Поучение 8. О тех, которые трудятся в общежитии, что они получат равный венец с мучениками.

My fathers, brothers and children! It seems to me that I am not working in vain, teaching you the word of my humility, and you are not wasting the time of listening. However, this work is not permanent, for the time will come, children, of complete silence. We are not here forever; but not yet much as God commanded, and either I or you will depart from this life. But what is sought is this; so that we may depart from the field of this life with good deeds and keeping the commandments, and so that our departure will be pleasing to our Lord Jesus Christ. What is the profit from teaching? The one so that we can hear, learn and receive the will to fulfill the commandments. It is true that due to the large number of brothers in our collective life, there is constraint, confusion and anxiety. For I see, my children, that you are all constantly working, each in his own obedience; Some of you do not sleep and knead bread, and work your hands on the dough, and are burned by the fire in the oven, some work in digging up vineyards, others endure travel along the roads, and others are at handicrafts, such as: sewing, penmanship, washing clothes; others in the cookhouse, or the refectory, or in the forge, and another in obedience to the cellarer, or the hospital; and again you all go to all church services, to the first, third, sixth and ninth hours, to vespers and compline, you sing, pray, and all this without laziness and grumbling; for this is subject to prohibition; and in one word, I constantly think about your labor, your oppression and your sorrow. However, do not grieve, because in all this we remain winners, according to the word of the Apostle, for the sake of “who loved us” (Rom. 8:37) Lord, so that although the work is great, but because through this work eternal joy and endless salvation shine for us, it is more fitting for us to rejoice and be glad and force ourselves to even greater deeds, to strive in the field of communal martyrdom, and not to be afraid of anything and not to go back for fear of sorrows and labors. She is my child! I beg you, stand, proceed, fight, and strive for everything that is good and virtuous, and according to the word of the Lord, “in your patience you will gain your souls” (Luke 21:19). Imagining the hour of death, be renewed every day, and consider everything (else) to be of secondary importance for the sake of the love of God, preserving yourself in decency, in reason and spiritual love, and avoiding disastrous boldness, so that you obey each other without grumbling, jealousy, envy and abuse. Let everyone consider the good of his neighbor as his own, and sometimes let him suffer contempt if his brother showed him contempt in any case. We will accept reproaches that happen to us with joy, as spiritual healing, and we will always meekly, quietly and with confession (before the spiritual father) we will accomplish and fulfill everything before the immortal God without embarrassment and disorder. Here, children, is martyrdom in the community, which the zealous often seeks in suffering for Christ through torment from the wicked. But if he endures firmly and courageously these sufferings, exploits and torments, does not bow his knees before Baal, that is, sacrifices passions to his soul, if he does not renounce his vows and does not run away from the field and from the place of struggle to the end; then, according to the Holy Fathers, he will be like martyrs shedding their blood. But what does it matter if it is clear that another is not falsely undergoing torment? For he is not the one (martyr) who will be beaten and tortured many times, but the one who endures to the end; because if someone in the midst of (the feat), or near the end, weakens and renounces his vows, then he will be subjected to the most sad and lamentable disaster, not only because he has ruined his previous labors, but also because he will be subject to very strict condemnation on the day of judgment. So, keep yourselves, my children, harmless from everything, and do not think that with such words I force you to obey me, for the sake of my peace, or for the correction of bodily needs and human glory. No, not for that; I swear by the deeds of your virtue - to convince and certify you of this with an oath; - but for the sake of the salvation of your souls and for the sake of the glory of God, and so that you may be considered worthy of the heavenly kingdom together with our fathers; in order to rejoice and rejoice where Anthony, the Great, the luminary of luminaries, the God-bearing Euthymius, Pachomius the Christ-Bearer, rejoices, where the much-sung Sava, the all-blessed Theodosius, the God-enlightened Dorotheus, Dometian the Equal-Angel, the Most Holy Acacius, the God-representative Dositheus and Basil the ever-living, i.e. Basil the obedient 18, Spirit-bearing Zechariah and Afrey the God-obedient. But what is there to say a lot when I can say - where Peter and Paul, the Supreme Apostles, are, where the tabernacles of saints, priests and saints are. martyrs. But even if we do not deserve to be numbered among them, then at least we will not be deprived of their vision; We hope to see the presence of the Queen and Lady of our Mother of God herself, and to fall at Her feet. Although boldly, we may see the Lord of all and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself; for the Divine Paul said that after we are caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord at the second coming, we will always be with Him (1 Thess. 4:17). Since we have such glory, joy, and life ahead of us, who will not leap, who will not be jealous, will not be excited and inspired by the love of God and will not do what is appropriate? I alone, a child, with the wicked demons, as their accomplice and servant, withdrew from God with my wicked deeds. But pray that I too may be saved in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. See the life of Theodosius the Great on January 11, and the canon for Cheese Saturday, canto 2. You might be interested in: