your imprudence, sigh with contrition to the Lord, and with great fervor deepen your

232 ARCHPRIEST VALENTIN MORDASOV, WHAT DO YOU ADVISE, FATHER? 233

attention to prayer; always do this, and you will feel the benefit. Constancy of mind and vigilance attract special gifts of grace to the soul.

How to get rid of old sinful habits?

Like a snake can't shake off its old skin if it doesn't crawl through a narrow hole

or a slit, so we cannot get rid of ourselves

our old habits in sins and the sinful garments of the old man, if we do not

to walk the narrow and sorrowful path of abstinence and self-denial.1

Why is the time of our earthly life very important?

The time of our earthly life is very important, firstly, because it is very short and it is not known when it will end; secondly, because

it is irretrievable; thirdly, because it

appointed for the performance of many and very important tasks; fourthly, because it is associated with

our eternal life; Finally, the time of our

of earthly life is extremely important for us because

Only in the present life is grace given to us

And therefore it is only in the present life that we

we can become capable of receiving eternal things

salvation, constantly using God's grace. And as it lies for one man to die, after that the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).2

1 Jerom. Vladimir (Musatov). The Elder's Answers to the Questions of the Cell Disciple. Moscow Metochion of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, 2002.

2 St. Boniface of Feofania // Old Age Councils of Some Domestic Ascetics of Piety

18–19 centuries. Moscow, 1913.