Слово 20. Ежедневное напоминание о том, что всего нужнее и что весьма полезно пребывающему в келлии своей и решившемуся быть внимательным к одному только себе

One of the brethren wrote this and always kept it before him, reminded himself of it and said: “You have lived out your life unwisely, a disgraced man and worthy of all evil; Beware, however, in this day that remains from your days, which passed in vain without good deeds and were enriched by evil deeds. Do not ask about the world, nor about life in it, nor about the monks, nor about their deeds, nor about how they live, nor about how great their work is, without worrying about anything like that. You mysteriously departed from the world and are considered as if dead in Christ. Be prepared and arm yourself with patience against all reproach, all insult, ridicule and reproach from everyone. And accept all this with joy, as truly worthy of it; endure with thanksgiving all labor, and all sorrow, and all misfortune from the demons, whose will you carried out; courageously endure every need, and what happens naturally, and all sorrows. In trusting in God, endure deprivation of what is necessary for the body and soon turns into pus. Desire to accept all this in hope of God, without expecting deliverance or anyone else’s consolation from anywhere else. “Cast your sorrow upon the Lord” (Ps. 54:23) and in all your temptations condemn yourself as guilty of all this. Do not be tempted by anything and do not reproach anyone who insults you; because you also ate from the forbidden tree, and you acquired different passions. Accept sorrows with joy, let them shake you a little; but later you will enjoy it. Woe to you and your stinking glory! For you left your soul, which was filled with all sin, as uncondemned, but you condemned others in word and thought. Enough, enough of this decent food for the pigs, which you have been eating until now. What do you have in common with people, you nasty one, and you are not ashamed to remain in their company, spending your life so unreasonably? If you pay attention to this and preserve all this, perhaps you will be saved with the assistance of God. Otherwise, you will go to a dark country and to the village of demons, whose will you carried out with a shameless face. I have testified to you about all this. If God righteously moves people against you to repay you for the insults and reproaches that you held in your thoughts and uttered against them 119 throughout your life, then the whole world should be occupied with you. So, stop from now on and endure the retribution coming your way.” The brother reminded himself of all this every day, so that when temptations or sorrow come to him, he would be able to endure it with gratitude and benefit for himself. Oh, if only we could endure the disasters that befall us with gratitude and benefit from them, by the grace of God, the lover of mankind! To him be glory and power forever! Amen. The Greek text says, “upon Him.” Translation: “on them” taken from Rev. Paisia. You might be interested in: