Слово 15. Откровение Пресвятой Богородицы к лихоимцам, развратникам и делателям всякого зла, которые всякими канонами и различными пениями надеются благоугодить Ей

O creation of the all-wise God! “Rejoice”, which you often sing to Me, then it will be favorable to Me when I see that you are fulfilling the commandments of Him who was born of Me in deed - that you have abandoned all, in general, evil, from fornication and lies, pride and flattery, and from the unrighteous theft of other people’s property. And while you remain in these affairs and enjoy them, while you joyfully drink the blood of those living in poverty with double interest and suck out their brains with countless forced labors, - until then for Me you are no different from the Scythian foreigner and the Christ-killers, although you boast of baptism. I will not listen to you at all, even if you sing countless canons and stichera to Me in a pleasant voice. “I want mercy,” says the Lord, “and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings (Hos. 6:6). You, however, are like a pig, insatiably indulging in every kind of activity, and like a predatory wolf, stealing other people’s property and offending poor widows, abounding in everything and being filled with lawless deeds, like a Christ-hating Tatar, playing games and getting drunk, always playing the harp and delighting yourself in singing bad and prodigal songs, having finally driven you out of your soul. your fear of God, do you think to please Me with a multitude of canons and stichera, singing them with a high cry? Do you not hear the preacher who clearly says that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God, but rather those bitter eternal torments that are under the earth? Don't deceive yourself! But if you want to get rid of torment and inherit the kingdom of God along with all the righteous, then resolutely leave behind all your lawless evil deeds and with all your soul love the virtues opposite to them, instill in your thoughts the fear of God, love and desire for heavenly blessings. For otherwise there is no possibility of either getting rid of torment or pleasing the terrible Judge. If you do not listen to these advices of Mine, O fool, but continue to adhere to your lawless disposition, then you will recognize your madness when you are bound hand and foot with shackles, as one who does not have clothing suitable for a spiritual marriage, and you will be cast into the underworld with endless fiery torment; when you will be thrown out along with the worthless fish, as having been brought up not in the pure streams of good faith, but in the muddy swamps of sin and fattened by fornication, considering life to be the pleasure of lust; when you hear this saying: Amen I say to you, I know you not, disappear from Me, workers of iniquity; when the mental palace is closed to you because you did not accept oil into your vessel, but, being overcome by the love of money, you never ceased to unnecessarily offend everyone and began to hate the poor. Then, O foolish one, then you will know for sure, and you will cry in vain and uselessly, when you fully understand that those promises of Him who was born of Me are not false, with which He foretold about torment and eternal blessings, and that those who always obey His word are destined for joy, and for those who disobey, fire that never goes out. So, if you sincerely desire to receive help from Me and please God, the King of all, then with chastity and with generosity towards the poor, try to always sing to Me: “Rejoice.” You might be interested in: