Yes, my brother, I beseech you, always pray to God to enlighten your mind and reveal to you the power of His words. Many, trusting in their own understanding, were subjected to error, saying, "Be wise, foolish" (Romans 1:22); not understanding what was written, they fell into blasphemy and perished. Therefore, if you come across an incomprehensible word while reading, see to it that the evil one does not teach you to say to yourself: "It is not so said, for is it possible to say so?" or to say something similar. On the contrary, if you believe in God, believe also in His words, and say to the evil one: "Follow me (from me), Satan. I know that the word of God, the word is pure, the silver is kindled, the earth is tempted, it is cleansed by the week (Psalm 11:7), nothing in them is obstinate, it is depraved. All good things are to those who understand, and righteous to those who gain understanding (Proverbs 8:8), but I am unthinkable and do not understand. I know that they are written spiritually, for the Apostle says that the law is spiritual (Romans 7:14)." Or look up to heaven and say thus: "I believe, O Lord, Thy word, I will not contradict it, but I certainly believe the words of the Holy Spirit. Thou, O Lord, save me, that I may find grace before Thee. And I, the Gracious One, seek nothing else but salvation, that I may be vouchsafed Thy mercy."

Acquire silence, brother, as a strong wall, for silence will place you above the passions. You will fight from above, and he from below. Therefore, acquire silence in the fear of God, and all the arrows of the enemy will not harm you. Silence, coupled with the fear of God, is a fiery chariot that lifts up those who have acquired it to heaven. May the Prophet Elijah convince you of this, who loved the silence and fear of God and was taken to heaven.

Oh, silence is a ladder to heaven! Oh, silence is the mother of contrition! Oh, silence is the mirror of sins, showing man his sins! Oh, silence that does not hold back tears! Oh, the silence that begets meekness! O silence that cohabits with humility! Oh, the silence associated with the fear of God and leading the mind to the light! Oh, the silence that watches over thoughts and promotes prudence! Oh, silence, which gives birth to every good, is the affirmation of fasting, a barrier to gluttony! Oh, silence is an exercise in prayer and reading! Oh, silence — the silence of thoughts and the unstormed harbor! Oh, the silence that frees the soul from cares! Oh, silence is a good yoke and a light burden, resting and bearing those who bear you! Oh, silence is the destroyer of audacity and the enemy of shamelessness! Oh, silence is the mother of reverence! Oh, silence is the prison of passions! Oh, silence is the amusement of soul and heart! Oh, silence is a bridle for the eyes, ears, and tongue! Oh, the silence that fosters all virtue! Oh, silence is the fault (source) of non-acquisitiveness! Oh, silence is the fruitful village of Christ, bearing good fruits! Oh, silence is the wall and bulwark of those who intend to strive for the Heavenly Kingdom!

Yes, brother, acquire for yourselves this good portion which Mary chose, for Mary, sitting at the feet of the Lord and clinging to Him alone, became a model of silence. For this reason the Lord praised her, saying: "But Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42). See, brother, what silence it is! The Lord Himself praises the one who has acquired it. Acquire silence and delight in the Lord (Psalm 36:4), sitting down at His feet and cleaving to Him, the One, so that you can say boldly: "My soul has cleaved after Thee, and Thy right hand has received me" (Psalm 62:9), for my soul is filled with fat and oil (Psalm 62:6).

Yes, my brother, acquire a silence that is sweeter than honey. Better a piece of bread and salt in silence and free from cares than the offer of many foods for amusements and cares. Listen to Him Who says: "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). The Lord wants to give you rest from cares, from irritation, from distractions and from the sorrows of this world; He wants you to be free from the plinth of Egypt, He wants to lead you into the wilderness, that is, into silence. He will enlighten your ways with a pillar of cloud, and nourish you with manna (I mean the bread of silence and freedom from cares), so that he may inherit to you the land of good, that is, the heavenly Jerusalem. Yes, brother, love it, acquire it, so that on the path of witnesses (the acquisition of revelations) of God you may abound in all kinds of riches. Yes, brother, acquire silence with the fear of God, and the God of peace will be with you.

And so, my spiritual brethren and beloved of the Lord, I beseech you to exert your efforts, to bring to mind these things daily, that is, faith, love, hope, humility, and always seal yourselves with prayers to God, instruction in the Divine Scriptures, silence, and other virtues. For all this, when it exists and abounds in us, leaves us not idle and barren in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. A monk who has not acquired this, but does not care about his salvation, is a blind man who blinds his eyes, consigning his old sins to oblivion. It happened to him... the true parable: the dog returned to his vomit, and the pig washed into the feces (2 Pet. 2:22). For if they have fled, it is said, from the filthy world, that is, by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by these packs they are intertwined, they are the last pot of the first. For it is better for them not to know the way of righteousness, than for those who have known to turn back (2 Pet. 2:20-21). And so, beloved faithful slaves and chosen warriors, monks, let us fully absorb in our hearts all that has been said above, daily bringing them to mind, so that we may be able to fight the good fight and trample down all the power of the enemy, in order to be delivered from the wrath that is coming upon the sons of disobedience, and to find mercy and grace on the day of Judgment in the presence of the Righteous Judge, Who recompenses each one according to his deeds. To Him is due all glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages! Amen.

FAQ

Question: How is God blasphemed? What does He require, to Whom all honor and power belongs? Who is the giver of every holy thing?

Answer: God says through the prophet: "Woe, for your sake My name is blasphemed in tongues" (Isaiah 52:5). Thus, this threat also applies to those who dishonor the image of God. In the image and likeness of God God created us; every Christian is obliged to keep himself, and to preserve and honor the image of God in himself, and to sanctify him with good works, so that he may say: "Hallowed be Thy name in me, O Lord! Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). Do you see how God is glorified by good works? But just as He is glorified by good works, so, on the contrary, He is blasphemed and dishonored by evil deeds. Infidels and pagans, looking at Christians and seeing that they, too, like pagans and infidels, spend their time in gluttony and drunkenness, playing and jumping with harps and tympanums and pipes and faces, then they reason that these are foolish Christians who transgress the law and commandments of Christ, and in blasphemy against Christianity they say: "What Christ has delivered and commanded them, that they also keep, for they cannot transgress the words and commandments of their Teacher." That is, they think that this is precisely the teaching and mystery of Christ. Thus, through this, the name of God is blasphemed because of us. And it is already being fulfilled in us that which is written: Woe, for your sake My name is blasphemed in the tongue. But we, my brethren, having left it to those who will, let us sanctify the name of God by good works. All glory is due to God forever and ever! Amen.

Question: What is the meaning of what the Apostle said: "By transgressing the law of God thou hast been dishonored" (Romans 2:23)?

Answer: If he who takes and reads the royal scriptures has received it with all attentiveness, with honor, fear, and diligence, and honors it, and kisses it, in a word, does what is prescribed to him, then honor is given to the king. And if he rejects and despises that scripture, insults and dishonors the one who brought it, then the insult is done to the king himself. In the same way, those who transgress the precepts of the Great King, that is, His most pure Gospel, dishonor Him who gave the commandment of Christ by their transgression. This is how the Jews should be understood. Having received the Scriptures inscribed with the finger of God, those who brought them they were insulted, beaten, stoned and killed, thus transgressing the law of God, which says: "Innocent and righteous, let thou not be killed" (Exodus 23:7). The Author of life Himself, the Holy and Righteous One, was insulted and stabbed, spat upon His holy, all-pure and terrible face, Whom the heavens, the earth, and the sea tremble, and all that fills them (for which reason the Saviour said to them: "Az... I honour My Father, and ye do not honour Me (John 8:49)), and finally you have killed Him. Have you heard how God is dishonored by the transgression of the law?

Thus, children, even those who call themselves Christians, but live carelessly, dishonor God by transgressing the Gospel, doing things that are contrary to the Lord's Mystery and the commandments of our Saviour Jesus Christ, considering them completely unworthy of attention, turning their ears away from the truth, and turning to fables, as the Apostle foretold, that the time will come when they will not listen to sound teaching (2 Tim. 4:3). And now we see that the word has become a deed. For who listens to the Divine Scriptures? Who hearkens to Christ's commandments? Who is wise and keeps these things? Who will prove that we are not criminals of the law? Many are wise according to the flesh; many are noble; many are knowledgeable: scribes, lawyers, kings and princes, rich and poor, slaves and freemen, teachers and monastics, virgins, and those who live in virginity without vows. Who among them can confirm or prove that a Christian should play the harp, or dance, or jump, or whistle, or make noise, or tell fortunes, or make and carry so-called storehouses (bags for donations), or question demons, or get drunk, and the like? Who can prove that this is characteristic of Christians? What Gospel, what book of the Apostles, what prophet? Behold, the Divine Scriptures, the law, the prophets, the apostles, and the Lord of all are read in the Church to the ends of the world, but nowhere will you find that Christians do this decently (conscientiously). On the contrary, every one has gone astray and deviated in his way, and has become a transgressor of the law, and dishonors God by transgressing the law and what is prescribed by the law, the prophets and apostles. Behold, you have heard how God is dishonored. So, Christian, stop transgressing the law and dishonoring God. Cease at last to imitate the pagans, lest, when you depart there (to the other world), you will not encounter great need, distress, and dishonor. Do you want to hear how Vladyka commanded Christians to "rejoice" and "jump"? Listen: Blessed are those who mourn... blessed are they that hunger and thirst (Matt. 5:4, 6). This is the first feast day for a Christian. And again: Strive to enter through the strait gate (Luke 13:24); and again: Amen, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and weep, and the world shall rejoice: but ye shall be sorrowful" (John 16:20). And again he says: do not be lifted up. For all these the tongues of this world seek (Luke 19:29-30). Therefore, do not be like them.

Do you want to hear about the "reclining" and "galloping" of the Prophet David? Listen to what he says: weeping and lamenting (Psalm 34:14); cover my soul with fasting... and put on my sackcloth (Psalm 68:11-12); my tears were my bread day and night (Psalm 41:4); ashes as bread, and my drink is mingled with weeping (Psalm 101:10). And again He says, "I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears" (Psalm 6:7). And again: "My eyes are lifted up to the Lord" (Psalm 24:15); and again: "From every evil way I have forbidden my feet" (Psalm 118:101). Did you hear how David "rejoiced"? So rejoice you, Christian.