Письмо 105

You want to learn from me spiritual life, so that you can have written lines: how to go through the rite of residence, and be instructed by them. Your good desire and intention to seek salvation. But, for my part, it’s not difficult to write, but it’s dangerous to give an answer to teach people, but to do nothing good for myself. Our mentor and teacher is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself; He gave us saving and life-giving commandments that lead us into eternal life, and He said to the young man who asked Him: what will I do that I may inherit eternal life? Weigh the commandments, do these, and inherit an eternal life. And the holy fathers, who received salvation, received it by fulfilling the commandments of God, and they left us an example of their life; moved by the Holy Spirit, they handed over their teaching for the benefit of us, the listeners and the readers. And what commandments must be fulfilled by those who want to be saved? The main two: love for God and love for neighbor; “On this two commandments hang all the law and the prophets,” said the Lord. These commandments are explained in detail and especially in the Holy Gospel; and most of it is in the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters of the Evangelist Matthew; when fulfilling the commandments of God, one must also have humility, which is also commanded: if you do all that is commanded, say, “For we are servants except those who ought to do, we have created” (Luke 17:10), and in another place the Lord commands: learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls yours (Matthew 11:29). This is the mercy of God towards us: by doing His commandments we receive peace of mind: and what great wisdom of God: for every passion that is in us, there is a commandment that not only forbids its action, but also completely eradicates it. So, study the word of God, listen and try to fulfill it, asking for God’s help; for He said: without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Read also the words of the fathers: St. John Climacus, St. Abba Dorotheus, as the most decent for us; they teach us why we leave the world and come to the monastery, and how we must learn to fight against passions, defeat them and eradicate them; when defeated by passions: how to rebel and repent; and most of all they teach humility; it is not destructive, and is destructive of all passions; just as pride is the forerunner of falls and casts the one who has it into the depths of hell, so on the contrary, humility restores and raises from the depths of sin, and elevates the one who has this treasure; and the other holy fathers teach us each according to the enlightenment of the mind given to him by the Holy Spirit. Having themselves experienced spiritual life, they teach about denial of oneself and one’s will, about the fear of God, about obedience, about patience, about abstinence, about humility, about love, about repentance; and in general, the whole face of beautiful virtues will be found in their holy teaching and how to strive to acquire them. St. Isaac the Syrian writes about humility that humility alone saves except works; and without them things will not be saved (word 47); St. John Climacus writes in the 5th degree about repentance on the 1st page of this degree: what repentance is and what it consists of. This is what is appropriate for your question about this: and towards the end of the book, repentance combines with humility. St. Isaac the Syrian in the 7th word wisely leads us away from despair and leads us to repentance. From many I have collected little things for you for memory and guidance in your life. When you follow the path of truth, you will find and understand more than this; You will also encounter sorrows, but they are inevitable on the path of salvation; seek abundance and consolation in them in humility. But you can’t learn with words alone, you have to go through it with deeds, and then you recognize your weakness and humble yourself; and in our humility the Lord will remember us and deliver us from our enemies and save us; what I fervently wish for you and pray to the Lord for this. Mnogohreshny I.M. You ask about the order of residence: the word of St. Simeon the New Theologian clearly shows this, and St. Isaac the Syrian in the 9th word. You might be interested in: