Message to the disciples at the Nekshany farm

Message from our venerable father, Elder Paisius, from the holy monastery of Dragomirna to his disciples who were at the harvest on the farmstead (metokha) of Nekshany 1 My dear ones, all those who are in holy obedience in the harvest, my spiritual children and brothers and fathers in Christ, rejoice in the Lord! The most merciful God knows how glad I would be to send you another priest to help you, for order. But believe me, my children, that then there will be no one to serve in the holy church the Divine service, on which we, according to God, place all our hope, and hope with the good news of mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and forgiveness of our sins, firmly in the Christian faith. Therefore, I decided to send you, my dear children, this edifying teaching to support you in your labors. My dear and dear children, sufferers of Christ, partakers of the crown of martyrdom and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, stand bravely in holy obedience, stand firmly in faith in God and in trust in me; according to the holy Apostle Paul, do not weaken, be unanimous, peaceful, treat one another and everyone with love and reverence (see Phil. 2:2-3; 1 Thess. 3:12; Rom. 12:9-12). Since the enemy is the accursed devil, who always lies in wait for us, he walks around us day and night, searching among those who strive for someone to devour (see 1 Peter 5:8) and to cast down to the bottom of hell with him forever and ever, and especially in these troubled times. But you, children of holy and blessed obedience and my dear children, be wise and skillful, trample with your spiritual reasoning his head, which causes confusion, and all his evil power; For the sake of the Lord, try as much as you can, just as you work physically, work spiritually, especially not to follow your will, opinion and not resist each other - such things are hateful to God, and hostile and alien to me and all my brothers. Beware of grumbling, because the wrath of God descends on those who grumble, and the earth swallows them up alive (see Numbers 16:23–34). And most of all, brothers, humble yourself and love one another with spiritual love, and may the God of peace and love be with you (see Phil. 4:9); and from this everyone will know that you are disciples of Christ if you have true love among yourself (see John 13:35). Since the one who loves a brother remains in the light, and the one who hates is in darkness (see 1 John 2:10-11). Beware, brothers, of envy, the snare of the devil, because where envy and malice reside, there is no visitation of Divine grace, but everything is a reason for blasphemy, the devil's malice and an open pit of destruction. During the holy work, that is, obedience, keep your tongue from evil (see Ps. 33:14) so ​​that it does not speak idle words, since everyone will be fearfully and menacingly interrogated by the Lord about everything, even about idle words, on the day of the terrible trial. Guard your lips (see Ps. 140:3), tongue and thoughts, if you deign to lead this life according to the Christian faith, because the lips of a silent man exude goodness (see Proverbs 10:31). For whoever preserves the tongue preserves his soul from sorrows (see Proverbs 21:23), since “death and life are in the hand of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). James, the brother of God, teaches us this, saying: “Let every man be quick to listen and slow to speak, for whoever does not lose his tongue is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body from evil” (see James 1:19; 3:2). Observe this, do not gather in the kitchen, in the tent, in the bakery and in any place unnecessarily, because with too much talk we cannot avoid idle talk, laughter and slander. Let one not go to one another in the huts without a blessed need and without the blessing of the confessor, especially after Compline, for this is strictly forbidden by the Holy Fathers. And in particular, beware with caution of such a trap of the devil - insolence among yourself, for this network of the devil, brothers, is fierce and terrible, it can throw any monk, both old and young, headfirst into all the abysses. And you, older brothers, more experienced in concepts and reasoning, by your deeds that are approved, set an example for the younger ones, still inexperienced in concepts, and teach instruction. Ибо от вас Господь требует большего. While in huts or at work, do not give up your attention as if you were in a monastery. Learn the Divine commandments, that is, humility, meekness and love, since the Lord Himself in the Gospel says: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). And in order to learn humility, it is useful for everyone to have a hidden lesson in his soul: to reproach himself, to have himself under everyone’s feet, to consider himself dust and ashes. Also, at meals, in the sowings and everywhere in the fear of God, in the memory of death, in the remembrance of eternal torment, let everyone constantly affirm himself and abstain: let him not look here and there with his eyes, but look down, and think about his sins, and cleanse his conscience with daily true confession, and endure the various temptations that come from weak brothers with joy and thanksgiving. One such teaching and attention described above dries up bad thoughts, wounds mental and physical passions, illuminates the mind, enlightens the thoughts and brings joy to the heart. Secret teaching and reading is the home of the soul, which cannot be penetrated and which opposing forces cannot approach; it is an unshakable pillar, a quiet, serene, motionless refuge that saves the soul. Because the demons rebel and make a lot of noise when a monk arms himself with secret teaching and at the same time the incessant repetition: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” - and with special reading. And if you do this, my dear children, then, having heard about this, I will rejoice for you for the sake of your godly work, since you and my sinner’s labors did not despise. For just as in the beginning I fed you with spiritual milk and instructed you, so now I am instructing you not on anything else, but on the path leading to the Kingdom of Heaven. And I expect to have relief for myself, at least in the years of my old age, with the weakness of my health, - your divine and true holy obedience and, like some very expensive and valuable pearl, the salvation of your souls and my soul, a sinner, and I intercede for it. And you, my dear and spiritual sons, open your ears and listen to what follows. Do not repay me with evil for good. Instead of joy, do not cause trouble, instead of pure wheat - tares, thorns and thistles, instead of enjoying the mercy of God in the Kingdom of Heaven and inexpressible joy in the same place with you - eternal torment and unspeakable sorrows because of your disobedience, from which may God deliver us. But, truly, I say, offer to the Lord God a pure sacrifice, without blemish, with a fragrant scent, according to your Christian vow - holy obedience, throwing out the foul and stinking sacrifice - that dead and stinking dog, that is, disobedience. Offer your labors and bloody sweat as a whole burnt offering, your stay under the burning sun and hardships as martyrdom, and yourself and your soul as a living offering, acceptable to God, “for the stench of a sweet aroma” (see Eph. 5:2). And as for your good deeds, I entrust you, my dear children, to the Lord God for protection and protection, so that He will protect you from all evil of soul and body, and cover you from all embarrassment of the enemy, and grant you one such godly deed - holy obedience - with the fear of God, according to my spiritual teaching given above, based on the Holy Gospel and attested by the saints, with perform soul-saving deeds with patience. Know that the Christ-hating Jews heard the preaching of the prophets and holy apostles and saw many miracles of Christ our Savior, but they were not given preference and did not agree to walk on the path of God, but still - alas! - The innocent Christ our God was tortured and put to death by the accursed. And the pagans, even without knowing the truth, believed and were called blessed sons of God (see John 20:29). May God deign you, both in this short life in your souls to receive peace and divine joy from Christ the Savior, and after this life in the Kingdom of Heaven, together with the faces of the angels, enjoy eternally indescribable joy and be called sons of God (see Matt. 5:9). In a fatherly way, your prayer book to God and a zealous well-wisher, your spiritual father. Translation of the message from Church Slavonic. language is based on a book that is being prepared for publication by the Heritage of the Orthodox East Foundation: Paisius (Velichkovsky), St. Polemical works, teachings, letters / comp. P. B. Zhgun, M. A. Zhgun; under general ed. O. A. Rodionova. [M., 2007.]