It is not true that the period of prohibitions cannot be reduced

(To the parishioners living among the schismatics - priestless)

In order to separate you from the Orthodox Church, the schismatics, as you all know, use all kinds of intrigues. Not to mention the fact that because of the mere rites and letters, as if changed, in their opinion, against the time of the Holy Fathers, they promise you fiery Gehenna, they blaspheme the entire structure of our Church... And of what - of what they do not reproach her! Let us take, for example, her treatment of repentant sinners. "What kind of church have you?" you hear from them: "He gives communion to all! But is it possible to give communion to great sinners? Read the Nomocanon: what does he say? One for six, another for ten, and another for twenty years should be excommunicated from Holy Communion. That's what it says!"

It is written there, brethren, in the following way: but how would you look at such things: St. Basil the Great, who renounced Christ and sold himself to demons, but repented, only after forty days, was brought into church and vouchsafed Holy Communion (Prologue, fol. 505 on obv. and dal. up to fol. 509). How to reconcile this with the Nomocanon? - Or how can we reconcile with the rules of the Nomocanon the circumstance that Mary of Egypt, as soon as she left her sinful life, went to the Jordan and communed of the Most Pure Mysteries in the Church of the Baptist? (Apr. 1, new ed., Prologue, l. 1). But this is not enough: how to understand, finally, those cases when the Holy Fathers did not impose any prohibitions on great sinners? And there were such cases: for example, from the life of St. Serapion: having converted a prostitute to Christ, "he, it is said, went to a convent. And he said to the abbess: Receive this sister, and do not give her penance, but as she wishes, do not act on her?

So, what does it all mean? The rules of the Nomocanon command that great sinners be excommunicated from Communion for a few years, and the Holy Fathers admit them to Holy Communion, after their repentance, after a few days. How to reconcile all this? It will be easy to agree when you take into account that the time of prohibitions is not determined by the Holy Fathers unconditionally, and that the priest, depending on the circumstances, has every right either to shorten or increase the time of penances. Thus, St. Basil the Great in one of his canons, namely 84, says: "Not by the time of prohibition, but by the way." What is the meaning of these words? He, according to the patristic interpretation, that although "prohibitions were commanded as the essence was written, it is not fitting to look at the time of prohibitions, but at the image of repentance" (Rudder, part 1, sheet 247 and ob.). Do you hear? it is not fitting to look at the time of prohibitions, but at the image of repentance!

What shall I say after this, in conclusion, to the uncalled teachers and accusers? It would be better for them to look back at themselves when it comes to confession. It is known that repentance from a Christian is received by a lawfully ordained presbyter. And who do they have? A simpleton imagines to receive forgiveness from a simpleton! "He thinks, but does he get it?" Alas! Such a confession is this. It is performed among them contrary to church rules. That's how it always is: we see knots in people's eyes, but we don't feel the beams in our own. Amen.

Against lies

(Sermon of Evagrius the Monk on the Lying)

In order for you, brethren, to avoid the sin of lying, which is so widespread today, and to tell only the truth, we suggest that today you listen to the following words of the monk Evagrius about the lying.

"Since I see you," he says, "caring little about guarding your mouth, I find it necessary to tell you a few words about how much evil lies bring us. Know that the liar is far from God and displeasing to Him, as the word of God says: "Every lie is of wickedness; and in another place: the devil is a lie, and the father of lies (John 8:44). From this it is clear that God is the truth, and the lie is from the devil. And this can also be proved by the fact that God Himself calls Himself the truth, when He says: "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). When you hear this, think about Him from Whom you are parting, speaking lies, and to Whom you are approaching; and then it will be clear to you that through falsehood you distance yourself from God and draw near to the devil. At the same time, ponder whether you genuinely, sincerely desire to be saved. If it is true, then with all diligence and with all the strength of your soul strive to love the truth and in every way avoid the unrighteousness that manifests itself in people's thoughts, in their words, and in general and in their entire lives. It is this unrighteousness in all its forms that you should avoid; but for the former lie, bring repentance, and in order to avoid it in the future, imagine more often the truth that tells us all that a bad tree will never bear good fruit."

All that Evagrius said to you, brethren, about lying, is all that is true, for the liar truly distances himself from God and truly becomes close to the devil, just as the word of God itself convinces us of this. The Lord will destroy, says it, all that speaketh falsehood; the Lord abhors a man of blood and a flatterer (Psalm 5:7). The abomination of the Lord is a liar (Proverbs 12:22). Let us, brethren, in view of all this, avoid lying as a destructive ulcer; let us fear falsehood, as a sin that darkens the conscience and is contrary to God; let us always respect the truth unfeignedly and hold fast to it as the foundation and principle of salvation; and finally, in order to guard our lips from falsehood, let us constantly think that God has given us a tongue so that we may speak only the truth and glorify the most holy name of God with it. O Lord, put a guard over our lips, and a door of protection over our lips. Amen.

It is necessary to obey pastors and spiritual teachers

(From St. Basil's homily on obedience)

There are people who, considering themselves children of the Orthodox Church, do not, however, pay the slightest attention to the suggestions offered to them by her pastors. "Why," they say, "do we need these suggestions? God gave reason and free will, and be guided by them."