2) Our true Fatherland is not here, but in heaven, and for it we were created, renewed by Baptism and called by the Word of God.

3) As those who have been called to heavenly goods, we should not seek earthly things and cling to them, except for the necessary, such as food, clothing, home, and so on.

4) A Christian living in the world desires nothing more than eternal life, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:21).

5) Whoever wants to be saved must depart from the world in his heart, until his soul departs from the world.

6) Whoever in this world seeks how to become rich and glorified, thereby shows that the world, and not heaven, has a Fatherland, and is so deluded that on the day of his death he will understand.

27. Grazhdanin

We see that in this world, a person, wherever he lives and wherever he is, is called a resident or citizen of the city in which he has his home, for example, a Moscow resident is a Muscovite, a Novgorod resident is a Novgorodian, and so on. In the same way, true Christians, although they are in this world, nevertheless have a city in the heavenly Fatherland, which God is the Artist and Builder (Hebrews 11:10). And they are called citizens of this city. This city is the heavenly Jerusalem, which the holy Apostle John saw in his revelation: the city was pure gold, like pure glass; the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass; and the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has shone upon it, and the Lamb is its lamp (Rev. 21:18, 21, 23). In its streets the sweet song is constantly sung: Hallelujah! (See Rev. 19:1, 3, 4, 6). Nothing unclean will enter into this city, and no one who is given over to abomination and falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev. 21:27). And outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and does unrighteousness (Rev. 22:15).

True Christians are called citizens of this beautiful and radiant city, although they wander on earth. There they have their abodes, prepared for them by Jesus Christ, their Redeemer. There they raise their spiritual eyes and sighs from their pilgrimage. Since nothing unclean will enter this city, as we have seen above, let us cleanse ourselves, beloved Christian, from all defilement of flesh and spirit, making holy things in the fear of God, according to the admonition of the apostles (2 Corinthians 7:1). And may we be citizens of this most radiant city, and, having departed from this world, may we be vouchsafed to enter it, by the grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

28. Lunch or Supper

As we see, it happens in this world that some noble and rich person gathers a rich and noble supper or dinner and invites many people to that dinner. In the same way, God, the King of Heaven, created a great supper of eternal bliss, filled with every ineffable consolation, delight, joy and gladness, and called and calls everyone according to His love for mankind. All, I say: glorious and inglorious, noble and poor, rich and poor, wise and foolish, and people of every sex, rank and rank. He called through the prophets, He called through His Only-begotten Son, He called through the holy apostles. Even now He calls through preachers of His word, pastors and teachers: "Go, for all things are ready" (Luke 14:17).

Beloved Christian! Thanks be to God, and we, the unworthy, are called by the Lover of Mankind God to that great supper. Let us gratefully accept this mercy of the Heavenly King to us and hasten with joy to this holy and all-sweet supper. There we will see the King of Heaven face to face (1 Cor. 13:12). Let us see His flaming servants, Angels and Archangels. Let us see the face of the patriarchs, the face of the prophets, the face of the apostles, the saints, the face of the martyrs, the face of the venerable fathers, and all who pleased God, and with all of them we will have loving friendship.

We see that many, as before, renounced, and now refuse to go to this most glorious supper. And instead of eternal and heavenly blessings, temporal and earthly ones choose, and thereby prefer a shadow to the truth. And so they make themselves unworthy of eternal bliss and ungrateful to the Heavenly King, their Great Benefactor, and therefore they provoke His righteous wrath. For I say unto you, saith the Lord, that none of those who are invited shall partake of my supper, for many are called, but few are chosen" (Luke 14:24).