О Втором Господнем Пришествии и о покаянии

Let us repent, brothers, so that God may be merciful to our sins. Let us call upon Him because we have offended Him. Let us humble ourselves so that He may exalt us. We will cry so that he will console us. Let us throw away the evil habit and put on virtues as if they were clothes, especially we who have been worthy of the angelic life. As a measure, beloved, let us take for ourselves the wonderful and perfect feat of the fathers who came before us. Not just abstain today, but prepare dinners in the morning; Don’t just drink water today, but drink wine the next morning; not just walk barefoot today, but in smooth shoes the next morning; not today - only in rags, but in the morning - in clothes made of patterned fabric; not today - only in a wretched robe, but in the morning - smartly dressed; not just today be meek and humble, but in the morning be arrogant and proud; not only obedient today, but the next morning disorderly and disobedient; not only today may you have weeping and lamentation, but in the morning - laughter and cold indifference; not just sleep on the bare ground today, but in the morning - on a soft bed; Don’t just repent today, but forget it the next morning, but stick to one rule, just as the holy fathers did not change their rule for fifty years or more. Why have you, beloved, renounced the world if you are looking for worldly peace? Are you called to sorrow, but are you looking for peace? Called for nudity, but do you like elegant clothes? Called to thirst - and drink wine? Called to battle - and want to enter the Kingdom without weapons? Called to vigil - and indulge in sleep? Called to weep and lament, but you laugh? Called to love - and you hate your brother? Called to obedience - and you contradict? Called to meekness and lowliness of mind, but are you arrogant? Called to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but are you philosophizing about earthly things? Look, brothers! Having renounced the world, let us not philosophize in the worldly way. Do not go back again and do not think in worldly terms when you do what or what you talk about, for “evil conversations corrupt good customs” (1 Cor. 15:33). But, as the prophet David says, “learn in the law of the Lord day and night,” so that you can boldly say with him: “I have learned your law” (Ps. 119:70). And again: “I will try Your law and keep it with all my heart” (Ps. 119:34). And again: “I will learn from Your justifications” (Ps. 119:117). “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver” (Ps. 119:72). “I will rejoice in Your words” (Ps. 119:162). And you, brother, talk not about worldly things, but about spiritual things; not about earthly things, but about heavenly things. Lift up your heart to the Savior Christ, and say to David: “Lord, my heart is not lifted up” (Ps. 130:1). Always turn your gaze to Him, saying: “My eyes have lifted up to You, who dwells in Heaven” (Ps. 122:1). Shed tears, because “he who sows with tears will reap with joy” (Ps. 125:5), day and night have the last hour before your eyes. Let there be a psalm in your mouth continually, for the invoked name of God puts demons to flight. Talk a lot with God, talk little with people. Always remember God, and your mind will become heaven. Do not love luxury, but run after pleasures; have hatred for all the joys of this world; Do not be afraid of reclining on the bare ground, for this gives eternal pleasure. Do not consider fasting burdensome for yourself, because it leads you to eternal joy. Have you become a soldier of Christ? Do not oblige yourself with “purchases of life, so that you may be acceptable to the governor” (2 Tim. 2:4). Have you renounced the world? “Do not love the world, neither those who are in the world” (1 John 2:15). Have you laid your hand on the roof? Do not turn back (Luke 9:62). Are you engaged to Christ? Wait for His coming, every day, and hour, and every minute, remember Him, like a bride about her groom, and always direct your thoughts to Him, like a wife who loves her husband, whose husband is away, and who, being in great care and sorrow, does not cease to look at the roads and ask those passing by where he could now be. She only talks about her husband, and waits for him in her sleep, and listens, and does not know peace for herself, does not laugh with anyone, does not indulge in fun, does not stop shedding tears until the one she desires returns to her. Do the same, Christian, especially if you have renounced the vain life. What do I say “renounced”? After all, we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, “that everyone may receive what he has done with his body, either good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10). Finally, brother, do not be greedy for temporary food, do not seek bodily rest, do not give sleep to your eyes, do not live carefree, but always have God before your eyes, so that you can say with Saint David: “I have seen the Lord before me” (Ps. 15:8). Do not stop testing (studying) the Divine Scriptures, do not stop asking your mother - the Church, when the desired Bridegroom comes; inquire and inquire about the sign of His coming, because the Judge “will not budge.” Don’t stop asking questions until you know for sure; don’t stop seeking help from those who know this for sure. Do you want to know who knows this great and terrible secret exactly? - Prophets, apostles, evangelists - they know for sure about the terrible coming of Christ and the Bridegroom. Ask them, brother, and you will hear that he will come and will not delay. Ask the great prophet Isaiah, and he will answer you like this: “Behold the Lord... cometh...behold His reward is with Him” (Is. 40:10). And again: “The Lord God of hosts will come out and destroy the army” (Is. 42:13). Another prophet says: “He who comes will come and will not tarry” (Hab. 2:3). The prophet Malachi will also answer you, saying: “Behold, this is coming... And whoever endures the day of His coming, and whoever stands in the vision of Him” (Mal.3:1-2). Yes, and the prophet David will teach you, saying: “God will come” (Ps.49:3), “and all the kings of the earth will worship Him” (Ps.71:11). And again: “for the judge of the earth is coming” (Ps. 95:13). If you ask the chief Peter, and he will answer you, saying: “The Lord does not hold back the promises, as some men think that they are slack: but he is patient with us, not that any should perish, but that all may come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). And again: “The day of the Lord, like a thief in the night, so it will come” (1 Thess. 5:2). But Jacob also answers, saying: “Behold, the Judge stands before the door” (James 5:9). And John the Theologian tells you this: “We have confidence, and we will not be put to shame by Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). Ask, beloved, the holy evangelist Matthew, and he will tell you more clearly about the coming of the Bridegroom, what he heard from Himself. He says this: “Watch, for you do not know the hour or day, when Christ will come” (Matthew 25:13). And again: “Be prepared, for at this hour, do not forget”, the Lord will “come” (Luke 12:30). “Blessed is that servant whose master, when he comes, will find him vigilant” (Matthew 24:46). “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory. ...Then He will sit on the Throne of His glory, and all the nations will be gathered before Him: and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 24:30. 25:31–32). If you ask the other evangelists and all the saints, you will hear from them something similar about the coming of the Lord - that “it is near, at the door.” Finally, you no longer have an excuse (to doubt). Behold, you have heard the whole truth from the blessed prophets and apostles; now prepare what you need for salvation. “What must I do to be saved and to find mercy and boldness on the day of justification?” – I’ll tell you this, just follow it! If you listen to the Lord, He will hear you, for He Himself said: “If you forgive men their sins, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you your sins” (Matthew 6:14). Behold, you have so far heard one great and easy commandment, for God, the Lover of mankind, said: “My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). How hard is it to forgive your brother’s sins and to receive forgiveness from God for your own sins, so that you can boldly say: “Forgive me my debts, Master, because I forgave my debts to my brother”? Keep this commandment: do not have enmity against anyone, do not ever harbor hatred for anyone, do not spend time in ridicule, do not slander, do not slander, do not talk idlely, do not get too close to worldly people, do not indulge in fables - do not let earthly affairs occupy you, having renounced the whole world. May you have no other concern, no other feat than about that terrible day, and let your heart and your tongue always learn about the Judgment. Whether you are doing work, or praying, or walking, or sitting, or eating, or fasting, or lying awake on your bed, or whatever else you are doing, let your mind never cease to meditate and your mouth to speak about Judgment. Reason in your heart like this: “How will I justify myself before the Judge? Is there any other sinner like me? How can I atone for my sins? I'll tell you how. Do what David did and taught, saying: “I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears” (Ps. 6:7). So cry and think, too, saying: “How terrible is the torment that the Divine Scripture teaches about - this river of fire, this unquenchable fire, this pitch darkness, this gnashing of teeth, this fiery hell, this undying worm, this fiery furnace! And which of these torments must I, a sinner, go into?” Think about this, child, every day, every night, every hour, and try to remain in fasting, in vigil, in prayer, in tears, always retire to your cell and be silent, and do not indulge in inaction. Don’t relax, brother, although others entertain you, or ridicule you, or humiliate you, or degrade you; do not pay attention to them, but keep in mind the desired Bridegroom and say: “I am worthy of ridicule. And my Lord was mocked, mocked, spat upon and crucified, and hated by the disciples of the devil. And the Lord teaches us that we, those who are offended, should be patient, those who are reproached should bless, those who are persecuted should endure” (1 Cor. 4:12-13). Remember also, brother, what the Lord says to the disciples: “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before you... But I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). And again: “Blessed are you when you are reviled and destroyed” (Matthew 5:11), and “men will hate you” (Luke 6:22). All the saints walked such a close path, as the apostle says: “with insults and wounds the temptation was received... By the stoning of Bysh, by the taunting of Bysh, by the temptation of Bysh, by the murder of the sword, by the death of the sword; the ruins of the earth" (Heb. 11:36–38). And you, brother, if you are patient and diligent in fulfilling your small rule, you will find yourself with them. Therefore, do not indulge in laziness because the world hates you: those who hate are very unhappy, but those who are hated for Christ’s sake are blessed. For He will come and reward everyone according to his deeds. The Prophet says: “He is coming... And who can endure the day of His coming” (Mal.3:1-2)? Truly, truly, the day of His coming is terrible. Listen to other similar things, for the prophet Daniel says: “Thrones have been set up, and the Old One is gray, and His clothing is as white as snow, and the hair of His head is as pure wool, His throne is a flame of fire... thousands of thousands served Him, and those who stand before Him are: the judgment seat is gray, and the books are opened” (Dan. 7:9-10). Whoever does not fear the day! Who does not tremble at that hour! Here, often, if the thunder roars louder, we cannot stand it, but we all bow to the ground. Who will then endure seeing those extraordinary miracles? Will he see that the Heavenly Powers have wavered? Will he see that the elements are being ruined, the sky is curled up like a scroll, the sun is darkened, the moon is turned into blood, the stars are falling from the sky like leaves from a fig tree, the earth and “the works on it” are burning? Then you will see that a terrible trumpet thunders from the sky and awakens those who have died from time immemorial; then you will see that the heavens open up and God appears, filled with great wrath towards sinners. Then you will see that Angels have been sent, flowing everywhere and gathering “the elect from the four winds, from the end of the heavens to the end of them” (Matthew 24:31). Then you will see that the terrible Throne has been prepared, and the Righteous Judge has sat down. Then you will see that the entire human race is gathered before Them in great fear and trembling. Believe me, my beloved brothers, that the day is worthy of many tears and many sighs when we see that calamitous and painful hour, in which the Judgment will separate us from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Then parents will be separated from their children and children from their parents; Then brothers will be separated from brothers, friends from friends, relatives from acquaintances. Then the ministers of the Church will be separated from their co-servants, bishops from bishops, deacons from deacons, subdeacons and singers and readers from each other. Then the spouses will be separated in tears. Then the kings and princes who lived in untruth, who oppressed their own and fellow believers, will weep. Then the blood of the bishops and presbyters who perished through negligence will be exacted from their hands. Then everyone will be required to have a talent - everything that he received and that he added. Then every Christian will be required to account for everything he has heard and received. This will mainly be required from the bishops, priests and Levites (assistants of the clergy), because the strong will be severely tortured. Then everyone will stand in fear and trembling, with their heads bowed and awaiting the verdict that will come to them. Then he will see what honor is given to those who labored here in fasts, vigils, tears, prayers, and what consolations they receive from the Tsar. Sighing and gnashing his teeth, he will say: “Why, poor me, did I not strive during this short time of my life, but spent my days in negligence! Now I don't know what I should do. Are you really going to hell? When he reflects in this way, a sentence comes out from the King, which reads: everyone will reap what he sows. Then those who sow in tears will reap with joy. Then everyone will follow his deeds, because everyone’s deeds stand before him and say to him: “You made us, wretched one; you should have made amends for us with your tears. Have you heard the Scripture that says that the hour is coming to render to everyone according to his deeds, and mocked those who spoke about this? Now let’s go enjoy the fruits of your labors.” Then everyone will go to his place, which he has prepared for himself, and the Scripture will be fulfilled, which says: “Then he will speak against them with his anger and will crush me with his wrath” (Ps. 2:5). Those who have prepared themselves are not embarrassed, but cry out with boldness: “We are prepared and not embarrassed” (Ps. 119:60). Those who are not prepared will be dismayed when they hear: “Depart from Me, cursed into everlasting fire” (Matthew 25:41). Then some will go into “utter darkness,” others into “fiery Gehenna,” and others into “gnashing of teeth” and other torments. The angels will persecute them with diligence and say to them: “You have become like sheep in hell; death will preserve you (Ps. 49:15).” And they will go, gnashing their teeth and often looking back, and watching how they are excommunicated, taken away, and no one is able to help. Where is all the wealth in the world? Where is the power of kings? Where is the courage of princes? Why is there nowhere to be seen who could help loved ones? Where is the father who gave birth? Where is the mother with stomach pain? Where are the half brothers? Where are your friends? Where are the relatives? Where is the joy and noise of the feasting? Where are those who boast of wealth? Oh, how many tears and sighs that hour is worthy of! That is why the Lord said: “Blessed are those who weep now” (Luke 6:21). Blessed indeed, brethren, is he who then gains boldness. Then the blessed apostles will be more enlightened than the sun, the prophets will rejoice, the martyrs will be crowned; then those hiding here in the mountains and dens and abysses of the earth will become clear. Hosts of blessed monks who have renounced the world will rejoice with the Angels in joy. Those who exhausted themselves in dens with tears, vigils and prayers, here imputed to nothing, unknown, are famous there and have boldness; here inglorious and neglected, there are glorious and honorable; here the poor and beggars, there the rich and beloved; here those who have left their fatherland, and kinship, and brothers, and luxury, will receive the Kingdom of Heaven there. Oh, truly blessed and blessed are the monks who live here in need and there delight in the Kingdom! For here in dens, and in cells, and on the mountains, you silently praised God and served Him, not only men, but also wives - the weaker sex; and there again you will be worthy to sing songs to Him with the faces of the Angels. You have loved Christ, you have renounced the world, you have been transformed from the world—be with Christ! For “there is no one who will leave home, or parents, or brothers, ... or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, who will not receive in abundance in this time, and in the age to come, eternal life” (Luke 18:29-30), as the Lord said. Glory to him forever! Amen. You might be interested in: