28. Объяснение притчами и примерами свободной решимости жить по благодати

I hasten to send you, in addition to what was said before, a few more lines about the same thing. Those who, having received grace, did not allow it to act in themselves, but starved them to death, will at God’s judgment first take away the gift of grace, and then plunge them into utter darkness. The Savior revealed this in the parable of Mnasa 3 (Luke 19:11–27). All slaves are given according to their own measure: grace is given to all equally. But one bought ten others with this money, another five, a third nothing: “I wrapped it,” he says, “in a handkerchief and put it in” (Luke 19:20). This means that the first one worked harder than anyone to be imbued with grace, the second did half the opposite, and the third neglected the gift and did not care at all to kindle grace in himself. The reward is then given according to the work of blessing, or the internal enlightenment of oneself under the influence of grace. The latter did nothing in this regard - they took from him what was so generously given at the beginning (Luke 19, 24, 26). Do you see how things go and how they end?! We, the baptized, have all received us - the grace of the Holy Spirit. This grace, as I have already mentioned, first acts alone in us, while we have not yet come to age. When we come to age, then, although she is also ready to act in us at any time, she does not act, but waits until we freely and self-willingly bow to her, we ourselves delight in her all-action in us and seek it. As soon as we seek it, it immediately begins its work in us again, stimulating, directing and strengthening us. The penetration of grace into us will be fulfilled as we seek and work towards this seeking. And if we do not seek and do not begin to work precisely for this purpose and in this sense, then it will not act alone in us against our will, as if by force. God gave man freedom and does not want to violate it, does not want to enter him against his will and act in him. If a person wants to surrender himself to the action of God, self-willingly, then God, by His grace, begins to act in him. If everything depended on God, then in an instant everyone would become holy. One wave of God - and everything would change. But such is the law that a person must desire and seek it himself - and then grace will not abandon him, as long as he remains faithful to it. Remember the Savior's parable about the treasure hidden in the field and about the man looking for precious beads (Matthew 13:44–46). One saw a tithe in a field on which a treasure was buried, went, sold everything he owned and bought that tithe. Of course, he later dug up a treasure and became rich, although this is not mentioned. This field, or tithe, is our soul; the treasure hidden in it is the grace invested in it through Holy Baptism. That the man of the parable saw the treasure, this signifies the moment when a Christian realizes that hidden in him is such a treasure, incomparable to anything else - the grace of the Holy Spirit. He sold everything - this means he sacrificed everything that he had, that was dear to him, just to get that treasure: to awaken and bring to light the grace hidden in it. Another merchant was a dealer in precious stones. He found out that somewhere there was a diamond that had no equal, but the prices for which were unknown in the place where it was located (I am adding this on my own behalf). Wanting to buy it, this one also sold everything he had and bought it. And, of course, he became rich. And this precious bead is the image of God’s grace, hidden in us and unknown to us until we realize it. He who is aware is convinced that there is nothing more precious than her. Therefore, with complete selflessness, he gives up everything and rushes to kindle and ignite grace within himself. From these parables you can see exactly what is expected of us. We are expected, first, to recognize the presence of the gift of grace within ourselves; secondly, we realized its preciousness for us, so great that it is more precious than life, so that without it life is not life; thirdly, they desired with all their desire to assimilate this grace to themselves, and themselves to it, or, what is the same, to be imbued with it in their entire nature, to be enlightened and sanctified; fourthly, they decided to achieve this by deed and then, fifthly, they brought this determination into fulfillment, leaving everything, or detaching their heart from everything and betraying it all to the all-effects of God’s grace. When these five acts are completed in us, then the beginning of our internal rebirth begins, after which, if we relentlessly continue to act in the same spirit, internal rebirth and insight will increase - quickly or slowly, judging by our work, and most importantly, by self-forgetfulness and self-sacrifice. Remember what I told you about that governess who took a sharp turn? 4 Here all this was accomplished for her. Having started, she no longer looked back, but went further and further, higher and higher. And she reached the fiery ignition of grace. The grace of God does not look at what someone was like before he desired it, but waits only for this desire. And immediately he begins his work, both with Catherine the Great Martyr, pure, and with Mary of Egypt, who was previously faulty. How many people are living in this way in Russia, noble and ignorant, both men and women, widows and maidens! Blessed and blessed souls! Blessed Augustine was for a long time kept in the bonds of a non-spiritual life, although he knew about the spiritual and desired it. What helped him break these bonds? The story he heard about the illumination of the grace of Saint Anthony the Great, an unlearned man and of a simple rank. Hearing this, he cried out: “Behold, the simple ones forestall us, leaving us behind with all our learning and all our importance among men.” And from that moment he broke himself and eagerly followed the same path as Saint Anthony. How are we with you? Will we refuse or put it off day after day?! Bless you, O Lord, with Your enlightening blessing. Mnas (c.-sl.) – mina, a coin of 100 drachmas. She already died as Mother Magdalene in the Yeletsk convent. About her - in “The Wanderer” for 1876. You might be interested in: