Слово в Великую Среду, к готовящимся ко причащению Святых Таин

“And Jesus said to the people: Be cleansed in the morning, for in the morning the Lord will do wonderful things in you” (Joshua 3:5). This is what Joshua once said to all the Jewish people, preparing them for the miraculous crossing of the Jordan. It seemed that the Jordan itself was supposed to serve for cleansing, and, however, it was necessary to enter it already pre-purified. A miracle was coming, and where the finger of God appears, purity and holiness are required. “Cleanse yourself... for in the morning the Lord will do wonderful things in you!” We, brethren, must not cross the Jordan in the morning: but we must proceed to the Lord’s Table—to partake of the Body and Blood of our Savior. What is greater: the waters of the Jordan or the Blood of the Son of God? - Oh, truly, each of you will say, “more and multiplying, a hundredfold multiplying the Jordan here.” And so, cleanse yourself... let us also call to you with the voice of Joshua, “Be cleansed, for in the morning the Lord will do a wonderful thing in you” - He will do something that makes all the miracles of Sinai and Zion small. “Cleanse yourself!” It is impossible that those who are most attentive to themselves and their salvation will not find something unclean in themselves, as long as they delve deeper into their hearts and figure out what they should start doing tomorrow and what they should accept. If the eye of the Almighty sometimes sees in the Angels themselves, as it is said in the book of righteous Job, “something obstinate” (Job 4:18), then will it not see it in us? If the apostles had to approach the Last Supper washed, then should we come to it without spiritual washing? We all, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). We are all sinners, we all demand cleansing! And what can we say about those of us who had the misfortune, in the past, to leave the heliport of our souls completely without supervision, lived outside ourselves and acted according to the same flow of circumstances, according to the same attraction of feelings? Such, returning now to their inner church, perhaps, will find that the house of their soul is “all empty and fallen,” looking into the mirror of conscience, they will perhaps see that in them “from the feet ... to the head there is no wholeness” (Is. 1:6). Should such people, if they only desire mercy, begin to eat the Lord's Table without purification? On the contrary, judging by the multitude of spiritual ulcers, such people should be forced to completely refrain from participating in the Lord’s Table for the time being. But long-term removal from this wholesome meal can itself be associated with great danger and loss. The soul, “withdrawing in the depths of grace-filled communion,” can easily, as St. Chrysostom rightly argues, be “preyed upon by the mental wolf” (prayer 2, after communion). Therefore, let everyone who is allowed begin the meal, take medicine and taste spiritual meat to strengthen their strength for spiritual feats: only let them cleanse themselves through repentance and confession. This great task should not be spent on just a few hours, but on the rest of your life; but even in the few hours remaining until morning, a lot can be done: the beginning of true repentance can be made, resolution of past sins and blessing for future virtues can be accepted. If the beginning does not contain the entire continuation and the end, then, on the other hand, neither the continuation nor the end can exist without a beginning. You have to start so that you can continue and finish. So, begin now what should continue throughout your life; begin something that has not happened before, and without which you yourself were neither a Christian nor a person; begin your salvation. What better way to end the Holy Pentecost than with a holy determination to put an end to one’s sins? What better way to celebrate the bright day of the Resurrection than by rising from the grave of passions and vices? What sign on your part is more fitting than this sign for the covenant with the Lord that you intend to enter into tomorrow? Oh, truly this will be a New Testament both for you and for Him, such a covenant that He expects from you from the very moment you were born. Is it hard to part with vice forever? But do you, beloved, think of being his slave forever? It will be necessary at some point to throw this snake out of your hands, which, while amusing you with its curves and diversity, at the same time wounds you mortally. You cannot be a sinner forever without becoming a devil. Do you want to be a devil for the sake of sin? Did sin give you pleasure? But hasn't he upset you a hundred times? How long have the roses been blooming? And now there will be thorns: they will be here, but what will be there? Hurry to get out of the abyss, until they call you out and stretch out their hand to you, until the path is completely lost, until your own weight drags you to the very bottom. If anything great was required to save the soul, you must, absolutely must, do everything required; for aren’t you yourself ready to do anything to save your body? What does the body mean in comparison with the soul? The body, no matter how you take care of it, will leave you in a few years, lie in the coffin and become a prey to decay; and the soul is always yours, forever with you. Shouldn't you take care of her? Shouldn't something be moved for her? And what to transfer? What is required of you? Confession of your sins, which, however, are all already known to God, all the Angels, and, perhaps, to many people, hatred of sins, which separated you from God, killed your soul and body, led you to hell and hell, aversion to them for the future, that aversion that of itself cannot but be in you, if only you feel at all the toxicity of sinful pleasures. Could there be a less, fairer, more necessary demand? When you don’t do this, and when after this you perish (and you will certainly perish if you don’t do it); then you too will need to say that “your destruction is from you” (Hos. 13:9). So, brothers, “cleanse yourself,” and again I say: “cleanse yourself!” If you do this, make your peace with God, make a beginning of correction, and make a firm vow to lead the rest of your life in purity and holiness; then “in the morning the Lord will do wonderful things in you.” And if you do not cleanse yourself, if you approach the cup of the covenant thoughtlessly, without contrition, hypocritically, then the enemy of salvation will not hesitate to do “terrible things” over you - he will bring to you another “seven... burning spirits!” (Luke 11:26). Amen. You might be interested in: