15) The more the last day draws near, the more wickedness increases, and, because of the increase of iniquity, love disappears from many (Matt. 24:12). In such circumstances, there is nothing to expect but violence and anger. Consequently, everyone who desires to live godly in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:12) must arm himself with patience, as with a spiritual sword, and defend himself against the attack of malice. For malice is conquered by nothing else but patience.

16) The essence and power of Christian podvig consists in nothing else than in the constant endurance of temptations and misfortunes. The feat of the sons of this world consists in brave resistance against the enemy, and victory is in his exile and subjugation. But Christians struggle well when those who find troubles patiently, gratefully and generously endure; and then they gloriously conquer, when they yield to those who persecute them, and overcome evil with good, they give love for hatred and blessing for curse. Oh, what a noble victory it is! Truly more noble than to conquer nations! For there is no greater victory to conquer your anger and indignation. A long-suffering man is better than a brave man, but he who restrains anger is better than he who takes a city, says Solomon (Proverbs 16:32).

17) How much God Himself suffers the wicked of this world, Who is able to destroy everyone in an instant! How many terrible blasphemers are there who spew terrible blasphemies against His holy name? How many idolaters ascribe His honor to a soulless creature! How many atheists are there who reject His eternal existence! How many persecutors and heretics are trying to exterminate His Church! How many other sinners are not afraid to violate His holy law clearly and fearlessly! But the goodness of God tolerates everyone. By this great patience of Him we also learn to endure our enemies. For all will have an end; all those who offend and are offended will receive what is theirs: Behold, the Judge stands at the door (James 5:9); He prepared His Throne for judgment (Psalm 9:8). Manifest before Him are those who rape and those who are raped, those who persecute and those who are persecuted, those who deprive and those who are deprived of, those who reproach and those who are reviled, those who beat and endure scourging, those who cast out and those who are cast out; the tears of those who mourn and the sighs of the poor are numbered with Him – then all will be revealed. All of us must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil according to what he did while living in the body (2 Corinthians 5:10).

18) True patience is a virtue that the Merciful God looks upon with favor and sends down His grace on the heart of the patient. On whom shall I look? Only on him who is meek and silent, and trembles before My words, says the Lord (Isaiah 66:2).

19) Patience makes a person courageous and invincible. A patient person can be deprived of everything, can be banished, can be beaten, can be imprisoned, can be killed, but cannot be defeated. For his strength is not bodily, but spiritual. He is overcome by the body, but by the spirit he is invincible; on the body he receives wounds, but in spirit he does not receive wounds; in body it is contained, but in spirit it is free; He is killed in the body, but he cannot die in spirit, and so he triumphs over all his enemies in spirit. Thus conquered the holy martyrs, whom neither chains, nor prisons, nor wounds, nor fire, nor water, nor the teeth of beasts, nor death, nor life, could conquer, but over all they triumphed in spirit. What did the torturers do to them? What kind of torment did they invent? But they departed from disgrace shamed and defeated by them, although their flesh was torn apart like beasts. The Torturer Diocletian, when he was unable to do anything to the holy Martyr Vitus by his torture, fled from disgrace, beating himself in the face, and crying: "Woe is me, for by such a young lad I have been defeated!" (Life of St. Vitus, June 15).

20) Sufferer, look at those who have great sorrow and endure sickness. If you are in a long-term illness and have any consolation from those who serve you, look at those who endure an illness greater than yours, who are burned inwardly by the fire of sorrow and sorrow, who are covered with wounds from without, and who have no one to serve them, who would feed them, give them water, raise them, wash them from their wounds, but they endure. If you endure exile, bring to mind the convicts, who are in chains, in rags, half-naked, removed from home and Fatherland, who receive beatings and wounds every day, who are at hard work during the day, at night in prisons, filled with impurities and stench, prisoners, without any consolation, for whom death is more pleasant than life, but endure.

If you endure poverty, think of those who were formerly rich and glorious, but have come to such a point that they have nothing to feed themselves, nor their wives, nor their children, nor where to lay their heads, wandering in other people's courts; moreover, they are burdened with debts, they endure crowding, sorrow, and unbearable sorrow from everywhere, as if they were burning in a furnace. You, although you do not have your own needs, can ask in the name of Christ; and they are ashamed to ask, because they were formerly glorious and rich. Look also at the poor peasants, the beggars, the half-naked, the sick, who cannot move, from whom taxes and rents are demanded; And not only can they not give, but they themselves need someone who would give them, and even serve them in extreme poverty and sickness.

If you endure reproach and slander, bring to mind those who sit on a high place, how much murmuring, reproach, backbiting, scolding, slander, deceit, deceit, curses, mockery, and stinging reproaches they endure from their subordinates, like a tree standing on a high place, which shakes from every wind, even the slightest. In the same way, receive from others the reinforcement of patience. They endure more and more cruel things – should you not endure a little?

21) Descend with your mind into hell, judge how the condemned are tormented, and those will be tormented forever who, if possible, would wish to burn here at least until the end of the world in fire, if only to be freed from eternal torment, but it is not given to them.

22) Lift up your intelligent eyes to the heavenly dwellings and examine all the inhabitants there: you will not find a single one who does not come there from here by patience.

23) The present temporal sufferings are worth nothing in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us, says the Apostle Paul (Romans 8:18). Therefore, whatever misfortune you will endure here, patience is unworthy of the future glory that is prepared for those who endure, for eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).

24) In your suffering, remember the terrible suffering of the holy martyrs.

But everyone endured so generously that they laughed and mocked the torturers. It is true that they endured all this with the help of Christ, but the same help of Christ is ready now for all who endure: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Christ, the Son of God, the Sinless One, innocently endured terrible and incomprehensible sufferings for our sake, and He presents Himself to all of us as an example: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matt. 16:24; Lk. 9:23). The prophets looked upon this example by faith from afar, and they would rather suffer than have temporary sinful pleasure (Hebrews 11:25). This was followed by the holy apostles, martyrs and other saints, who passed through the fire and water of all temptations, and entered into eternal rest (Psalm 65:12).

(25) Wherefore we, too, with such a cloud of witnesses around us, let us lay aside every burden and sin that besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to the Author and Finisher of faith, Jesus, who, instead of the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross, despised the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God. Think of Him Who endured such reproach from sinners, so that you may not grow weary and faint in your souls. Thus the holy Apostle exhorts all who suffer (Hebrews 12:1-3). Christ says: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). If we want to come to God, we must follow this path by faith. If we do not want to be deceived, we must believe this Truth, which says: "Whosoever serves Me, let him follow Me" (John 12:26), that is, My humility, patience and meekness. If we want to receive eternal life, we must cling to this Life, except for Which there is no life, by faith and love. This is the Path that leads to God! This is the Truth, which knows no deception! It is Life that quickens those who cling to it by faith! Therefore, if anyone does not walk this Path, he is mistaken. If anyone does not believe in this Truth, he is deceived. If anyone does not hold on to this Life, he is dead and will be dead forever. The flesh, no matter how caresses it, will deceive; the world will deceive us, and will lead us to the point that it is useless to repent and pity, but this Truth cannot deceive.