27) Where does absent-mindedness and thoughts come from? And how to put them in order? "Absent-mindedness comes from the idleness of the mind that does not deal with what is necessary. And the mind remains in idleness and carelessness from disbelief in the presence of God, who searches the heart and the womb. For if anyone believes this, he will undoubtedly do what has been said: "I have seen the Lord before me, that I am at my right hand, that I may not be moved" (Psalm 15:8). And whoever has attained this and similar things will never dare and will not have the leisure to think of anything that does not tend to build up faith, even if it seems good, and not only something forbidden and displeasing to God [5, 225].

(28) How can we succeed in non-distraction? If anyone assimilates the thoughts of the chosen David, who sometimes said: "I have seen the Lord before me, as I am at my right hand, that I may not be moved" (Psalm 15:8), but sometimes: "My eyes are lifted up to the Lord, for He will pluck out my nostrils from the snare" (Psalm 24:15), and sometimes: "Behold, the eyes of a servant are in the hand of his master, as the eyes of a handmaid are in the hand of his mistress: so are our eyes to the Lord our God" (Psalm 122:2). And in order to trouble ourselves with a small example to the most thorough acquisition of the most important things, let each one consider for himself how he behaves in the presence of others, even if they are equal to himself, how he tries to achieve that nothing is condemned in his ability to hold himself, in the gait, in the movement of each member, and in his reprimand. But just as before men we try to observe what is visible to men, so far more surely those who are sure that they have as spectators — God, according to what is written, "Who searcheth the heart and the bowels" (Psalm 7:10), — and the only-begotten Son of God, Who fulfills the promise: "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am in their midst" (Matt. 18:20), — and the Holy Spirit, Who governs us, divides the gifts and acts in us, — and the guardian angels of each of us, according to the words of the Lord: "Take heed, lest ye despise one of these little ones: 'For I say unto you, that their angels in heaven behold the face of My Father which is in heaven' (Matt. 18, 10); he takes upon himself the most important and most difficult podvig, how to make his piety pleasing to God; and in this way non-distraction is strengthened in him more strongly and perfectly, especially if he tries to fulfill what has been said: "I will bless the Lord always, I will bring forth His praise in my mouth" (Psalm 33:2), so that, with the unremitting and unceasing contemplation of the glory of God, the mind will not find even time to dissipate [5:372-3].

29) Why does it happen that good thoughts and cares pleasing to God seem to become impoverished in the mind? And how to protect yourself from this? Since David says: "My soul is asleep because of despondency" (Psalm 118:28), it is evident from this that this happens from spiritual slumber and from insensibility.

For it is said: "Thy judgment is an abyss of many" (Psalm 35:7), and in another place: "Be amazed at Thy understanding of me: be strengthened, I will not be able to reach him" (Psalm 138:6), and many similar things. If a good thought in the soul becomes impoverished, then it is obvious that enlightenment also becomes impoverished in it, not because of the impoverishment of the one who enlightens, but because of the slumber of that which should be enlightened [5, 254].

30) Blessed is the soul that day and night has no other care than this, but on the great day when all creation will stand before the Judge to give an account of its deeds, and it will not be difficult to answer for its life. Whoever has this day and hour before his eyes, and always thinks of justification at the infallible judgment seat, will either not sin at all, or sin very little; for we sin because of the lack of fear of God in us. And in whom the expectation of the threatening is clearly imprinted, the fear that dwells in him will not give him time to fall into actions or thoughtless thoughts. Therefore, remember God, have the fear of God in your heart, and call everyone to fellowship and helper in prayer, for great is the help from those who can propitiate God. And you don't stop doing it. For their prayer will be a good helper to us in this life as long as we live, and when we depart from here, it will serve as a sufficient farewell to the age to come. But just as concern for a future answer is a good deed, so again faint-heartedness and hopelessness belong to the soul-destroying things. Trust in the goodness of God, and expect God's intercession, knowing that if we turn to Him as we should and sincerely, then He will not only not reject us at all, but while we are still pronouncing the words of the prayer, He will say: "Behold Az!" [6, 357—8].

31) "Worship the Lord in His holy court" (Psalm 28:2). The court of the Lord is the holy church. It is necessary to worship the Lord not outside this holy court, but being inside it, so that remaining outside and being carried away by external things, we do not turn into nothing our presence in the court of the Lord. For many outwardly stand at prayer, but are not in the courtyard, because their thoughts rush hither and thither, and their minds are distracted by vain cares [1, 232].

32) "In His temple everyone declares glory" (Psalm 28:9). Let them hear these words, and let them be ashamed who give themselves over to many words. What does the Psalm say? He who is in the temple of God does not speak evil, nor does he utter words of vanity and shameful things from his mouth, "but in His temple everyone speaks glory." Here stand the holy angels and write down your words; here is the Lord Himself, — and advises the disposition of those who enter. Everyone's prayer is open before God: it is revealed to Him who is in disposition, who wisely asks for heavenly things, who only for appearances, utters words with only the corners of his lips, and his heart is far from God, who, although he prays, asks only for bodily health, material wealth, and human glory. In the temple of God, however, it is necessary to proclaim the glory of God first. To glorify God is the occupation of the Angels. It is one thing for all the heavenly hosts to send glory to the Creator. Every creature, both silent and speaking, worldly and earthly, glorifies Him Who created. But miserable people, having left their homes and flocked to churches, do not incline their ears to the words of God, do not fulfill the duty of nature (to praise), do not grieve that they are under the power of sin, do not grieve when they remember their sins, do not tremble at judgment; but with a smile stretching out their hands to each other, they make the house of prayer a place of long conversations, not heeding the Psalm, which testifies and says that "in the temple of God everyone speaks glory." And not only do you not speak glory, but you also serve as an obstacle to another, drawing his attention to you, and drowning out the teaching of the Spirit with your noise. See to it that instead of receiving the reward of praise, you do not come out of here condemned together with those who blaspheme the name of God. You have a psalm, you have a prophecy, you have the Gospel commandments and the Apostolic sermons. Let the tongue sing; Let the mind seek out the thought of what has been said, in order to sing to you in spirit, and sing to you also with your mind. God does not demand glory, but wants you to become worthy of praise. "For what a man sows, that he will also reap" (Gal. 6:7). Sow praise, that I may reap crowns, and honors, and praises in the kingdom of heaven [1, 244-5].

33) "O Lord my God, I have cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me" (Psalm 29:3). "Blessed is he who knows his inner wound, who can come to the Physician and say: 'Heal me, O Lord. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee" (Psalm 6:3; 40:5)! But here the Prophet also offers thanksgiving for the healing given to him: "I have cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me." There was no interval between the invocation and Thy grace: no sooner had I cried out than healing came. He who prays to God must say something that is not unimportant, so that a speedy healing may come to us [1, 251-2].

34) "Sing unto the Lord His saints" (Psalm 29:5). Not everyone sings to the Lord who pronounces the words of the Psalm with his lips, but only those who sing psalmody from a pure heart, all who are reverend and keep the truth before God, all such can sing to God, faithfully observing spiritual rhymes (spiritual mood). How many have come here, those who hide falsehood in their hearts? Such people cannot sing as they should. They imagine themselves to be singing, but they do not sing in reality: for the Psalm invites the monk to sing. "An evil tree cannot produce good fruit," and a vicious heart can pour out the words of life (spiritual). Purify your hearts in order to bear spiritual fruit, and then, having become venerable, you will be able to sing to the Lord intelligently [1, 253].

35) "Thou hast turned away Thy face, and I am troubled" (Psalm 29:8). As long as the rays of Thy visitation, says the Prophet, shone upon me, I lived my life in an unshakable and serene state. But when "Thou hast turned away Thy face"; then the passionate and confused state of my soul was exposed. Let us pray unceasingly that the face of God may shine upon us, that we may be in a sacred state, quiet and untroubled by anything, according to our readiness for good [1, 258].

36) "What profit is in my blood, when I descend into corruption" (Psalm 29:10)? What profit is it to me, he says, in the well-being of the flesh and in the abundance of blood, when it is given over to the general destruction? "But I mortify my body and enslave it" (1 Corinthians 9:27), so that the fattening of the flesh would not serve as a pretext for sin. Do not please the flesh with sleep, baths, soft beds, constantly repeating this word: "What profit is in my blood, when I descend into corruption?" Why do you fatten yourself and burden yourself with the flesh? Do you not know that the more delicate you make your flesh, the more painful will you prepare for the soul? [1, 259].

37) "Rejoice in righteousness in the Lord" (Psalm 32:1). "Rejoice in the Lord" — not because your works are prosperous, not because you enjoy bodily health, not because your fields abound in all kinds of fruits; but because you have the Lord, Who is so beautiful, so good, so wise. The Psalm urges the righteous to feel their dignity that they are worthy to be the slaves of such a Lord, and to admire their slavery to Him with inexpressible joy and with leaps, as if their hearts were torn from the rapture of love for the Good. If at any time in your heart, as it were, a descending light has suddenly produced a thought about God, and illumined your soul so that you have loved God, and despised the world and all bodily things; then from this weak and small likeness know the full state of the righteous, who grow evenly and unceasingly in joy in God. From time to time and rarely this joy visits you, according to God's providence, so that a small taste of it may bring to your mind how great a blessing you lack. And in the righteous there is always divine and heavenly joy, because the Spirit undoubtedly dwells in him. For the righteous, the Lord is, as it were, a place that contains them, a place into which one who enters cannot but be pleased and rejoice. And the righteous become a place for the Lord, receiving Him into himself: but the sinner gives place in himself to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). Therefore, abiding in the Lord Himself, and contemplating His miracles as much as we can, from this contemplation let us gain joy for our hearts [1: 261-2].

38) If anyone, led by the Holy and Humane Spirit, not dreaming of himself, but humbling himself in order to exalt others, cry out in spirit, asking for something great, and does not utter anything unworthy and base, expressing a search for earthly and worldly things; then the cry of this supplicant will be heard by the Lord [1, 295].

39) "God is our refuge and strength" (Psalm 45:2). Do not run away from what you should not, and do not run to someone you should not. But let you have one thing to avoid, sin, and one refuge, God. Many say: God is our refuge; but very few say this with the same disposition as the Prophet: for not all are given over to God in all things, not all breathe in Him alone, not all have hope and confidence in Him alone. And our very deeds convict us, when in sorrows we rather turn to everything else, but not to God. Does your child hurt? You are looking for a fortune-teller, or one who hangs empty inscriptions around the necks of innocent babies. Did the dream disturb you? You run to the dream-interpreters. Are you afraid of the enemy? You look for an intercessor in someone from among the people. In general, in every need you denounce yourself, which in words you call God a refuge, but in fact you seek help from useless and vain things. But for a righteous man, the true help is God. As a military commander, having brave soldiers, is always ready to help the faint, so God, our helper and champion of everyone who fights against the wiles of the devil, sends ministering spirits to those who demand salvation [1, 340-1].