ДЕЛА

Look, beloved, are not human affairs like the sea, are not our lives intertwined with its confusion, are we not more overwhelmed on land than on the sea, are we not attacking each other stronger than the winds, are not money pushing us against each other like a storm, are we not rushing hither and thither in the abyss of the sea? One captured the other's field, this one stole the other's servants, one is suing a neighbor over water, another is at enmity with a roommate over air. Some dishonor each other over an inch of land, others oppress each other over a house; this one seeks to take what he did not give, the other one goes to court so as not to give back what he took. One greedily demands extra income, the other tries to take away the capital itself. This one grieves from lack, and that one is oppressed by abundance; whoever does not have suffers humiliation, and whoever has is the object of envy. He who is invested with power arouses anger against himself; whoever rules is hated; whoever belongs to the nobility is armed against him. Wars are constant, envy is continuous, greed tyrannizes, selfishness prevails, lies are exalted, mutual trust is lost, truth has left the earth, friendship is only at meals. All have lost their strength; the earth is finally unable to bear evil; the air is polluted right down to the ether. Because of money, life is not lived; We are ready to sell even free elements for money; outposts are erected on the roads, lands are divided by lot, water is at the disposal of the masters, air is farmed out; tithes, tax collectors and farmers captured the cities; the rich are worn out by worries; moneylenders burn with worry; robbers ruin lives; covetous people corrupt the courts; merchants benefit from disasters; informers sell lies. By deceiving each other, we destroyed the sanctity of the oath; We know God only to swear (3). Everywhere we need actions, and not verbal assurances, because it is easy to talk and promise to anyone, but not so easy to do. Why did I say this? Because now there are many people who say that they fear God and love Him, but by their deeds they show the opposite. But God requires love to be shown in action. That is why he said to his disciples: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15) (9). Just as thorns, no matter from which side you touch them, hurt the one who touches them, so everyday affairs, no matter from which side you approach them, always bring sadness to the one who binds himself to them and cares about them. But spiritual matters are not like that; on the contrary, they are like a precious stone, which, no matter how you turn it, amplifies the sight from everywhere. For example, has anyone done alms? He not only feeds on hope for the future, but also enjoys the blessings here: he fears nothing and does everything with great boldness. Has anyone overcome evil lust? Even before the onset of the Kingdom, he already receives fruit here, hearing praise and approval from everyone, and above all from his own conscience. Yes, such is every good deed, while evil deeds even before Gehenna already torment the conscience. If you sin, then, if you think about the future, you are struck with fear and trembling, although no one punishes you; If you think about the present, you have many enemies and live in suspicion, and you cannot even look directly at those who have offended you, or better yet, at those who have not offended you (9). It is easy to philosophize in words; teach me with your life - this is the best way to teach. You say that you need to be moderate, you make a long speech about it and flaunt, ranting uncontrollably. But he is much better than you, everyone will say, who teaches me this through deeds. Usually, instructions are not so much implanted in the soul by words as by deeds: and if you have no deeds, then by talking, you not only do not bring any benefit, but even more cause harm; It would be better to remain silent. Why? Because you are offering me an impossible task. If you, who talk so much, I reason, do not do this, then all the more worthy of an apology am I, who say nothing. That is why the prophet said: “God said to the sinner: “Why do you preach My statutes” (Ps. 49:16)? Much more harm comes when someone, teaching well in words, refutes his teaching with deeds. This has become the cause of many evils in the churches (10). Just as our life is supported by food, and food creates life, so if we have good deeds, we will also have the Spirit, and if we have the Spirit, we will also have good deeds. Equally and vice versa, if we do not have good deeds, the Spirit flies away from us, and if we lose the Spirit, then we will be lame in good deeds. As soon as the Holy Spirit departs from us, an unclean spirit comes to us, as happened with Saul. So what does it matter if he does not torment us like Saul? He crushes us in a different way - with bad deeds. Therefore, we need David’s harp to sing Divine songs for our souls, that is, both David’s songs and songs of good deeds. And if we do only one of the two and, listening to the hymns, we resist the psalmist with our deeds, as Saul once did, then the very medicine will turn into condemnation for us and madness will become more dangerous. Before we began to listen, the evil demon is afraid that after listening to the chants we will not reform, and when, after listening, we remain the same, this frees him from fear. Therefore, let us sing the song of deeds in order to drive out sin, which is worse than the demon. After all, the demon does not completely deprive us of heaven, but sometimes it even helps a vigilant person, and sin decisively separates us from the Kingdom of Heaven. Sin is a voluntary demon, self-willed madness, and therefore no one regrets it, no one excuses it. So, for the soul lying in sin, let us sing songs, borrowing them both from the rest of Scripture and from blessed David. Let the mouth sing, let the mind learn (11). When you work with jesters and dancers, you spend all your time at shows, you do not refer either to the necessary matters of military service, or to fear of your superiors; and when we invite you to church, then there are countless obstacles. What will you say on the day when you see flames, rivers of fire and insoluble bonds and hear the gnashing of teeth? Who will help you on the day when you see the artisan, who spent his life righteously, enjoying great glory, and yourself, who is now adorned with delicate clothes and breathing incense, suffering unspeakably? What benefit will wealth and abundance bring to you, and what harm will poverty cause to an artisan? Therefore, so that we do not tolerate this, let us be afraid of what has been said and make every effort to accomplish the necessary deeds. Thus, by appeasing God for our past sins and adding good deeds in the future, we can receive the Kingdom of Heaven (12). If you wanted to investigate all the works of God, then in what way would God be greater than man? We don’t even study the affairs of many people. If we act this way towards people and do not examine their deeds, then much less should we examine the wisdom of God and demand an account from it; and, firstly, because the One who proclaimed is worthy of faith; secondly, because His very deeds are inaccessible to the judgments of reason. God is not so weak as to produce only what can be comprehended by your weak mind. If you do not understand the works of an artist, then even less so the highest Artist, God (12). You might be interested in: