Поучение 60 72 . В неделю четвертую, на весну. О том, что нам подобает обновляться более и более, чрез терпение случающихся с нами видимых и невидимых искушений.

Brothers and Fathers! Now winter has passed and spring has come, and we see that everything on earth is becoming younger and renewed, that is, trees and plants are blooming, the earth is decorated with greenery and flowers, birds are rejoicing, chirping and chanting the Life-Giver Christ, and everything else is being renewed. Seeing this, we rejoice and glorify the All-Wise Artist God, who renews the world every summer; and worthy, for the Apostle says: “That which is invisible by Him, from the creation of the world was conceived by the creatures, is visible” (Rom. 1:20), that is, from the visible creations of God and the beauty of the world, we understand and contemplate with the eye of the soul, that is, with the mind, that other world, unthinkable and ineffable, the great power of God. Therefore, when we see the renewal of the world and rejoice, we should not stop at this alone, but understand something more, that is, that such renewal and decoration of the world, which happens in spring, has winter as its beginning and cause. For if winter does not come first, and does not produce snow, rain, winds and ice, does not harden and freeze the earth, then the earth will not have this beauty in the spring. The same thing happens with the soul: if the soul is not refreshed by sorrows, hardships, labors and suffering, then it will not prosper, will not bear fruit and will not receive mercy and blessings from God, as the Apostle says; “The earth... which drinks the rain that descends upon it in abundance, and gives birth to the former goodness in which it is made, receives a blessing from God” (Heb. 6:7). Let us, brethren, and we, endure every sorrow, every oppression, every temptation, visible and invisible, that happens to us, this feat of this fast - hunger, thirst and suffering, so that we too may bear fruit and receive a blessing from God, and at the same time receive as a guest and nourish our Lord Jesus Christ. For just as we rejoice and are glad when we see the beauty of His creations, so He rejoices when we see the beauty and fruitfulness of our souls. What are the spiritual fruits? “Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23); These are the fruits with which Christ eats and rejoices. Blessed is he who feeds Him, because he will be nourished by eternal blessings from Him; Blessed is he who receives Him as a guest, for he, as a guest, will be received by Christ in the heavenly kingdom. And if here the one who is worthy to receive the king into his house is in great joy and joy that he has been vouchsafed such honor and boldness, then all the more will he rejoice who is worthy to receive the King of kings and Lord of lords as an inhabitant. And that He dwells in the worthy, He Himself speaks about this in the Gospel in the following words: “I and My Father... will come and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). And he also says: “Whoever keeps My commandments... is the one who loves Me: but he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and I will appear to him myself” (John 14:21). Therefore, since Christ promises us such great gifts and endowments, we too will endure with all joy for His name all that is sorrowful and sorrowful, hearing the Apostle say: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, for I am fulfilling the deprivation of the sorrows of Christ in my flesh for His body, which is the church” (Col. 1:24), that is, we who have believed in Him. And the Apostle James says: “Have all joy, my brethren, whenever you fall into various temptations, knowing that the temptation of your faith will work through patience: but let patience be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). You see, brethren, that in temptations there is joy and in sorrows there is joy. This is everything that happens for the sake of God. By leading such an immaculate life, we too will inherit the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. See Patrol. Vol. 99. Page 600. You might be interested in: