Of course, in our world it is impossible to do without satisfying earthly needs. The Lord knows this, and in the Gospel He promises to give us everything we need on earth, if we take care of spiritual and heavenly things. Seek, He says, first of all the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the rest, that which is necessary for the body, will be added to you. Therefore, if we decide to live according to the commandments of the Lord, then the Lord will certainly give us everything that we need for earthly life. After all, if He is our heavenly Father, and we, although sinners, are His children, then, of course, the Lord will give us everything we need, if only we strive for Him, love and obey Him. For even in an ordinary family, children are not required to provide for themselves, but are required to love and obey their father, and the father will take care of the rest.

Thus, the Gospel teaches us to gather wealth not on earth, but in heaven. What is this heavenly wealth? This is the Grace of the Holy Spirit, which, when it comes into a person, sanctifies him, transforms him and makes him completely different – holy and heavenly. Grace fills him with light and joy and makes him a partaker of eternal life while still here on earth. The grace of God is the only true good, it gives the soul true wealth. St. Macarius of Egypt says that the saints took into themselves what is not found anywhere else on earth – neither in the treasuries of kings, nor in earthly glory, nor in earthly wisdom. And therefore those who receive Grace become richer than all the rich people of the world, even though they are poor wanderers who have absolutely nothing. "We have nothing, but we possess everything," says the Apostle Paul about this state. Only the one who has become the chosen vessel of Divine Grace, in comparison with which all earthly riches are dust and ashes, can say this about himself. In the words of St. Silouan the Athonite, many kings and rulers, having tasted the Grace of God, have forever forsaken their thrones and kingdoms, for Grace is higher than all this to the extent that heaven is higher than earth.

Thus, from what has been said, it is evident that we, Christians, are called to acquire riches not earthly, but heavenly, and therefore the mirror of our soul must always be turned to heaven. However, before the soul turns to heaven, it must renounce the earth, from earthly vanity and care. For if it does not do this, it will not be able to see the sky, for it is impossible for the soul to be occupied with heaven and earth at the same time, just as it is impossible to point the mirror in two directions at the same time. And therefore we must certainly cleanse ourselves of vain earthly addictions, for only then will we be able to turn our soul to heaven, only then will the radiant face of our Creator be reflected in it, as in a pure mirror. And so, brothers and sisters, let us consider only heaven to be our true wealth and treasure, for, according to the words of the Gospel, where our treasure is, there will be our heart, and there our soul will come in due time. Amen.

On the Christian Attitude to Death

We live in a world in which death reigns. No one has escaped it and no one will avoid it, our body must surely die – this is as true as two times two. Every day we listen to the news that talks about many deaths - about those who died in disasters, in wars, from diseases or simply from old age. However, we know this without news, because death also visits the circle of those people whom we know personally: neighbors, relatives, friends, acquaintances.

So, death is inevitable, that's indisputable. But do we think about it, do we remember it? As a rule, very rarely, and if we do, we treat it in a completely unchristian way. What should be the Christian attitude to death?

First of all, you need to treat it without fear. After all, death for a Christian, if he lives in a Christian way, is not death, but eternal life. Therefore, the death of the body is not terrible for him. Only the death of the soul is terrible for him. What is the death of the soul? A person consists of a body and a soul. And therefore for him there are two lives and two deaths: the life and death of the body and the life and death of the soul. The life and death of the body are obvious to everyone: the human body lives for some time on earth, after which it dies. As for the soul, it also has its own life and death. There is only one source of life for the soul – union with God, the restoration of that communion with God which Adam broke. If the soul unites with God through His Grace, then it is alive and will live forever. But if the soul, leading a godless and sinful life, moves away from God, then it dies, and its fate is eternal death, which, however, is not complete destruction, but hell and hell.