Беседа 3

1 Thessalonians 2:9–12. For you remember, brethren, our labor and exhaustion: working night and day, so as not to burden any of you, we preached the gospel of God to you. You and God are witnesses of how holy and righteous and impeccable we acted before you, believers, because you know how each of you, as the father of his children, we asked and convinced and begged to act worthy of God, who called you to His Kingdom and glory. Responsibility of the teacher. – You should not be embarrassed by temptations. – Conspiracies and bandages for the purpose of healing the sick. - About fortune tellers. – You shouldn’t worry about money. 1. The teacher should not consider anything burdensome for himself that tends to save the students. If blessed Jacob worked day and night to the point of exhaustion guarding the sheep, then all the more should the one to whom souls are entrusted do everything, (even) his occupations were exhausting or humiliating, having in mind only one thing - the salvation of those taught and the glory of God resulting from this. See, therefore, just as Paul, being a preacher and apostle of the universe and having received such a high honor, worked with his own hands so as not to burden those he taught. “For you remember,” he says, “brothers, our labor and exhaustion.” Above, he said: “we could appear with importance as the Apostles of Christ” (1 Thess. 2:7). The letter to the Corinthians says the same thing: “Do you not know that those who officiate are fed from the sanctuary? that those who serve the altar take a share from the altar? So the Lord commanded those who preach the Gospel to live from the gospel.” (1 Cor. 9:13, 14). But I, he says, did not want this, but worked on my own. And he not only worked, but with great diligence. And look what he says: “you remember,” he did not say: my good deeds, but: our labor and exhaustion: working night and day, so as not to burden any of you, we preached the gospel of God to you. But he says otherwise to the Corinthians: “I caused costs to other churches, receiving from them maintenance for serving you.” (2 Cor. 11:8). He also worked there, but did not mention it, but used another (expression), more sarcastic, as if saying: while serving you, I fed from others. But here (he says) that’s not the case - but what? - “working night and day.” Although there he says: “While I was with you, although I suffered from lack, I did not bother anyone,” and “I caused costs to other churches, receiving support from them to serve you” (2 Cor. 11:8), but here he shows that the people (to whom he writes) are in poverty, but there are not. That is why he constantly calls them themselves as witnesses: “You,” he says, “are witnesses and God,” through this giving his words a greater degree of reliability and adding (evidence) that could especially convince them, since the first may seem untrue to the ignorant, but the latter leaves no doubt. And do not be surprised at this, because (the apostle) did not pay attention to the fact that he, Paul, said this, but to the fact that he He really wanted to convince them. Therefore, he says: “You and God are witnesses, how holy and righteously and irreproachably we acted before you, the believers.” It was necessary to praise them again: therefore, he presupposes what could sufficiently convince them (of his selflessness). He reasons as follows: if I, being in need there, did not use anything, then even more so now, “How holyly, righteously and irreproachably we acted before you. believers, because you know how each of you, as the father of his children, we asked and convinced and begged." Having spoken above about his treatment of them, here he speaks of his love for them, and this expressed more than just patronage. And what he said is alien to arrogance: “as a father of his children, we asked and convinced and begged 3 to act worthy of God, who called you to His Kingdom and glory.” Having said: “and they begged,” he mentioned the fathers, showing that although we “begged,” we did not use violence, but (acted) like the fathers. "With each of you". Marvelous! With such a multitude, you can’t miss anyone - neither small nor great, neither rich nor poor! “They begged,” he said, “for what?” About transferring everything. “And they consoled and testified.” “They begged”: therefore (the apostles) did not seek glory; and “testified”, therefore they did not flatter. “Live a life worthy before God, who calls you to his Kingdom and to his glory.” Look again how (the apostle), narrating (about what happened before), teaches and convinces: if (God) called into the kingdom, then everything must be endured. Our prayer is not that you give us anything, but that you receive the kingdom of heaven. “Therefore we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as the word of God, as it truly is, which is at work in you who believe” (1 Thess. 2:13). It cannot be said, he says, that we alone acted impeccably in everything, and you did something inconsistent with the way we treated you, because you did not listen to us with the same disposition with which people listen, but listened to us as if God himself was instructing (you). Where can you see this? Just as he, (referring to) his temptations, the testimony of the Thessalonians and the deeds he had done, proves that he preached not out of flattery and not for the sake of empty glory, so he proves that they received his word properly, he proves by the temptations (to which they were exposed). How would you, he says, endure such dangers if you did not listen to our words, as to the words of God himself? However, look at the proof. “For you,” he says, “brothers, have become imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus, which are in Judea, because you also suffered the same from your fellow tribesmen as those from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and His prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and oppose all people who hinder us from telling the Gentiles to be saved, and through this always fill the measure of their sins; but wrath is coming upon them to the end” (1 Thess. 2:14-16). 2. “You,” he says, “brothers, have followed the example of God’s churches in Judea.” Great consolation! There is nothing surprising, he says, if (your fellow tribesmen) treat you the same way as those (Jews) treat their fellow tribesmen. But if the Jews decided to endure everything with patience, then this serves as an important proof that the sermon is true. “And you, too,” he says, “ suffered from their fellow tribesmen what they also suffered from the Jews.” By saying: and those in Judea, he wants to say something special, namely, he indicates that (the Jews) everywhere rejoiced because they labored. That is why he says: “you have suffered the same.” And again, what is surprising if they did this to you when they dared to rebel against the Lord himself? Do you see how (the apostle) introduced something that contains great consolation? And he constantly returns to this thought, so that, upon careful study, in almost all his epistles you will find how, speaking about temptations, he always, in whatever way, mentions Christ. Here too, accusing the Jews, he brings to their memory the Lord and the sufferings of the Lord. He was so sure that this was the greatest consolation! “Who also killed the Lord,” he says. But maybe the Jews did not know Him? On the contrary, they knew Him very well. What? Didn’t they kill and stone their prophets, whose scriptures they carry with them everywhere? Of course, they did not do this out of love for the truth. So, he not only offers consolation in temptations, but also urges not to think that the Jews act this way out of love for the truth, and not to be embarrassed by this. “And we,” he says, “were expelled,” that is, we also suffered from them countless misfortunes. “And they do not please God, and they oppose all men who hinder us from telling the pagans that they may be saved.” “They resist,” he says, “all people.” How? Such that if it is necessary to preach to the whole universe, but they interfere, then they are the common enemies of the universe. They killed Christ and the prophets, they insult God; they are the common enemies of the universe; They also persecute us, who came for the work of salvation; is it surprising if they did the same to you as they did in Judea? “They prevent us,” he says, “from telling the pagans to be saved.” Indeed, envy alone tends to hinder the salvation of all. “And through this they always fill the measure of their sins; but wrath is coming upon them to the end.” There will be no more of what was before, there will be no return, there will be no limit, inevitable anger sets in. How can this be seen? From the prediction of Christ. After all, it is comforting not only to have accomplices in sorrows, but also to hear about the execution of one’s oppressors. If the delay (of the coming wrath) saddens them, then let it be a consolation that the oppressors will no longer rise. Moreover, having said the word: “wrath,” (the apostle) shortened even the slowdown, again showing that it (anger) must follow, as it was intended and predicted. “But we, brethren, being separated from you 4 for a short time in face, and not in heart, we tried all the more eagerly to see your face” (1 Thess. 2:17). He didn’t say: separated, but: “orphaned,” which is much stronger. I spoke above about flattery, proving that he does not flatter, that he does not seek fame; здесь говорит о любви. Since he said above: “like a father of children, like a nurse,” he says something else here: “orphaned,” which is typical of children looking for parents. And besides, are they orphaned? Не они, говорит, а мы. In fact, whoever has studied this feeling (knows) that just as small children, defenseless, subjected to untimely orphanhood, greatly yearn for their parents, not only by nature itself, but also due to loneliness, so are we. By this he also shows the sadness he was in due to separation. And furthermore, he says, it cannot be said that we were separated for a long time, but for a time, and only “with our face, and not with our hearts”: after all, we always have you in our thoughts. Смотри, какая любовь! Although I always had them in my heart, I also desired their personal presence. Don't tell me this is overthinking. Truly, such is the property of fiery love that it desires to see and listen to its loved ones, and to speak with them; and this contributed a lot (to the emergence of such a desire). “With great desire,” he says. What does “with more” mean? You can assume either that we value you very dearly, or, as is likely, that we, having separated for a short time, tried to see your face again. See how blessed Paul, not being able to personally fulfill his desire, fulfills it through others; Thus, sending Timothy to the Philippians and again to the Corinthians, he remains with them through others when he cannot be in person. He loved as if to the point of frenzy, and in feelings of friendship he was uncontrollable and indomitable. “We really wanted to come to you.” This is the property of love! However, he says, I don’t find any other motivation for this other than to see you. “And therefore we, I Paul, wanted to come to you once and twice, but Satan prevented us” (1 Thess. 2:18). 3. What are you saying? “Satan prevented”? That's right, because it was not God's work. In Romans he says that God prevented (Rom. 15:22); and Luke in one place says that the Spirit did not allow them to go to Asia (Acts 16:6); and to the Corinthians he says that it was the work of the Spirit, and only here that it was the work of Satan. What kind of obstacle does he mean from Satan? Some sudden and strong temptations. “When,” it is said, “on the occasion of the indignation made against him by the Jews,” he was detained in Hellas for three months (Acts 20:3). But it is another thing to delay in order to arrange something, both voluntarily, and another due to obstacles. There it is (the apostle) who says: “Now, not having such a place in these countries” (Rom. 15:23), and: “sparing you, I have not hitherto come to Corinth." (2 Cor. 1:23). Here he does not say anything like that - but what? "Satan hindered." Look how ambitious he displays, how he praises himself when he wants to show that he loved them more than anyone else. He says: “I am Paul,” instead of saying: I am not like others; others only wanted to come to you, but I decided. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of praise? Are you not also before our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” ( 1 Thessalonians 2:19 )? Are the Macedonians alone your hope, tell me, blessed Paul? They are not alone, he answers. That’s why he added: “Isn’t it you too? For who,” he says, “is our hope, or joy, or crown of praise”? Do you not recognize (here) the language of women burning with the most tender love and talking to small children? “Or a crown,” he says, “of praise.” One word: “crown” was not enough for him to show the brilliance (of his decoration), but he also added praise. What ardor! Mother and father, having come together and merged their love, could never have expressed their love on an equal basis with Paul. “Joy,” he says, “or a crown,” that is, I rejoice more, he says, in you than in the crown. And truly, imagine, as far as possible, the entire Church planted and established by Paul: who would not rejoice over such a large number of children and good fortune? So, and this is not flattery; he did not just say: “you”, but: “and you” along with others. “For you are our glory and joy!” (1 Thessalonians 2:20). “And therefore, unable to bear it any longer, we decided to remain alone in Athens - this is what he said instead: we made up our minds. And they sent Timothy our brother and servant of God and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ” (1 Thess. 3:1, 2). And he says this, not exalting Timothy, but giving them honor by sending to them a co-worker and a minister of the gospel, saying, as it were: having taken a break from work, we have sent to you a servant of God and our accomplice in the gospel of Christ. Then he shows the reason: “so that no one will be shaken by these tribulations: for you yourselves know that this is how we are destined” (1 Thess. 3:3). What does (the apostle) say here? Since the temptations of teachers confuse the students, and he was then among many temptations, as he himself says: “Satan hindered us,” he says this to encourage them. The meaning of his words is this: once or twice I wanted to go to you, but I could not, because there were many obstacles. And this probably confused them, since students are embarrassed not so much by their own temptations as by the temptations of their teachers, just as a warrior is not so much embarrassed by his own temptations as when he sees his leader wounded. “Strengthen you,” he says. Consequently, he sent Timothy so that they would not be embarrassed, and not because he seemed to notice any shortcoming in their faith, or the need to teach them anything. “To strengthen you and comfort you in your faith, so that no one will be shaken in these tribulations: for you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for” (1 Thess. 3:3-4). We shouldn’t, he says, be embarrassed, because nothing unusual or unexpected happens to us. And this was enough to encourage them. Do you see that Christ also predicted the same thing to His disciples? Listen, in fact, to what He says: “And behold, I told you these things before they came to pass, so that when they came to pass you might believe” (John 14:29). Much, truly much (serves) to console the disciples when they hear from their mentors about what will happen to them. Just as a patient, if he hears in advance from the doctor that this and that will happen to him, is not too embarrassed; and if something happens to him unexpectedly, so that the doctor himself becomes perplexed, and the illness exceeds his skill, then the patient becomes sad and embarrassed - so it is here. Paul, foreseeing this, predicted to them: “We will suffer,” he says, “as it happened, and you know.” Not only does the apostle speak about what happened, but also about the fact that he predicted many other things, which also came true. “This is how we are destined.” Consequently, one should not be alarmed and worried not only by past temptations, which means being embarrassed, but also by future ones, if such happened. “This is how we are destined.” 4. Whoever among us has ears to hear, let him hear: this is what a Christian is destined for. “This is how we are destined,” (the apostle) says about all believers. “This is how we are destined,” and we, as if destined for bliss, avoid suffering. Why, however, do we avoid suffering? In fact, no time of tribulation has come upon us, nor any temptation except that of man (1 Cor. 10:13). It is timely for us to say to you: “You have not yet fought to the point of blood, fighting against sin” (Heb. 12:4); or better yet, this is not the right time to tell you, but what? That you have not yet given up attachment to possessions. To those (Jews) who were deprived of all their property, it was indeed appropriate to say this; But to those whose property is intact, I will say this: Which of you has had his property plundered for Christ’s sake? Who was beaten with clubs? Who is offended, even by words? What can you boast about? What can you hope for? Christ suffered so much for us “who were once alienated and enemies” ( Col. 1:21 ); and what sufferings can we point to that we endured for Him? We did not endure any suffering for Him, yet the benefits we receive from Him are countless. Where will we get boldness in “that day” (2 Tim. 1:18)? Don’t you know that a warrior can only earn the king’s attention when he shows him many wounds and ulcers? If he cannot show a single excellent feat, then at least he has not caused any insult, he will be considered among the last. But now, they will say, is not the time to fight. And if it were, then tell me, who would fight? Who would attack (the enemies)? Who would disperse the horde? Probably no one. Indeed, when I see that you do not despise property for Christ, then how can I believe you that you count the plagues as nothing? Tell me, are you kind to those who insult you and do you bless them? You don't do it and you don't obey. You do not do anything that is not associated with danger: will you endure, tell me, blows that cause such great pain and sorrow? Don’t you know that during times of peace it is necessary to practice the art of war? Don’t you see how these warriors, even when there is no threat of war at all, but deep peace reigns, having cleaned their weapons, together with their leaders who teach them the art of war, almost every day go out into open and wide fields and practice military affairs with the greatest care? Did any of the spiritual warriors do this? None. That is why in war we are timid and careless, and anyone can conveniently capture us. And what folly is it not to consider the present time a time of war, when Paul cries out: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12), and when Christ himself says: “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33), and when the same blessed Paul loudly cries out: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” and again: “Stand, having girded yourselves.” your loins in truth" (Eph. 6:12, 14)? And none of them said then: why are you arming us when there is no war? Why do you put labor on us in vain - clothe warriors in armor, when you can rest and rest? And if someone said this, they would receive the answer: then it is especially necessary to take care of the war, when it does not yet exist. In fact, whoever cares about war during peace will be terrible during war; and whoever is inexperienced in military affairs will be more worried during peace. Why? Because he will begin to cry over his property and regret that he is not able to protect it, since the property of a timid, inexperienced and unaccustomed to battles belongs to everyone who is brave and knows how to fight. So, firstly, I arm you for this reason, and then because all the time of our life is a time of struggle. How and in what way? The devil always attacks. Listen to what is said about him: he “walks roaring like a lion, desiring to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Countless multitudes of carnal passions are rushing at us, which we need to indicate (here) so as not to be deceived in vain. Tell me: what is not at war with us? Wealth, beauty, pleasure, strength, power, envy, fame, arrogance? It is not only our own that is at war against us glory, preventing us from descending to humility, but also the glory of others, arousing envy and hatred in us. But what can we say about the opposite (states): poverty, ignorantity, disgrace, humiliation, complete powerlessness? But it (originates) in us; and on the part of other people (they rebel against us) malice, deceit, intrigues, slander, countless deceptions. Also from the side of demons: rulers, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spirits of evil. We are some in joy, some in sadness; both can deviate from the straight path, as well as health and illness. Where is there no reason to sin? If you want, I, starting from Adam, will tell you from the beginning? What destroyed the primordial? Pleasure, food and the passion of lust. What about his son next to him? Envy and hatred. What were Noah's contemporaries? Carnal pleasures and the vices arising from them. What - his son? Arrogance and impudence. What - Sodomites? Insolence, debauchery and satiety (Ezek. 16:49). And often poverty does this. That is why one wise man said: “Give me neither poverty nor riches” (Prov. 30:8). Or rather, it is neither wealth nor poverty, but our will, which does not know how to use either one or the other. “Know,” says the wise man, “that you are walking in the midst of snares” (Sir.9:18). 5. Blessed Paul said wonderfully: “So we are destined.” He did not simply say: we endure temptations, but: “This is how we are destined,” instead of: we were born for this. This is our duty, this is our life, and are you looking for peace? There is no executioner before you, tormenting your ribs and forcing you to make a sacrifice; but what stands before you is a strong desire for wealth and greed, tearing out our eyes. No warrior lit a fire for us or laid us on a (hot) grate; but carnal inflammation inflames the soul more powerfully. There will not be a king promising countless benefits and threatening torment; but there is a frantic passion for glory ahead, which seduces us more than he does. Truly (we have) a great, and a very great struggle, if we want to stay awake: and the present time has crowns. Listen to what Paul says: “Now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). If you have lost your beloved, only-begotten son, brought up in great wealth, who showed good hopes for himself, and your only heir, then do not be distressed, but thank God and glorify the one who took (him), and in this respect you will be no lower than Abraham: just as he gave his son to God when He commanded, so you were not distressed when He took from you. You have fallen into a serious illness, and many come to you and convince you to relieve the pain - some with spells, others with bindings, others with something else? But you, for the fear of God, endured (the illness) courageously and unshakably, and decided to endure everything rather than allow something idolatrous to be done? This gives you the crown of martyrdom; and don't doubt it. How is this and in what way? I'll tell you. Just as he courageously endures the pain caused by torture so as not to bow to an idol, so you endure the suffering caused by illness so as not to need anything that it offers and not to fulfill its commands. But the first (suffering) is stronger? But the latter last longer; therefore, equivalent. And often even the latter are stronger. In fact, tell me, when the inner heat torments and scorches, and you, despite the convictions of others, rejected the whisperings, did you not put the crown of martyrdom on yourself? Also: did anyone lose money? Many people advise going to fortune-tellers; but you, out of fear of God, since this is forbidden, decided not to receive money rather than to break God’s commandment? You have an equal reward with the one who gave money to the poor. If, having lost (money), you thank (God) and, having the opportunity to go to fortune-tellers, decide it would be better not to receive it than to receive it in this way, then you will have an equal profit with the one who squandered it for God. After all, just as this one, out of the fear of God, distributed them to the needy, so you, out of the fear of God, did not receive them back from those who stole them. It is in our power to offend ourselves and not to offend; and no one else has power. And if you want, we will explain this by the very (case of) theft. The thief broke the wall, broke into the treasury, took away valuable gold (vessels) and expensive stones, in a word: he stole the entire treasure - and was not caught. The case is unpleasant, apparently causing harm, but in reality it is not - and it is up to you to turn it either into harm or into profit. But how, they will say, can this be a profit? I'll try to show how. If you want it, it will be a great gain, but if you don’t want it, it will be a harm worse than before. Just as among artists an experienced artist uses a given substance as it should, while an inexperienced one only spoils it and makes a loss for himself, so it happens in (similar) circumstances. So how will the profit be? If you thank God, if you do not cry bitterly, if you speak in the words of Job: “naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I will return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has also taken away” (Job 1:21). What do you say: “The Lord took it”? The thief took it: and how, you say, can you say: “The Lord took it”? Don't be surprised. And Job said about what the devil took away: The Lord took it. If he dared to say so, then how could he not tell you that the Lord took what the thief took? Tell me, who are you (more) surprised by? Whether to the one who exhausted his wealth on the poor, or to Job - for these words. Does he really, by not giving alms then (i.e., in the midst of suffering), deserve less in comparison with the one who gave? Don't say: I don't deserve mercy; this did not happen according to my will; the thief took it when I neither knew nor wanted it; what will be my reward? And he took it from Job when he didn’t know and didn’t want to. Nevertheless, he accomplished a feat. And you can receive the same reward that you would receive if you gave away your property voluntarily. And we are rightly more amazed at the one who endures insults with thanksgiving than at the one who voluntarily distributes (his property). Why? Because one finds consolation in praise and (in the testimony of his) conscience and has good hopes, and when he has already courageously decided in advance to lose money, then he sacrifices it; and the other, still attached to money, was forcibly deprived of it. But it doesn’t matter, deciding in advance to leave the money, then squander it, and lose it while still in possession of it. If you speak the same words as Job, you will receive benefits that are much greater and more important than he. He got doubled here; and Christ promised to repay you a hundredfold. Out of fear of God, did you not blaspheme, did not resort to fortune telling, and gave thanks (to God) while enduring insults? You have become like someone who despises (his wealth), since this would not have happened to you if you had not despised it in advance. Moreover, it is not the same thing to despise money, after long-term reflection, and to endure a deprivation that suddenly happened. Thus, loss turns into profit, and the devil will not only not harm you, but will also serve you to your advantage. 6. But when does serious harm occur? When you harm (your) soul. Really, tell me, did the thief deprive you of your money? But why are you depriving yourself of salvation? Why, by complaining about the insults you suffer from others, do you plunge yourself into great misfortunes? A thief may have plunged you into poverty; and you, like a villain, harm yourself in a matter that is especially important to you. He deprived you of external blessings, which would subsequently leave you against your will; and you are robbing yourself of eternal wealth. Did the devil make you sad when he took your money? Make him sad, having given thanks (to God), and do not let him rejoice. If you went to the fortune tellers, you made him happy; if he thanked God, he dealt him a mortal blow. And look what happens: despite the fact that you go to the fortune tellers, you will not find the money, because it is not their business to know (where your money is), and if by chance they told you where, then you will destroy your soul, and you will be ridiculed by your brothers, and again you will lose it (the money) in a bad way. The demon, knowing that you are not indifferent to the loss (of money), because of it you are denying God, returns it to you again in order to again have a reason to seduce you. But don’t be surprised if the fortune tellers said (where is the money). The demon is incorporeal, he goes around everywhere, he himself arms the robbers - such things do not happen without the demon. Therefore, if he arms them, then he knows where they hide (the money) - he cannot help but know his servants. This is not surprising. If he sees that you are grieving over a loss, he will cause you another. If he sees that you are laughing and despising, he will give up on this path. Just as we try to do to our enemies something that causes sadness, and if we see that they are not saddened, then, not being able to hurt them, we retreat from them, so does the devil. What can I say? Do you not know how those who sail on the sea not only do not care about money during a storm, but even throw away what they have? And no one will say: what are you doing, man? Are you helping the storm and the shipwreck? Before the wave takes away your wealth, do you do it yourself with your own hands? Why do you expose yourself to shipwreck before being shipwrecked? Perhaps some simpleton, completely unfamiliar with the dangers of the sea, would have said this; but the navigator, who knows well what produces silence and what stirs up a storm, will laugh at the one who speaks such words. That’s why I throw it, he’ll say, so as not to drown in the waves. Likewise, a person, tempted by the dangers and misfortunes of life, when he sees an approaching storm and spirits of evil who want to cause a shipwreck, throws away the rest of his money. Have you had a theft? Give alms, and this will lighten the ship. Were you robbed by robbers? Give the rest to Christ. In this way you will be consoled for your previous loss. Lighten the ship, do not hold back what is left, so that the ship does not sink. Those (seafarers), in order to save bodies, throw out the cargo and do not wait for the oncoming wave to capsize the ship; and you, for the salvation of souls, won’t you stop the shipwreck? Try it, if you don’t believe, I beg you, try it and see the glory of God. When something unfortunate befalls you, immediately give alms, thank (God) for what happened, and you will see what joy will fill your soul. The spiritual benefit, even if small, is such that it can cover any material damage. As long as you have (anything) to give to Christ, you are rich. Tell me, if a king came up to you while you were robbed and extended his hand, wanting to accept something from you: wouldn’t you consider yourself richer than everyone else, when even with such poverty the king is not ashamed of you? In order not to be robbed, defeat only yourself, and you will defeat the wiles of the devil. You can make great profits. Let us despise wealth so as not to despise souls. How can you despise him? Do you not know what happens to beautiful bodies and to those who are captivated by them? While they are before the eyes, then (in the soul) a fire is ignited and a bright flame ignites; но как скоро кто удалить их от глаз, все погаснет и успокоится. То же бывает и с богатством. Let no one acquire gold, or expensive stones, or necklaces: being in front of the eyes, they deceive the eye. And if you want to be rich, then, like the ancients, collect not gold, but necessary things, so that you can give from those who are ready to others. Don't be partial to decorations. Такое богатство привлекает козни разбойников и нам причиняет заботы. Do not acquire gold and silver vessels; but let you have barns filled with bread, wine and oil, not so that you can get money by selling, but so that you can distribute it to those in need. If we move away from these excesses, we will acquire heavenly blessings; which may we all receive in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint in Constantinople in 399. “we asked and convinced and begged” in the exact translation (Slavic) “pleadingly and comfortingly and testifyingly.” – I.N. In the original – “orphaned” (απορφανισθεντες). You might be interested in: