Увещание, или огласительное наставление, монахам

Come, my beloved, come, my fathers and brethren, the chosen flock of the Savior, let us make purchases while the market continues. Fill your eyes with tears, and soon the eyes of your heart will be opened. Speak words of life, and immediately your heart will be touched. Form for yourself a wonderful concept of the Kingdom and of paradise, and you will soon begin to neglect earthly things. Let no one become timid through laziness, let no one be faint-hearted, be afraid, or slumber, but let us continually call upon God and begin to serve our Savior. Let us carefully cleanse our hearts with the Holy Spirit. Let us encourage, implore, and strengthen each other. Let us begin to forgive each other with all our hearts, because we are servants of a truthful God, who said: Amen, amen, I say to you, if you do not forgive each other’s sins with all your heart, then your Heavenly Father will not forgive you your sins (Matthew 18:35). And through His most holy apostles He showed us how many times we need to forgive a brother. For when Peter asked: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, will I forgive him sevenfold?” The Lord answered him: “I will not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22). And sometimes we don’t forgive each other even three times a day. Therefore, I beg you, my beloved, and, falling down, I ask, my friends, sober up in this short time and endure the feat in this eleventh hour. The evening is near; The Rewarder comes with glory to reward everyone according to his deeds. Be attentive to yourself so that, having succeeded, you do not fall into arrogance and, being careless, do not lose immeasurable reward. A monk is like a sown field, which after rain and dew grows and bears the fruit of joy. When it reaches the time of fruiting, it brings the farmer into great concern, for he carefully watches and is afraid that suddenly hail or a wild animal will damage the fruit. So let a monk, while in this body, take care and care for immortal life from day to day, so that through negligence he does not end up flowing in vain. Joy and gladness to the farmer when he reaps his harvest and receives his reward. Thus the Angels of God rejoice and rejoice in heaven when he who fears God has completed his course. The farmer, having filled his granaries, no longer has worries, enjoys and is merry. And when a monk is placed in his granary, that is, in a tomb, then his wealth immediately ascends to heaven. Therefore, let us be sober, beloved, let us be sober in our battle with our adversary, for his battle is desperate. He himself is weak, but our Lord the hero of heroism zealously gives both strength and an unfading crown to those who fight. Just as a strong wind drives away dust, so our rival the devil is driven away by the voice of praise to God, prayers and tears. Therefore, no one should be lazy or afraid. On the contrary, let the strong help the weak, the diligent comfort the faint-hearted, the sober one excite the sleepy, the constant give advice to the fickle, the temperate reprimand the disorderly. Thus, by encouraging one another and unanimously defeating our enemy, we will put him to shame, and glorify our God. The Holy Angels will rejoice over us, and whoever sees us and hears about our life will all be edified. Like a garden full of fruits and various flowers pleasing to the eye, so are many monks, together adorned with the love of God. As a beautiful spring, abundant with water and irrigating many plants, so are many monks, watering their psalmody with tears. Like a city surrounded by walls and strongholds, there are many monks, together encouraging each other to the love of Christ. Like a valuable diadem, studded with expensive stones and beautiful pearls, there are many monks for every good and beautiful deed. Like a ship filled with royal wealth, so are many monks, together filled with the love of Christ. Like a beautiful and fruitful olive tree, so are the multitude of monks, together adorned with the love of Christ and established in it. Just like the royal image, which brings astonishment with its combination of all sorts of excellent and colorful colors, so are the many monks, adorned with various virtues. Like a regiment of holy Angels, so are many monks, equally adorned and always with their thoughts directed towards God. Like honey and honeycomb in the mouth, then is the monk’s answer to his neighbor, given with love and humility. Like water to a thirsty person, so is a word of comfort to a brother in his sorrow. Just as someone gives a hand to someone who has fallen and lifts him up, so the Word of life and consolation raises up a lazy and careless soul. Like a good and excellent seed in a good and sound land, so are good thoughts in the soul of a monk. Like a clearly burning lamp shining in a dark place, so is a monk who is sober in mind and heart during his psalmody. What is a good and strong bond in a building, so is long-suffering in a monk. As a heavy burden for a weak person, so is sleep for a monk during his psalmody. What bonds and a chain are to an eagle, so are worldly cares to a monk. Like thorns and thistles in a good sowing, so are the evil and evil thoughts in the soul of a monk. Just as the death of members can be cured and alleviated, but does not receive complete healing, so is memory malice in the soul of a monk. Just as a worm wears away wood, so enmity damages the soul of a monk. Just as moth spoils clothes, so does slander spoil the soul of a monk. Like a tall and beautiful but barren tree, a monk is proud and arrogant. Like a fruit that is pleasant and beautiful to look at but rotten inside, the monk is envious and unkind. Just as someone who throws a stone into a clear spring disturbs it, so the answer of a monk, pronounced with anger, disturbs the soul of his neighbor. Imagine that someone, standing before the king and talking with him, at the call of a slave similar to him, leaves the king and begins to talk with the slave; such is one who talks and indulges in distraction during psalmody. Therefore, beloved, let us understand whom we stand before. Just as the Angels of God, singing songs, stand with fear and trembling, so we, with a pure heart and with fear, must stand before God in order to receive mercy on the day of judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ. Glory to him forever! Amen. You might be interested in: