Письма-поучения

To a layman about the prayer rule 476. Daily routine and prayers from morning to evening Daily routine and prayers from morning to evening. When you wake up and it’s time to get up, get up immediately without lounging on the bed. Having gotten up, sit for a while, making the sign of the cross and say: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me! - Then put on your shoes, get dressed, wash your face; but all this time keep God in your thoughts, saying: Lord, have mercy... or: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee! Don’t turn around, don’t be distracted... Then stand up for prayer... First make three prostrations to the ground, saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner! Then read the prescribed prayers... To the Heavenly King... Holy God (trisagion)... Our Father... Having risen from sleep... From bed and sleep... In vain the Judge... Having risen from sleep, I thank Thee, Holy Trinity... Have mercy on me, God... I believe... Virgin Mary, rejoice... Guardian Angel... and the end... make three prostrations to the ground... venerate icon or cross... and also - sitting or standing, say 20 Jesus prayers. And if there is a hunt, even more. – Read prayers slowly, delving into the words, read with your mind, not with your tongue. During the day, often read: Our Father... and the Virgin Mary... and try to remember God all the time. And in front of the images you can bow, two or three times, so that no one can see. In the evening, when going to bed, pray like this. - Before prayer, sit down and, having made the sign of the cross, say the Jesus Prayer up to ten times, until your thoughts gather. Stand up and make three bows, saying: God! be merciful to me, a sinner. Next are the initial prayers - from the Heavenly King and Our Father. Then - prayers for sleep: Have mercy on us, Lord... Lord, have mercy on us... The door of mercy... Eternal God... and also: Have mercy on me, God... I believe... Virgin Mary... Guardian Angel... Remember what you did wrong, and repent... and thank God for good. And the end... Three bows. Then venerate the icons... also, sitting or standing, say 20 Jesus prayers or more... Undress modestly and lie down... After lying down, do not wander in your thoughts, but remember God and say the Jesus prayer until you fall asleep. 477. Elimination of confusion Elimination of confusion: if the heavenly bodies are inhabited by living beings, then how can the Lord be a Savior for them? I am happy to say a word or two to you to clear up your misunderstandings. You are sure that all heavenly bodies are inhabited by rational beings, that these rational beings, like us, due to their inclination towards evil (why not say, like fallen ones), have a need for means of salvation, that there is only one means for them: the amazing construction of the death and resurrection of Christ God. From these thoughts comes an insoluble bewilderment: how could the Lord Jesus Christ be a Savior for them? Could He really incarnate in each of these worlds, suffer and die? The inability to resolve this issue worries and shakes your faith in the Divinity of the economy of our salvation. That such thoughts hesitate and disturb you is due to your own fault, and not due to the nature of your thoughts. These thoughts are a chain of dreams that do not represent anything undoubtedly true, but the economy of salvation is an undoubtedly true matter, which has proven and is constantly proving its Divinity. Is it possible to allow this stronghold to be shaken by dreamy assumptions? Although you have long harbored the idea of ​​the existence of intelligent beings on other worlds, and although it has a lot to support it, it still does not leave the realm of probable assumptions. It is very likely that there are residents there, but everything is only probable. You have no right to say “there is” until you are sure that there is. To put it more correctly, I say this: probably there is; or maybe not. The navigator approaches the island: all signs show that there are inhabitants there, but he boards it and sees nothing. What about sailors! Take your thoughts back to the first time, when people had not yet multiplied: at almost every step you would have encountered an area with signs of undoubted habitation, and yet there were no inhabitants anywhere. Likewise, regarding the celestial bodies, there are many hints that they are inhabited. What wonder if they are still waiting for their inhabitants, or if they are not there at all: who knows what the Lord wants regarding them! It would be necessary to go there, look and make sure of it - then, perhaps, we can safely say that “there is”, but without that it is impossible to say more like “maybe”. But what “may be” cannot be raised as an objection to what actually “is” is true. Defending truth against imagined probabilities is the same as fighting ghosts. That is why you will not find a refutation of your objection in any reputable theological book. Theologians did not consider it a wise thing to refute dreams. Now we have a Polish uprising 130. You command a detachment, approach the forest, hear noise, see smoke here and there and people with axes. It's clear from everything that there are rebels here. However, if for no apparent reason you had launched the correct attack, you would not have been praised. You could attack civilians cutting down the forest. You need to make sure in advance that there are rebels there, scout out their number and position, and then act against them. Why join the fight when there are no real attacks, but only apparent ones? So it is here: make it obvious that there are inhabitants on the heavenly bodies, then we will begin to refute all the objections against our holy faith that arise from that. Since the existence of inhabitants on planets is only a probability, and the area of ​​probability is immeasurable, hunters have a wide range of dreams regarding them. So you yourself, perhaps without noticing it, embarked on dreams, as soon as you gave power to the assumption. Assuming that there are intelligent creatures on other worlds, you begin to draw their life, without having any data. You should have stopped at the assumption of existence, to which there are hints, and said that it was impossible to go further due to lack of data; and you moved on. The inquisitive spirit did not give you peace and carried you away. But even so: there is no big trouble yet - to dream, but to succumb to the influence of a dream is dangerous. You should at least manage your dreams correctly. You would say to yourself, as an example, like this: the existence of intelligent creatures on planets is very probable, but what would they be like and what would it be like for them there?.. When deciding this, you should have come up with different assumptions, not settling on one, but considering both as probable, because there is no reason to stop at just one. And you took one assumption, borrowing it from us, and went on with it. We had a fall - well, that’s it; we are prone to sin - well, those; We need the economy of salvation - it is needed there too; among us, the Only Begotten Son of God deigned to become incarnate - and only this method of salvation is appropriate there. And you should proceed in your assumptions this way: suppose that there are intelligent inhabitants on other worlds: what did they do - did they keep the commandments, were they obedient to the will of God, or did they transgress the commandments and turn out to be disobedient? You can't say one way or the other; but I think that either they sinned or they did not sin, for even for our first parents sin was not a necessity, but depended on their freedom. They fell, but they might not have fallen. So it is with the inhabitants of other planets: they might have kept the commandment, or they might not have kept it. If they have saved, then all further dreams about methods of their salvation cease by themselves: they are in primitive communion with God and the holy angels and are blissful, being in the same state that we are expected to have after the resurrection. But you recognized their fall as undoubted, and went further along this road. Well, let’s assume that there was a fall there too; but, not knowing the extent of their sin, can we say anything about the ways of their restoration and salvation? Perhaps their sin is so small that it can be easily corrected; or perhaps it is so great that it excludes any possibility of improving the matter. We see an example in unclean spirits. You should have kept all such cases in mind and yet not dwell on any one, since they are all just probable. Finally, you have one method of restoration: the incarnation of God, His death on the cross and resurrection. We believe that among us the economy of salvation was a free work of Divine goodness, and not a matter of any forced necessity. Our extraordinary image of restoration is adapted to our circumstances: but still we cannot say that it was a necessary act. God has an abyss of wisdom. The Church sings: Thou camest from the Virgin, neither an intercessor nor an angel, but Himself, Lord, incarnate. It became possible for both the intercessor and the angel to be a savior. It pleased the Lord Himself to come and be incarnate; and there, perhaps, an intercessor, or an angel, or someone else accomplished the work of salvation. If you bother to go through this whole chain of dreams, then, of course, you will not come to the question: how is salvation possible there through the Lord Jesus Christ? Did He really incarnate there too? If it is difficult to resolve this issue, then recognize there the appropriateness of another method of restoring the fallen; because there is no need to stand on one. It is our will to dwell mentally on one or another assumption. But even at the same time, hold on to the thought that all these are assumptions, dreams, in which there is nothing undoubtedly true. Consequently, the objection that comes from such thoughts against the holy faith based on actual facts cannot take place in any way. First reach yourself and then bring us to a correct knowledge of the existence and state of the inhabitants of other worlds, then we will deal with you and resolve the issue of their salvation; then, if you build an objection against us, it will be a sensible objection, worth refuting; Until then, why bother? You accepted and settled on one train of thought; and there are possibly many of them. Having allowed the population of other worlds by intelligent beings, you believe that they were also created there; or maybe they were not created, but were transferred there from the Earth? The Earth is destined to be the breeding ground of life for all planets. Just as on Earth people initially settled from one place throughout the inhabited countries of the Earth, so from the Earth all celestial bodies are filled with inhabitants. In My Father's house, said the Lord, there are many mansions (John 14:2). Why not recognize celestial bodies as these abodes? Why not allow that people, after death, live on this or that planet, on this or that sun, and, according to the Last Judgment, will settle there forever with their bodies? You may say: why is little Earth so honored? For God, there is nothing big or small in creatures. He loves all His creatures and cares for them all equally. If He intended that on one planet there should be a breeding ground for inhabitants, then it makes no difference to Him which one is chosen for this. And no matter what body you take, the question will remain: why was it chosen? For each of them, in comparison with the whole universe, will be nothing. There is nothing to be said against such an assumption as an assumption. Further, having assumed the existence of inhabitants on other worlds, nothing prevents us from assuming that they remained in the will of God, preserved themselves in holiness and purity, did not violate the commandments of God and did not rebel against God, as happened on our planet. Only Earth rebelled, while the other worlds remained completely calm. But God, to whom every creature is dear, did not abandon us, but arranged a way for our restoration, which, by accepting with reverent faith, we are saved. In the parable, the shepherd leaves 99 sheep and goes to look for one... But we cannot allow the idea that when such care is taken about the Earth, other worlds are forgotten, and that, after what has been done with us, there is nothing left to do for them. The purpose of creation is the glory of God, or the manifestation of the infinite perfections of the Divine. With us they are manifested especially in the economy of salvation, but on other worlds they appear in other ways. If we assume there a different way of being for rational creatures and their bliss, then it is more straightforward to assume their stability in their rank, the bright state of the blessed. But let them fall. There is no reason to think that they inevitably need an incarnation so that it takes place on every planet. The power of the incarnation and the atoning sacrifice save us through our assimilation by faith. Why not assume that the atoning sacrifice performed on Earth had a beneficial effect on other worlds? Why not assume that the rational creatures there also accepted it by faith, and thus are saved? The Lord cannot lack ways of communicating and producing faith: there are even angels sent to serve for those who want to inherit salvation. All planets are connected and mutually influenced, unknown to us. It cannot be assumed that any of them would be excluded from this union. If such a union exists physically, then why not assume a moral one? If in a physical sense one body influences all the others with which it is connected, then why not allow the same in a moral sense? That's all that came to my mind to tell you to reassure you; and yet, do not forget that all these are just speculative thoughts, without which it is not only possible, but also must be dispensed with. We see now like a mirror in fortune-telling; and then we will see face to face! (cf.: 1 Cor. 13:12). Do not look for those who are superior to you, says the Wise One; and even though you are whitewashed, understand this: you have no secret needs. For many deceive their opinion, and deceitfully destroy their thought. (Sir.3:21, 22, 24). 478. Opinion regarding spiritualism Opinion regarding spiritualism: what force is at work when turning tables, what god do the summoned spirits pray to, is it possible to communicate with spiritualists? You want to know my opinion regarding spiritualism. Others thought, and still do, that this is quackery. But once you look at what happens when tables are turned, you can give up this idea. Others think that this is the action of some mental or physical force of mediums. But the mode of action of mediums directly stands against this. It remains to assume the presence of an intelligent force: who is it? Or the souls of the dead, or demons. The first is inconceivable on the merits of the matter, and has facts against it that cannot be explained in this way. So, there are demons here. To cover themselves up, they take the names of the dead. Who are they acting against? Against Christ the Savior. They want to distort faith in the Lord and completely destroy it. That's where it goes. If we are not careful, the demons will take everyone away and inconsistency will spread everywhere. But how - they pray to God? - They pray, but to what? The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is not confessed; and the Savior said that no one can come to the Father except through Him; Therefore, what kind of prayer do they have? They must have their own god. Who is he? The prince of unclean spirits, Satan. The demons explained to the spiritualists that God appeared among the spirits and said: “Well, spirits, the time has come; now step on earth and enlighten people.” How can such a command come from the true God, who is worshiped in the Trinity and who arranged for our salvation in God the Son, who became incarnate, suffered, was resurrected, ascended to heaven and paved the way there for all who believe in Him? Enlightenment spirits teach contrary to the teachings of Christ and, therefore, go against the true God; therefore, their god is the enemy of the true God, he is Satan himself. What do the words “the time has come” mean? And the fact that Christians have become weak and shaky in faith and in life, and that they can be turned in every possible way. When the Savior Christ was on earth, He drove out demons, and the holy apostles also drove them out by the power of the Holy Spirit. As Christianity spread, the power of God everywhere, through Christians, oppressed the demonic forces. While Christianity was in force, it had no use; they acted in fits and starts, preparing the way for what we now see in the spiritualists, and what they promise themselves after this. When faith in the West, and especially in America, was shaken, eternal interests moved into the background and people began to live only for the earth, then scope was opened for the action of demons. Just lure with something, and everyone will rush. And so it was. First they lured us in with tapping, then moved to the tables, then to the plates with pencils. Finally, writing mediums appeared, and recently answers began to be heard in the air. Exactly like in the ancient pagan soothsayers! How many people have they lured to themselves with all these tricks! Now you can't survive them. No matter how much you explain to spiritualists that they are dealing with demonic powers, they will not believe it. Flattery is great. However, what should we do? It is necessary to return its strength to Christianity, then demonism - spiritualism will disappear by itself. And without this, no matter how much you write books to refute it, there will be no sense. If this remedy seems outdated to you, then give up the idea of ​​overcoming spiritualism. He is destined to dominate the entire human race. Now there is only preparation, and then the Antichrist will appear and begin to complete the structure of his kingdom based on spiritualism. When the Savior comes, he will hardly find faith on earth. Are you asking: “Is it safe to hang around with spiritists and spiritualism”? If they were only concerned with trifles and fortune-telling, then perhaps it would be safe to engage in them with them; but since during these fortune-telling they also offer a whole system of their teaching, you cannot enter into communication with them without fear, for in the teaching there is life and death. As long as it is in accordance with the spirit of faith, it lives; and if it is disgusting to him, it kills him. The teaching of spiritualism is contrary to the holy faith of Christ, and in many of its points it was cursed at the Ecumenical Councils. Spiritualists do not confess the Divinity of Jesus Christ, but say that He is the highest, incarnate spirit: this is Aryan blasphemous wisdom, cursed at the First Ecumenical Council. Spiritualists do not recognize the eternity of torment and completely reject even the existence of hell: this is the wisdom of the Origenists, cursed at the Fifth Ecumenical Council. At the same Council, another wisdom of the Origenists about the pre-existence of souls, which forms the basis of spiritualism, was also cursed. Equally, all judgments pronounced on fortune-tellers and those communicating with demons fall on spiritualists. After that, judge for yourself: is it safe to communicate with them? Although no new anathematism has been uttered against the spiritualists, it lies with them, having been in the Church since ancient times. Spiritualists and their followers by their very actions come under this anathema and stand under it. 479. Is mental prayer possible for the laity? About two kinds of solitude Is mental prayer possible for the laity? God does not oblige you to do the impossible. How can a layman pray unceasingly? About two kinds of solitude. In the article published in the 33rd issue of Home Conversation, there were some thoughts that gave rise to bewilderment in you. I consider it my duty to explain them to you and your readers. You say that mental prayer is hardly possible for the laity: “What do we care about mental prayer!” – you write. But if you don’t have mental prayer, then you don’t have any: for only mental prayer is real prayer, pleasing and pleasing to God. It should constitute the soul of home and church prayer, so if it is not in them, then prayer books have only the name of prayer, but not the essence of prayer. What is prayer? Lifting the mind and heart to God in praise, thanksgiving and asking for the necessary benefits. Therefore, the essence of prayer is the mental ascent to God in the heart. The mind will become conscious before the face of God and, filled with reverent fear, will begin to pour out its heart before Him - this is mental prayer! External prayer, whether at home or in church, gives it only the word, or the form; Everyone carries the soul, or being, of prayer within himself, in his mind and heart. Our entire church rite, all the prayers compiled for home use, are filled with intelligent appeals to God. The one who performs them should not stop at one external form, but go inside through it, and according to what is hidden in them, adjust his internal one. No one can be without mental prayer. The only difference that can be put into it is this: there is mental prayer, verbal or external, whether at home or in church; and there is mental prayer, in itself, without any external form of words or bodily position. And the latter is also obligatory for worldly people. The Savior commanded: go into your closet and pray in secret. This cage, as St. says. Dimitry of Rostov and, as the essence of the matter shows, there is a heart. Who did the apostle command to pray without ceasing? To all Christians. Therefore, also to the laity. But it is impossible to pray unceasingly except by mental prayer in the heart. What kind of person is this hidden person in the heart that the other apostle is talking about? About our spirit, standing before God, receiving power from Him and doing everything before Him, which is of great value before Him. Consequently, mental presence of God is obligatory; and if it is necessary, then no one has the right to say that it is hardly possible. God does not oblige you to do the impossible. It’s difficult, that’s true, but to make it impossible is unfair. But everything good in general is difficult, and even more so prayer, the source of all good things for us and a sure support. Someone will ask: how to do this? It’s very simple: take on the fear of God. The fear of God as a feeling will attract attention and consciousness to the heart, and as fear, it will force attention and consciousness to stand in the heart before God. This is mental exposure to God and prayer! As long as there is fear of God in the heart, the mental standing before God will not leave the heart. Thus, here is one, all-effective means for mental prayer! - But what, you say, - things are fun! “They won’t entertain you, just take the fear of God.” It is not works that hinder intelligent standing before God, but idleness and wickedness. Put aside the bad and empty, leave the one obligatory, not because of secular, but because of evangelical obligatoryness, and you will see that the fulfillment of duties not only does not deflect, but attracts the mind and heart to God. Both are of the same kind and require the same mental structure. Whatever you do from this circle, you will always turn to God to ask for help and dedicate your work to the glory of God. When you get up in the morning, establish yourself more firmly before God in your heart, in your morning prayer, and then go about your work, entrusted to you by God, without separating your feelings and consciousness from Him. And it will be what is written in the second paragraph: “Abiding in God with your mind and heart, with the strength of your soul and body, fulfill your duties.” Mental prayer is misunderstood by those who think that its essence consists in sitting somewhere secretly and thus contemplating God. Its essence was expressed by the prophet David: I will foresee the Lord before me, as if he is on my right hand, but I will not move. Therefore, secrecy does not constitute the essence of intelligent standing before God, and a multitude of deeds does not interfere with this. You write that solitude is hardly possible for the laity. There are two types of solitude: one wholly, always present, when someone goes into the desert and lives alone; the other is private, happening from time to time. The first is, indeed, not the business of the laity; and the second is possible for them, and they even have it. Everyone has some time when he is alone, even if he did not even deliberately bother to arrange hours of solitude for himself. Turn this hour or hours to the benefit of your spiritual creation. Instead of empty dreams, go inside yourself and check your deeds - whether they are well done and whether they can be pleasing to God if you foresee Him before you. Every busy person can set aside such hours for himself every day, as long as he cares about the salvation of his soul. If they don’t pay it, it’s precisely because this concern does not exist, or it is not so strong that it exceeds all other concerns. But for those who do not care, no means are written to create a saving way of life. Thus, you need to have private hours every day; and when you have to fast, you must stop doing things for the entire time of fasting, so that fasting can be completely soul-saving. This is what was meant in relation to the laity, when pointing to solitude as a means to a godly life leading to salvation. But one more thing should be supported in the idea that there is, in addition to external, internal solitude. Outside there is noise and confusion, but in the heart a person is alone with himself. When someone’s heart aches about something, even if he is in the most cheerful and talkative society, he hears and sees nothing. There, near his heart, he sits with his illness. Everyone knows this from their own experience. If this happens in everyday affairs, then why shouldn’t it be the same in spiritual matters? There are illnesses here too, and they are even stronger and deeper than all those in life. When illness sets in on the heart in this order of life, then what will a person’s consciousness be able to extract from his solitary stay in his heart? This is a different kind of solitude, which also occurs among the laity, as soon as the concern for the salvation of their souls comes to them! The fear of God then penetrates the soul and sincerely assures it that even though it has acquired the whole world, it will not be able to pay off anything when it has to pay for the order of its past life. This sincere conviction penetrates the whole soul and produces in it such a painful concern for the one thing that is needed that it no longer wants to look at anything. She is all one with this one of hers, even though outwardly and externally there are many activities. This kind of solitude is possible for the laity too! You say that having a spiritual father with whom one could consult every time about all matters of one’s external and internal life is not feasible for worldly people. True, people to whom one could turn with complete trustworthiness for advice on spiritual life are becoming increasingly rare: somehow everyone is limited to correct behavior and the private fulfillment of duty, and they do not consider it necessary to pay attention to what is happening in the heart. External life takes precedence over internal life. But it cannot be said that the reverend is completely poor. Zealots for the inner life have at all times been rare among spiritual people living in the world: but they have always been, and now they are, and they will be in the future. Those who begin to worry about salvation develop an instinct by which they search for a beneficial spiritual father. To this we must add that for the first time we have a leadership in the order of the church, which every spiritual father can indicate, and does. It was God's way that no one would be left without proper guidance. Further guidance can be supplemented by reading St. Fathers, interviews with like-minded people, and even their own experience. From all this, that guidance is compiled, without which it is impossible to do in spiritual life. And a little bit can upset the soul. The God-fearing soul becomes confused and, praying to God for admonition, hurries to the spiritual father - and it happens that, out of nowhere, the most reassuring interpretation of the matter is obtained. Spiritual life is God's life; God watches over her. Of course, one cannot rush at everyone without caution; one must also have one’s own reasoning: but if it hesitates, then there is nowhere else to go but to the spiritual father. And in external life there are such intricate interweavings that it is difficult to figure out how to act legally in a certain case; the more natural it is to be one in inner life. Go to your spiritual father, one, another, third - you will attack the one who will calm you down. Others, if they haven’t managed to get to something with their own experience, then science will tell the truth. 480. The faithful should not hesitate when hearing the speeches of false talkers The faithful should not hesitate when hearing the speeches of false speakers. Confusion means that it is not the truth on their side, but an evil lie. A simple confession of the truth is more victorious than all arguments. You write that you had the unpleasant occasion of meeting such persons who, with their speeches full of unbelief, disturbed the silence of your faith, upset your spirit, cooled your heart and discouraged you from prayer. You have not performed your usual pious activities for two days and are in some kind of languid darkness. Very unfortunate! – It’s not that you had such a meeting: for living in the world, how to avoid collisions with the people of the world; but the fact that you allowed yourself to be upset by the absurd speeches of people who are not worthy of trust, and even to give up everything you started and continued with such zeal. I am astonished that he who called you by the grace of Christ is so quickly converted into another gospel: there is no other gospel (not another gospel, but a destructive gospel), but there is no one who troubles you and wants to change the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:6-7). It is not surprising for one who has never heard the word of truth to become confused and entangled in the nets set by unbelief; but to you, who have known the truth and tasted the good word of God (Heb. 6:5), not only doubt, but also this thought is unexcusable. – Or don’t you know what kind of spirit you are? – or should we again expound to you the beginnings of Christ’s words (Heb.6:1)? I don’t know exactly what speeches you heard. – I will dwell on you alone - and in the very circumstances that have darkened the bright face of truth in your heart, I will try to show you evidence of the truth. You have accepted the truth, stand in it, follow its path. But then false talkers appeared and disturbed your spirit. Now it is good: whoever reproaches you (Gal.5:7). Did you pay attention to the people speaking to you? Are they worth listening to them, to hesitate and be embarrassed for their sake, and because of them to betray the truth that has already been tested? From some of the traits noted by you, I conclude that they are fickle in thoughts, free in speech and movements, disordered in behavior and actions, do not know the honor of their neighbor’s face - it is even doubtful whether they have anything sacred; Judge for yourself, can such persons be heralds of pure truth?! - Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, meek, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, undoubting and unhypocritical... If anyone has bitter envy, and zeal in the heart, let him not boast and lie about the truth. This wisdom is not from above, but earthly, spiritual, demonic (James 3:15). Wisdom does not enter an evil soul: can one expect that one who is not organized in life due to some of his principles could know and proclaim the truth? By their fruits you will know them - these false teachers, says the Lord... On the other hand, do they themselves know what they are saying? The frivolity and inconstancy that characterize them strongly suggests that their free speeches were picked up by them here and there - unconsciously, without attention or reflection. Their antics are more the audacity of self-will than the fruit of conviction. Your one question confused the word hunter; and every question: why is this so? - there is a scourge for them. If they say so, they say it not because they have a reason to do so, but because they want to say so. The truth constrains them. Seeking space for the movements of the heart, they strive to break the bonds of truth. Since this cannot be done rationally, they attempt to achieve their goal with unbridled idle talk. So - you saw people in front of you - without rules and beliefs! Is it really possible to decide to follow them? And if not, why hesitate? Be careful, lest anyone deceive you with philosophy and vain flattery... according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. But as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him... known by faith (Col. 2:8, 6, 7). Compare the state in which you usually find yourself, heartily indulging in all the suggestions of faith, and the state in which these unbelievers have put you: and the fruit of the speeches in you will expose their falsity even louder. This darkness, this confusion, this tightness of heart, which they left for you, does not indicate that the poison of lies is hidden in their speeches. The truth for which we live, which we love and which we strive for is akin to our spirit. Being accepted by him, it delights him, pacifies and nourishes him: but what you heard torments and troubles the soul; Can there be truth in this kind of thinking?! The Lord called the father of lies a murderer. Doesn't this give us guidance - to attribute everything that kills the soul to it as a source? Yes! thoughts that darken the mind are satanic thoughts, and blasphemous speeches that take away the peace of the soul are inspired by the spirit of malice. They are the same as harmful dew that destroys delicate flowers, and contagious air that makes you faint. Didn’t you yourself feel at that time that a pernicious spirit from the abyss seemed to smell on you - this murderous spirit of delusion and lies? You became embarrassed, lost your presence of mind and began to think whether the truth was on their side? On the contrary, this means that there is an evil lie on their side... which the spirit that has tasted the truth is so disgusted by that it cannot be indifferent when it appears. On the other hand, lies have no support either in us or outside of us: that is why confusion and disorder are its constant destiny. The truth is solid, just as the foundations of existence are solid. A deep, unshakable peace overshadows her everywhere and all those who walk her path. Figure 6. “Soulful Interlocutor” magazine, 1907. The fruit of righteousness in peace is sown to those who make peace (James 3:18). But look how restless your interlocutors and everyone like them are! And what confusion they spread around them, confusing all well-meaning people who somehow happen to listen to their speeches! And remember at the same time the wise rule of St. ascetics: a thought that confuses a peaceful heart is from the evil one... and should not be followed. Apply this to yourself, and agree: the speeches that have disturbed your spirit are from the evil one. Don't listen to them! I don’t think that what you heard left a deep impression on you. You are probably already in your usual good mood. But it seems that it’s time for you to get used to maintaining inner peace during such meetings. They are not uncommon for you - and we have had to talk about this more than once. But, since you still have the same weakness, I also briefly repeat to you what you should do so as not to lose peace of mind in such circumstances, so that these evil conversations do not corrupt your good customs. So, if such a case happens to you again, then hasten to take a strong position yourself, that is, hasten to warm up all the power of the conviction that we stand in the truth; that everything we confess, from the least to the greatest, is immutably true, and everything is sealed with the seal of the will of God. We believe because God commanded us to believe, and when God speaks, the creature must listen in silent obedience. The royal decree is accepted unquestioningly: should not our soul obey God? – Then kindle this faith more deeply in your heart, and it itself will wipe away everything that is contrary to it; then let the winds of evil speeches blow in your ears, they will not disturb the heart protected by faith... They come to you and say: is this true, is that true? – As if we should be the first to discover the truth? - As if she is not on earth? as if she did not show herself victorious, and there were no persons walking her path? – You read the lives of the saints, see their incorruptible relics, hear about their help and intercession. This means that by following the path they followed, they achieved what they were looking for. But isn't this the same path we are on? “Our confession is the same, our rules are the same, our deeds of piety are the same as they had - in general, everything that we contain was also contained by them. “And here is a cloud of witnesses for us, that we stand in the truth, that the path we are following is true, and our hopes are not deceptive.” “We are not the first to enter it.” – It has already been passed by many and led to the goal. We can only follow it steadily with all constancy and patience. You can tell anyone: just step on him and you will immediately be convinced that he is faithful. As for you, you already have evidence of this within yourself. This peace of spirit, this peaceful disposition of the heart, this warmth of prayer, this sudden admonition and illumination of the mind that you experience from time to time - isn’t it powerful to assure you that you are not outside the path of God. Why hesitate? Is it really possible to leave the right and turn to the wrong? Or - what am I saying - to the infidel? also to the faithful - only to destruction: for the deed itself has already shown that the path of our opponents leads to the bottom of hell. Here you have fire and water: is the choice difficult?! So, every time at such a meeting, take the side of faith and warm it more strongly in your heart. She will protect you from embarrassment, and her face will not be darkened in your mind by any shadow of bewilderment or hesitation. You would like to speak, you would like to defend the truth and show it victorious. “It’s good, too, if you have the strength, only in meekness and humility.” – Do not, however, be embarrassed by the fact that you cannot defeat and shame those who rise up to the truth. Do it better this way: when someone widens his mouth against the holy suggestions of our faith, you, with all the simplicity and with all the power of warm conviction, will tell him how you confess, how the truth under attack is confessed and confessed by all Christians at all times - and that’s enough. Do not spread your arguments and do not strain to refute false ideas. – Your simple confession will be more reassuring for you and may turn out to be more victorious over those who mock you than all the arguments: for the truth is bright in itself and has its defender in the spirit of those very ones who rebel against it: with one appearance in their consciousness it will dispel all the cobwebs of wisdom. At the First Council of Nicaea, one philosopher stubbornly fought in a dispute while arguments were addressed to him. But when one holy shepherd - simply, without any speculation - revealed to him our confession, as he held it in his heart, then the philosopher recognized himself defeated. During the preaching of the Gospel by the apostles, the Jews were tempted, the Greeks became wise, and, probably, both of them publicly expressed their temptations and wisdom. What about the apostles? - continuing with all simplicity to preach the saving doctrine, without seeking presumptuous (controversial - Ed.) words of human wisdom... We preach Christ crucified... just Jesus Christ, and he was crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). And yet, the apostolic preaching did not lose anything because of this; the Gospel quickly spread, attracting all those who loved the truth everywhere. That is why the holy Apostle Paul wrote to St. Timothy the Apostle: “Do not mince words... brush aside nasty vanities... deny unpunished competitions. They do not create, but destroy those who hear, giving birth to quarrels (2 Tim. 2:14, 16, 23). Let those who are argumentative argue: we don’t have such a custom. We only testify fearlessly before everyone: the word is true... so true that if an angel from heaven had come to us with a different gospel, we would have rejected it and struck with judgment those who were disobedient to the truth” (Gal. 1:8). There will be people who will give a strong rebuff to all attacks and a clear answer to everyone who asks; but for us, simple confessors of the faith, one confession is enough. So, leave the battlefield to others; instead of stressing over words, descend at that time with your attention into your heart, and abide there with the sweetest name of the Lord, confessing to Him your sorrow from hearing blasphemous speeches and praying to Him to protect His truth in our hearts, not allowing doubts and hesitations in it, and together to repel attacks on faith outside of us, raising up its champions when and how it pleases Him. When you take refuge in your heart in this way, audible blasphemous speeches will rush through your ears as if in empty space, without touching your consciousness and without causing any anxiety or embarrassment. Our great misfortune is that we mostly live in our heads. There our thoughts swirl like dust, and thoughts excited by speeches and visible objects, entering the circle of our thoughts, further disturb and intensify their whirling. That's why we walk as if in a fog. – Attacks on faith, finding us in this disorder, greatly strike us as having no support, and often plunge us into hesitation, bewilderment and doubt. - Blasphemous speeches here hit us right in the face, and when, leaving our heads, we descend into the heart and take refuge in it, then these attacks will strike in a completely different area, as if not touching us. They will be like the crackling of a weather vane over a house, the sounds of which do not reach the owner sitting calmly inside. Do not be embarrassed and do not grieve that the path of the wicked will be sung. The world lies in evil, lies - and will remain. But the light of truth and goodness shines undiminished in this darkness of lies and evil, and enlightens every person who comes to it. Since the fall, two spirits have been active in the world... the Divine spirit of truth, and the underworld spirit of lies, and people, judging by the spirit they follow, are either children of God or sons of disobedience. The whole world is divided into two halves, not separated by space, but mixed with each other... so that only the all-seeing eye of God sees His beings. When we are born, we enter this environment - this struggle of light and darkness - and, coming to consciousness, we find ourselves surrounded by faces of the opposite spirit... The Merciful Lord has deigned to call us out of darkness into His wonderful light. But the prince of darkness has not laid down his weapons and is chasing after each of us, looking for someone to devour... Is it surprising that the attack has come to us too? - But from what has struck, does it follow that there is already trouble for us, for our salvation and for faith itself? - No. There is more in us than in the world. If God is for us, who is for us? The Lord - the Lord of truth - did not abandon her to her own devices. He is everywhere, sees everything and is always ready with His victorious power to defend it. He will not let her be completely defeated. From the fact that one and two spew blasphemies and that one and two cannot stop their mouths, does it follow that she is weak? No, it stands and will stand for centuries, despite these humiliating failures of it in us. The Lord is pleased to keep her in the world in such a humble and humiliated form, as He Himself humbly and humiliatedly lived on earth. There will be a time when the Lord will be justified in His words and will be victorious... This is for Him to never judge (Ps. 50:6). Until that time, it seems as if on our side there is only the weak, the bad, the unwise (1 Cor. 1:27-28). The truth itself is covered as if by a cloud. - This is the secret of God! “But I cannot,” you say, “listen indifferently to these blasphemous speeches.” I'm annoyed why this is so. Why does the truth suffer and why are there people rebelling against it? – Commendable jealousy; You can’t be indifferent. - This would expose our coldness; but you can maintain more peace of mind and show yourself as a timid confessor of the truth. – The crucified Lord deigned that His truth should be crucified in the world. And so she crucifies herself within us. Remember Lot. Day and night his soul was tormented by the lawless deeds of the Sodomites. Likewise, confessors of the truth of Christ - now, as always - suffer considerable torment in their hearts, living among the detractors of our confession. These spiritual sufferings for the truth will not go in vain. The All-Seeing One sees them and blesses them from above. Take heart... Also St. John the Theologian saw that many false prophets went out into the world. And now what a horde has been released into the world by the father of lies! It is all the more obligatory for us to pay attention to current speeches. - Pay attention! – Believe not every spirit, but tempt the spirits if they are from God (1 John 4:1). Imams are the most famous prophetic word... heeding it, like a light shining in a dark place, do good (2 Pet. 1:19). 481. God arranges the fate of everyone, you just need to do everything according to the commandments God arranges the fate of everyone, you just need to do everything according to the commandments: a poor person comes - help, someone offends you - forgive, someone praises you - don’t be proud, the time has come for prayer - pray... We must throw out of our heads plans for multi-useful human activities, the value of deeds is determined not by the breadth, but by the internal disposition. You ask: should we do something? Of course it is necessary. And do whatever comes to hand in your circle and in your environment - and believe that this is and will be your real business, more than which is not required of you. The big misconception is when they think that in order to make their contribution to the depths of humanity, they need to undertake big and loud things. Not at all. You just need to do everything according to the commandments of the Lord. What exactly? Nothing special, just what everyone imagines according to the circumstances of his life, what is required by the particular cases encountered by each of us. It's like this. God arranges the fate of everyone and the entire course of everyone’s life is also the work of His all-good providence, therefore, every moment and every meeting. Let's take an example: a poor man comes to you - it was God who brought him. What do you need to do? Help. God, who brought the poor man to you, of course, with the desire that you act in relation to this poor man as He pleases, looks at you to see how you actually act. He wants you to help. Can you help? Do what pleases God and take a step towards the final goal - the inheritance of heaven. Generalize this case - it will come out: in any case and at every meeting, we must do what God wants us to do. And what He wants, we know correctly from the commandments prescribed to us. Who is looking for help? - Help! Did you offend anyone? – Hurry to ask for forgiveness and reconcile! Who praised? - Don't be proud! Scolded? - Don't be angry! Is it time to pray? - Pray! Work? - Work! And so on, and so on, and so on. If, having discussed all this, you decide in all cases to act in such a way that your deeds are pleasing to God, being carried out steadily according to the commandments, then all the problems regarding your life will be solved completely and satisfactorily. The goal is a blessed life beyond the grave, the means are deeds according to the commandments, the fulfillment of which is required in all cases of life. It seems to me that everything is clear and simple here; and there is no need for you to torment yourself with complicated tasks. You need to throw out of your head all plans about multi-useful, multi-embracing universal human activity, and your life will be contemplated as enclosed within a calm framework and quietly leading to the main goal. Remember that the Lord does not forget even a glass of cold water given to someone who is thirsty. Thanks be to the Lord that He was pleased to determine the value of our deeds not by their breadth and greatness, but by our inner disposition when doing them, while surrounding us with a multitude of opportunities to do deeds according to His will, so that if we pay attention to ourselves, we can do deeds pleasing to God every minute. In V.S. Petersburg I was told such a case. One gentleman, in some meeting of young fans about the common good, made a strong speech about love for humanity and the people. Everyone admired it. But he turns back home: the man who served him somehow did not open the door soon - it was no longer his imagination; Then he didn’t bring the candle soon, then something happened to the pipe, but it was a little cold in the room. Finally, our philanthropist could not stand it and scolded the servant. This one makes some kind of objection, and this one hits him in the chest. And here is our guy - there he was steamed with love for humanity, but here he couldn’t do the right thing with one person. This letter was written in 1863.