Беседа 73

John 13:36. Simon Peter said to Him: Lord! where are you going? Jesus answered him: Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but later you will follow Me. 1. Liveliness and jealousy of the ap. Petra. – Love is nothing without grace. – Prediction of the fall of ap. Petra. – 2. Jesus Christ, in order not to sadden his disciples, hid some things from them. – Another testimony about the equality of the Son with the Father. – 3. It is necessary to take care of washing away all impurities of the soul. - First of all, they are washed by baptism, then by alms. - The vice of predation. – Making alms from stolen property is criminal. “It is better not to do works of mercy at all than to do them from the fruits of predation.” 1. The greatest good is love. She is stronger than fire, rises to the sky itself, and there is no obstacle that could stop her strong desire. Here, for example, is the most ardent Peter: after he heard: “Where I am going, you cannot come,” what does he say? “Lord, where are you going?” He said this, wanting not so much to find out (where Christ is going), but to follow Him. To say directly: I will go - he did not dare yet; and says: “Where are you going?” And Christ responded not to his words, but to his thought, so that his desire is clear from the very words of Christ. What did He say? “Where I go, you cannot now follow Me.” Do you see that Peter wanted to follow Him, and that’s why he asked? And even then, when he heard: “Afterwards you will follow Me,” he did not restrain his desire, although he received the longed-for hope, but he desired to the point that he said: “Why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You” (John 13:37). Since he has already freed himself from the fear of betrayal and saw himself among the sincere (students), he himself boldly asks, while others are silent. What are you saying, Peter? (Christ) said: “You cannot,” and you say: I can? So, you will learn from experience that your love, without help from above, is nothing. From here it is clear that Christ allowed Peter’s fall for his own good. And by his previous actions He wanted to bring him to reason; but since Peter remained in his ardor, although he did not bring him and did not prompt him to renounce, he nevertheless left him without help, so that he would recognize his weakness. Christ said that He must be betrayed, and Peter says: “Be merciful to Yourself, so that this will not happen to You!” (Matthew 16:22). He was reproached, but he did not come to his senses, but on the contrary, when Christ wanted to wash his feet, he again said: “You will never wash my feet” (John 13:8). And now, when he heard: “You cannot now follow Me,” he again says: “Even if everyone is offended because of You, I... will not be offended” (Matthew 26:33). Having become accustomed to contradicting Christ in this way, he could easily fall into pride; and that is why Christ finally teaches him not to resist. This is what Luke hints at when he says that Christ said: “I prayed for you, so that your faith would not fail” (Luke 22:32), that is, so that you would not perish completely. Through all this, he teaches him humility and shows that human nature in itself is nothing. Since great love prompted Peter to contradict, Christ finally admonishes him so that he would not be subjected to the same thing later, but, remembering what happened to him, would know himself. And look how strong the fall is! Not once or twice did he undergo this fall, but he was so frightened that in a short time he uttered the word of renunciation three times - so that he would thus know that he did not so much love as he was loved. However, after such a fall, Christ again says: “Do you love Me more than they?” (John 21:15). This means that this fall occurred not from coldness, but from the fact that he lost help from above. Christ accepts Peter’s love, but cuts off the contradiction that arises from it. If you love, you must submit to the one you love. He said to you and those who were with you: “You cannot”; Why are you arguing? Don't you know what it means to reject the words of God? But since you do not want to understand from this that it is impossible not to be what I say, you will learn about this from renunciation, although it then seemed much more incredible to you. You didn’t even know about this, otherwise you were aware of it in your soul, and yet something happened that you did not expect at all. “I will lay down my soul for You.” (Peter) heard that there is “nothing (nothing)” greater than this love, and therefore, being insatiable and wanting to achieve the highest (love), he immediately rushed towards it. But Christ, showing that only He alone can proclaim this with confidence, says: “the rooster will not crow,” i.e. now. Indeed, there was little time left, since he was talking late at night, when the first and second watches had already passed. “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1). He says this because the disciples, having heard (His words), in all likelihood, were confused. In fact, if the supreme and so ardent (disciple) was told that he would renounce three times before the alector spoke, then it was natural for them to expect that some kind of misfortune would befall them, which could shake even adamantine souls. And since, thinking about this, they naturally came to horror, then see how He calms them, saying: “Let not your heart be troubled.” By this He first of all shows His divine power, since He knows and reveals what was in their souls. “Believe in God, and believe in Me,” that is, all disasters will pass. Faith in Me and in the Father is stronger than the disasters that threaten you; she will not allow any misfortune to overcome you. Then he adds: “In My Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2). Just as He said in consolation to the grieving Peter: “Later you will follow Me,” so He gives them the same hope. So that they would not think that only he alone was given the promise, He says: “In My Father’s house are many mansions. But if it were not so, I would say to you: I am going to prepare a place for you,” that is, and you will be in the same place where Peter was. There are quite a lot of monasteries there and it cannot be said that they need to be prepared. And since He said: you cannot “come where I go,” so that they would not think that they are forever separated from Him, He added: “so that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3). I care so much about this that I would have already prepared this place if it had not been prepared for you long ago. By this He shows that they must fully hope and trust in Him. 2. Then, so that they do not think that He says this only to encourage them, but believe that this is really so, He adds: “But where I am going you know, and you know the way” (John 14:4). Do you see how He assures them that it was not said in vain? He says this because he saw their soul - how she wants to know this. Peter said the above words not to learn, but to follow. When he was reproached and meanwhile Christ declared possible what at that time seemed impossible, then this very impossibility led Peter to the desire to carefully find out about it. That’s why he says to them: “You know the way.” Just as after the words: “You will deny Me,” despite the fact that no one said anything, He, testing what was hidden in his heart, added: “Do not be embarrassed,” so now, having said: “You know,” He expressed the desire of their souls and Himself gave them a reason to ask about it. The words: “Where are you going” - Peter said out of inspiration of great love, and Thomas out of fear. "God! We don’t know where you are going” (John 14:5). We don’t know, he says, the place, and how can we know the path leading there? And look, with what timidity. He didn’t say: show us this place, but: “we don’t know where you’re going.” Everyone has wanted to know about this for a long time. In fact, if the Jews, hearing (these words), were perplexed, despite the fact that they wanted to free themselves from Christ, then those who never wanted to be separated from Him were all the more eager to know about this. That is why, although they were afraid to ask Him, they nevertheless asked, being prompted to do so by great love and concern. What about Christ? “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Why didn’t He immediately ask Peter, “Where are you going?” - answered: I am going to the Father, and now you cannot go - but introduced so many words into His speech, offering questions and answers? To the Jews, of course, He did not say this in fairness; but why to the students? He told both the disciples and the Jews that he came from God and was going to God, but now he speaks about this more clearly than before. He did not say so clearly to the Jews, because if he had said: “You cannot come to the Father except through Me,” then they would immediately think that this was said out of pride; and now that He was silent about it, He plunged them into anxiety. But why, you ask, did He also speak to both the disciples and Peter? He knew Peter's great jealousy - that, otherwise, he would have bothered Him even more. So, to distract him from this, He speaks in secret; and when he achieved what he wanted, through darkness and secrecy of speech, he again speaks openly. Having said: “Where I am,” no one can come there, He added: “In My Father’s house there are many mansions,” and also: “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He did not want to tell them this at the very beginning, so as not to plunge them into great sadness; When he has consoled them, then he speaks. After the reproach made to Peter, He, indeed, took away a lot of sorrow from them: and meanwhile they themselves, fearing that they might not hear the same thing, became more humble. "I am the way". This is a confirmation of the words: “it does not come to the Father except through Me”; and the words: “truth and life” are proof that this will certainly happen. If I am life, then even death itself cannot prevent you from coming to Me. In other words: if “I am the way,” then you will not need a leader; if I am the truth, then My words are not a lie; If I am life, then although you die, you will nevertheless receive what I said. As for the path, they understood and confessed this; but they did not understand the rest, and yet they did not dare to ask about what they did not understand. However, from what was said about the path, they received great consolation. If it is in My power, he says, to lead you to the Father, then you will certainly come there. And it is impossible to get there any other way. With the words that He said before: “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him” (John 6:44), and again: “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Me” (John 12:32), as well as with the words spoken now: “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” He shows His equality with the Father. How did He, having said: “Where I am going, you know, and you know the way,” added: “If you knew Me, you would also know My Father. And from now on you know Him and have seen Him” (John 14:7)? By this He does not contradict Himself, because the disciples, although they knew Him, did not know Him as they should have. They knew God, but they did not yet know the Father. Later, the Spirit who descended on them imparted perfect knowledge to them. The meaning of Christ’s words is this: if you knew My being and dignity, you would also know the Father. “And from now on you know Him and have seen Him” (one refers to the future, and the other to the present), that is, through Me. By vision He means knowledge with the mind. Whom we see, we can both see and not know; and whom we know, we may or may not know. Therefore, He says: “and they saw Him,” in the same sense in which it is said that the angels also saw Him (1 Tim. 3:16). Although they did not see His very being, it is said that they saw Him, that is, as they could see. And He said this so that you would know that whoever has seen Him knows the One who gave birth to Him. They saw Him not in His naked being, but clothed in flesh. There are other places where He calls knowledge vision, for example when He says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). He calls those pure who are free not only from fornication, but also from all sins, since every sin defiles the soul. 3. So, let us try in every possible way to cleanse ourselves from filth. It is cleansed, firstly, by baptism, and then by other various means. God, in His love for mankind, has given us various means of purification after baptism. The first of all these means is alms, as it is said: through alms and faith sins are cleansed (Sir.3:30). But I do not mean alms from untruth, because this is no longer alms, but cruelty and inhumanity. Indeed, what is the use of naked one and clothing another? Almsgiving must come from compassion, but this is inhumanity. And even if we give back everything that we stole from others, there will be no benefit for us. This is shown by Zacchaeus, who then appeased God when he promised to return what was stolen by the foursome (Luke 19:8). And we, by stealing very much and giving little, think to appease God, not knowing that we anger Him even more. In fact, tell me: if you, having dragged a dead and rotten donkey from the crossroads and roads, laid it on the altar, would not everyone begin to throw stones at you, as at a wicked and lawless person? What if I prove that the victim of theft is even more vile? What excuse will we have? Suppose that some precious gift is brought from what was acquired by theft: is it not more stinking than a dead donkey? Do you want to know how great the stench of sin is? Listen to what the prophet says: “My wounds stink and fester” (Ps. 37:6). Meanwhile, while you beg God with your words to consign to oblivion the sins you have committed, you yourself, by your deeds, by stealing and extorting, and laying your sin on the altar, force you to constantly remember them. But this is not the only sin, but - what’s even worse - you desecrate the souls of the saints. The altar is a stone, although it is sanctified; and the souls of saints always carry Christ himself: how dare you bring there gifts from such uncleanness. No, you say, I am not from this property, but from another? This is ridiculous and stupid idle talk. Don’t you know that if even one drop of untruth gets into a great wealth of property, then all of it is desecrated? Just as a clean spring becomes completely unclean as soon as someone throws uncleanness into it, so wealth, if any covetousness flows into it, everything becomes infected with a stench. After all, we wash our hands when we enter church: why don’t we wash our hearts? Do hands make a voice? The soul speaks words; God looks at her; and when it is unclean, bodily purity serves no purpose. Indeed, what good is it if you wash your outer hands but leave your inner hands unclean? This is what is bad, and this is why everything is going wrong for us, that we, being extremely concerned about the small, neglect the great. Praying with unwashed hands is a matter of indifference; and to pray with an unclean soul is the greatest of all evils. Listen to what was said to the Jews, who paid special attention to outward uncleanness: “Wash away the evil from your heart... How long will evil thoughts nest in you?” (Jer.4:14). Let us also wash ourselves, not with mud, but with clean water, with alms, and not with covetousness. First, stop stealing - and then give alms. “Turn away from evil and do good” (Ps. 36:27). Keep your hands from covetousness - and then extend them to alms. If we use the same hands to strip some and clothe others, then at least we clothed them with something other than what we stole, and in this case we will not escape punishment. Otherwise, alms will be a reason for every crime. It is better to show no mercy than to show such mercy. After all, it was better for Cain not to bring anything at all. And if he, by bringing less, angered God, then how can the one who gives someone else’s not anger Him? I commanded you, God will say, not to kidnap, and you honor Me by being kidnapped? Do you really think that this is pleasant for Me? Therefore He will tell you: “You thought that I was the same as you. I will expose you and bring [your sins] before your eyes” (Ps. 49:21). But God forbid anyone to hear this voice! (God grant) that we, having performed deeds of pure mercy, with clear lamps enter into the bridal chamber, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: