РЕВНОСТЬ О СПАСЕНИИ – ДУХОВНАЯ

1. Jealousy is enlivened by the consciousness of futility in spiritual life You have painted yourself in such a way that it really turns out that you are a barren fig tree. Well? After all, this kind of consciousness is very useful in zeal for salvation, because it naturally ignites this zeal as soon as it begins to fade or cool down. You have already experienced this, as you write. To this we can add: if jealousy is revived in this way, then work more often to raise yourself to such a consciousness of sterility - and it will not allow you to remain without fruit when it is in your power (1, pp. 119–120). 2. Jealousy is necessary for salvation. Do you want to hear the word about salvation? As if you didn’t hear?! Who does not know the work of salvation?! The point is not this, but the fact that there is no diligence to work on the work of salvation. Wanting to be saved while lying on your side, wanting salvation to come by itself somehow. If you are also sick with such an ailment, then you will be cured of it by adopting a zeal for the work of salvation - living, strong, not sparing yourself... and the work of salvation will go successfully. To irritate jealousy, explain to yourself the extreme situation in which you are. Every second death can seize you, then the Judgment and the decision “come” or “go away”. If this can happen this very second, then there is no point in dozing, you need to get up and get to work... and do this without missing a single third. What exactly should we do? – Keeping faith in the Lord the Savior and His holy Church, avoid evil and do good in word, deed and thought (1, pp. 144–145). 3. Jealousy is strengthened by God-mindedness Hurry to set fire to jealousy - then everything will go well again. How? – How do they revive a numb member of the body? - Friction. Start rubbing your soul. How? – With everything that pious people usually exercise themselves with: contemplation of God, increased self-mortification or severity towards themselves, towards their flesh, and especially through prayer. Please go through the entire series of Divine truths from the pre-eternal existence of God to the end and stop at this last one, namely at your death and the decision subsequent to that, unchanged for all eternity. But stop not with bare thought, but with full feeling and as if all this had actually happened to you (1, p. 209). Here you are on your deathbed - Angels come to take your soul... What will they say? The demons will also approach... and what will they scream? How will their mutual bickering end? The path to the Throne of the Judge - God - will begin. We must go through ordeals (1, p. 209). And then there's the trial. What can we say in justification or at least a slight apology?! What will happen when we hear: guilty... bind... and cast down? If you please, instill this more deeply in your heart and remember it more often... If this happens, if there is a possibility that the verdict “guilty” will be pronounced, then how can we be careless and indulge in indulgences (1, pp. 209–210)? 4. On the relation of zeal to efficacious grace You have described some defects in doing the work of salvation. Take a closer look, you will find even more. If you please, wake up, because this is a matter of life and death (1, pp. 207–208). The main producers of life in Christ Jesus are: zeal, ardent, energetic, merciless towards oneself, furiously angry at one’s bad side in all its manifestations, without any condescension, and Divine grace, attracted and called upon by zeal and always helping when zeal acts as it should (1, p. 208). 5. Jealousy strengthens the memory of God and the memory of death The troubles in thoughts and feelings that you experience will all subside over time, if, despite them, you do not stop being jealous with all your zeal for one thing that pleases God. To this end, there is one sure way - to have the memory of God and the memory of death. They will instill the fear of God, which will be both a motivator for everything pleasing to God, and a turner away from everything that angers God, and a guardian of good things within, and a destroyer of everything bad that lies there (1, p. 237). 6. Zeal for salvation is a sign of spiritual life and the fruit of grace You have zeal for salvation. It is marked by the care you express. This means that spiritual life is glowing within you. You should support it by supporting jealousy and inciting it. When there is jealousy, there will be life, and life never stands on one thing, therefore there will be prosperity. But you cannot notice it, just as you cannot notice the growth of children, who are always in front of your eyes (2, p. 85). 7. Spiritual life requires constant zeal, strengthened by grace. The repentant is given grace, which forms in him the determination to please the Lord without sparing his life (2, p. 227). 8. Origin, fruits and methods of maintaining spiritual zeal Zeal is a work of grace and evidence that this grace is persistently present in you and produces a gracious life... As long as there is zeal, the grace of the Holy Spirit is also present. She is fire. The fire is fueled by wood. Spiritual firewood is prayer... As soon as grace touches the heart, a turning of the mind and heart to God is immediately generated - the seed of prayer. Then comes the thought of God (3, pp. 24–25). 9. Various answers and instructions for maintaining zeal for spiritual life It happens that reading and prayer are not needed either: here handicrafts with a short prayer are a very helpful thing... Make it a rule for yourself to fill all the time intervals between classes with the Jesus Prayer. Schedule stops throughout the day with the Jesus Prayer for two, three, five, three minutes (3, p. 121). The prayer has weakened... This is due to dryness and cooling. Against this are short prayers, especially the Jesus Prayer. Memorize the 24 prayers of Chrysostom, which are included in the series of prayers for sleep... And read when you feel dry. Add thoughts about death, Judgment, paradise, about the properties of God, about the beatitudes of the Gospel... about the events and deeds of the Lord Savior... Maybe you stand inattentively in church, and then... and dryness is the punishment for that (3, p. 121). What happens, as if the service has soon departed or its rule is completely unnoticeable, as if... This is the fruit of attentive standing in church and the home rule of fulfillment - with attention and feeling (3, pp. 121–122). 10. About guarding jealousy. Do not belittle jealousy, for there is life in it It is very comforting that the Lord God has mercy on you and keeps your zeal strong. Stand strong and do not belittle this jealousy, for there is life in it. Do not listen to the fits of laziness that comes from carnal knowledge; counter this with a desire or even a thirst for self-torture. And pray to the Lord and the Mother of God about this, that they may give you inspiration. Jealousy is fire. What can stand against it? She is all-conquering (3, p. 219). 11. The Necessity of Zeal for Spiritual Life This determination must be raised to such a degree that it is unyielding to the point of the stomach. As long as she is not like that, everything will be limping on both sides: doing the easy things and running away from the heavy ones (this is also a trait of sour piety). I guess that’s exactly what you have... and your words “jealousy is alive” do not express your condition. Jealousy is active, but you only have the desire to act. For the Lord's sake... take a good look and get down to business quickly, soberly and effectively. Otherwise, you will inevitably fall into the rank of those who are neither hot nor cold, about whom the Lord spoke something terrible (4, pp. 13–14). 12. Arousing cold jealousy It's good that the fight is going on. There will be grief if it stops. And it seems that this is what is happening, because if jealousy has weakened and nothing is done to maintain it, then it will completely go out, just as a lamp goes out when no oil is added. It’s good that you foresee this yourself and are afraid of it. If you are afraid, you cannot sit with your hands folded. Gather yourself and collect together all the exciting Christian truths known to you, starting with creation and ending with the Last Judgment and how everything will end for eternal immutability - either good or terrible. Together with this, pray to the omnipresent Lord, so that with his beneficial influences he will awaken the soul from dangerous falling asleep and drowsiness (4, p. 137). Thank you! You comforted me a lot, informing me that you awakened my sleeping soul a little. Tease and torment her again and again. Keep the image of the state of the soul, as it appears in Isaiah the hermit, in your thoughts and draw inspiration from it. The enemy takes part in all our bad things, flattering, threatening and deceiving with promises. All this passes through our thoughts... Imagine this: to the right is the Lord with true gifts, to the left is the enemy, flattering with the evil intention of devouring you. Or like this: on the right is a paradise of true sweets, on the left is hell, eternally tormenting... And determine your inclinations of the will (4, p. 138)! 13. Zeal for salvation is the basis of spiritual life May the Lord fan the spark of zeal for the salvation of the soul that is within you. This is something to be treasured like the apple of your eye. For when she is gone, then there is nothing to talk about and nothing for (4, p. 159). 14. Zeal for pleasing God is refreshed by the fear of God Be constantly renewed by zeal for pleasing God, refreshing it every day and hour with the fear of God. Somehow we need to arrange ourselves so that the fear of God does not go away. With its derogation, there is immediately a deviation into crossroads, and when it is present, it impresses on the mind what should be done in what case. The fear has gone away - attention has dissipated. So you are just talking idle talk to the laywomen who were visiting. You have given yourself the right to a benefit in this case. It became that in your heart you considered yourself to be domineering and to behave strictly, and laxly, without any answer. Strict self-control is a merit, and licentiousness is the right to a benefit for which there will be no penalty. In fact, it is not so: strict self-control is a duty of conscious slavery to God, and licentiousness is a bad thing, subject to judgment and punishment. Your concepts are confused, and they are confused because the fear of God has gone away. Where there is fear, there the soul holds itself in line and does not allow itself any freedom (4, p. 191). 15. The meaning of jealousy in spiritual life If you have inconsistency in life, it almost always comes not so much from thinness of mind and thinness of heart, but from a lack of zeal and jealousy for what is rightful (9, p. 4). 16. Zeal for salvation as the first condition for achieving it If our will were not required, God would have made everyone saved in an instant, for He wants everyone to be saved. Yes, then there would be no people dying at all. But our will is not always rational, it persists and does not listen to God Himself. Here we are dying. So please note this moment. It must always be present in every spirit when someone stands on the side of those being saved. It consists of the following actions: after grace arouses the feeling of the extremity of the situation, and the gospel indicates the outcome from it, you must add to the feeling of misfortune the consciousness that you yourself are to blame for everything, and repent of this, believe in the effectiveness of the proposed image of salvation, desire to be saved in this way and have good faith in that, express full readiness to diligently do everything that is indicated as a condition for salvation. When all this happens in our spirit, all that remains is to begin the Sacraments - and Communion with God will be accomplished. Let's summarize: he repented, desired salvation in the Lord and gained trust in that; these actions are actions at rest, occurring within and being content with the manifestation there. And the last action - the willingness to do whatever is required - is a real active force for salvation, since it depends on us, the source of saving activity and saved life. This readiness, while it is expressed by us alone, is weak; and when the grace of God dwells inside, then it becomes omnipotent, knowing no obstacles, overcoming everything. It is an insatiable zeal for pleasing God and diligently fulfilling the will of God, with all faith in the Lord and hope of salvation in Him alone. She fulfills the eternal determination of God - to be holy and blameless before Him in love 184 (Eph. 1:4), for which the Lord makes us zealous for good deeds (9, pp. 84–85). I purposely draw your attention to this jealousy, so that you will become jealous about it. For when it is on our side, then the grace of God on its part will not fail to do everything in abundance, so that when there is this zeal in the area of ​​faith and the search for salvation, then everything is there, and the work of our salvation is undoubtedly in progress and goes to its end; and when it is not there, then there is no longer anything: he who is not zealous for salvation is not involved in salvation (9, p. 85). 17. Signs of true spiritual jealousy as opposed to mental jealousy Active, living, burning, tireless zeal is a sign that our spirit has been restored in its strength and rights through reunification with God by grace and the action of the Holy Spirit. We have our own outbursts of jealousy, but once it flares up, it goes out. Jealousy is always burning, constant and tireless only when our spirit is blessed by the Holy Spirit (9, pp. 85–86). Don't mix jealousy with jealousy. Spiritual zeal is completely exhausted to please God and save the soul; she is filled with the fear of God and constantly maintains attention to God, taking every possible care not to allow anything in thoughts, feelings, words, or deeds that would not be pleasing to God, as her conscience tells her, which she keeps as clear as a mirror; She guards her heart from any attachment to anything other than God and Divine things, and with her hopes she moves to another world, cutting off all earthly hopes. She does not shy away from what is needed for temporary life, but everything related to this is an appendage for her, and there is one thing - pleasing God and salvation (9, p. 86). There is both spiritual jealousy and strong jealousy. But it is all focused on arranging a temporary life. Who is jealous of science without sleeping; who is talking about artistry, running around the whole world; who spare no effort in industry and trade; who is talking about something else, everyday or civil. All this would be nothing, but the trouble is that when any of these jealousies capture the attention and strength of a person, it extinguishes spiritual jealousy. Spiritual jealousy in its best manifestations, which are indicated, is cold towards the spiritual and discourages any desire to do what satisfies spiritual jealousy. And there is nothing to say about other jealousies, how disgusting they are spiritually (9, pp. 86–87). There is also vain jealousy (about clothes and the like) and there is evil jealousy - vicious and sinful, aimed at satisfying passions. These latter do not only cool spiritual jealousy, but are completely hostile to it and, just as they suppress it in themselves, if it somehow stirs in the conscience, so they drive it out and persecute it in others (9, p. 87). Spiritual jealousy does not drive away spiritual jealousy (scientific, artistic, worldly, civic), but only moderates it and streamlines it, directing it to its own types, not allowing it to be jealous about anything that is disgusting to itself. She drives away only the vain and passionate and does not allow them to appear in the circle of life of a person whom she herself has taken possession of. In only one case does she not give way to spiritual jealousy - precisely when she sees that affairs and activities to satisfy this jealousy: science, art, craftsmanship, family life, civil services and positions - do not give space to her, crowd her, cool her and extinguish her. Then she completely snatches the person she has taken possession of from those orders of life that are governed by spiritual jealousy, and takes him to a place where they do nothing but satisfy her - spiritual jealousy. Can you guess what we're talking about here?! I am fencing off real spiritual zeal for you from everything external, so that you definitely see that it exists and become zealous about it. She is that fire that the Lord came to bring forth on earth and which, having fallen on the earth of our nature, eats up everything indecent there, and melts and purifies everything that is needed. The apostle meant it when he wrote to the Thessalonians: Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19) 185. For although this Spirit is a gracious Spirit, His presence in us is evidenced by the burning of spiritual zeal, and He is extinguished when this zeal is extinguished. He understood this when he taught the Romans: (be) diligent, not lazy, fervent in spirit, working for the Lord 186 (Rom. 12:11). Diligence and indolence are jealousy itself; burning in spirit is evidence of its presence and effectiveness: the work of the Lord is the direction and spirit of this zeal. Directing such zeal, the same apostle commands the Philippians: if there is any truth, if there is any honor, if there is any honor, consider this. And the God of peace will be with you 187 (Phil. 4:89). This is what the revived spirit is jealous of, united with God and, as a result of such jealousy, maintaining such a combination. For this reason, the God of peace abides with him - a blessing greater than which there is no other. Also defining the proper direction of zeal, he writes to the Romans: I pray you, brethren, by the mercies of God, present in your body a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, your verbal service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may be tempted, what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God 188 (Rom. 12:1-2). Renewal of the mind is renewal of our spirit by grace. Having come to life, he renounces the affairs of this age and is zealous only for pleasing God, sacrificing himself to God as a living and holy sacrifice, and therefore pleasing to God. So here’s what jealousy is, what its strength is and what its directions are (9, pp. 87–89)! 18. What does spiritual zeal do in us? She is both a cutter and a knife, which works very well when sharpened by grace and guided by her own suggestions. She is merciless when she enters the heart, and she cuts without listening to the cries of the one being cut. But with her, things move quickly and soon come to an end, because not everything is cutting. When everything is cut off, then jealousy is no longer a knife, but a guard, and turns all its ferocity on the enemies of salvation, from whose pestering no one is free and whose shamelessness never leaves anyone dead” (9, p. 91). 19. Fluctuating jealousy teases the enemy That Blueberry became Squirrel means that the previous decision was shallow: it was played out... and did not enter the heart. She only teased the enemy, and for this he will come down harder on her as a traitor. But if there was something of God in the previous decision, then the enemy cannot defeat the Lord. He will still snatch His chosen one from him (8, p. 39). ...that we may be holy and blameless before Him in love. This refers to the Thessalonians and the First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians. – Ed. ...do not slack in your zeal; be on fire in spirit; Serve the Lord. ...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if there is any excellence or if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. And the God of peace will be with you. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, for your reasonable service, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may know what the will of God is, good, acceptable and perfect. You might be interested in: