Слово 12. Сказанное отцу, когда сей поручил ему попечение о Назианзской Церкви

1. My mouth opened, and the Spirit was drawn (Ps. 119:131). I surrender everything I have and myself to the Spirit, both deed and word, and inaction and silence, only may He possess me, may He lead me, may He direct my hand, mind and tongue, to what it should and what it wants; and also let it take away, from which it is necessary to move away, and it is better for me. I am the organ of God, the verbal organ, which was tuned and struck by the good Artist - the Spirit. Yesterday He commanded silence, and my wisdom was not to speak. Now it strikes the mind, and I will utter the word, with my wisdom I will speak. I am not so talkative that I would want to speak when forced to remain silent, and I am not so silent and uneducated that at the time appropriate for speech, I began to put guarding on my lips; on the contrary, I shut and open my door (Ps. 141:3) to the Mind, the Word and the Spirit, one nature and Divinity. 2. Therefore, I will speak, because I have this commandment. I will tell this good shepherd and you, sacred flock, that, in my opinion, it is better for me to say now and for you to hear. Why did you need a co-shepherd, for the word will begin with you, a dear and honorable head for me, equal to the head of Aaron, with whom the spiritual and sacred ointment is sharpened even to the brass and clothing (Ps. 133:2). Why do you, when you yourself are still able to support and guide many and are truly guided by the power of the Spirit, demand a rod and support for yourself in spiritual matters? Is it because, as we know and hear, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, were anointed with the great Aaron? For I will gladly keep silent about Nadab and Abihu, so as not to utter a hostile word. Is it because Moses, during his lifetime, appoints Jesus in his place as the lawgiver and leader of those hastening to the Land of Promise? I consider it convenient for myself not to speak about Aaron and Horus, who supported the hands of Moses on the mountain so that Amalek would be defeated by the Cross, foreshadowed and typified from afar, as an example that is very unusual and indecent for me; because Moses chose them not as participants in legislation, but as helpers in prayer and support for weary hands. 3. But what is suffering with you, what is tired? Is it the body? I am ready to support, I even supported: I myself am supported, like Jacob, by fatherly blessings. Or spirit? But in whom is it stronger and more fiery, especially now, when the carnal is more and more subordinate and inferior to it, as a substance opposed to the light, blocking it and preventing its radiance? For the flesh and the spirit are most often at enmity with each other and oppose each other; and just as the body is in good condition when the soul is sick, so the soul blooms and looks out to grief when the desire for pleasure subsides and fades along with the body. But I was also surprised at your simplicity and courage: how you were not afraid (which we should very much be afraid of in these times) so that your spiritual jealousy would not be considered a mere pretext and would not seem to many as if we were accepting this title for carnal purposes, although we seem to have spiritual benefits. For many have done that it is considered great, autocratic and delivering some kind of wonderful pleasure, even though it was necessary to be the primate and ruler of a flock, which is even less extensive than ours, and brings more annoyance than pleasure. This is enough about your simplicity or your love of children, for which you yourself do not undertake anything harmful, and you rarely suspect others of doing so, for whoever bows to evil with difficulty is slow to suspect evil. And I must also offer a short conversation to this, or my, people. 4. A compulsion has been made to me, friends and brothers, - I will cry out to you now, if I didn’t cry then - done by my father’s old age and (I’ll put it modestly) by the favor of a friend 91; help me as much as you can, and give a hand to those who are oppressed and carried away either by their own desires or by the Spirit! One thing offers me escape, mountains and deserts, mental and physical silence, advises me to withdraw my mind into myself and turn away from feelings, so that the undefiled one can converse with God and be illuminated by the rays of the Spirit, without any admixture of the earthly and darkened, without any obstacles to the Divine light, until I come to the Source of local insights and am stopped in desire and aspiration by what I have been mirroring. will be abolished by reality. And the Spirit demands that I go out on Wednesday, bring fruit to society, seek benefit for myself in the benefit of others, spread enlightenment, bring chosen people to God (Titus 2:14), the royal priesthood, a holy tongue (1 Pet. 2:9) and make sure that the image is purified in more people. For just as in comparison with one plant a garden is better and larger, in comparison with one star the whole sky and all its decorations, and in comparison with a member a body, so before God a whole and well-ordered Church is preferable to one person. And you need to keep in mind not only yourself, but also others; because Christ, Who could remain in His honor and Divinity, not only exhausted Himself to the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7), but also endured the cross, being careless about shame (Heb. 12:2), in order to destroy sin with His suffering and put death to death by death. This is the destiny of my desire and these are the dictates of the Spirit! Standing between desire and Spirit and perplexed as to which to devote myself to more, this is what I found, as I reason, to be the best and safest; I will also inform you so that you, together with me, examine and confirm my intention. 5. I reasoned that it was best and safest to maintain a middle ground between desire and fear, and in one to yield to desire, in the other to the Spirit. And I found this possible if I did not completely run away from service, so as not to reject grace, which would be dangerous, and if I did not take on a burden beyond my strength, which would be painful. The former requires a different head, the latter requires different forces; or rather, both are highly intelligent. On the contrary, it is pious and at the same time safe to balance service with strength and, as we do when eating food, what is within our strength to accept, and what is beyond our strength to leave. For thus, by moderation in both, bodily health and peace of mind are acquired. Therefore, I now agree to share care with a good father, just as with a large and pompous eagle, a not at all inexperienced chick flying near him. And then I will give my wings to the Spirit - to carry them wherever and however they want; and under His guidance no one will force or lead me to another place. For although it is pleasant to inherit one’s father’s labors and a familiar flock, it is more pleasant than a stranger and a stranger (I would also add: and more valuable before God, unless love deceives and real feelings are not obscured by habit); however, it is more useful and safer to rule over those who wish and over those who wish. And according to our law, one must drive not by force or need, but by will (1 Pet. 5:2). And another leadership cannot establish itself through coercion; what is controlled with violence tries to free itself at every opportunity; Moreover, it is not so much our authorities, but our child-rearing that most respects freedom. For the mystery of salvation is for those who wish, and not for those who are forced. 6. This is my word to you, brethren, spoken simply, with all good will; such is the secret of my heart! May that which will be beneficial for you and me prevail, and may the Spirit govern our affairs, for again my word returns to the Spirit, to whom I have given myself and my head, anointed with the oil of perfection, in the Almighty Father, in the Only Begotten Son and in the Holy Spirit and God. For how long shall we hide the lamp under a bushel and, as it were, deprive others of the perfect Divinity? It is time to put this truth 92 on the candlestick, so that it may shine for all the Churches, and souls, and the entire fullness of the universe, not offered mysteriously, not just mentally written, but spoken openly, as the most perfect revelation of theology in those who have been worthy of this grace through Jesus Christ Himself, our Lord, to Whom be glory, honor and dominion forever. Amen. Doctrine of the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.