this, although I myself am alien to these virtues, but perhaps for your sake and for me the Lord will have mercy. You, M.M., excuse yourself for illness and that I have bent you a lot: what to do is, of course, from my lack of art, and meanwhile from the desire for good for you, but, however, even the sick need humility, for it will bring peace through its mysterious power. And you, M.A., must take these two virtues as your guide—humility and love, and bear with your sick sister, who is in great pain both from illness and from passions, may the Lord strengthen you and give you true reason. If the Lord arranges your life together with V., then you need to prepare for battle: passions are alive in you, and the enemy does not sleep, but with good will there will be God’s help, and without both we cannot do anything. March 2nd, morning. Now we have entered the field of holy fasting. We sweat according to our strength, humbling our thoughts and crushing our hearts, but God will not despise a contrite and humble heart. May the peace of God be with you! March 7th. Glory to God, today many have been honored to be partakers of the most pure Mysteries of Christ, and our brethren have been honored with this gift, and with them I have approached my Master! I think you have been worthy of this, I congratulate you, and may it be for the health of your body and the salvation of your souls! Yesterday I received two letters from you, and both parcels, a book and a candle. I thank you for your diligence and labors and accept them as your sacrifice for the church of God. This candle is placed near the image of St. the apostles Peter and Paul, through their prayers and teaching, may the Lord enlighten your hearts to the knowledge of the truth and the fulfillment of God’s commandments. Thank God, the first week of Holy Lent was spent safely, although sometimes it was difficult for the weak flesh, but it is worthy of all languor for its outrages. How did you spend this time? Write. You, of course, cannot avoid the cross and reproaches for taking V. to yourself, but not everyone can know someone else’s dispensation, God only sees the rightness of our deeds and even our intentions, then there is no point in looking at people’s words and gossip, as long as conscience does not denounce the wrongness of the deed, and when it is done out of a desire for good to one’s neighbor and to help him. I will not dwell much on our weaknesses; you yourself, seeing them, must descend into the depths of humility, which will enlighten and strengthen you, trampling on the enemy’s pride and self-love. Yes, beware of accepting the idea that others are taking advantage of your care; you will soon want to become an abbess, from which may the Lord deliver you. It's enough when you admonish your passions. To your question, M.A., should everything be written down, what thoughts come about people, read in the answers of St. Barsanuphius to Abba Dorotheus and you will find a solution. Your life seems to be going somewhat haphazardly, you have acquired knowledge with many, and there is no solution. I ask for God's blessing on you and wish you harmony, peace and health. Many sinners and... Macarius. March 9, 1853. Now your letter of March 7th has arrived soon. I sincerely rejoice that the Lord strengthened you and the sick one to complete the feat of the first week of the Holy Week. fasting, and was honored with the communion of the most pure and life-giving Mysteries of Christ. Having written to you on March 7th, I already congratulated you on accepting this gift; you write that you speak to some sisters about spiritual life, about warfare, and so on. I won’t bind you to this, if necessary, why not tell me? But remember both your poverty and the word of the apostle: when you teach others, do you not teach yourself? (Rom. 2:21). And one more thing: do not be too many teachers (James 3:1). Beware lest you become a teacher in your own opinion and in the ironic opinion of others, and litter your cell with foreign rubbish, although now it is still a little, but it may increase in number. I wrote to you about this before, be wise like serpents, and your goals like doves (Matthew 10:16). Today the Lord has vouchsafed me, beyond my worth, to receive a merciful scripture from the Moscow Bishop, Metropolitan F., dated March 9th, in his own hand, with which he deigns to inform that he has looked through the book of St. I could only read half of Isaac the Syrian with our comments, but I skimmed the rest and decided to send it to the censor tomorrow, that is, on March 10th. He writes that he changed some unimportant ones, and left other dark places without interpretation; due to the inconvenience of the concept of these, he considered it better to leave them dark rather than put his own additional thoughts, he even wrote out two places, as he corrected our interpretations. Oh the great humility of this tall man, how mercifully and humbly he expresses himself before our badness! He even brings one into shame and fear with his condescending humility, and despite his extensive diocesan studies, he chose the time to read this book, how great is his love for the teachings of his fathers and his desire to pass them on to the faithful sons of Russia for the writing of their souls with the manna of the spiritual teachings of this saint. Isaac the Syrian! We are very pleased that he corrected our mistakes with his holy hand. Glory to God for this gift of His. The annunciation for Vespers, let us go in peace. I think you too will attend the praise of God. Peace be with you! Read St. books and feed your soul with spiritual manna, recognize your poverty and weakness, humble yourself and receive God’s help in your affairs, and even more so in the matter of your salvation; with a humble arrangement of warfare, the enemy is conveniently defeated and all his intrigues and snares are crushed. I always remind you of this, so that this memory will be implanted in you - to have yourself as the last and worst sister, and worse than everyone else. I’m telling you, but I myself am far from supporting such a dispensation, but for the sake of your salvation, perhaps I too will have joy. I will say about your former embarrassment that it greatly upset me. Yes, to what extent did your frustration reach, and the reason was pride and self-justification on both sides! One should definitely be grateful, and the other should not demand it and not split up words that were said either out of inattention and lack of preparation, or for some other reason; where there is no preparation, no humble feeling, the enemy is always ready to raise a storm of passions. If you both tried to acquire friendship in the Lord to have a guarantee of love and humility, then every contrary word spoken on either side would be sacrificed by love and humility. Even if your sister (that is, any of you) said something offensive to you and not with love, you must love her. And if we only love those who love us, what grace is there for us, for the pagans do the same thing (Matthew 5:46,47). This should convince you of love and humility. How much benefit these feelings bring us: peace, tranquility, etc. On the contrary, in a confused feeling, what is felt? Whole hell! What may the Lord deliver you from! After reading the 14th, I was comforted by your peace and the established calm. Where did it come from? Isn’t it obvious that from the self-reproach of both, the grace of God, touching your hearts, dispersed the darkness of passionate confusion and sorrow. Keep peace and remember how it is violated and how it is strengthened. I thank you for accepting V. with the consolation of yourself, but God, seeing your compassion for your neighbor, will reward you with His mercy, although the enemy is trying to erect his intrigues against you for this, but nothing will succeed if you observe what I wrote to you above. Be careful, supply weapons against the machinations of the enemy - love and humility, destroying all the noise of the enemy. In the first letter you say that you forgot what caused the embarrassment between you, and the last embarrassment showed that sparks of outrageous words that arose long ago are stored as in ashes, which you must completely forget and erase from your memory. Your weakness, M.M., was after the exploits and labors of the 1st week, try to take care of yourself, do not tire yourself, replace the lack of rules and other exploits with humility and thanksgiving. To your question about not showing your heart to some people, is this a Christian matter? It seems that we cannot rely on the feeling of our hearts when driven by passions, although it happens, out of a premonition, that we experience something similar to that. But whoever deals with his neighbor in simplicity of heart, the Lord will not allow him to be harmed, except to trial and teaching, or to punishment according to his dignity. Your opinion, M.A., is wrong that our Lord Jesus Christ constantly suffers from our sins. During His passion, He suffered for all our sins, both past and future, for they were all known to Him by foreknowledge, but we, sinning, do not crucify Him at the present time, but during His suffering we participate in it. He reigns in eternal glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit. And the single sacrifice made on the cross is offered bloodlessly every day at the liturgy for our salvation. I advise you not to go into theology, our hearts are still passionate, let us strive to cleanse ourselves of passions. Why did you feel like you were ready for all the sorrows? This is presumptuous, and yet we cannot even bear the words. Be peaceful, calm and healthy. I ask for God's blessing on you and remain the desire for your salvation sinful and... Macarius. March 18, 1853. Now there was worship of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. We have been honored to kiss that tree on which our Lord Jesus Christ spread His most pure hands, so that He may free you from the work of the enemy. With what feeling should we descend into the depths of humility, seeing such condescension of our Master? And we, forgetting this, are often enslaved by the passions of pride and self-love and scorch ourselves and our neighbors with rage, angering our Savior and Creator. Remember this, my beloved children, and try to maintain peace and love among each other in your common life, without spying on or suspecting each other. Do not let any corrupt word come out of your mouth (Eph. 4:29), which might wound another. Where there is love, peace and humility, there the Lord Himself dwells in the midst. Lay down the excuses of the enemy through self-reproach and revelation, and so the God of peace will be with you. Now under St. The cross is placed over the shroud of your work, so that the Lord will remember your labors and accept your zeal and reward you with His mercy. I believe that M.M.’s illness happened through this work, may her soul and all of you be healthy. I wrote to you before mass, and now I’m writing to you after it. The current stichera is “today the Inviolable Being touches me and suffers passions, free me from passions.” When we sing it, we are sometimes somewhat touched, but we are not freed from passions, we are deprived of the fruit of the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ for our negligence and pride, but we must force ourselves to free ourselves from passions that burden us and do not calm us down. We hear every day: blessed are the poor in spirit, for for them is the kingdom of heaven (blessed are they). And again we often read the word of the Lord: learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29). Here are the closest means for us to liberation from passions, let us see our spiritual poverty, having nothing good, and humble ourselves, although we will find languor in the deprivation of spiritual sweetness, let us consider ourselves worthy of the first, and unworthy of the second, and when visiting God’s consolation, let us be afraid to think about our dignity, in the face of reproaches and annoyances, let us prepare ourselves to endure, in vain our poverty and, humbling ourselves, consider ourselves worthy of them, and when indignant, descend even more into the depths of humility. Oh, if only the Savior’s words about spiritual poverty and humility always sounded to the ears of our hearts, then perhaps we would become deaf to passionate prologues and trample on pride and self-love! We cannot do anything for ourselves: let us pray to the Lord, that He may give us His help in the matter of our salvation. Amen. Today at 12 o’clock I received letters, including yours, and it’s already four hours and I still haven’t finished reading them all, when will I answer them? It can be seen that one is always in debt, leaving one’s dead, crying for someone else’s (Matthew 8:22). I will repeat to you again, M. M., do not tire yourself with many activities, but do as much as you can. It’s good that N. realized her weakness and accepted advice and punishment; there is hope for correction. May the Lord forgive her, who asks for forgiveness, also N., and that they may live more peacefully, otherwise where there is no love and humility, then all labors and exploits are in vain. Peace be with you! I congratulate you on tomorrow’s feast of the Most Holy Theotokos, joyful for the entire universe, and may the Lord and Mother of God comfort you, I earnestly wish this. Many sinners and... M. March 24, 1853. “The day of our salvation is the main thing” (troparion of the Annunciation), “bring great joy to the earth, praise the heavens of God’s glory” (chorus on canto 9). This is how the Church calls for the joy of her children! And when, if not now, to rejoice? While we, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, have been brought the joyful news of the light that has the power to shine and illuminate the entire universe with the knowledge of God through the most pure and immaculate Virgin Mary the Mother of God. Remembering this saving day in a humble heart, we bring thanks to our most merciful Lord Jesus Christ, who deigned to save the human race, and we pray to the most pure Lady Virgin Mary, crying out to Her with an archangelic voice: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (irmos 9 cantos), to intercede for our salvation and greet each other, congratulating us on the joyful this afternoon. And I greet you with this sincere desire: may the Lord give you peace, harmony and love, and in order to be worthy to enjoy these blessings, let us try to have a heartfelt disposition towards them, forcing ourselves in any case to act humbly and to bear each other’s burdens with self-reproach and humility. With such a dispensation we can also be rewarded with that joy about which the Church now calls us to rejoice, preaching about it with the Archangel Gabriel. Yesterday we had seven people clothed in a small image, what a triumph we have, the countenance of the monastics has multiplied, and the enemy brings sadness to others that they are not worthy of this, similar warfare happens among you, but in battle you cannot do without warfare, and where there is warfare, there are crowns. We accept your diligence with gratitude for your work - candles, may the Lord reward you with His mercy. You, M.M., are asking me how to acquire sobriety and calmness of mind? You desire high talents and do not receive them, but seek humility, then your thoughts will subside; when you find thoughts, you involuntarily see your own badness, you humble yourself, and when humble wisdom is established in you, then your thoughts will be comforted, and if without humility, you thought of acquiring sobriety of mind, then you would still defile it with arrogance, and That is why the Lord does not allow a quiet mind to always see one’s own badness. And while you are practicing in many subjects, which are alternately impressed on your mind, do not look for lofty things, but be humble, be peaceful among yourself. Yesterday we received your parcel - a shroud, God save you for your work for the church. Thanks be to the Lord, He sends us consolation and humility at times, so that we may not be exalted, but descend into the depths of humility, in proportion to humility and consolation, and in proportion to pride and contrition. Glory to the Lord who teaches us in spiritual life! The book of Theodore the Studite has been printed in 15 sheets, only three sheets remain, we hope that it will be finished soon. But what can we do, we only care about printing books, but don’t think much about deeds, lest we give an answer for this, but may God’s will be upon us, and may His mercy have mercy on us! Congratulations on our birthday. M.M., Saint Mary of Egypt pleased the Lord with her repentance and left an example for sinners not to despair, but to come running with repentance and hope for mercy from God’s mercy. Yes, even if we imagine ourselves to be righteous, then woe to us if we hope for our righteousness. Oh, may the Lord give us a feeling of repentance and humility, to which the Church encourages us. Today at Vespers they sang the touching stichera of the great canon, and tomorrow the canon itself will offer with touching singing: “God have mercy on me, have mercy on me.” Oh, if only one could cry this out to the Lord with one’s lips and voice, but one’s heart would also be stung with sorrow at the wrath of the Lord! It seems that you had the service of the Great Canon in the evening, and we had it from one o’clock, and left at five o’clock. Glory to God, who strengthened our weakness. An amazing canon - if anyone listens and prepares his heart for repentance in memory of his sins and his badness. Woe to us that we only adorn ourselves with our appearance, like with leaves, without bearing any fruit of repentance, but God will not despise a contrite and humble heart (Ps. 50:19), and doing something painless will not bring any benefit, according to the words of the holy fathers. The lack of our work can be made up for by the sadness of the thought of this, and this is a good gift from God, but if we do not receive it, then the reason for this is that “we shut our tongues against men about good and evil,” as St. Isaac in the 89th word. Let us take care of this and remember our sins, and how can we stand before the judgment of God? Perhaps our stony heart will be touched and then we will more easily bear each other’s weaknesses, and even more so when we force our hearts to consider ourselves the last of all. This requires a feat, and an opportunity to know oneself, and time, and most of all, the will for this and the help of God. Let us pray to the Lord that He will give us His help and show us mercy. Next Sunday is the day of your Angel, M.A., and now I find it timely to congratulate you on it; you have no doubt about my desire for all the best. There is such a poverty of rhetoric in the vagina of my mind that if I had not written something in those days, now I would regale you with these small lines, I would be completely at a dead end. I’m ashamed in front of you, words just fall from your pen like beads on paper, but I won’t soon tidy up the words to write, I think, I think, and I leave it like that, I’ll end up with nothing, but it seems cold to you. How did you conduct the current service of praise to the Mother of God, our intercessor and intercessor for our salvation? May She keep you all in peace and harmony and save you to eternal life! I. M. April 4, 1853. Yesterday the weather was warm and humid, it rained all day, and there was little snow left in some places, but today, having gotten up for the all-night vigil, we see the ground covered an inch or two of snow, and there was a light frost. This is the change in the weather, the same thing happens in our dispensation: in the evening there will be mourning, and in the morning there will be joy (Ps. 29:6), and vice versa. I somehow read your letters, and I need to write you something, although I cannot write completely and in detail about all our matters. You describe everything that happened to you over the course of eight days: joyful, sad, and painful. And everything, thank God, is bearable and strengthened by His power. You, M.M., in vain accept the thoughts that you have been abandoned by God because you are in pain, quite the opposite, but God Himself arranges the best means for salvation for you, all the holy fathers who write about illnesses teach this, read St. Barsanuphias answers 45, 166, 167, 168, 169, 213, 607, 516, 621, 130, 512, 526, 347, 509, 511, 517, 530 and who ministers to the sick - 774, 214. By these and like them receive strengthening in your illnesses and labors and do not lose heart. Try to be more peaceful among yourself, taming the obstinacy of rage, abolish it with humility and love. Accept the sorrowful visits and gloom in spirit that occur to you courageously, expecting the change that you received, as you described, M.M., you felt at mass, and then confusion followed at vespers, and before that, a few days before, there was also a prelude to the former consolation. The Holy Fathers write: “Consolation is either preceded or followed by rebellion.” Therefore, understand that you are on the true path, just watch out so that you do not become exalted when visiting grace, but even more, see your own badness and do not consider yourself spiritual, and do not disparage others for lack of spirituality: God has many hidden slaves, like Isidora, who was counted for nothing. Become more aware of your weakness. If you let something out of your memory from your 16 pages or sheets, then don’t hold it against me. In your last letter, M.A., you write about your will and you know how destructive it is, and therefore God carefully arranged your life so that you do not have your own will, voluntarily and for God’s sake, and not involuntarily. The superscript on Nil Sorsky writes about this very well. Now I have received one book by Theodore the Studite, completely finished. Great consolation! Thanks be to the Lord for granting us such a treasure to have and to see it published. Through the prayers of the blessed elder Paisius, God gave us all the means, opportunities and patronage of spiritual and secular persons who contributed to this publication. But woe to me that I even touched in the slightest way what the great fathers teach us, and more than the main and self-sufficient virtues: I do not have love and humility, but given the poverty of others, these could intercede for me to the Lord. When I receive the books, then I will send you one. Today we had a presanctified liturgy: we sang the stichera of Lazarus’ resurrection, tomorrow we will sing the troparion “general resurrection,” and there will be Vaiya. Everything is so wisely arranged and arranged by the Church for our excitement, the remembrance of God’s miracles and the wondrous sight of us in redemption. Glory to our Lord, who has mercy on us sinners! Having completed the spiritually rewarding Pentecost, we will come to the remembrance of the holy passions of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we remembered the resurrection of Lazarus, tomorrow the glorious entry of our Lord into Jerusalem, and there His suffering, all this should be sensitive and saving for the Christian heart, what love of God has been revealed for us sinners! May the Lord bless you and make you worthy to meet and celebrate these days with heartfelt consolation and joy in the Lord our Savior! I. M. April 11, 1853. April 12th. Having come from mass, I wish with these small lines to congratulate you on this holiday and on the day of your angel, M.A. The weather here is beautiful, clear, oh, if only our souls would be cleared from the darkness of sin, otherwise we are just writing and publishing books, but spiritual fruit is not growing. God is so merciful to us, he gives us spiritual food abundantly. How are you spending this day? May God grant that we may be in peace and tranquility, that we may send glory to God, that He will vouchsafe us to reverently remember His most pure sufferings, raised up for our sake. Great and glorious things have happened in the coming week! 13th, April. Today's tender singing: “Behold the Bridegroom comes at midnight” and “I see your chamber, my Savior, adorned, and I have no clothes, but I will enter into it” - should soften our stony hearts, or say, my heart is petrified. I don’t know what to say about whom, but I clearly see my poverty, and although with one voice I dare to cry out to the Lord: “Illuminate the robe of my soul, O Light-Giver, and save me” (luminary)! I know that consoling feelings are bestowed on those who have suffered for the fulfillment of God’s commandments from people, from the flesh and from demons, and who have corrected our hearts by resisting passions and having achieved love. But on the stained and torn charter of our heart, grace does not write its laws and does not bestow consolation. And when grace comes, even with a small spark of its action, we cannot preserve it in humility, but require fire that burns the passion of pride and vanity, either by preceding or subsequent temptation, so that we may humble ourselves and realize how weak our strength is. I understand this about myself, and that is partly, darkened by passions, and if you see something similar in yourself according to this reasoning, then try to correct yourself and each other, supporting yourself with advice and deeds, and it will be fulfilled for you: we help brother from brother, like a strong and high city (Proverbs 18, 19). In response to your letters, I will especially say that I must scold you fairly, that you raise me to the pitchfork with your praises and tell others, attracting me to me. What is this for? The Lord is able to send a mentor when He calls to Himself, but what do I mean? Let N. not doubt about his salvation, this comes from pride, let him humble himself: then he will receive hope in God’s help. Yesterday we finished the Lenten service with bows, and today we remember the great events accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ in the matter of our salvation. May He vouchsafe us to remember them prayerfully with a feeling of gratitude and a spirit of humility. Today is the washing of feet, the last supper and the tradition of Judas. And tomorrow the 12 Gospels, the love-filled conversation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the disciples and the remembrance of His passion, you will have this today. Glory to God, today we defended Matins, although with weakness, but the Lord strengthened us. What should we do, we will force ourselves a little - we consider it work, and what suffering did our Lord Jesus Christ endure for the sake of our salvation? And can we imagine the majesty of them? St. Demetrius (Rostov) even describes the number of beatings and wounds, and who can endure such torment? But His love endured all this for us, what will we render to Him? He does not demand anything, only He seeks and desires our salvation and love for Him - and what kind of love? If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word (John 14:23). Oh, if only we, hearing this voice and thinking about His inexpressible love for us, which we are driven by, He endured so much suffering for us, would force ourselves to love Him with all our hearts, with all our strength and with all our thoughts, crying out with David: I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength, the Lord is my strength (Ps. 17:2). But this must be fulfilled by deed, and not just by word, for which occasions are always presented to us in dealing with our neighbors. Try about this, beloved sisters in the Lord, pray for me too, so that not only in word, but also in deed I will seek love. But woe to us, our passions darken our mind, heart and feelings, and we, instead of ascetically standing against them, willingly surrender ourselves into their slavery, and not only do we not eradicate the passions, but lower ourselves against them. When there is any indignation against our neighbor, we do not reproach ourselves for the passions stirred in our hearts, but we blame him, we forget that the one who insulted us showed us our rottenness and should have thanked him and cared about healing the passions. Self-love and pride do not allow us to fulfill this, and poor humility is inaccessible to our hearts, but if we allowed it, it would enrich us. How long will we stay like this? Let's start from here. “And I decided: now I have begun, and this is the betrayal of the right hand of the Most High” (Ps. 76:11). This is not by our strength. I congratulate you on the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ and greet you: “Christ is risen! Peace be with you!” I remain the desire for your salvation sinful I. Macarius. April 18, 1853. Christ is Risen! “The day of Resurrection, let us be enlightened by triumph, and forgive all those who hate us through the Resurrection, and thus we cry out: Christ is risen,” and so on. How important this day of Resurrection is, it united the heavenly with the earthly, heaven was opened, hell was overthrown, death was overthrown. How much should we burn with love for our Savior and gratitude, but how can we fulfill this? By preserving His commandments: to forgive our neighbors their sins and to look within ourselves, if we offend anyone in any way, to satisfy. But without humility and love we cannot do this, and when we humble ourselves, imputing it to nothing, then it is more convenient to correct both the virtue of love and forgiveness of our neighbors. God! Grant us this grace for the sake of your risen Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the mediator of our salvation! Yes, we each look within ourselves to see if there is something in my heart that needs to be corrected, rather than looking at our neighbor’s shortcomings. Peace be with you. I congratulate you on this holiday of the Resurrection of Christ, may He comfort you with His smallness. Now the bell rang at the end of 12 o'clock, Matins departed at 4 o'clock, the service was announced at 6 o'clock, departed at 10 o'clock, there were 22 people in the service, where I, a sinner, was honored to stand together with them, and you were remembered in prayerful communion. Glory to God, who preserves you and nourishes you with spiritual food and deigns you to be partakers of the immortal meal of the Body and Blood of Christ, and I congratulate you on your strength in spiritual consolation. Thank God for His mercies towards us and have peace and harmony among yourself and with everyone. You, M.M., complain about the languor of your spirit, but after what consolations come, remember the example of Jacob: “Leah is not red, but is prolific, and Rachel is red, but barren, so the cross and spiritual consolation visit a person from time to time.” Therefore, we must conclude that we are on the right path leading to salvation. Give thanks to the Lord in everything, and if there had been no cross, what would be of us? God loves us and knows what we need and what is useful. The dream you saw about the cross should not terrify you, but place your trust more in God. He is able to strengthen our weakness, whenever He wants to send any temptation, but seeing it, He spares us. But just as we do not accept great temptations, we are also unworthy to accept great gifts. N. Your abuse is great against us and the desire of your will, but what will she do? How to feed yourself? It's a pity for her, pride sets its nets everywhere. You persuade her that salvation from her will not be taken away from you, and the best rejection of your will, by which you acquire humility, which is most necessary for salvation. Today is the day of your angel, M.A., I congratulate you on this. And now he has inscribed the book of St. Theodore the Studite to both of you. I’ll feel sorry for myself, I’m having a hard time reconciling myself, I read and write about it often and I understand, I even know its benefits, but I’m far from it. Aren't you rich in it? Then I ask you not to be stingy, but to share, give it, I’ll be happy with even a little. Although the king is rich, he does not disdain penyaz, accepting tribute from his subjects. How do you approach St. The Ladder of John Climacus and look at the 25th degree, how far away it is from us! No matter what poem you look at, everyone is attracted to you by its beauty and fragrance, for example: the 5th, with its fragrance, does not allow thieves of the soul to color our treasure, the 8th, in its beauty, only sees its own badness and accepts reproaches with love, the 10th - and the smell of passions does not come closer, the 17th, like the sun, illuminates our actions, the 27th - the divine cover, so as not to see our corrections, 31st - the door of the Kingdom of God, for it leads those approaching it, 32nd - when we consider ourselves worse than others, then the mercy of God is near us, 34th - how to recognize the fragrance of humility in ourselves, 37th - it, coupled with love, does not allow us to fall, 41st - it is the teaching of Christ, mentally preserved and inexplicable with the lips, 42nd - testing oneself, whether he has it, 49th - what are the degrees of ascension, 51st - he is afraid of even the voice of discord, 52nd - he is the keeper of talents, 53rd - a means of approaching him, 54th he abhors his will, 62nd - which resists humility, 64th - the urge to not fall away from him, The 67th is to arm yourself with passion, the 68th brings you from the abyss of sins to heaven. But no matter how beautiful and pleasant they are, we grovel in the muddy and stinking swamp, and we pick the thorns of pride rather than the fragrant humility. It’s time to come to your senses and ask for God’s help! From your letters I see many past changes, painful, sorrowful and comforting, about all of which glory and thanksgiving to the Lord and that I see you reaching the very eve of Holy Easter. You, M.M., have suffered quite a bit from fatigue. The Lord unexpectedly visited V. with an illness - measles, and you, M.A., will be counted on to take part in and go after the sick, just do not complain and do not be faint-hearted, but graciously accept God’s visitation with patience and gratitude. I wrote to you about your girls, so that I could carry them in their weakness, and sometimes not allow them to take their freedom. What to do is obvious, and you need to have something to know your weaknesses. I send them my blessing. Be peaceful, calm and healthy. I remain the desire for your salvation great sinner. Macarius. April 22, 1853. With the beginning of a new week, celebrating the holiday, I congratulate you. The weather is beautiful, everything is green, the air is healthy, the birds are singing and praising the Creator. Are we the only ones who will be so insensitive? When all creation is renewed in springtime, will we remain in the oldness of sin?! Thank God that you celebrated the holiday joyfully, peacefully and calmly, try to look at your thinness and reproach yourself for moving in a case sent to the test, and to cell life, put down any reproach that is charged to contradiction and disputes through self-reproach, humility and cutting off your will. It’s a pity for poor V., it seems that she has a deep struggle both in illness and cowardice, and in her life with a desire for equality, but this, I think, guessing from the inevitable battles that must take place, the enemy does not sleep, but tries to cause indignation at our own passions, which are not yet defeated, but are always ready for action. About M.P. I wrote to you that I forgive her, but I did not write to her because she would not accept my admonition, and her current letter does not smell of humility, but of pride. She reveals her proud feelings to the Lord, as if God accepts the proud. He looks down on the humble. Humble death of A. gives hope to her of God's mercy, and it is clearly evident that a humble sinner is better than a proud righteous man, may the Lord rest her soul in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Lord visits your mothers and sisters with illness, which he will accept instead of spiritual deeds, but the lack of them either for the sake of weakness, or for the sake of our negligence. So, having compassion in their suffering, we must thank the Lord, who has mercy and saves us through an involuntary cross. Thank you, M.M., that you yourself resolved your question about the Lord’s removal from hell of dead people—souls—before the incarnation. It is not our business to theologize. And St. Climacus, and St. Isaac, and St. Barsanuphius does not allow us to be curious and test about this, but to mourn our sins and purify our passions. And I will say my opinion about this, that I don’t know, and, truly, this is not wrong, God knows this, it is in His power to punish and have mercy, and all judgment is given to the Son. Now I have written to M., he asks for my prayers and guidance, firstly, I do not refuse him, and lastly, I write that it is incompatible for him, and when he wants to listen, then let him be a son of the Orthodox Church, listen and obey its teachings, leaving aside the wisdom that is contrary to it. V. wrote in the same tone, perhaps the seed will fall on the good soil. I received your books and the life of St. Simeon the New Theologian, copied by you, M.M., very carefully and legibly, I thank you earnestly, but didn’t you force yourself with this letter and didn’t you upset? Your health is not getting better, what should you do? Be grateful and thank God, who wants to save you through this feat, and, as much as possible, try to maintain peace among yourself, without crushing little things and without making an ox out of a molehill: let humility and love destroy all of it. Accept your humiliation with the good hope of retribution, and “if anyone endures a word cruelly without prior guilt, he places a crown of thorns on his head” (St. Isaac the Syrian f. 56, p. 111, vol.), and when you take revenge with neglect, you are deprived of your reward, it is an instrument of God, then how can you resist it? Recognizing your weakness, reproach yourself and calm down. It bothers you that they have an unfavorable opinion about you, and you, apparently, think a lot about yourself that is good, and not humble, that’s why it hurts you: the humble is lower than everyone else, and what can make him sad? “Like who can intimidate a mountain even the humble” (St. Isaac the Syrian). Try to do the same as the elders Barsanuphius and John instructed the mourner to their cell brother, the cowardly elder Andrei, read from the 174th question onwards, so you tell your N. in a peaceful spirit that she is doing something bad, and it will not be difficult for you to let her go, and although she does not want this in words, she shows it in deeds. You were afraid of a big thunderstorm, we also had a thunderstorm that day, but not so big: those who fear God are not afraid of a thunderstorm. You were confused when you read the 5th word of John Climacus about the prison, that during their great exploits they did not receive notification, then what is in store for you? And here’s what: God’s mercy, which exceeds all human sins and untruths, and, with the awareness of one’s own badness, humility of heart. God will not despise a broken and humble heart (Ps. 50:19). St. Theognostus chapter 61: “Whoever finds himself at the end in humility,” what will he receive? Read it. Not all ascetics clearly or visibly receive the notification to us, which happens to many at death itself, when the mind can no longer ascend, for the enemy always fights a person either with exaltation or despair. In the latter case, resort to the mercy of God and plunge yourself into His holy will, which is appropriate for the prayer of St. Demetrius of Rostov “It is worthy to eat...”, etc., and in the first one to remember our thinness and the creeping nature of our nature, the former falls and other things that can humble the exaltation. But there is no sense in confusion: no repentance, no humility, no hope. And therefore St. Isaac called it “the enemy’s chariot,” do not allow it to reach your heart. And St. Peter of Damascus in the first book contains two instructions: “Do not despair about the hedgehog.” Read it. Be peaceful, calm and healthy! I wish this for you. Many sinners. And. M. May 12, 1853. O Christ Jesus, beloved children! You are now in the clean country air, feed on it physically and strengthen your bodily composition, I wish you good success in this, and after this strengthen and nourish our souls with spiritual work, succeeding according to your strength, and even more so in humility and love and correcting the rules of the church and cell according to your strength, doing handicrafts so as not to be idle, idleness is the cause of many troubles and boredom. Last week the weather was very good, and you must have had a pleasant meal of the country air, but yesterday we had rain and quite cold, and this morning is fresh. We planted the dahlias, they are growing very well, and the buds are already large, but the garden of my soul is somehow bad, everything is desolate, overgrown, not weeded, not dug in, how do you manage your gardens? Books lie all around, but there is no time to nourish my smooth soul. Woe is me! What will happen next! I wish you a speedy arrival at your monastery and a peaceful stay. Yesterday, I think, you soon reached B. and were consoled by the warm greeting of your good sisters, and now, after a loving meal, I believe you are setting off. May the Lord send you an Angel of peace, a guardian accompanying you and preserving you on the path and in the monastery. May the Lord give you peace, love and harmony among yourself and with everyone, and thus work out your salvation, seeing and recognizing your weaknesses and humbling yourself. I wish you health and salvation sinful and... Macarius. July 25, 1853. Thank God that you arrived safely and found consolation in your loved ones and in all the dear mothers and sisters, I sincerely rejoice in this and thank God. May He help you to spend your life, fulfilling His holy commandments according to your strength, humbly and peacefully. When you try, according to your intention, each to consider yourself worse than the other, then all the networks of the enemy can conveniently be crushed. It’s already your fifth day in your monastery and you’ve probably completely figured out what you need to prepare for, I don’t know if you’ll be able to do the Transfiguration, otherwise whatever day is convenient, there’s a service every day. May the Lord keep your monastery and all of you in good health, peace and tranquility. My blessing to your cellmates, I am very glad that they have come to repentance of their weaknesses, may the Lord help them in the future to maintain themselves in a good dispensation. August 4th: Thank God, the day has come well, I will go to the living room to confess, although I am unworthy of this service. Peace be with you! August 6th. I greet you, my children in the Lord, on this highly solemn feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, who deigned to show to His disciples the glory of His Divinity, as much as the eyes covered with flesh could contain. May the Lord grant us, sinners, to be worthy of the shining of this ever-present Light, not according to your dignity, but through the prayers of the Most Pure and Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God. August 8th. Yesterday I didn’t even take up my pen and did little work, but I was in a fuss, went to mass in the morning, rested a little, again busied myself with the guests for vespers, but there was no time to write, only now I took up the pen and gave you an account of my malfunction. A temptation happened to N. - aversion from the monastery. It seems to me because she spent a long time in the world, was carried away by the charms and imaginary pleasures of the world, and there was no one to open it and strengthen her as well. Now, with the help of God, he can again return to the previous dispensation, only he must humble himself in everything, and then it will be more convenient to crush the networks of the enemy, for pride is the cause of strong battles and victories from them. May the Lord keep you all in peace and tranquility, and you will conveniently receive this when you grow old about self-reproach and humility, and I see you have the will to do this, you just need cases and compulsion to test this, then God’s help will come, and without it we ourselves can do nothing. And I, a sinner, write and speak, but I can’t move forward, pray for me. Let us give glory and thanksgiving to our God! Now in our monastery the ritual of joining the Orthodox Church and the sacrament of Confirmation have been performed. N.N., 23 years old, who learned the truth of our religion, on the recommendation of G.G.K., wanted to join our monastery. This ritual was performed by K-th Archpriest Fr. V., and I was the recipient. Pray that the Lord will confirm the correctness of our religion, his newly named name N. Yesterday I received your letter dated August 5th, I sincerely regret that you, M.M., suffered so painfully and were not vouchsafed to communicate the Holy Mysteries of Christ with your sisters, but, it’s true, you have already been vouchsafed this gift, and therefore I congratulate you, M.A., Z. and V. on this great gift of the Lord. I write to you in fits and starts, but I don’t have regular time. Today, thank God, our brethren shared the Holy Mysteries, and the New Orthodox N. was again a communicant of this gift. I am sincerely glad that the cells console you, which makes the work of your feat against invisible enemies and in the troubles that arise during conversion easier. I wrote about N. what reason I found for scolding her. This is distance from the monastery. When he reads his father’s books and thinks about his own badness and that everything here is fleeting, but the future is eternal, he will receive peace of mind, and also imagine how disastrous the fate of marriages is today for the most part, then how can the heavenly, quiet life of a monastery be compared with them? Although there is abuse, the hope of reward is incomparably greater. Thank you for your consolation, you write that everyone wants to consider themselves less than the other, if you act this way, you will receive God’s help and conveniently defeat pride and the furious part that comes from it. The enemy will have time to attack you, but his arrows will be crushed by your humility. May the Lord strengthen you! Today we got up at 2 o'clock in the morning, and at that very time there was a strong thunderstorm, dazzling lightning and torrential rain, the thunderstorm continued until almost half of the morning, and in the morning the weather is clear, so it happens to us, the darkness will clear up as we humble ourselves. I congratulate you on this solemn feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, may She, the Queen of Heaven, console you with spiritual, incorruptible consolation, then strengthen yourself physically with food and drink blessed by God. Peace to you all! We now have a large gathering, all the rooms are occupied and even two families in one. Be healthy and calm, which I earnestly wish for you and, asking God's blessing on you, I remain the sinful hieromonk Macarius. August 15, 1853. Yesterday I received your letter dated August 8th. I regret your grief, about the illness of Mother Superior, but who can know the limit set by God for each of the mortals? And who can resist His will? May His holy will be done in everything and over everything, I expect notification from you on Wednesday how God will please you. Thank God that you are peaceful among yourself, and with each self-reproach, the machinations of the enemy are crushed with this strong weapon, try not to leave this vision of your badness in front of everyone, so that humble wisdom will be established in you, and you can easily complete the feat of your life. When receiving spiritual consolations, thank God and do not grieve when, when they are taken away, the darkness of your souls covers your souls; the grace of God preserves the measure so that you do not become exalted in acquiring consolation, sends tenderness and change, and not that you are completely abandoned. Be complacent, accept this for consolation, and this for humility. About N. I rejoice and thank God that she again came to the true mind, knew the vanity of the world and appreciated the monastic life, we must watch where these people are coming from. Our newly joined N. went to Moscow yesterday with thanksgiving to the Lord and a joyful feeling, may the Lord strengthen him! And M.A. was even more inflamed with the desire to accept our faith, but I don’t know whether this can be done, because she is not our subject, but a Prussian one. A.N. went with her to the city today to see the archpriest to find out about this. Yesterday they sent me to Kaluga to ask for my dismissal from the bishop, and if I receive it, then this same week I think I’ll set off on my journey, if the Lord pleases us and we’ll live. Today, eight of our brothers went 12 versts to pick mushrooms, they sent beautiful milk mushrooms, let them breathe in a different forest air and take advantage of exercise. If our bishop gives his permission to dismiss me, then I think I’ll leave this very week, but I can only get to you in two weeks with God’s help. Be peaceful, healthy and calm, which is what I fervently wish for you, the sinful hieromonk Macarius. August 18, 1853. “Let my heart be covered with fear with yours, the humble one, so that what is not exalted may fall from you, the all-generous” (antiphon). We often hear this antiphon sung or read in church, let's see if this event happens to us? And the last incident that happened to you showed this to us; I have repeatedly heard from you that you live peacefully, even though you are cut off, but, having explained yourself with self-reproach, you receive peace, and I rejoiced about this. But, apparently, you were lifted up in your heart about this, and did not have a humble pledge, then you were allowed to fall into great confusion and to my heartfelt chagrin. So I left you, the unpacified ones. It is obvious that for your exaltation you were deprived of God’s help, and how each of you was perplexed and burdened by one another, each having self-justification in her heart and thereby imaginary defending herself, but instead betraying herself to the enemy, and he poured his destructive poison into your hearts. What do we learn from the word of God? Why do we read our father’s books? We talk and write about humility when we turn away from it with all our hearts! How long will we wear out our necks under the yoke of alien work? How long shall we not stretch out our hands to our Master, who loved us and humbled us for His sake and gave us an image of Himself and commanded us to learn from Him meekness and humility for our own peace? When you would seek help from Him with humility and awareness of your weakness, you would receive help. You know quite well that humility is victory in every battle of the enemy, and all his snares and snares will be crushed by it, then wouldn’t it be better to try to acquire it and make your battle easier? By this means anyone can be saved: the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, the healthy and the sick. And how could we not humble ourselves, seeing such our poverty and obstinate dispensation, when even those who have a wealth of virtues preserve it with humility? I console myself with the hope that your then dispensation did not last long, and you, having come to your senses, were at peace. May God grant that this lesson will serve you well in the future, pay attention to yourself and your weaknesses and humble yourself. May the Lord forgive you and help you in the future to resist all the machinations of the enemy and scorching arrows, do not remember past insults from each other and do not have self-justification and resort to self-reproach, then you will acquire humility. Let's look back at our laziness and carelessness and our wasted life, intemperance and so on, what answer will we give? Let us humble ourselves, and the Lord will save (Ps. 114:5). Yesterday we were delighted to receive two printed sheets of St. Isaac the Syrian and three saints. Maximus the Confessor. God bless our K... who strive in this matter. Yesterday I received your letters from D... and I see from it your reconciliation, but everything, it seems, is still not entirely pure, but still better than how I left you. You repent of having insulted me, and I certainly grieve for your lack of peace with each other through justification. Read Elder Vasily’s epilogue to the book of St. Nile of Sorsky, on page 33, how should two people who come together in a community live their lives, look at your dispensation, do you imitate this instruction? But it is saving. I wrote to you quite a lot on this subject, if you took my advice, then it would be good for you who do this. May the Lord forgive you and help you in the future to stay safe from all the snares and snares of the enemy, and humility saves us from them, but where is it when everyone believes that she humbly accepts and bears insult and is cut off by will? I ask you, please, be more peaceful among yourself, do not give the enemy weapons against you, but overthrow him with self-reproach and humility. I remain wishing for your health. I.M. October 17, 1853. Beloved children in the Lord! After my two-week visit home, I received only yesterday a letter from you about your arrival in S... Although due to many hesitations and suffering, mental and physical, we reached a comforting haven to the place of our saving feat, and at first we experienced sorrows and spiritual consolations. Glory to our Master, who teaches us spiritual life. With your impoverishment in performing spiritual and physical exploits and with the satisfaction of all external needs, if there were still no emotional turmoil through external sorrows and bodily illnesses, then what hope of salvation would there be? But the merciful Lord, having provided you with all the blessings, sends temptations, so that he may teach you the art of spiritual warfare, and you will acquire humility. Thank God for everything! As for me, don’t have any doubt that I would grieve for you, it was more painful for me to see your rotten dispensation and I was very sorry for you, no matter how much I tried to persuade and pacify you, but I had no success, and my words seemed unpleasant to you. Upon my arrival, I wrote to you and showed you the reason for your indignation and disorder, but I was not at all angry with you, otherwise they would not have received a line from me, and after that I wrote everything in a peaceful and calm spirit. From all this you should know that I am not angry with you, but although I was offended during the indignation, I then forgave and again say: “May the Lord forgive you, and I, a sinner, forgive! Be peaceful and calm." This incident should be a lesson to you ahead: where there is no self-reproach, there is indignation, and what is it like and how long did it last? Glory and thanksgiving to the Lord that you are now peaceful, may He help you continue to maintain your peace, you need it, and even more so in external mental and physical upheavals to strengthen each other. But don’t grieve for me because you don’t see someone’s disposition towards me, of course, due to my spiritual barrenness, not finding any benefit from me, and they impute it to nothing, and do good, may the Lord give them His mercy. After all, woe to that man, when all men speak good (Luke 6:26). And again, “Woe to him, whose name is higher than his deeds”! In the uprising on N... may the Lord give help to the battle and abolish the deceit of the enemy, who seduces her with the ghost of worldly life, in which there are more troubles, sorrows and sorrows than pleasures and pleasures, and how can we compare our carefree life with this multi-careful and sorrowful life? I thank you, M.M., for the belt with which I at the same time girded myself and wear it, I accept your diligence and work, and I thank everyone for the work in sewing the carpet for the pulpit in our church, I am sure that it will be good, and your diligence is even better. In the absence of another cell, live with one for now, in some cases helping yourself, because we were given arms and legs and strong muscles, so that we could work and eat our bread by the sweat of our brow, but how nice is it after our labors to enjoy the fruits of these? Read the books of the fathers and engage in their teaching, it will be useful in understanding your weakness and acquiring humility, patience and love, and instructs us on how to resist passions, how to cleanse our hearts from these thorns and plant virtues. You write, M.M., that you find solace in Rev. Elijah Ekdik, how can you not be comforted? The words of the Holy Spirit feed the soul and delight the heart. The sorrows that shake you also responded to my rough heart with compassion and condolences for you; this alone strengthens me, and I offer it to you, that nothing from the sorrowful can happen to us without God’s permission, and where His will is, then everything will work out for our good. The Lord predicted to us that we would be in a world of sorrow (John 16:33), and St. The apostles taught that through many sorrows we must enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), and because the Lord loves him, he punishes and beats every son who accepts him (Heb. 12:6). We ourselves do not force ourselves into anything sorrowful, but we still want to live more joyfully, more calmly, and from this the cathedral of passions enters our wretched soul and in a robber manner plunders all its treasures. And when the Lord visits us with sorrows, the heart involuntarily humbles itself and passions run away. For better strengthening of yourself in sorrowful cases, read the books of your fathers, collect spiritual honey from their flower-bearing teachings and feed your distressed hearts, build up your trust in God and in His omnipotent providence, who desires your salvation, ask for help from the Lord and the intercession of the Mother of God, do not blame anyone else, for they are God’s instrument, blame yourself and blame your negligence and spiritual barrenness as the reason, and, moreover, having all good for bodily life. As far as I can remember, I’ll tell you what to read: in the Philokalia of Mark the ascetic there are many chapters about patience, and in his classes there is a resistance to the Dicanic, in John of Carpathia’s letter to the Indian monks, in Abba Dorotheus’s punishment about patience with temptations, in St. Isaac the Syrian words 34, 35, 36, 37, 51 and so on. according to the catalog, and then yourself, whatever you can remember. The Lord is near you and looks at your feat, helps and consoles. I gave you my word to strengthen you, I would like to actually console you with something, but is this possible? I don’t know what to do, but I’m very sad for you. You ask me about military affairs, but I hear very little about this. A manifesto has been announced about war, but God will arrange what and how, He alone knows. Of course, our Tsar stands for the Orthodox Church and at the end of the manifesto, they say, he wrote with his own hand: May Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we trust in Thee (Ps. 32:22)! We look at ourselves: we have a cruel war and it is irreconcilable with the spirits of evil, and we are trying to firmly acquire weapons against them - humility. E. I send my blessing. Tell her that she went to seek salvation, and it is gained by humility, and not by loving panache and peace, although the enemy confuses her, she must resist his machinations, and even more so, humble herself, and when someone is proud, he defeats them, and deposes them into the abyss of vices, so that he chooses the best. I ask for God's blessing on all of you and remain multigr. And. Macarius. November 2, 1853. I received your letter dated October 31st yesterday, thank you for your compassion in my illness and for your prayers to the Queen of Heaven for my healing. You prayed on the 29th, and on the 30th the fever came again, there was a strong paroxysm, from which I lay for two days, but from then on there was no fever, of course, through the prayers of yours and everyone who remembers my thinness, God pardoned me from this illness, but it is impossible to be completely careless and not have something, for I live in laziness and negligence in many ways, as I will appear before the court of God and what answer will I give about the evil things I have done? I don’t know where M. got the idea that I left the management of the monastery, I’m still in the same position, but I have the intention to quickly fulfill this and at least ease myself somewhat in relation to this responsibility, meanwhile, the one who takes this place, of course, will not leave my council and will get used to management, but what do I mean? Am I in control of my mind and strength? The Lord is our helper and our protector, the Mother of God is the intercessor and intercessor for our spiritual salvation and peace of mind and for all contentment, and the great saint of God, the Forerunner and Baptist of Christ John is our protector and helper in spiritual battles, and the blessing and prayers of our metropolitan hierarchs, two Philaretov and our Bishop Gregory, as well as the prayers and care of the all-honorable father our archimandrite Moses and father abbot Anthony help us in our weaknesses, and all the brothers living here, everyone has diligence for the salvation of their souls and diligence in fulfilling their duties, cutting off, to the extent they can, their will and reason. What do I mean here? The worst of them all is just a small point, generally moving and existing and supported by everything described above. Yesterday I received your very sorrowful letter, and your sorrows also responded to me. Apparently, it is God’s will, and the time has come for your test. And M.M.’s illness, and the disorder in the cell, and you do not find someone who sympathizes and relieves you in your necessary tasks, but even those who want to help, there are those who forbid. Do not be discouraged, O children, but be firm and unyielding in the feat of your patience, believe that the Lord, who allowed this to happen, will bring about the best. Read the words to the monks of John of Carpathia, there you will find consolation for yourself, not to mention the other fathers, whose teachings are filled with strengthening in sorrows, and you faithfully accept these medicines to heal your grieving hearts. Run to the Lord, seeking from Him help and strengthening in your sorrows, and those who insulted you, not wanting to help you and reproaching you, reproach them with unforgettable malice and do not leave them to do good, as you did before, you are not giving your own, but the gift of God, given to you, and you are the guardians. Congratulations on your post, we’ve already spent two days, but what about our post? To fast physically and spiritually, St. encourages us. Church, and most of all, let us try to humble ourselves before God and our neighbors: “humbleness of heart to all passions and sorrows is healing,” according to the words of St. Isaac (f. 79). How is your health? It’s already the third day of fasting, and I don’t see any success in my exploits, I know my sins, but in feeling and before me I will not take them out, so that my heart will be contrite. The memory of death and the Last Judgment drives me away from my thoughts, and all of it will be inevitable, our fathers and brothers are leaving us, proclaiming the same to you, and we are all cruel. These days we received news: Father Hilarion Troekurovsky has died, may the Lord rest his soul in the Kingdom of Heaven after his arduous deeds here! I accept, M.M., your diligence in sewing copra, but do not force yourself to work diligently, it is harmful to your weak health, but for me your diligence is all the same: if you make a seam with a needle ten times a day and if you sew an arshin and half a floor. The only difference is that with moderate and light work you won’t hurt yourself, but being forced to sit for a long time can hurt you, which has already happened. So, I ask you, with your great zeal, moderate your zeal for work, and in this way you will console us and everyone else, without upsetting your already frail health. May the Lord help E. in your work in your cell; salvation is provided for both you and her, and even more so for simple-minded and uncomplaining obedience. Read in the 16th word of Theodore the Studite and in the 47th, countries. 48. Wait until she is dressed and encourage her that if she tries to live humbly and obey, then she will be dressed, because this clothing is not for vanity and arrogance, but for humility. Although the five virgins retained their virginity, they did not enter the chamber of the heavenly Bridegroom (Matthew 25:2), because they did not have love and humility, which are acquired by work, patience, and the rejection of their will and mind, but it seems that these truths are inaccessible to her mind, and you have a broken heart, but there is nothing to do, need dictates. Thank God that N.N. is in the best position against you, because we are all subject to change: today the weather, and tomorrow there is bad weather, storm, whirlwind, thunder, etc. “We cannot remain unchanged while we carry this body,” according to the words of St. Isaac the Syrian, but every day we must try to pluck thorns from the soil of our hearts. November 20th. Today began the 66th year of my wandering on earth, for we are strangers and strangers, and your fatherland is the age to come (Ps. 38:13; Heb. 11:13). Oh, may the Lord grant us all to come there and appear before the face of God without condemnation! Today our skete brothers have been honored, and I am with them, to be partakers of the immortal meal, thank God! I regret the N. dispensation, but I hope that with the help of God she will come to true reason and recognize that the cause of her anxiety is her passions, which she does not resist, but acts on, and from this she receives rotten fruit, it is impossible to be without struggle, but experience, time and the falls that crush her will teach her humility, and with good will she will resist them, and humility will crush the machinations of the enemy. Thank God that even now she recognizes her guilt and weakness, and then the Lord will enlighten her. It’s a pity for N.’s dispensation, which even more, when the body is unsettled, increases the spiritual murmur, to give her peace of mind - there is only one God. I’m very glad that you and Z. have found peace again, the consciousness that causes it to be lost will be a lesson for her in the future. From your letters we can see a dispute between you and your ex..., you became a mentor! Is it not possible to say that “Saul also became a prophet?” If she pronounces a strict judgment on your good deeds without blessing, then all this is none of her business. Your charity does not all actually come from you, and let it be for the glory of God and from love for your neighbor, and not for your name or praise and respect, which is the opposite, and you try, as much as possible, to do it in secret, but what to do that comes out openly? And it’s good that it’s not for your praise, but for your censure. If you had a cenobitic monastery and everyone was content with a common meal and everything they needed, then you should not do this, but give to the community the amount of your money allocated for charity, but since you don’t have this and no one cares whether anyone has their daily bread and other needs, then why not give your neighbor at least a small amount of charity, and if you take a blessing for this, then how many obstacles, ironies and the like will come up? And more urgent needs will arise than those who need help. This is how I look at these things, and maybe I sin, God judges our righteousness (Ps. 74:3), and before Him all our righteousness is like a fallen ruby ​​(Isa. 64:6), but at least let us present our will to Him, and let us expect His blessing, and not be upset by the opinion of men that we do not according to their liking. You write about 13 sisters appointed for tonsure. I’m glad that your names are not included here, maybe this shocked you, but is the enemy asleep? His job is to cause confusion. Tell me, what do you have to lose through this? And what is this for? Of course, for the sake of ambition. It is so greedy that you cannot feed it with anything: now you give it food, and it will continue to stretch. But what peace of mind can you find in the perceived neglect! When the calling of God comes upon you, you will not escape, but until then strive to cultivate the garden of your hearts, fertilizing the earth and plucking up thorns and thistles, and grace itself will sow good seeds and grow the fruit into an eternal life. And by grieving over this, you clearly show the active passion in you, without resisting it, remember the parable of Jotham about the trees, when they chose a king for themselves, and so on. Believe in God that without Him nothing can exist, either by good will or by permission, and calm down. Yesterday I sold very well the books of St. Maxim, I just received it and have already spent 28, God grant that this trade brings profit to an eternal life! Let E. try to free herself from the slavery of passions, and even more so from pride: she is such a cruel mistress and tormentor that she does not give rest to any of her slaves, but torments and torments those enslaved by her. We can see this in our own dispensation. For example, I think you were shocked that you were not appointed to the mantle, and what is this if not pride and self-esteem? Through God’s vision, we are thus prepared to recognize our weakness and humility. Do not think that people can do anything themselves, no matter how disliked they may be towards you, but here there is the providence of God acting in the matter of your salvation. You know this very firmly from the scriptures and from the teachings of St. You offer fathers and people the same way as I do, but the Lord wants you to accept the test of this, and I see great benefit from this: one thing is that you will accept the test, and at the same time you will be delivered from many present sorrows, incomparably more important than the fact that you will see your peers wearing robes, but you will not. This is a string of pride and vanity, and monasticism does not consist in appearance, but in resistance and victory over passions and humility, patience, etc. Again, what would it be like for you if you were appointed to tonsure, and those who entered before you remained, would your conscience be at peace? And now, thank the Lord, in this you are at peace in your conscience, and what is better when your conscience is at peace? Yesterday I sent you the long-desired book of Maxim the Confessor, two copies, read and learn the art of life. May you all be peaceful and healthy and progress in humility and salvation, which is what I earnestly wish for you. Many sinners and... Macarius. November 25, 1853. Thank God, now 14 years of my management of the monastery have ended, although I am not worthy of this name. But with the help of God, with the intercession and protection of the Mother of God and the saint of God the Baptist of Christ John, through the prayers of our father Archimandrite Moses and Abbot Anthony and all our fathers and brothers, time passed quickly, although he sinned in many ways, and offended the brethren, and tempted in many ways, but we covered them with love, and by their obedience and forcing themselves, all external deeds were accomplished. God Himself knows about spiritual successes and weaknesses and every conscience, save them, Lord, and have mercy on me with their prayers! So, today after late mass Fr. P. went to Father Archimandrite, I received a blessing for dismissal (based on a preliminary meeting), and he received a blessing to join the administration. We went to Fr. Anthony, received his blessing, then in our church, together with the assembled brethren, they served the Mother of God with an akathist prayer service and St. John the Baptist, and after a short conversation appropriate to this, I asked their forgiveness, thanked them for their love and obedience and entrusted them to the new boss, asking that they have obedience and love for him. And now, thank the Lord, I feel some peace. And you congratulate me on this long-desired disposition of mine to leave even a small boss. You are in vain embarrassed by the constriction of passions, it is better, having realized your weaknesses, to repent of them before God, and not to be embarrassed and not to doubt your salvation and not to dare, when we truly try to see ourselves as the last of all, then, reproaching ourselves, we will rejoice in the success of our neighbor, and the enemy, darkening our thoughts, encourages us to see an advantage in ourselves, and this is far from humility. It is God’s business to give value to each of our deeds, and everyone knows that He looks down on the humble (Ps. 113:6). I congratulate you on your new clothes, like little children rejoicing over new dresses. Be children, be born with malice, and not with reason (1 Cor. 14:20), remember the word of God, which was said about children: for of such is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:14). To the question of what is better, whether to fulfill an inaccurate rule or the Jesus Prayer, I will say that our rule in prayer must be fulfilled, and both can be considered a rule, do as much as you can with strength, with compulsion and humility, both or one when your strength is exhausted. December 1st. Today we had a service: two hierarchs Philaret, our benefactors, are named after the current saint. righteous Filaret. According to our strength, we brought our prayer to the Lord for them, and with their prayers may the Lord preserve us. Yesterday I received your mournful letters and I myself deeply grieved for you that you do not have peace of mind in your cell for housework. I look at it this way: of course, it was not without the will of God that this was allowed either to punish you or to test you. In the first case, you need to despise yourself, look for guilt and reproach yourself, and both in this and in the latter, surrender to the will of God with obedience and humility, and He is able to send you help and ease the severity of your situation, apparently you need to suffer for them, what to do? You have a need, everyone prefers her own will and her freedom, even though there is contentment here, and there is her own will and even the same vanity, but for herself, and not for others. But what can we do with all this blasphemy from the enemy? He, like a roaring lion, walks around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), and makes strife, and quarrels, and opposition, but there is no humility - a weapon that can abolish all his intrigues. May the merciful Lord look at your weakness, sorrow and tears and give you consolation - to find a sister after your heart who can calm you down. Currently, I didn’t have anyone in mind, of course, one of the best remedies is to take M. T., but, of course, it will not be easy for her to endure reproaches and barbs from many sisters, and especially when she is still a member of the choir. However, this will pass and remain silent, as long as she is firm and courageous: may the Lord bless you to take her to you and may he help her to be an instrument for your peace, and may he destroy all the intrigues and networks of hostility that may arise in cohabitation. Pray to God and the Queen of Heaven, may he give you peace and tranquility in your cell: everything is possible from God (Matthew 10:27), He punishes and has mercy, thank His goodness in everything. All of you are not forgotten by Him; in sorrows there are also spiritual consolations. Thank you for honoring the day of my angel with a prayer to the Lord and Mother of God, and bring me congratulations. I ask for God’s blessing on you and wish you a peaceful and calm dispensation, and whatever sorrows there are, do not lose heart, but see in them the true path leading to eternal life. I teach you to endure sorrows, and although I myself do not have them, I grieve greatly for others, receiving letters of sorrow and cannot help them, and my own sorrows are my sins. Be healthy! I.M. November 30, 1853. The pious elder Fr. Macarius, in response to the challenge of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, came from the Kozelskaya Optina Monastery to Moscow on May 14, 1852, in the morning at 9 o’clock, to the Kireyevsky house, near the Red Gate, where the owners were waiting for him as a blessing from God. The elder had barely time to get out of the cart with his companions when a messenger from the Metropolitan came to find out when the elder was expected? The elder was moved to tears by the attention of the merciful Bishop, and hastened to show the Metropolitan his sincere gratitude. On this same first date, Vladyka deigned to invite the elder to a meal. Father Macarius stayed in Moscow for a month, and on July 13 the Kireyevskys accompanied their spiritual, loving father to the outpost. You might be interested in: