Поучение 53 61 . В среду третьей недели. О внезапном нашем отшествии отсюду, и о том, чтобы тщательно блюсти нам ум свой от неподобающих плотских пожеланий.

Brothers and Fathers! Since the holy father and teacher are here between us, we should not talk; however, for the sake of custom and order, let’s talk a little about the fact that this life of ours, as you see, is temporary, day after day flows and flows, and as it flows, the end of our life approaches, and, of necessity, the hour comes for everyone to depart from this world and go to where our fathers are. For this reason, we need to have great care, so that at that hour we may be ready and successful. We hear that the Divine Scripture tells us about the flood, and that the Lord says: just as during the time of Noah people did not think about the flood, but “eating, feasting, marrying, encroaching... they rejoiced, selling, selling... and suddenly the flood came and destroyed everything” (Luke 17:26-28); so it will be at the time of the second coming of Christ. Perhaps we are surprised at the hard-heartedness, blindness and insensibility of the people of that time, as they saw the ark that righteous Noah was building over the course of a hundred years, and heard him say that God would bring a flood to drown and destroy them for the evil deeds that they committed; but they did not pay any attention to it, and did not want to repent. But let us consider whether we also have in ourselves that which we condemn and condemn in them, and do not notice it. For although we now do not see that the ark was built for a hundred years, we see every day a tomb full of bones, into which today or tomorrow we will go down - where our brethren, as we see, one by one, separated from us, go away. But we are lazy and careless about the salvation of our souls, and do not think that we must also prepare, so that the hour does not suddenly come. And woe to the unprepared: he will be in distress and in great sorrow, seeing that no one can help him; he will seek that time and those days that he destroyed, but will not find them; which is why he will cry inconsolably and uselessly. So, now we face an incomparably more terrible execution than the flood that then took place, therefore let us pay attention with our minds before the hour of mortal sorrow comes. However, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t eat, drink, or wear clothes, I don’t say that; but I say: “whether... you eat, or drink, or do anything else, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31), according to the Apostolic commandment. All our deeds and actions must be pleasing to God, as befits monks, so that we do not give rise to censure and contempt for the monastic image from the faithful and the unfaithful, just as the Apostle says: “Do not cause any stumbling block or offense to be caused to Jews and Greeks, and to the church of Christ” (Rom. 14:13). To her, truly I ask and beseech you, my brethren, “fill my joy,” as the Apostle says: that you may also be wise, have love, be of one accord, of one mind; Do not perform any service out of zeal or vanity, but let one submit to another, as obedient servants of Christ” (Phil. 2:2, 3). Let us carefully guard our five senses, i.e. eyes, so that they do not look at what is inappropriate, hearing, so as not to listen to what is not useful for us, taste, so as not to try to satisfy the whims of our belly, to which it strives, touch, so as to guard ourselves from touching what we should not touch; for from feelings, if we do not preserve them, comes death and destruction of the soul. Let us also keep and collect our mind so that it does not engage in vain and useless matters, and we will not imagine in our minds the images and images of carnal lust, with which we cause not pleasure to the soul, but great harm, and subsequently find bitterness, sorrow and illness. So, brethren, there is one true joy and one gladness of the soul, to keep oneself clean from carnal passions and evil thoughts, and to strive diligently for dispassion, that is, not to defile oneself either in word or in deed. Let us not be burdened or lazy to move into the joy of dispassion and purity, but we will always try with great effort to atone for every sin and transgression; and God is our ready helper, for the Lord is near to those who endure for His sake. By living such a life, we will be worthy of the heavenly kingdom, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. See Patrol. volume. 99th, p. 588. You might be interested in: