Spiritual merchants, brethren, we seek the pearl of great price, which is Christ our Saviour, praise and unstolen treasure: therefore with great diligence let us acquire this pearl. Blessed and thrice blessed is he who has tried to acquire it; but very poor is he who has neglected to acquire the Creator common to us, and from Him to be gained.

Do you not know, brethren, that we are the rod of the true vine, which is the Lord? See to it that none of us is barren. For the Father of Truth is the worker; but he cultivates this vineyard, and lovingly cares for those who bear fruit, that they may bring forth more fruit; but whoever does not produce fruit, he cuts them down and throws them out of the vineyard, so that they may be burned with fire. Therefore be attentive to yourselves, lest you be barren, cut down, and given over to the fire.

We are also the good seed sown by the Creator of heaven and earth, the Householder Christ. Now the time of harvest has come, and the sickles are in the hands of the reapers: they await only the wave of the Lord. Take heed, therefore, that no one be found to be tares, and be bound in sheaves, and burn with everlasting fire (Matt. 13:30).

Do you not understand, brethren, that we must cross the terrible sea? That is why perfect and wise merchants, having their goods ready in their hands, wait for the wind to blow in their favor, so that, having crossed the sea, they may reach the harbor of life. And I, who are careless and absent-minded like me, and do not keep in mind how to cross this sea, I am afraid that the wind will suddenly blow, and that we will not be unprepared; and having bound us, they will throw us into the ship, and there we will weep over the days of our slothfulness, seeing that others rejoice and rejoice, and we are in sorrow. for in that harbor everyone boasts of his own wealth and his purchase.

Do you not know, beloved, that the King of kings has called us to be married in His palace? Why then do we give ourselves over to negligence, and do not try to obtain for ourselves bright garments, and brightly burning lamps, and oil in our vessels? How can you not judge that no one enters there naked? And if anyone persists in entering without a wedding garment, you know what he will endure. By order of the King, they will bind his hands and feet and throw him into utter darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13). I am afraid, beloved, that the passions of the flesh will cast us out of the bridal chamber of us, dressed only in our conscience.

Since the mouth is open, and has neither doors nor guards, our word comes out indifferent, and with the word the heart is plundered; the lips that do not observe the secrets of the heart steal its thoughts, and when it thinks that it is enclosed within, considering itself invisible, it is exposed by the lips to all to see. The pleasantness with which we slander others means that we are full of hatred. Therefore, let no one be deceived by outward reverence; thinking to convince with outward reverence, a person deceives both himself and his brother. In his address, the mendacity of his reverence is revealed. If you want to know the thoughts of the heart, pay attention to the mouth; From them you learn what the heart cares for and strives for, whether it is earthly or heavenly, spiritual or carnal, pleasure or abstinence, covetousness or non-acquisitiveness, humility or arrogance, love or hatred. From the treasures of the heart the mouth offers food to those who come, and what the tongue is occupied with shows that the heart loves Christ, or anything from the present age. And the invisible soul is made visible by bodily actions, whether it is good or evil, and although it is good by nature, it is transformed into evil by free will.

But perhaps someone will say that "passions are natural, and those who give themselves over to passions are not subject to blame." - Be attentive to yourself, so as not to accuse you of the beautiful creation of the good God; for He hath created all good things, and adorned nature with all good things. Therefore, if anyone hungers, he is not accused, if he eats in moderation, because he is hungry by nature. In the same way, if anyone thirsts, he is not blamed if he drinks in moderation, because thirst is natural. If anyone sleeps, he is not blamed, if he does not sleep excessively, and does not fall asleep because of effeminacy, so that nature is overcome by the habit of excessive sleep; for nature and habit serve as heralds of both sides: nature shows slavery, habit means volition, and man consists of both. Volition, being free, is like a farmer, instilling in our nature both bad and good habits, as it pleases. Bad habits are instilled in the following way: gluttony by hunger, drunkenness by thirst, effeminacy by sleep, evil thought by view, falsehood by truth. And in like manner he instills the good virtues in the following way: abstinence with food, patience with thirst, vigilance with sleep, truth with falsehood, and chastity with the view. Our will, as has been said, like a farmer, in the twinkling of an eye eradicates bad habits, and instills good, overcoming nature. Nature is the land that we cultivate; volition is the farmer, and the divine Scriptures are counselors and teachers, teaching our farmer what bad habits he should eradicate, and what good virtues he should inculcate.

And if our farmer, in his arrogance, decides to leave his teacher and counselor, i.e. the Divine Scriptures, then he begins to act erroneously, seeks out evil thoughts, brings together senseless habits, and grafts into nature what is not peculiar to it, I mean: unbelief, ignorance, hatred, envy, pride, vanity, love of glory, gluttony, covetousness, reproach, and many other similar things; for, forsaking the lawgiver, he himself is forsaken by him. But if, repenting, he condemns himself, he falls down before the lawgiver and says: "I have sinned, I have forsaken you"; then the legislator, according to his inherent love for mankind, immediately accepts him, gives him understanding and good strength to cultivate the field of his nature again, to eradicate bad habits in it and to implant good virtues in their place. And in addition to this, he gives him crowns, showers him with praise. For example: by nature man hungers, but abstains; thirsts, but also endures; has desires, but preserves chastity; burdened with sleep, or possessed by laziness to praise the Lord, but while awake he compels himself to sing God's hymns, and for this he is crowned as having overcome nature and acquired virtues.

Glory therefore to His love for mankind, to the confession of His goodness, and to the worship of His goodness!

He could heal all our spiritual wounds and change us into goodness by force, but He does not want this, lest our will deprive us of His praise. Shall we, then, fail to call upon Him for help and intercession, when He loves and has mercy on us? He has redeemed us and enlightened the eyes of our minds; He has given us the knowledge of Himself, He has given us to taste His sweetness, so that we may fully seek Him. Blessed is he who has tasted of His love and has prepared himself for its constant satiation; for he who is satiated with such love no longer accepts into himself any other love. Who, beloved, will not love such a Lord? Who will not confess and worship His goodness? What excuse shall we have in the day of judgment, if we despise? Or what shall we say to Him? Is it that they have not heard, or knew, and have not been taught? What should He have done that He has not done for us? Did He not descend for us from an immeasurable height, from the blessed bosom of the Father? Has He not been made visible to us? He is the immortal fire, did He not become incarnate for our sake? And did he not receive a beating in order to free us? What a miracle, full of fear and trembling, the mortal hand, made of earthly dust, gives an ear to the Creator of heaven and earth! And we are miserable and poor, earthly and mortal, we are ashes, we cannot even stand a word from each other. Did He not die for us, that He might give us life? Is He not buried to raise us up with Him? He freed us from the enemy by binding him and giving us the strength to advance on him. When we called upon Him, and He did not hear us? When they knocked on the door, and did not open it to us? And if He ever tarried, it was to increase our reward.

Why then hast thou renounced the world, beloved, if thou seekest still worldly pleasure, seeking clothing instead of nakedness, and drinking wine instead of thirst? You are called to battle, and you want to go out unarmed into battle with the enemy, instead of vigil sinking into sleep, instead of weeping and lamenting, giving yourself over to laughter, instead of loving hating your brother. You are called to submission, but you will rebuke. You are called to the inheritance of the Kingdom of God, but you think about earthly things, instead of humility and meekness, you show arrogance and pride.

So, what will you say to God on that day? Is it that "for Thy sake I humbled myself, became poor, was naked, hungered, thirsted, loving Thee with all my soul and my neighbor as myself"? Do you know that your words and thoughts are not recorded, that your conscience will be your helper, and if you lie, it will not convict you? Or do you not know that all creation will stand before the judgment seat of God with fear and great trembling, that thousands upon thousands and thousands of angels will be around Him? And you think to lie and say: "I have endured all this for Your sake." See that you do not suffer a heavy punishment for your evil deeds and for your lies. Sober up from sleep and come to yourself, shake off your thoughts, and behold, the day has already bowed.

Consider this also, brother; those brethren who yesterday were and conversed with us, are no longer with us today: they are called to their Lord and ours, so that each of them may show his purchase. Behold, see what yesterday is like, and what is today: as yesterday has passed away, like the morning blossom, so today is like the evening shadow. Consider and buy my own, and will it be successful according to God? Our days run like a walker. Blessed is he who from day to day gains great profit from his purchase, and gathers into eternal life. Why are you negligent, beloved? Why are you lazy? Why do you revel in despondency like wine? Why do you grieve in yourself? Do you intend to create a monastery for yourself in this age?

Imagine that two travelers, each of whom is going to his own house, meeting each other on the road, when evening overtook them, both stopped at the monastery to which they had reached, and at the onset of morning they parted from each other; each of them knows what is in his house, riches or poverty, peace or sorrow. The same thing happens to us in this age; for this life is like a monastery, from which, departing to our place, we are separated and know what lies ahead of us. For everyone is not unaware of what he sent to heaven, for example, a prayer of tears, or a pure vigil, or a contrite psalmody, or abstinence with humility, or renunciation of earthly things, or unfeigned love and devotion to Christ. If you have sent this, then be of good cheer; because you go to rest. And if you have not sent anything of the kind, then why do you annoy your neighbor in the monastery? For in the morning you will have to part with him. Why are you proud? Why do you behave arrogantly? What are you sad about? Do you want to carry the monastery itself on yourself? But why do you care about the clothes and outer garments, or about food? Does not he who gives food to the beasts (Psalm 146:9) nourish you, who praise Him? You, who are preparing to become an heir of His kingdom, take care of the clothes and outer garments? Thou who hast mortified thyself to the world, think of earthly things?