The book by Bishop Michael (Gribanovsky) is one of the most striking and extraordinary creations of Russian spiritual literature of the late 19th century.

Not being an interpretation of the Gospel in the strict sense, these exegetical studies are surprisingly subtle spiritual reflections on the Gospel text. The author analyzes in detail the most important words of the Evangelists from his point of view. In the book, he pays special attention to the events of the Resurrection of the Savior. By comparing the passages from the four Gospels in which Sunday night is described, Bishop Michael strives to bring us closer, to show most visibly that grace-filled, light-bearing image of our resurrected Savior, descending directly from heaven in addition to all human things.

First published in 1896, the notes still read as if they were written in our days.

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Bishop Michael (Gribanovsky)

Over the Gospel

I. "And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase faith in us" Luke 17:5

Each of us has his own depth and intensity of faith. At the same time, both change in us at every moment. And the weaker we are, the more these changes there are, and the more unforeseen they are. We all know this well if we carefully observe ourselves. Now we are strong in spirit, we feel its uplift, and faith is so palpably close to us, its mysteries are so transparent and obvious to our spiritual gaze. self-consciousness has faded, faded; his solid brilliance was covered like ripples of doubt; The level of his strength dropped, everything in us became confused and shrunk. What was now so clear, so possible and obvious, felt as close and dear, has become alien, distant, doubtful, even impossible. The mysterious element receded, and the surge of its waves subsided. The soul feels naked and abandoned; the anxiety of emptiness embraces and dries it. She calls back her native blessed moisture, which so lovingly covered her, and in the boundless expanse of which she felt so easy and free. But it is powerless to delay its natural ebb.

The waves of our faith are only the surf and the end to our spirit of the boundless sea of divine life. And it is in the hands of God; his movements and strength obey the Lord's beckoning. It accelerates its tempo, increases its height, and measures its strength. He knows how much grace of faith we need. Its multiplication depends on Him, and it is not for us to change anything in His definition. It is designed for that depth of our spirit that is inaccessible to our shallow consciousness; it is directed towards those eternal ends which constantly elude our weak and wavering freedom. We must submit to the wisdom of God and entrust ourselves to His love for us as a child. It is beautifully sung in the psalm: Lord! My heart was not haughty, and my eyes were not lifted up, and I did not enter into the great things that were unattainable to me. Have I not humbled and calmed my soul, like a child weaned from its mother's breast? my soul was in me like a child weaned from the breast (Psalm 130). Let us rest in the bosom of God; let us not rebel against Him, when the breath of His grace seems to depart from us, and faith does not penetrate and expand our hearts with its ardent current. Let us not attach value to our childish considerations, why and why such changes on the part of God in relation to us; let us not run our thoughts ahead of the faith He has given us. According to the grace given to me, I say to each of you: Do not think of yourselves more than you ought to think; but think modestly, according to the measure of faith which God has given to each (Romans 12:3).

However, all of the above does not mean that our freedom and thought are completely powerless in increasing faith in our souls. We must take advantage of the moments of the grace-filled surge of faith, as a prudent owner uses the flood of a mountain river for his gardens and fields. How much energy and skill he spends on this! With the surf of the river, he hastily deepens the grooves and diverts water through them where it is needed. With its abating, he diligently fills up their entrances in order to keep the water at the roots until its next blessed rise. Likewise, we must not lightly and lazily let the tides of faith come upon us lightly and lazily, but must make use of them and carefully nourish and refresh with their grace-filled streams those feelings, thoughts, and aspirations that have been implanted in us by Christ and which rest in our souls, and in every way preserve this power from the faith from withering doubts in periods of spiritual decline. Then, little by little, the seeds of Christ's life, imperceptible like a mustard seed, with vigilant attention and careful care, will sprout well, blossom and bear fruit. In time, having become a continuous forest of strong and branchy trees, they themselves will already attract from heaven the blessed rain of faith and bring it down to the innermost and deepest roots of our soul...

Increase in faith (1 Timothy 6:11), pious reader!