6. Духовное руководство – духовные советы

“You can knock on a closed door with prayer, but with advice you can only enter an open one” (23:41) “Not every feat you hear about needs to be adopted. Not every feat is useful and convenient for everyone” (21:33) “Enough is the work, and enough is the benefit, if we strive to fulfill the commandments that are prescribed for everyone” (21:33) The section “Spiritual Guidance - Spiritual Advice” is a direct continuation of the further development of the thoughts outlined in the previous chapter - “The Path of Spiritual Work”. The proposed material is separated into a new section in order to somewhat facilitate the reader’s perception of the very important various instructions of the great Moscow holy Hierarch. What was not disclosed before is systematized - in any case, the author tries not to repeat quotes already given, much less verbatim. It is fitting for a spiritual person who has taken the path of Christian life to desire only glory in Heaven, and not on earth. Therefore, everything mundane, even prayer “for the deliverance of the needy for the glory of man on earth, is not a matter moving in a spiritual direction.” Such prayer will not bring “true fruit. One should pray for the needy out of love for humanity. Asking for God's mercy must be for the glory of God. A dream is a bad companion on the spiritual path” (21:51). A good companion is a spiritual leader. The saint testifies “that there are subjects about which, if necessary, one can write, although they are unpleasant; but there are others about whom conversation occurs only between a spiritual father and son: one should not write about such, except under the general name of grave temptation or sin, for writing is subject to various accidents and can reveal the secret of a neighbor’s conscience” (7:67). In the monastery, for those who come to it, there must be designated confessors, and those invited for this at will must either turn the inviters to those appointed, or ask for special permission (8:316). In parishes, the practice of electing a confessor is approved by the priests of the deanery district themselves, who will confess to him. “There seems to be no reason for partiality here: everyone should seek a person useful for conscience and for spiritual advice” (14:246). What kind of spiritual appearance is characteristic of the elder? The saint says this: “What you write about Christian letters - everything is blessed. But I don’t see any resemblance to the letters of the recluse George. These are simple and modest. Such are usually the instructions of the elders” and, naturally, the elders themselves (10:157). They respond to spiritual things with spiritual things, not worldly ones, and to sad and unpleasant things with comforting ones (8:74). From here the remark of the Saint becomes clear: “The guide is not ripe for the position of confessor: he still needs to be taught. Apparently, we still need to take time to think about taking up this position” (7:5). Saint Philaret gives some instructions on the relationship between the spiritual father and his children. The confessor can ask the child: “Isn’t he sinning against humility in his opinion of himself, and giving thoughts of caution against delusion” (8:383). His (the monastic confessor’s) meetings with “spiritual children” take place within the walls of the monastery; outside of it they are limited to “spiritual need, without unnecessary intimacy, which is not always looked at with a simple eye” (8:293). It is not recommended for one mentor to interfere in the affairs of another. There is a certain “disposition to give advice to other people’s disciples secretly from the elder - will this lead to a good dispensation? It would be better if he told his elder what is useful for the student, so as not to lead one along two roads” (10:393). In turn, spiritual children undertake obligations towards their spiritual father. The confessor’s judgment must be accepted with faith and submitted to it (29:352). It is useful to reveal to him “your conscience and everything that confuses you... By one revelation, the enemy’s machinations are greatly weakened” (17:33). “Words should be spoken only to those to whom the thoughts should be revealed, and to whom it can be carried” (7:96). Curiosity, especially idle curiosity, is excluded: “You should not always ask what it is: for this curiosity produces concern or entertainment. When a drop of rain falls on the withering grass, it comes to life without wondering where the drops will come from. When a drop of peace falls into the soul, let it cry out in love and gratitude to God, the source of peace, without experiencing how He acts and what certain accidents mean” (29:287). It is recommended to take advice “constantly and not turn unnecessarily from one to another and from another to a third” (29:222). You cannot change your confessor arbitrarily - “this is contrary to spiritual rules” (29:337). It is also sinful to condemn and humiliate a spiritual father. “Justice requires that you, having condemned your confessor, albeit only mentally, condemn yourself for it before him and receive forgiveness from him. Self-praise in this case can be avoided if you only say that you sinned against him with a proud and condemning thought, because his instruction in prayer seemed unnecessary or insufficient to you” (29:225). “The best spiritual father is the one who is accepted with faith, as an instrument of God. To humiliate a spiritual father in the eyes of a spiritual son means offending one and harming the other” (29:331). The importance of a spiritual father is great. This truth is expressed, one might say, in the words of the Saint addressed to his own confessor: “After the blessing of St. Sergius, I am indebted to your care, Father Viceroy, for the love of mankind bequeathed by St. Sergius to spread its spirit and its actions” (8:XIII, 224). “Without your blessing and permission, I again do not want to do anything. Say one word of your will, and I wish to fulfill it” (8:320). And again: “The Fathers teach us that what is begun without blessing is doubtful and not reliable” (9:116). There are hesitations in choosing a confessor - go “in confession” to someone who is “meek, and attentive, and edifying” (4:113). The spiritual father departed to the Lord - his successors remained on earth. – “The Optina people lost their father Macarius. I think there are good spiritual heirs left from him” (10:251). And the Saint concludes: “I sincerely remind...those who desire correction and improvement, not out of severity against their shortcomings, for I know that I myself, more than others, need leniency, but out of the desire to see good as better and growing mature” (29:236). Service to God is placed above all else. “Let God’s will be your law,” writes the Archpastor, “carefully known, and not human” (21:15). The real thing, really the way it should be, is “learning to sacrifice to God everything that somehow occupies us among people” (23:43); learn to sacrifice what is most precious. “The commandment not to love a son or daughter more than the Lord can be kept by someone who lives in the same house with the son and daughter, and can be violated by someone who does not live in the same house. But in which of these provisions you best hope to preserve the commandment, then choose” (21:16). Man, as the image of God, is free (although his freedom is not absolute, like that of God). – “Not to give man freedom, limited, characteristic of a creature, which does not exclude the possibility of deviating from good, would mean making man a machine. A machine, if it cannot do evil, cannot do good and be blissful” (23:37). Being free, he is called to go to God, to Good, to Bliss. People can be guides along this path, but it should not stop there. “What I have in Heaven, more than You, what I desire on earth, the God of my heart, and my portion is God forever” (Ps. 73:25–26). “You see that he who walks in the right direction does not stop in Heavenly things, striving for God, much less in earthly things” (21:52). We must go and go to God, “without stumbling on the way to man” (21:46). If dangers are found on our path according to God’s destinies, then they should be met “without grumbling and despondency, with prayer, devotion to the will of the Lord and with trust in His mercy” (21:49), the door of which is always ready to open for us, “if we knock with faith, humility and patience, without pronouncing in advance a strict judgment on the Merciful, as if He is not disposed to open, and without retreating impatient if the door does not open at the first knock” (21:66). “Sins, confessed and resolved, are cast into the abyss of God’s mercy, and the one who repents should think that he lives after that a new life. We must take care of this” (21:27). The temptations that befall us according to the will of God are overcome with comparatively little difficulty, “if we endure and trust in Him - that the temptation endured brings benefit, and the desire to avoid temptation cannot always be successful” (23:28). A just feeling is “the fear of God before the Divine Sacrament.” You must have it - “with fear and humility, he who approaches God is given hope, tempering fear” (21:32). About the Lord both our joy and our sorrow. “Earthly joy is permeated with sadness, because the soul intimately feels the unsatisfactoryness of earthly things and the need for something better. Sorrow for the Lord is permeated with joy, because the soul anticipates what the Apostle said: “Sorrow, even for God, brings about salvation.” Let us seek joy in which the sting of sadness is not hidden. Let us not be afraid of sorrow, for it will turn into joy” (23:30). If the Lord sent us joy - “granted there to be paradise in the soul, then may it remain in it.” One must not abandon its cultivation and storage “by exercising oneself in goodness within one’s ability and by abstaining from everything that happens not according to the will of God, but according to human willfulness” (23:44). God helps to do good - “you need to thank Him and confirm your intention to do good. – And is this the time to threaten cooling for good? And who can you threaten with this, except yourself?” – the Saint asks questions with bitterness (21:35). It is good to stand before God as children stand before their father—to become like children. “The Lord commands us to be children. The Apostle interprets: “Be not children in your minds, but be childish in malice.” Therefore, be gentle like children, be kind like children, be innocently loving like children. There is no need to complain about what God has given in nature, but to exalt it to grace, and all good will come to pass” (23:77). Having remembered all this, “think,” the Saint teaches, “how close the Divinity is, and in the depths of your soul, worship the Lord and ask that He, by what means He knows, would give you participation in grace... This can be done without words and without much prolongation of time, with just an appeal of thought and a feeling of the heart, if circumstances prevent you from doing more. The Lord accepts such efforts to break free from the vanity of the world and cleave to Him” (29:226–227). “Be faithful in serving the Lord... without arbitrary or intense punishment. The Lord is faithful to reward those who are faithful with a little” (21:49). “I hope that this is how your spirit is located. May he be strengthened, and may he preserve so much peace in grief so that his weak flesh will not be too shaken. Now is the time to show the fruit of wisdom... and not to be shaken by the deprivation of the visible and temporary, in the contemplation of the invisible, in the hope of the eternal. I earnestly pray to the Lord to send you from above help, and consolation, and peace” (21:10). We hear from the Great Moscow Saint a lot of good advice, helping us to look at our neighbors with calmness and a sympathetic soul. First of all, we must banish the idea that we do not love someone (21:15–16), and instead try to understand “the intentions and heart of our neighbor” only in a good way. Then we will be safer “from harmful error, and he will more easily become better” (23:22). This is achieved by calm behavior, simple, peaceful, “both without refined affection and without artful coldness,” without a suspicious eye (23:20). “We must beware of the tendency to suspicion. For example, you think that a person is angry, but this is not true, and your thought is perjury. The commandment does not want this” (21:60). “With a suspicious eye one can reach the point of hatred of man: whoever wants to have love for his neighbor must have a simple eye” (21:67; 23:20). “Learn to be simple,” the holy Metropolitan commands, “not to call people by exquisite names that are above everyone else, and not to engage in unnecessary beliefs” (23:45). If we, having heard a reproachful word about us, hasten to respond in kind - “What’s the use? - asks the Saint and answers: Unless you want to be equal in error with the one who sinned. Christians used to say: “When we rebuke, we bless” (1 Cor. 4:12). If you also believe, according to rumors, bad things about people you don’t know, what is the benefit except the sin of judging your neighbor, and perhaps, or even probably, or surely, an innocent person?” (21:67). It is worth remembering well: “You cannot sweeten the bitter with bitter, but only with sweet. Likewise, bitter cases cannot be sweetened by a bitter judgment about them, but meekness, patience and love can not only sweeten what has come from a bitter source, but also correct a bitter source” (21:17; 23:11). It is not advisable to enter into an argument, especially if it is wrong (23:17). It is hardly necessary to denounce someone of his own free will, unless he himself “gives an opportunity to tell him the truth. It is difficult to expose oneself without self-justification getting in the way. Moreover, reproof can turn into trouble for another person through whom the speeches passed. Isn’t it better to just pray that God will admonish everyone to look at the work of their neighbor with a simple eye without condemnation and suspicion” (23:16). “I know one thing,” declares the Saint, “not to be content with any need, for the ruin of those who hear” (2 Tim. 2:14). If someone says that he was disturbed, then you can simply ask: by what? But to say: it is true with a trifle means to judge one’s neighbor, and to insult, and to sow the seed of contentiousness. It would not be surprising if an unpleasant harvest followed. The word of man can be sharpened like a sword, and then it will wound and kill; and can be softened like oil, and then it will heal” (21:34-35). But if you are drawn into a “debate of words,” then “do not be insistent that every question you have is resolved with a clear answer. We must trust in God that he will resolve the necessary issue in good time, and let the unneeded one lie unresolved and exercise patience and humility” (21:29). When meeting “with an unpeaceful person, we must remember the word of Scripture: “Be peaceful with those who hate peace” (Ps. 119:6). If you pray for such a person, then you are fine. In that case, what is there to be afraid of? Meet with him, as if nothing unpeaceful preceded this” (21:68-69). Peace with one's neighbor, as a manifestation of spiritual peace, is also a medicine for physical health. “May peace of soul be a cure for your headaches,” the saint expresses his wish. – Not jokingly, this is one of the medicines against this kind of disease; and one of the strongest. I assume that the pain is of a nervous quality: the other would not be alone, but would be in combination with other phenomena” (17:42). And Saint Philaret calls: contribute to the establishment of peace (21:69); When reprimanded, respond with meekness rather than with rebuke. Dirt must be washed off with clean water. Mud cannot wash away dirt” (23:18). An unpeaceful “thought against your neighbor has appeared, bring repentance to God for it; with His help, drive her out of your heart. Convict yourself of it before someone in order to humble yourself or receive instruction. Confess to the one you thought against, if you are sure that he will accept it in a Christian way and, having respected the confession, will establish peace and love. But,” the holy Hierarch warns, “there is a danger that he will pay attention to the very thought of the unpeaceful and will himself enter into an unpeaceful disposition; then, by opening up, you only spread the unpeaceful disposition” (29:235). Also: “If a person does not feel calm and firm enough to maintain the necessary caution and moderation in a difficult conversation, and is afraid in this way to alienate the world he wants to approach, then, of course, it is better to remain silent for the time being, and ask God for peace for himself and others” (21:27). It is also necessary to note, and, as the Saint says, “probably not for the first time, that to the one from whom we want to hear the truth, especially the spiritual, we ourselves must treat ourselves with simple truth, and not dignify the person in vain, because if he is weak and seduced by greatness, then he will not stand in the truth, and therefore it will not be reliable to hear the truth from him; and if he is strict, it may happen that he will not answer” (21:23; 23:45). Telling the truth is a good thing, especially if we are called to do so by duties and, even more so, by love for one’s neighbor, but this must be done, as much as possible, without judging one’s neighbor and without vanity and exaltation of oneself, as if one knows the truth better than another. But at the same time, you need to know people and deeds, so that instead of truth you do not say reproaches, and instead of peace and benefit, you do not create enmity and harm” (23:21). Developing his last thoughts, the holy Metropolitan writes on another occasion: “I regret that you revealed to your sister your unpeaceful thought against the person she reveres. By doing so, you could only damage the peace between her and you and also between you and that person, but there was no need for that, and no good could be expected from that. Why has the Lord clothed the soul with such a body through which our thoughts cannot be seen by other people? I think, by the way, because our thoughts are often unclean, and therefore it is not useful, and it would be harmful for other souls to see them all... If your thought is for the glory of God, say it - let others glorify God. If it is for the benefit or consolation of your neighbor, say it: let it be benefit and consolation. If your heart innocently opens to communicating a word to your neighbors, although it is not entirely necessary, let this be for the sake of common life” (29:234-235). There was a fear that there would be an insulting refusal of something - “it’s best not to unnecessarily do something for which they might be insulted by refusal” (21:28). You yourself need to be attentive to your neighbor. “Dryness and coldness,” argues the Saint, “of course, have their source in our imperfections, inattentiveness, errors that are obvious, or unpleasantly noticeable, but internally disturbing the peace of conscience. Let us admit this, arouse our attention, clear our conscience by admitting our mistakes and humbly asking for forgiveness from the Lord, we admit that we are unworthy of consolation; Let us decide to obediently endure the deprivation - the Lord will see and be merciful, and again grant us peace and consolation” (21:19). There is no need to run away from helping people - “among them there are people of God. We must try ... so that our wisdom and our will do not come before good deeds” (23:19). We must pray for our neighbors “with an eye on our duty and the will of God” (21:14). In all actions, “it would be best to listen to the voice of conscience, to abandon vanity” (21:26). Finally, we should remember that just as every evil act towards one’s neighbor, our Heavenly Father sees every good one. “In prison,” the holy Archpastor concludes one of his letters, “when you could, and as much as you could, you acted; and this will not be lost before God. When you cannot, leave everything to the will of God and the love of others” (21:75). What we do “to comfort others,” the Lord will “turn into a source of inner peace” for ourselves (21:11–12). “In order to truly calm down, one must be reconciled through the same means by which the unpeaceful disposition was revealed” (29:229). The thought must always be with us: “What will I appear with?.. And we must strive in prayer, self-sacrifice and good deeds, so as not to appear to the Eternal Giver with nothing.” We must remember the prophetic word of the Psalmist: “If you see iniquity, O Lord, O Lord, whoever stands” (Ps. 129:3) (21:36). Good is strong before God, “and not good is weakness; but not without care, so that the passionate will does not confuse and darken the light” (23:23). Therefore, “Take heed to yourself” (1 Tim. 4:16). “This is the counsel of both Moses and the Apostles, the doctrine of both law and grace” (21:70). The Lord opened and said to Moses: “I walk in the camp of the Israelites; It is necessary for people to be clean and the camp to be clean. Because the unclean earthly cannot endure, without cleansing preparation, the pure Heavenly, and is destroyed. Moses divided this command into rules that were understandable to the people and definitive for their implementation. What is there not to like about a man who is probably less pure than Moses?” (21:47). Before you take a step, you need to decide whether to take it; “and when it is not done contrary to the law, it is better not to retreat unnecessarily” (21:59-60). You also need to think about it if you have a desire to see something from the supersensible world, in order, supposedly, to be convinced of the correctness of the step being taken or taken. “Let’s assume that you would have seen it. What you see is either the truth, or a ghost of the imagination, or the charm of the father of lies, who is not yet forbidden, even now, as before, to be transformed into the Angel of Light. Which of the three exactly? Do you vouch for yourself that you will recognize and discern? Anyone who has seen a dove and a crow can easily distinguish them. And whoever has not seen it and has studied little natural history will easily mistake a crow for a dove, especially if he sees it for a short time and it does not have time to reveal itself by the crow’s cry. Such an error is even more convenient in the supersensible, and its consequences are much more important... Here are the words of Isaac the Syrian: “Let him not seek the appearance of God in himself, lest he accept that which truly is darkness, but the light of being is hypocritical.” You say that you are not thinking about the appearance of God; but it is even more convenient to be deceived about the manifestation of the created spirit. The name of Jesus Christ is with you, and with Him all of Heaven: what else? In Him all the treasures are hidden: it’s enough to wait until it deigns to reveal something, and not to pick up the keys to what is contained in time” (29:300-301). - “Consult your weakness and take care of your strength, which is no longer in a state of growth and abundance” (21:62). You should not ask for a “heavy burden” and place it on yourself, but you should “perform more ordinary duties,” but perform them “faithfully and carefully” (21:31). “Do not undertake extraordinary things that may be beyond your strength,” teaches the saint. “Try carefully and with a tender heart to do what you say you do poorly” (21:36-37). “It is in vain that you impose labor on yourself not for health reasons, having a disposition towards illness. The will of God will test you either through fear of illness or more: but you are obliged to take care of your health so as not to be the cause of an increase in the morbid disposition” (21:71). The 69th Apostolic Canon, which condemns those who do not fast on Holy Pentecost or throughout the year - on Wednesdays and Fridays, does not condemn those who are in bodily weakness. Consequently, “permissive fasting due to bodily weakness is not condemned, and even more so if on the advice of a doctor. Don't embarrass yourself. It was time for fasting; and the Lord will preserve its fruit” (21:77). The strong body is pacified and calmed, “but the weak should not be deprived of the necessary reinforcement” (21:43). For every person there are, according to his strength, limits to action, “and not to cross them unnecessarily. This way, the strength in action is preserved, and things go better than when they suddenly want to chase two birds with one stone” (21:64). And the Saint again calls and repeats: “In the current state of your health... do what you can now” (21:21). “It seems that you were told that a body that is not early accustomed to labor and deprivation must carefully impose labor and deprivation. Take care of your body and keep your soul calm” (21:13). You should “know that those who struggle better than us are not always in the desired position. Here is what, for example, St. Neil writes: “Whenever you stand in prayer, pray well; But even though you have worked hard, you will not improve your intentions, and even if you seek, you will have an inalienable correction” (21:19). Sorrows and illnesses can become a heavy burden if they are perceived incorrectly, but with a Christian attitude towards them they will serve as that “inherent correction” about which we just heard the word of St. Neil. “Sorrows,” argues Saint Philaret, “have made you feel the need for the consolation of faith. It's good that you noticed her. If you were happier in the world, perhaps you would not have known this need and would not have found this consolation. What of this? Recognize that sorrows are a blessing from God, and thank God for them. “It is good for me, for Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn by Thy justification” (Ps. 119:71)” (29:219). In illness, one experiences “a feeling of detachment from the world, so that after illness one can adhere to this feeling. It is not surprising if this feeling does not come as easily after illness as during illness; In illness, God grants it for the needs of the weak, but in health He requires that he strive to obtain it” (23:31-32). The sadness that often arises from grief should not be excessive, “should never be stronger than faith in God and hope in Him. No matter what happens, we must believe in His mercy and hope for His mercy. To do this, you need to distract your thoughts from the subject of sadness and occupy your mind and heart with prayer. We should not be embarrassed by the fact that in these circumstances the prayer is not perfect.” One must bring to God “the intention of prayer - He will look and give prayer to the one who prays” (23:33). We should also remember the word of experienced wisdom: “In joy, do not forget to prepare for sorrow, in sorrow, do not forget to hope for the best” (23:44; 21:27). If, nevertheless, “the burden of life” continues, one must more often “raise one’s gaze to the merciful God, but one should not complain about the burden of life. God gives and continues it for our salvation, therefore it is a gift: we should thank the giver, and not complain” (23:43). Tears can also be a gift from God. For them, during Great Lent, the Monk Andrew more than once “prays to God: “As you are gracious, give me tears of tenderness.” And further: “If tears are given, we must thank the gracious God and use them to cleanse the soul” (21:29). “Whoever begins to wash something that has fallen into the mud will see his hands not as clean as before. But he washes the dirt both from the thing and from his hands, and the hands, having served to cleanse the thing, remain clean” (21:33-34). We ourselves - each of us as a disciple of Christ the Savior, as a Christian should be: constant, purposeful, truthful, prudent, striving to see the truth, silent - not idle talk, not angry, not fussy about trifles... This is how the Holy Archpastor teaches about this: “Whoever passes from delight to coldness and is not sufficiently established in the peaceful dispensation of the spirit, it is enough for him to continue his education” (21:31). “To renounce everything, to desire to lead a humble life, and suddenly to desire to amuse oneself with a precious thing, whatever it may be - is there any consistency here? If the former should not remain a mere dream, then, of course, the latter should not be allowed” (21:32). “The truth must be told when a person is called to it by a position or is excited by fear of harm and desire for benefit, but with humility and patience. Good intentions and humility are given by prudence” (21:68). “The truth, although sad, must be seen and shown, and learned from it, so as not to live to see a more bitter truth, which not only teaches, but also punishes for inattention to it” (23:30). “In silence everything is born and grows. Deeds that are proclaimed early often end with the sound of words” (23:41). “Being angry is not good” (23:21); “according to the reasoning of the ancient philosopher: one should not be alarmed by the blow of a donkey” (23:22). “Do not waste great words on trifles. Save them for what is truly great" (21:32)... The saint does not advise remembering unpleasant things. – “Do not willingly return to unpleasant memories: thank God for helping you endure the difficult and find the consolation of love” (21:17). We must fight laziness and coldness, for they, along with other vices, lead to sinful thoughts. “If we complain about laziness and coldness, we need to look to see if any of those thoughts that weigh down and do not soar up grief have entered the soul; and these are thoughts in which something is appropriated or ascribed to oneself, the success of a business, praise, noticing the shortcomings of others with a preponderance in our favor. Tempt me, O Lord, and try me, and see if there is any way of iniquity in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (23:8). It's good to avoid praise. - “I see good, I thank God, I ask to preserve it and do not tell a person about it, because praise does not always excite, but sometimes lulls you to sleep” (29:236). Vanity must be avoided even more. - “It is good to accept punishment graciously, but there is no need to proclaim this, lest it be vanity through humility or a reproach to those who imposed the punishment” (21:45). And goodness itself must be done without a shadow of vanity. – “If you want to do good and are tempted by the thought of vanity, and if the matter takes time, do not rush to do it, and tame the thought of vanity. But if you need to feed the hungry, hasten to feed, and also hasten to condemn and trample on your vanity” (21:25). It is valuable to see what is an urgent need for us, and not get carried away by worries about the secondary. “Isn’t it more useful,” asks the holy Hierarch, “to worry about how to meet death with peace and good hope, rather than choosing a place in the earth for the earth, certainly the one that came to mind, and preparing a monument, and composing a tombstone? What if after the grave the thought comes that the order is not correct, and that so much of one’s will was used in vain where one could, without care, surrender to the will of God? – If your desire is not displeasing to God, it will be fulfilled one way or a little differently. And if it is objectionable, nothing will ensure its fulfillment. “Open your way to the Lord and trust in Him” (Ps. 36:5) (21:63; 23:43). What should we do if we are overcome by temptations? – “Temptation...man’s life on earth” (Job 7:1), “and not one day or hour of life. We are looking for peace, but the enemy is looking to disturb us. We often doze over our work, and he, sleepless, tries to lie in wait for us both during our vigil and during our slumber. What to do? “Be vigilant to the fullest, do not rely on yourself for a minute, do not put aside hope in God for a minute” (29:319–320) - with the hope of God’s help, confidently fight “for a just cause” and “win victories” (23:30). “When a cauldron is boiling on fire, then no insect dares to approach it in order to defile it, nor an insolent domestic animal in order to steal the food prepared in it for a person. But when it is removed from the fire and cools down, then insects swarm around it and fall into it, and an insolent dog can approach, desecrate, and steal. Likewise, when a person’s soul boils with the fire of Divine desire, this spiritual fire serves it at the same time as strength for action and armor for protection. But if negligence allows this fire to go out, and pious zeal cools down, then vain, crafty, unclean thoughts will be born and swarm in the sensual region, fall into the depths of the soul and defile it, and insolent passion can come and plunder in the soul what was prepared in it to please God” (23:34-35). “It is not bad to put up a shield against an attacker, but you should not expose yourself to arrows” (23:17). It is not appropriate to stop in spiritual work even when our intention has not been fulfilled. “If a good intention is not fulfilled, all is not lost. God, in the words of St. Chrysostom, kisses intentions and, according to their sincerity, if not now, then later, bestows a good consequence. And if it happened that something wrong was mixed with the intention, for example, relying on oneself or condemning one’s neighbor, then in case of failure one should not complain about vanity or one’s neighbor, but improve one’s intentions in the future, and then it will be better” (21:48-49). And it’s absolutely not good to end the spiritual with the worldly; It is not good to completely abandon the spiritual for the worldly. It is better to sacrifice the worldly for the spiritual. But as long as the nets of the world are so entangled that when you untangle one leg, the other becomes entangled, it is necessary: ​​what is free, as much as you can stretch to God. “Lifting up my hand is the evening sacrifice. I lift up my eyes to You, who live in Heaven. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord” (Ps. 140:2; Ps. 122:1; Ps. 26:8). - When it happens that after a spiritual matter you fall into the worldly, then, returning to yourself, read Psalm 136: “On the rivers of Babylon, there are riders” and so on, and think about it, how God will enlighten you. It is not bad to weep for Jerusalem in captivity until we come to freedom” (29:250). Every person, acting in one way or another, “spreads more or less the life that he lives, new or old. The gift of spreading a higher life in others is the highest - good for that... But... a person may want, at least, not to spread a false, carnal, sinful, hypocritical life - with a wrong word, an unworthy example. A hypocritical life, presenting only a superficial image of piety, especially befits the name of falsehood” (23:24). A holy example is Mary of the Gospel. - “There is only one thing that is needed; Mary has chosen the good part” (Luke 10:42) - “silently crouching at the feet of the Lord Jesus and reverently paying attention to His word” (21:32). “Oh holy simplicity! Just return before the destroyers call you with the destruction of vain splendor!” (29:515). “Bring your heart to simplicity as much as possible: listen to what is good willingly, and what is not so, do not be irritated, but try to forget; do not grieve for people who do not want to be a reason for disagreement; try to have either an innocent conversation or a calm silence. Here is the judgment of a man who, perhaps, sins more than those judged, but desires correction for himself and improvement for others. Use it as the Lord instructed you. May He grant you true peace both with your heart and with your loved ones!” (29:235–236). “If bitter grass is mixed with bread (for it seems to me that we are on the way out of Egypt), know that this too is according to the will of God, and may it be for the health of the soul” (29:224). There is a whole series of very different advice from the Saint, reflections, testimonies (we will return to them later), etc., which, with all the desire, are not easy to bring into the system, but meanwhile they are equivalent to others, and, perhaps, somehow rise above them. Therefore, the author dares to quote some of them, especially since in other cases he tries to convey not only the spirit of the instructions of the wise Hierarch, but also the letter. “What you do for your whole life, it is better to do it slowly than hastily” (3:3). “To have obedience and not be praised for it is better, and the greater the reward from God” (21:20-21). “Fasting is inconvenient when the time is short and there is a confluence of worries: choose a time in which you could have more freedom and silence” (29:250). “Taking a crippled boy is a good deed: just first carefully consider whether you can not only begin this, but also complete it” (21:13). “I think it would be fair for you to accept the invitation to go to the village. Your daughter and grandchildren have more rights to you than beggars and prisoners, especially when you have already abandoned the latter” (21:14). “Basily the Great to the question: how did evil happen? answers: it happened the way darkness happens when you close your eyes. It is not the One who created the eye who is to blame that you closed your eyes and it became dark for you. What does freedom serve? - To choose good, and to be blissful in an angelic and human way, and not just wander the earth like cattle, or vegetate like grass. But wouldn’t it be better not to give such freedom that can be used for evil, or to give one that cannot be used for evil? - With this question, it is difficult to resist the Apostolic reproach: “The food says to the creator of the building: why did you create me like this?” (Rom. 9:20). – Freedom, which excludes any possibility of deviating from good, is all-perfect, Divine: it would be absurd to demand that God create man as God, instead of a creature. Not to give a person freedom, limited, characteristic of a creature, which does not exclude the possibility of deviating from good, would mean making a person a machine. If a machine cannot do evil, then it cannot do good and be blissful. Wouldn't it be better for a man or an Angel not to exist at all, since the deviation from good began among the Angels, and from there passed on to man? - How angry would be the one who wished this! For this would mean wishing that the nine orders of angels did not exist and were not in bliss, so that the millions of people saved by Christ did not exist and were not in bliss” (21:24-25). “It is another thing to judge according to the spiritual law, and another according to the law of human societies. According to spiritual law, it is better for a person to give his life than to take it from another. But according to this law, the safety of human societies cannot be protected: rulers, judges, and warriors cannot act like hermits and martyrs. Another difference: it is another thing to approve actions, and another not to judge. “Do not judge someone else’s business,” we can say about a matter that we would not approve of when asked whether to do it, and would run away from participating in it” (21:29). You might be interested in: