Nothing happens by itself. Every city is not by itself, but by others, every house is not built by itself, but is built by others. Any letter is not written by itself, but by others. Every book is not written by itself, but by others. In a word, any thing is not done by itself, but by another. In the same way, this world is not created by itself, but by its Creator. He spoke, and they were made, commanded, and were created (Psalm 148:5). This Creator is our God in one nature, but in three persons believed, confessed and worshipped – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The world was not created by the Creator in the way that people create. People create one thing out of another, that is, they make a work out of some matter, and even then with difficulty. But God created this world, that is, heaven and earth, with their fulfillment, out of nothing and without any labor, with a single desire and word. He spoke, and they were made, commanded, and created – this work is ascribed to the almighty power of God. Our mind, which says that nothing comes from nothing, cannot understand how the great composition of this world is made out of nothing. But faith compensates for the lack of reason and convinces it to recognize that with God, as the Almighty, all things are possible. For with God no word will remain powerless (Luke 1:37). By faith we know that the worlds were made by the Word of God, so that out of the invisible things came the visible (Hebrews 11:3). She hears the testimony of the Holy Spirit: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1), and she does not doubt it.

As the writer of a book draws words out of his mind, and writes them on paper, and thus composes a book, and as it were out of nothing, so the all-wise and omnipotent Creator, which He had in His Divine mind, and what He willed, created all things, and as it were a book of two leaves, that is, consisting of heaven and earth, Composed. In this book we see God's omnipotence, wisdom and goodness. Omnipotence – because He created everything out of nothing by His will and word. Wisdom – because Thou hast created all things wisely: Thou hast created all things wisely (Psalm 103:24). Goodness – because He created everything not for His own sake, but for our sake. Good is done for one's own sake. For God Himself requires nothing for His own sake, and as before the world, so now, and unto the ages of ages, He dwells in all-perfect bliss.

2. Solntse

Before the sun rises, darkness and night remain, but when the sun rises, the darkness departs and the light shines. So also before the coming of Christ, who is the righteous Sun, darkness covered the whole world, and the night was deep. But as soon as this brightest Sun shone and emitted its warmest rays to the whole universe, the most favorable and sweetest day for our souls shone. Then the prophetic word was fulfilled: the people who walk in darkness will see a great light; to those who dwell in the land and in the shadow of death, light shall shine (Isaiah 9:2; Matt. 4:16). The night is past, and the day draws nigh; Therefore, let us reject the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. As in the daytime, let us behave decently, not indulging in feasting and drunkenness, nor voluptuousness and debauchery, nor quarrels and envy; but put on our Lord Jesus Christ, and do not turn the care of the flesh into lusts, says the Apostle (Romans 13:12-14). Let us also walk according to the apostolic exhortation and be sons of light and of the day.

Before the sun shining in the heavens, all people walk, and the sun looks at everyone and everyone. So also before God, omnipresent and looking at all things, people walk, and whatever anyone does, thinks, begins, or conceives, all the eyes of the Lord see. The Lord looked down from heaven, saw all the sons of men. From His prepared dwelling place He looked upon all who dwell on the earth. He Who created their hearts, and takes heed into all their deeds (Psalm 32:13-15). And also: "Thy eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to reward each one according to his ways and according to the fruits of his works" (Jeremiah 32:19). And again: The eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, and behold all the ways of men, and penetrate into hidden places. He knew everything before it was created, as well as after it was done (Sir. 23:27-29).

We must walk before God, as before the All-Seeing One and everyone who rewards His path, with fear, fear and reverence, and do whatever pleases His holy will – let us not anger His majesty. Take heed, therefore, that ye walk carefully, not as foolish men, but as wise men," the Apostle tells us (Ephesians 5:15).

Oh, man! God looks at you, and whatever you do, think, begin, or conceive of everything that you love, hate, console yourself and offend yourself, seek for, run away from, treat Him, your Creator, how you treat your neighbor – He sees you. How and what you say, how and what you ask and answer, He hears you and will reward you in your way and according to the fruit of your undertakings. Take heed, beloved, tread carefully, not as an unwise man, but as a wise man!

When the sun shines in the sky, everything is clear. Everyone sees the path along which one must go, and where to go, what to do and what to evade. He sees, distinguishes one thing from another, and what is useful from what is harmful, and so on. A man goes out to his work, and to his work until the evening (Psalm 103:23). So it is in the soul, which Christ, the righteous Sun, enlightens. Such a soul sees everything clearly, cognizes the charm and vanity of this world, cognizes good and evil, vice and virtue, harm and benefit, the path to perdition and the path leading to eternal life, performs deeds pleasing to God and useful to itself. For such a soul the word of God is sweet, as God Himself. Such a soul considers everything pleasant and dear in this world for nothing, remembering the words of the Saviour: What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Matt. 16:26), – and always strives for blessed eternity. She has only one thing in mind, how to please God, her Creator, and to be among those who are saved. Blessed is the soul that the Divine illumines with Light!

When the sun sets, there is night and darkness. Then people do not see anything, do not distinguish one thing from another, and walk like blind men, fall into a pit, and do not know how to avoid harm. Such is the state of those souls in whom the light of Christ has not shone! They feel like blind men, they do not distinguish between good and evil, they do not distinguish between good and harm, they fall from sin into sin. They grasp at what is nothing in itself, they set aside what is great. They think that they are going the right way, but they do not know that he leads them into the pit of destruction.

In essence, such are those who have united with the vanity of this world and are only learning how to accumulate great wealth, deserve high honor, become famous in this world, and so on, but they care little about the eternal treasure of salvation and consider it the last thing. This is worthy of surprise or, rather, regret! They see that those who die and those who depart from this world leave everything in the world and leave the world naked, just as they entered the world. However, they try so hard to get rich, as if they live forever in peace. And it is surprising that it is not the pagans, who have no hope, who have become entangled in such vanity, but the fact that this is done by Christians, called to eternal life and eternal blessings, of which they always hear in the Gospel. Oh, poor and accursed man! As you do not see the deception of this world, you chase after that which is small and soon, like smoke, disappears. How do you forsake that which is true and endures forever! Everything that we have in this world, except virtue alone, departs from us, but what we receive in eternity will never be separated.

But in order for a person to be freed from such blindness and darkness and to be enlightened by the light of Christ, it is necessary to approach Christ, the true Light, and ask Him with the blind: have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David! (Matt. 20:30), and always look at the example of His holy life, and follow His holy footsteps. Then the true Light, Christ, will enlighten such a person. For when we have light before us and look at it, we are enlightened. In the same way, the soul, when it approaches Christ, and looks at the image of His most holy life, and follows Him, it is enlightened by His light. The closer we are to the light, the more enlightened we become. The light is Christ. Whoever comes closer to this Light will be more enlightened and will no longer walk in darkness. I am the Light of the world; whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). For he who walks in Christ will not walk in darkness, but he who departs from this Light will certainly walk in darkness.