ТРУД

The short duration of labors, and the eternity of crowns, and the fact that labors precede crowns, and crowns will follow them - all this constitutes the greatest consolation in labors (6). How much labor and sweat is required in the affairs of this world? Is one virtue acquired with difficulty, and vice acquired without difficulty? If there is work here and there, then why don’t you choose virtue, which brings with it great benefit? Moreover, there are also virtues that do not require any work. Indeed, what kind of work is it - not to slander, not to lie, not to swear, to forgive your neighbor who has given rise to anger? This is work and great concern - to act contrary to this. So, what kind of justification can we expect, what kind of forgiveness can we expect when we don’t even observe these easy virtues? From this it is clearly seen that other - the most difficult - virtues are inaccessible to us due to our carelessness and laziness (6). The present time is short, and the work is not great, but even if it were great, then even in this case there is no need to renounce it. Even if you do not work in this better field, the field of repentance and virtue, you still must work and suffer in the world in a different way. If you need to work both here and there, then why not choose for yourself that work that brings both abundant fruits and a great reward? However, one cannot compare work for virtue and work for peace. In the labors of everyday life there are continuous dangers, incessant losses, deceptive hope, great servility, exhaustion of soul and body, waste of money, and yet the fruits of our labors, even if they actually happen, are far from meeting our expectations. Our labors in everyday affairs do not always bear fruit. But let us assume that our labors will not remain without success, but will bear great fruit; yet these fruits will be for a short time. Your labors will be rewarded in your old age, when you are completely unable to enjoy their fruits. You work in your blossoming years, and you collect the fruits and enjoy them in old age, when you become decrepit, when time dulls your feelings, and if it doesn’t dull, then the thought of death will prevent pleasure. On the contrary, the works of virtue are not like that. Here labors are accomplished in a weak and mortal body, and the reward is rewarded in an incorruptible, immortal, infinitely abiding body. The work comes first and is short-lived, but the reward follows and is unlimited, so that you can calmly enjoy the fruits of your labors without fear of anything unpleasant (7). Even if you were a craftsman, do not consider such an activity alien to yourself. After all, Paul was also a tentmaker, but he was filled with great grace and through it he proclaimed all things. But before grace, he was at the feet of Gamaliel and received grace itself because he showed a soul worthy of grace, and after that he again went about his craft. So, let no one who engages in a craft be ashamed, but let those who eat bread in vain and live in idleness, who have many servants and demand incessant services, be ashamed. Always eating after work is a kind of wisdom: the souls of such people are purer, their thoughts more thorough. An idle person says a lot of empty things, and does a lot of empty things, and does nothing all day long, indulging in bliss; and the one who is busy with work will not soon allow anything unnecessary, either in deeds, or in words, or in thoughts; his soul is completely devoted to a hardworking life. Let us not despise those who feed from the labors of their hands, but let us please them even more for this. How, tell me, are you worthy of grace if, having received an inheritance from your father, you live doing nothing and waste it in vain? Don’t you know that we will not all give the same account, but those who have received the most benefits here will give the most difficult account, and those depressed by labor, poverty or something else like that will give the easiest account? This can be seen from the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. You, who did not use your free time for anything useful, will be justly condemned, and the poor man, who, with his labors, used the remaining time for worthwhile things, will receive great crowns (12). You might be interested in: