Беседа на День Пятидесятницы (по благодати Духа Святого и свободном произволении). Св. Иоанна Кассиана Римлянина 237

We must always be firmly convinced that we cannot achieve perfection through our labors and exploits, even if we practice every virtue with all tirelessness. Human efforts alone cannot have such value and power as to elevate us to the heights of holiness and bliss, unless the Lord Himself assists us and directs our heart to what is useful for us. Therefore, at every moment we must cry out to God with David: make my steps in Your paths, let my steps not move (Ps. 16:5), so that this invisible Ruler of the human spirit may turn our will to virtue, since it is more prone to vice, either through ignorance of good, or through the deception of the passions. This is very clearly expressed by the Prophet in one verse of the song: I was rejected by the mouth, and the Lord accepted me (Ps. 118:13). The first hemistich signifies the instability of our will, and the second signifies the help that is always ready for us from the Lord, Who, every time we begin to waver, stretches out His hands to us, supports and affirms, so that otherwise, with our own will alone, we would not fall completely. So no righteous person has enough strength in himself to acquire righteousness; he hesitates incessantly and is ready to fall at every moment. Therefore, the mercy of the Lord strengthens him with His hand, so that otherwise he would not completely perish in his fall. And whoever, having fallen due to weakness of will, will be so arrogant and blind as to think that he has no need for the constant assistance of God, when the Lord Himself in the Gospel clearly teaches: just as the rod cannot produce fruit for itself unless it is on the vine: so also you, unless you abide in Me: without Me you can do nothing (John 15:4, 5 )? How unreasonable, even sacrilegious, is it to attribute some good deeds to one’s own efforts, and not to the grace and assistance of God, when the saying of the Lord testifies that without His assistance no one can bear spiritual fruit? Therefore, we believe that just as the beginning of a good disposition is placed in us by a special inspiration from God, so the fulfillment of virtues is equally given by Him; our business is to submit more or less willingly to the inspiration of God and accept His help. We deserve a reward, or a worthy punishment, judging by whether we are negligent, or with reverent obedience we take care to comply with the orders and providence of God, extended to us by His gracious favor. This was clearly expressed in the healing of the Jericho blind. That the Lord passed by them is the grace of Divine Providence and condescension. But what they cried out: have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David (Matthew 20:31), this is a matter of their faith and hope; the same insight again comes from the mercy of God. The farmer, although he works hard to cultivate the land, cannot expect abundant fruit unless the right rain falls on the cultivated land and the weather is favorable. So, just as God does not give fruit to lazy farmers who do not try to cultivate their land, so the hardworking will not benefit from daily care unless God’s mercy prospers them. So it is in the matter of living according to God - we need our own labors, but if the grace of God does not help us, we will not succeed in anything. Confess that God is the primary author not only of deeds, but also of good thoughts: He instills in us His Holy will, and gives us strength and an opportunity to do what we rightly desire: for every gift is good, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). The will of God always desires that the man He created should not perish, but live forever. God, if He notices in our heart even a spark of disposition towards goodness, out of His mercy does not allow it to go out; but, wanting everyone to be saved and come to the understanding of truth, he does his best to ensure that it turns into flame. The grace of God is close to everyone; She calls everyone without exception to salvation and to everyone to come to the knowledge of the truth, for she says: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). It is incomprehensible to the human mind how this salvation belongs to our will, for it is said: if you are willing, you will listen to Me, and you will destroy the goodness of the earth (Isa. 1:19), and together it is the work of neither the willing nor the current, but the merciful God (Rom. 9:16). It is not clear how God is able to reward everyone according to his deeds, and at the same time He is both what he wants and what he does for good pleasure (Phil. 2:13); Why are we commanded to create for ourselves a new heart and a new spirit (Ezek. 18:31), and together it is said: I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit within you (Ezek. 11:19)? It will not be difficult to resolve these doubts if we remember that both the grace of God and our free will participate in the work of our salvation, and that although a person may sometimes desire virtue, in order to fulfill these desires he always needs God’s help; just as for a sick person the desire to be healthy is not enough, but it is necessary that the Giver of life, God, give strength to restore health. In order to be completely convinced that even from the natural ability given by the merciful Creator, good desires that arise can be fulfilled only with the help of God, it is enough to remember the words of the Apostle: whatever I want, I am diligent, but whatever good I do, I do not find (Rom. 7:18). Many people ask: “When does grace work in us? “Is it then when a good desire is revealed in us, or is a good desire revealed in us when the grace of God visits us?” Experience justifies both: Saul and Matthew the publican did not desire it themselves, but desired it out of calling; Zacchaeus and the thief on the cross, by their desire, preceded the work of grace. This is how it should be put: when God sees that we want to incline towards good, he directs and strengthens our readiness; but if we don’t want good, or have lost interest in it, then he gives us saving suggestions, through which a good disposition is formed or renewed. One should not think that human nature is capable of only evil. The Creator planted the seeds of all virtues in our souls, but for their growth we need influence from God; so, however, that a person always has the free will to accept or not accept these beneficial influences. If the arrangement of our salvation did not depend at all on us, then the Apostle would not have said: work out your salvation with fear and trembling; and if everything depended on us alone, then He would not have added: For God is at work in you, both to will and to do good will (Phil. 2:12, 13). The grace of God precedes us, for the Prophet says: My God, His mercy will precede me (Ps. 58:11), and will follow our will, which is why it is said: and my morning prayer will precede Thee (Ps. 87:14). The grace of God always directs our will in a good direction, but it also requires or expects corresponding efforts from us. In order not to give Her gifts to the careless, She seeks out cases with which she awakens us from cold carelessness; so that the generous communication of her gifts does not seem groundless, she communicates them after our desire and labor. With all this, however, grace is always given freely, because it rewards our small efforts with immeasurable generosity. Therefore, no matter how great human labors may be, they cannot make grace unbearable. The Apostle of the Gentiles, although he said that He labored more than all the Apostles, nevertheless adds that these labors do not belong to him, but to the grace of God that is with him (1 Cor. 15:10). Thus, in the word: labored, he expresses the efforts of his will; in words: not I, but the grace of God - Divine assistance; and in the word: with me - shows that grace assisted him, not while he was idle and careless, but then as he worked. God arranges our salvation in many different and incomprehensible ways: in those who want and seek salvation He intensifies the desire, and in those who have no desire He arouses it; helps the fulfillment of our saving desires - and breathes in holy desires, or affirms them. Why in our prayers do we call Him Patron, Savior, and Helper. He, like the most tender Father and compassionate physician, produces everything in all of us: in some He produces the beginning of salvation and inflames zeal for it, in others He leads to the end of deeds and virtues to perfection, - He keeps others from imminent fall, and for others He provides opportunities and conveniences for salvation - He helps others who want and are current, He attracts others who do not want and resist and inclines them to a good disposition: everywhere He produces everything - exciting, promoting and affirming, but without violating the freedom given by Him. Amen 238. See "The Joy of a Christian." 1901, V – VI books, pp. 449–456. You might be interested in: