Беседа в день Вознесения Господня. Евсевия, епископа Алвисандрийского (IV в.)

After the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven, when His disciples were looking at His footsteps, an angel of the Lord appeared to them and said: Why are you standing looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way, in the same way you see him going to heaven (Acts 1:11). Listen, beloved, what will be the second coming, terrible and terrible, as a reproof of every breath. The sign of the Son of Man, on which the Jews crucified Him, will appear, carried by holy angels, shining like lightning, and before him is Michael the Archangel, sounding the trumpet and awakening the departed, from Adam to the end of the age. Then the dead will rise from their graves as if from sleep. And the angels will gather men from the ends of the universe into the vale of weeping; and this vale will shake, and fiery streams will appear, filled with inexorable worms, and strict, unforgiving angels will surround each sinner for his deeds in reproof; the heavens will change, the earth will be new... Remember, my brothers, this day is terrible and terrible, great and glorious. For if the angels, who have not sinned in anything, tremble at the thought of this day, then what trembling will sinners experience on that terrible and terrible day! Then there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And let no one think that this judgment will take place as if in the vision of a frenzied person. For I know many who say that he will be like one who sleeps and sees his execution. Make no mistake, people. In a dream, the punished person’s body and soul rest on his bed, but on that day there will be no body and no spirit; but both will appear together before the Lord at the Last Judgment, where cases will be opened like books, and where the Judge is impartial, and the judgment will not be canceled. We will all be called by name to the court, we will all appear naked. There will be no whirlwind that overcomes the truth, there will be no need for defenders: for everyone will appear with their burdens. There, old age is not a matter of trust, pride is not shown, nobility of birth is not required, the beauty of the face does not appease the Judge there, born of a Virgin; propitiates virginity with alms and other virtues. There, great and small are judged equally..., children with parents, students with teachers, slaves with masters. Therefore, the blessed Apostle Paul, knowing all this, says to everyone: “Children, obey your parents! Parents! do not upset your children! Servants, listen to your Lord. Gentlemen! maintain equality among your servants, so that we may all appear without condemnation at the terrible and terrible judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 6:1–9). Let us fear that day, in which the Shepherd will separate the sheep from the goats, and will set the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left. Then the King of glory says: Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for you were hungry, and give Me food: you were thirsty, and drink Me (Matthew 25:34). Come, blessed by My Father, and enjoy heavenly blessings instead of earthly ones, incorruptible ones instead of perishable ones, eternal ones instead of temporary ones. You have clothed Me with clothing, and I will clothe you with eternal glory. You gave Me bread, and I will give you the sweetness of paradise. You supplied the churches and churches of the martyrs; and I will make you partners with the saints, you gave me cold water to drink, and I will lead you into paradise... Hearing this, why do you hesitate? Why don’t you share with the needy and supply the churches of the martyrs? After all, you give to God Himself, as He Himself said, that whoever does something to one of the least of these brothers will do something to Christ Himself, and those who have driven away the poor from themselves have driven away the Lord. For this He will put them on the heels, and just as they drove away the poor, so He will drive them away, saying: “Depart from Me, cursed into everlasting fire!” Why are you apologizing? So you say: “I myself have no bread.” Don't you? - So visit the sick and those in prison. Couldn't you comfort the mourner? Provide for the poor? At the very least, do not offend him with your tongue and do not give him a reason to groan because of you: for the Lord will soon hear their groan, and will especially reward the proud. The Lord does not hear the righteous as much as he hears the poor, because the poor have no intercessor; on the contrary, everyone abhors him. It happens that parents hate their poor children, their friends despise them, their neighbors ridicule them. The poor, rejected everywhere, helpless from everywhere, has no help from anywhere except from God, who takes pity on the poor. Therefore, the Lord soon hears them. Foreseeing this, the Prophet said: “He will not disgrace His bound ones” (Ps. 69:34). If you have bread, give it, give it as one who comforts the poor. If you don’t have bread, heal him with your words, share his sorrow, reassure him, so that at least he can find from someone else what he didn’t find from you. He who does this deserves a great reward for himself. For the effect of alms is great: no other feat can blot out sins like it, and no virtue can compare with it. So, let us never stop giving alms, beloved, so that we may be worthy of eternal blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen 226. Majo. Classicorum auctorum. Waticanis codicibus editorum. Romae. 1838 ann. tom X; cf. The first trip of the Reverend. Porphyry to Athos monasteries and monasteries. Part 2 – Appendix to the 2nd section of this part. Moscow. 1881, pp. 264–265. You might be interested in: