That is why the world stands to this day, because it has this salt and this luminary in it. From generation to generation there are those who serve the Lord, otherwise the world would not stand. If, it is said, salt is overflowing, it will be salted; nor shall it be anything to him, but let men be poured out, and trampled underfoot" (Matt. 5:13). Since there were no such people in Sodom except one, the city perished in an instant. But while the righteous man was still with them, the Almighty Hand did not send wrath upon them until it had taken from among them. Therefore blessed is the country, blessed is the city, blessed is the generation, in which there are many righteous. Much more blessed are the righteous themselves, through whom the world is saved, because the praises and praises (of the Lord) are kept by the righteous.

And so, putting aside works that are not proper to righteousness, let us be zealous for the life of the righteous, that with them we may inherit praise, becoming the light, and the salt, and the city of the Great King, that He may be our praise, as in His hand are the ends of the earth (Psalm 92:4). He, according to the words of the Psalmist, gives His snow like a wave, darkness, like ashes, sprinkling, throwing His naked hair like bread. Who can stand against His face of filth? He shall send forth His word, and I shall fade: His spirit shall breathe, and waters shall flow (Psalm 147:5-7). Then the earth, fragrant to the eye, is clothed by God's command in its splendor and delights the spectators, as if it were a vessel of gold with precious stones; fluttering birds, enjoying the clarity of the air, produce harmonious sounds; four-legged creatures gallop through the valleys, because the desert valleys are covered with grain, and the raptured shepherds rejoice in the gifts of the Lord. Rivers, after the stormy and immoderate rush of the waters, flowing silently, amuse the places they flood, and fish play in the sunshine; trees, hitherto devoid of leaves, are clothed with flowers and, with an abundance of fruit, stand adorned with leaves. The mountains, and the hills, and the valleys, and the whole earth, full of flowers, proclaim the glory of the Lord, because the Lord, like a bride, has clothed the earth with adornment. And we, the sons of men, having cast off the gloom of winter, rejoice, enjoying the blessing of the air and the abundance of fruit. In the same way, let us also produce fruits of righteousness acceptable to the Lord, so that we may have boldness to say to the Creator, "The Lord shall rejoice in His works" (Psalm 103:31). For the Lord really rejoices in those who do righteousness.

Therefore, let no one be puffed up with vain wisdom, or power, or riches, for all things will wither like grass. Boast, let him glory in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31). What is higher or more honorable among the people of the royal diadem? And it does not last forever on a person's head, because generation after generation passes from one head to another.

But if we have all things, gold, silver, clothing, servants, and maidservants, and herds of oxen, sheep, horses, and camels, but He does not command the sun to shine, all will be counted to nothing. The wise will become overwhelmed, the strong will grow weary, the rich will become poor.

Thus, it is fair to confess that no one has anything, but everything belongs to the Creator. But we know our weakness. And just as we ourselves, looking at the skeleton or skull of those who have fallen asleep before, sigh, so those who will come after us, when they see our bones, will assume a sad countenance, for all of us, the sons of men, are made of the same dust.

Brethren, beloved of the Lord, let us humble our souls under the mighty hand of God, that God may exalt us during the visitation. Let us hate vanity and arrogance, which is unreasonable; let us flee pride, because God opposes it. Let us love humility, so that when we become meek, the Lord will teach us His ways. How many have ruled in the universe since the foundation of the world, and all rest under a heap of earth, and there is no difference between the bones of the king and the captive, the owner of the golden-bridled chariot and the one who walked on his own feet, who ate luxuriously and lived in poverty, the noble and the ugly, the destroyer and the destroyed. But all sleep under the heap of earth, until the holy trumpet sounds, which will awaken the dead from the beginning of the world, that they may receive whatever has done to the body either good or evil (2 Cor. 5:10). It is a great miracle, brethren, to see suddenly the tombs opened at the sound of the trumpet, the awakened dead, and all those who have reposed from Adam to that hour, rising together in one imperceptible twinkling of an eye; to see the angels rushing about with a loud trumpet, and gathering the righteous from the four winds, from the end of the heavens to the end of them (Matt. 24:31). This voice will give life to all, from the first to the last, and none of the people will remain unanimated, but some will be resurrected into the resurrection of life, and others into the resurrection of the Judgment (John 5:29).

Hearing of the resurrection of the dead, let us not doubt it, Christ-loving brethren. Everything is possible for God, and nothing is impossible for Him. Those who were cast into the fiery furnace and hidden as in the tomb, in the flames He preserved unharmed; not only was their hair not singed, but there was not even a stench of ignited flame left on them with such an effort. In the same way, the dead will rise incorruptible, and not only will not a hair be lost, but there will be no smell of corruption in them after so long a time from their dormition. Everything is possible for God, and nothing is impossible for Him. Listen therefore to what the prophet Ezekiel also says: "And the hand of the Lord was upon me, and brought me forth in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me in the midst of the field, and behold, it was full of the bones of men, and encircled me round about them, and behold, many were green upon the faces of the field, and behold, the earth was dry. And he said to me, Son of man... And thou shalt say unto them, The bones are dry, ye hear the word of the Lord. Behold, says Adonai the Lord with this bone: Behold, I will bring into you the spirit of life, and I will give you sinews, and I will raise up flesh against you, and I will stretch out my skin over you, and I will give My Spirit in you, and you will live, and you will know that I am the Lord. And I prophesied, as the Lord commanded me, and there was a voice when I prophesied, and behold, a coward, and copulating bones, bones... to his composition. And they saw, and behold, their sinews were there, and their flesh grew up... and the skin stretched out to them on top, but the spirit was not in them. And he spake unto me, O prophet, O Son of man, and O Son of Spirit, this saith Adonai the Lord, Come to the soul of the four winds, and breathe upon these dead, and let them live. And he prophesied, as he commanded me, and the spirit of life entered into her, and came to life: and she stood on her feet, the assembly was many. And the Lord spake unto me, saying, Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel, for they say, Our bones are dry, our hope is perished, and they are slain by the Bech. For this reason prophets and prophets speak to them, this saith Adonai the Lord: Behold, I will open your graves, and bring you forth from your graves... and I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when your graves are opened to Me, and I will bring you up from your graves, my people: and I will give My Spirit in you, and you will live. And I will set you up in your land, and you will know as I am the Lord: I have spoken, and I will do, saith Adonai the Lord (Ezekiel 37:1-14).

That is why our Lord and God Jesus Christ, when He came to earth, said with Divine lips: "Amen, amen, I say unto you, that the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have heard shall live" (John 5:25). And again: Do not be amazed at this: for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God. And they shall come forth, having done good, into the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, into the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29). For it is written, Hear the heavens, and I will cry out, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Let My proclamation be like rain, and let My words come down like dew (Deuteronomy 32:1-2). It is the dew that raises and gives life to the dead. And another prophet cries, saying: "The dead shall rise, and they shall arise in the tombs, and they shall rejoice on earth: for the dew which is from Thee is healing unto them" (Isaiah 26:19). For all things are possible to God, and nothing is impossible for Him. Whether it be people, or the earth, or the breadth of the seas, or the abysses, or any other creature, everything is in His hand, and everything is as nothing. May the prophet convince you of this, who says: Who shall measure the waters by a handful, and the heavens by a span, and the whole earth by a handful; Who shall set the mountains in measure, and the hills in weight? (Psalm 40:12) And again he says: "All tongues are like a drop from a cense, and as the weight of weight is imputed, and as spittle is imputed." But the oak grove of Livanov is not ready to be burned, and all the four-legged animals are not ready to be burnt offering. And all tongues are nothing, and are reckoned to nothing (Isaiah 40:15-17). And Habakkuk saith, Lord, I have heard thy hearing, and have been afraid; O Lord, I understand Thy works, and am terrified (Hab. 3:1-2), for it is written: Soon, in the twinkling of an eye, in the last trumpet, the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall arise incorruption, and we shall be changed. It behooves this corruptible man to put on incorruption, and this dead man to put on immortality. And when this perishable thing is clothed in ... immortality, then will be the word written: Death was devoured by victory. Where art thou, O death, the sting? Where art thou, hell, victory (1 Cor. 15:52-56)?

Let not the poor weep, and let not the rich be haughty; let not the weak be dishonored, and the strong not exalted; let not the servant be troubled, and let not the master boast. We are all of the earth, and in dust our body will be dissolved (dissolved into dust) until the time when the Lord comes, Who gives life to our bodies. Let the righteous be praised, and let them rejoice in the Lord; blessed are all who will then prove worthy of this blessed voice: "Come to the blessing of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34).

Therefore, be patient with those who work righteousness and labor for the truth of God. The labors of temporal life will acquire (give) you great boldness in the life to come; The needs of the present life will be for you repose, exaltation, and praise in the life to come, and this present lamentation will be turned for you into consolation and peace. For it is written, Blessed are all who abide in him. For the holy people shall dwell in Zion (Isaiah 30:18-19). Then will be fulfilled again what is written: Behold, they who work for Me shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, they that work for Me shall rejoice in gladness of heart, but ye shall cry out in the sickness of your heart, and ye shall weep for the contrition of spirit. For leave your name to the satisfaction of My elect, but the Lord will smite you, but a new name shall be called to them that work for Me, which shall be blessed on the earth (Isaiah 65:14-16). And again he says, "For they shall forget their first sorrow, and it shall not arise in their hearts." For the heavens shall be new, and the earth new, and they shall not remember the former, but shall ascend lower upon their hearts. But joy and gladness shall be found in it (Isaiah 65:16-18).

I, a sinner, reflect within myself what good things are prepared for the righteous, and what wrath awaits sinners, but I neglect myself. Since I am not aware of a good deed in myself, I send this voice to the Good God and Redeemer: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner! This publican was above my thinness. Standing on my feet, looking down and beating myself in the forehead, I besought Thee. I, who surpass him in his falls, falling on my face to the ground and striking my forehead on the floor, call out to the Merciful, Most Pure and Terrible: God, be merciful to me, a sinner and unworthy! Let it not be a condemnation to me, that with my unworthy tongue and unclean lips I dare to pronounce Thy holy and eternal name. On the contrary, may the invocation of Thy name, O Lord, be unto me for the enlightenment and sanctification of the flesh and spirit. The incense burning, ascending upwards, fills the house with fragrance, all the more the remembrance of Thee, O Lord, sweeter than honey and honeycomb, fills the soul with holiness and enlightenment in the knowledge (in the knowledge of) those who desire Thee the Saviour. Give me, O Lord, the desire for Thy salvation, as a land thirsting and waiting for rain, that thou mayest bring forth fruit for me before death, that I may not be ashamed in the day of trial. Have mercy on us all, O Good One! We thank Thy goodness, O Lord, that Thou hast vouchsafed us, the unworthy, to serve Thy holy name and to stretch out our hands to Thee, the Father of all. Deliver us from every satanic act and give glory to Thy holy name, O Lord! Grant us to be like a good and fertile land, so that when we receive Thy seed, we may bear fruit a hundred, and sixty, and thirty. Grant us, O Lord, to make a worthy purchase with Thy silver, which Thou hast entrusted to us, so that, having multiplied this mnas tenfold (mnas is a coin of 100 drachmas, which was equal to 21 and a half pre-revolutionary rubles), we may bring to Thee the fruit of righteousness and be vouchsafed to rule over ten cities. Grant us, O Lord, diligence to watch for Thy meeting, having the loins of the mind girded and the mental lamps of the soul unquenchable, in anticipation of Thee, our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Grant us, O Lord, the rapture (ascension to Heaven) with the righteous, when they meet Thee, the Lord, in the clouds, so that we may not experience that bitter and inevitable Judgment. Scatter, O Lord, the unbearable burden of our sins until our death, so that it may not serve as an obstacle to us on the Day of Judgment, and draw us from the assembly of the righteous into the unquenchable fire. Righteousness is the swiftest wings that lift the righteous from earth to heaven. May Thy grace, O Lord, be our strength, may it receive us in the clouds with the righteous and the elect to meet Thee, the King of all, in the air, in order to worship Thee, O Lord, as we should, when the holy angels receive us with joy and joyful countenance, and then we shall behold the ineffable glory, filled with great rejoicing and crying out: "Glory to Him Who clothed the humble and corruptible with glory and incorruption! Glory to Him Who granted immortality to mortals! Glory to Him Who delivered us from the mouth of lions and from the destroyer enemy, and Who brought us into His Most Heavenly Kingdom, which is the root of all good, where there is ineffable light, followed by no night, where joy is unutterable, undisturbed by sorrow or anything else, where there is incorruption, where life is not subject to corruption, not cut short by death. Sickness and sorrow and sighing truly fled. From now on, we will all be with the Lord." Such will be the voices of the righteous at the coming of the Lord, and of the saints, and of the ascetics, and of the elect, and of all who have pleased God in repentance.

Let us also be sober, beloved, let us be attentive to ourselves, so that we may dwell with the righteous. Then our hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away our joys from us, they will rejoice, singing and blessing the Holy, Most-Pure and One-in-Essence Trinity and worshipping Her forever! Amen.

On Those Who Assert That There Is No Resurrection