Послание к монаху Иоанну. О терпении, о том, чтобы не обольщаться помыслами под предлогом праведности и не говорить: «Иду на кочевание», и о целомудрии

We advised the most reverent Theodore not to leave his place; and could not convince him. He told us: “if you want to help me and, according to God, save my soul, then send me to your monastery.” I answered him: “Since I left the care of the monastery to Brother John, I cannot allow this to anyone without his advice.” And you have done well now, accepting the aforementioned brother; for soon after his arrival you informed me what compassion you showed him; and we must respect people like him, who love the Lord more than father and mother, brothers and sisters, wife and children, relatives and friends. You also do well that in yourself, especially those who live with you, you present an example of good deeds, according to the word of him who said: See me, and do likewise (Judges 7:17). And blessed Paul advises, saying: Be like me, even as I am Christ (1 Cor. 4:16), so that those whom the word does not certify may be convinced by deed. Do not neglect spiritual service, and under the pretext of bodily needs, do not be negligent in God’s service. For the words of God, when meditated on and sung, nourish and protect the soul, serve as guardians and leaders of the body, drive away demons, and produce great silence in the soul. In the discussion of those who undertake something beyond measure and fall into extreme danger, I intend to remind you not to philosophize more than it is proper to philosophize: but to philosophize in chastity (Rom. 12:3); and as the Scripture says in another place: do not be truthful to the great: neither become too wise, nor become foolish (Eccl. 7:17). These days it happened that some brethren, leaving their cells, settled in a deserted, barren and waterless place. The fathers and brothers admonished them a lot, but they did not listen, saying: “Let’s go nomad.” When they entered the driest desert and saw that they were surrounded by impassable places, they began to fall into extreme impatience; but having begun to look for inhabited places, they could not free themselves from the unbearable desert; because it was not easy for those who entered the desert to do this. Why, exhausted by lack of food, thirst and heat, they lay, exhausted in spirit and despairing of their lives. There was a certain arrangement of God's providence for them, and with their last breath they were found by passers-by, who put them on their cattle and transported them to inhabited places. However, some of them died, and their bodies were eaten by birds and beasts; and those who survived remained sick for quite some time, and finally learned from experience that they should not do anything without advice. For many, carried away by arrogant thoughts, went to barren and waterless places, and there they caused themselves this violent death. Others did not want to obey, did not agree to serve the brethren, and fell into the same disaster; and others, driven by selfish thoughts and puffed up with vanity, so that those who hear about them would glorify them, became, as they say, nomadic; but without realizing the hard work, they subjected themselves to these disasters. So, beloved, we should not be recklessly carried away by our thoughts; on the contrary, everyone needs to know his own measure, and in the love of God to humble himself before his neighbor. If someone thinks of himself that he has succeeded in virtue, controls the passions, and reigns over desires; then let him not rely on himself, lest what is written be said to him: a king of insolence falls into evil; the messenger of light will deliver him (Proverbs 13:18). But perhaps someone else will come and say: “How were there fathers who practiced this virtue?” Therefore, it is necessary to present evidence from the lives of the holy fathers, clearly proving that the holy fathers did nothing in vain, as it happened, and imprudently. About Abba Macarius they say that he said the following: “When I was asceticizing, living in a cell, my thoughts troubled me, telling me this: go inside the desert, and see what you see there. For five years I waged this battle with my thoughts, saying to myself: “Is this not from demons?” Look what prudence the holy man has! Are you carried away? Did you flee into the desert? Have you given yourself over to your thoughts? No, but on the contrary, he reasoned, fasted, watched and prayed, fearing that this was not from demons? But we, as soon as the thought comes, are uncontrollable and fierce, not only do we not reason, praying diligently, but we do not even listen when others admonish us; that’s why it’s easy for the enemy to take us prisoner. Then Macarius says about himself: “As soon as my thoughts convinced me, I went out into the desert and found there a lake of water and an island in the middle of it; the animals that inhabited the desert came to drink from it; in the middle of it I saw two naked people.” When they started talking to each other, Abba Macarius said to them: “How can I become a monk?” They answer him: “If someone does not renounce everything worldly, then he cannot become a monk.” Macarius said to them: “I am weak and cannot do this like you.” They answered: “If you cannot like us, then live in your cell and cry for your sins.” What humility in the Divine man! What prudence in the valiant soul! Decorated with many and great valiant deeds, he did not consider himself worthy of the feat, but said to them: “I am weak and cannot do this like you.” But we, when there is no persecution and no one is persecuting us, are led by our own rashness and self-indulgence, and as if tempting the Lord God (which is scary!), we undertake exorbitant things. Woe to that person who relies on his own strength, or on his feat, or on his natural gifts, and does not place all his hope in God; because from Him alone is strength and strength. Why don’t we look at the life of Abba Anthony? There we will find what he did according to Divine revelation. And also didn’t he live in a monastery? Didn't you work with your own hands? Didn’t he have disciples who, even after his death, hid him and buried him? And not only blessed Anthony himself led such a life, but other fathers lived the same way, laboring in virtue, who became comforters of those who came to them, and through whom God performed miracles and healings; because, like clear lamps, they shone with virtues. We, too, are jealous of this life and these morals, walking the royal path, not deviating either to the right or to the left. Therefore, let us spend time in silence, in fasting, in vigil, in prayer, in tears, in God's services, in handicrafts, in conversation with the holy fathers, in true obedience, in listening to the Divine Scriptures, so that our minds do not become stunned. Let us especially show ourselves worthy of communion of the most pure and holy Mysteries, so that our soul may be cleansed from the impure thoughts and unbelief arising in it, and so that the Lord, having dwelt in us, will deliver us from the evil one. In everything, let us strive for sincere love for each other and for everyone; because through his neighbor a person acquires both evil and good. He is not deceitful when he said: You have made one and the least of these brothers of mine, you have made one for me (Matthew 25:40). And to those who are uncompassionate, He again says: You have not made the least of My brothers alone, nor have you made Me. And these go into everlasting torment, but the righteous into everlasting life (46). The ancients sacrificed to the Lord bulls, rams, and blameless lambs, but we, through the Holy Spirit, will offer our body to the Lord, without corrupting it with anything forbidden, and without desecrating it with any thought, so that our sacrifice does not become objectionable. Regarding how holiness should be achieved, I will say that for those who have a sober mind, it is enough to remember God, whose rays enlighten every heart; and those who are weak to such a rooting in themselves of the thought of God, need some models for competition and success in this virtue. Let the following be a model for us: people who, according to the worldly concept, are valiant in battle, take pictures, depicting on walls and boards the history of military affairs: how some draw bows, others inflict wounds, others flee, others attack, others, using a sword, reap opponents like ears of corn; - and they come up with all this in order to arouse competition in descendants, and to preserve the memory of those who distinguished themselves in military exploits. And many depict the exploits of saints in houses of worship, of course, in order to arouse jealousy in people of simple minds, and to have a pleasant effect on the audience. Therefore, be careful when imagining that our life will be depicted and placed in a high place for everyone to see. Let us especially try to excel in virtue, so that nothing reprehensible or indecent for us is placed in the picture. For indeed, it is most disgusting to see a husband in a picture talking inappropriately to a woman, especially if he is apparently clothed in the image of piety. And if he does not talk decently with a man, according to the word of the one who said: men commit justice against men (Rom. 1:27); who dares to look at such a picture? What a disgusting sight this is! If we imagine something like this, and do not want to be seen in such dishonor, speechless with shame; then, without a doubt, with the assistance of grace, we will avoid vile passion. Therefore, let us sincerely take care of virtue, so that the story about us in its composition and accessories is beautiful, worthy of approval, and with its grace excites to good competition; Let us not depict in it anything disgusting for those who see it, or incompatible with virtue. For the story of the Sodomites remained indelible, telling how the indecent surrounded the house of the righteous until they were struck with blindness, and until, caught in the fiery rain, they themselves and the land on which they committed iniquities were turned to ashes. The story about them, like some terrible picture, was offered to the conscience of each of us by God, who created us, so that, looking at this example, we would shy away from worthless deeds. And whoever closes his gaze, looking at the story offered to us, easily falls into the abyss of voluptuousness. But strain the eye of your mind, peering at such images, so that with fear you can suppress vile passions in yourself, and so that the expectation of anger will cool down the voluptuousness that inflames you. For who, imagining this God's wrath in his mind, will not be horrified and not be confused by the thought, unless he looks at it absent-mindedly? And I, the lazy one, having delved into the details of the story with my mind, groaned and bowed my face to my knees and sobbed. For he who truly looks with a pure soul’s eye is not afraid to see how the earth burns from this strong fiery stream, the inhabitants melt like wax and smoke rises? Can't these examples of those who have suffered punishment soften a petrified soul? Therefore, more often, or better yet, we will constantly pay attention to this story, so that, trying for the best, we do not experience what was said above. Lack of fear increases; the consequence of both is skill; but those who have become accustomed to evil have difficulty leaving it; because damage to the spiritual fruit always follows. Let us, just as in the picture, keep in mind how the Egyptian woman tried to attract Joseph to her; God-loving Joseph left his clothes and fled from the crime. And also, as in the picture, we will consider: how the elders in Babylon forced blessed Susanna to practice the cold; and how she overthrew them by the power of a pious and courageous mind. So we too will strive sincerely, especially being confident that there is nothing hidden that will not appear (Mark 4:22), and whatever virtue and whatever praise (Phil. 4:8) - this will be found in us, and we will be among those who are praised and not blamed. Regarding other questions, how we should treat the brethren and please the living and true God, with your prayers for us, and with grace assisting us, we will later express our thoughts. May the Lord, the source of life, be between us and you, truly waiting for Him to rain down joy and peace, and holiness and good hope. Greet the brothers living with you; the local brethren greet you. You might be interested in: