If you ask the sages who have tried to explore the depths of nature about what the soul is, they will give very diverse, but not very suitable answers. Therefore, leaving aside the superstitions of the philosophers, let us look in the light of the teaching of the Church Fathers at the purest mirror of truth, at the Divine Scriptures, in order to know what the soul is, this noble, precious being, which cannot be exchanged for anything else.

The creative wisdom and power of God revealed three features in the creation of man. First of all, in one word, He created the heavenly and the earthly; "He spoke, and it was" (Psalm 148:5) — immediately there appeared the sun and the moon, the stars in the sky and the birds in the air, so many animals and plants on the earth. But when He created man, He not only spoke a word, but beforehand, as it were, thought and consulted, for He first said: "Let us make man" (Gen. 1:26), as if inviting the other persons of the Holy Trinity to the council. Gregory of Nyssa was also amazed at this. "O miracle," he says, "everything is brought into being by a single word and is not preceded by any advice. The Creator of all things approaches the creation of man deliberately." Further. In order for other creatures to appear, God only said: "Let it be," and did nothing else. For the creation of man, He both spoke and acted. In order to create the body, He took with His Divine hands (this must be understood in the sense corresponding to God) and molded the dust — "the finger (to the ground) from the earth" (Gen. 2:7); in order to create a soul, He breathed into him the breath from His divine lips — "I will breathe into his face the breath of life" (Ibid.). Finally, the main thing is that not a single creature is created in the image of God. This honor was granted to man alone, created in the image, for God is incorporeal by nature, but by soul, which is spirit, just as God is Spirit. This is the innate property of the soul, this is its nobility.

If we compare the soul and the holy angels themselves, I do not know in what way they will surpass it, these second lights from the first Light, the morning stars of the rational firmament, which so closely perceive the blessed radiances of the three-radiant Divine Principle. They are of a mental nature, and the soul is the mind; they are incorporeal, and the soul is spirit; immortal — and the soul is immortal. They are divided into three ternary orders, which are divided into nine orders, as noted by the Areopagite and Damascene. The first consists of seraphim, cherubim, and thrones; in the second, dominions, principles, powers; in the third, the authorities, archangels, and angels. We find similar things in the powers and abilities of the soul. In the seraphim, the pure hot flame of love burns, which is why they are depicted as fiery, just as it is in the will of the soul, in which the fire of love flares up hotter and wider, striving for the Desired. In the cherubim contemplation is awake, which is why they are called many-eyed, and so it is in the mind of the soul, which is truly a many-eyed being, always ready for contemplation, even when the body is at rest in deep sleep. Justice sits on thrones — in the soul, the meaning of what is known by the mind and desired by the will is the most accurate scale. Dominions have the grandeur of royal dignity in the world below, and the soul has the dominion, the king of passions. The principles have a world-ruling providence — the soul has prudence. The forces move the heavenly bodies in wondrous harmony — and the soul moves the members of the body with such wonderful harmony. The authorities protect the universal order of things, and the soul preserves the order of life. In the archangels is the treasury of heavenly revelations, to which the ineffable mysteries of Divine wisdom are entrusted, and in the soul there is memory, the abode of knowledge, where reason hides the treasures of knowledge. Angels are ministering spirits, sent into service, immaterial in essence, swiftest in motion, tireless in flow, ascending to heaven, descending to earth, flowing around all creation, and the soul has its servants, thoughts, which, constantly being born, fly in an instant from east to west, from earth to heaven, from heaven to hell, pass through endless spaces, walls, mountains, seas, they are not hindered by guards, locks, and seals do not restrain them.

The soul is the image of God in three respects: by nature, grace, and glory. By nature, for at the time of creation it was formed in the image of God; in mind it is like the Father, the source of all knowledge; in the inner mind it is like the Son, the beginning of wisdom; by free will, it is like the Holy Spirit, the source of all blessings. By grace: in re-creation it is conformed through sonship to the Son of God Himself, as Paul says: "Their... Foreknow, and ordain them to be conformed to the image of Thy Son" (Romans 8:29). In glory: in blessedness, by the power of the Divine Light, she receives the image of God Himself; "The glory of the Lord," says the same Apostle, "beholding, in the same image we are transformed from glory to glory" (2 Corinthians 3:18). And John says: "Let us be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). Thus, whoever asks what the soul is, let him know that the soul is the greatest work of the Divine Council, it is the living imprint of the Holy Trinity. Oh, the unfading beauty of the soul! How do you, Christians, imagine the Kingdom of Heaven, heavenly bliss, the glory of the righteous? This is nothing but the contemplation of the Face of God. So beautiful is the Face of God that the holy angels are always ready to look at it. They look with thirst at this inexhaustible source of Unapproachable Light. That is why Peter says: "In which the angels desire to sit down" (1 Peter 1:12). If He had appeared in hell for a moment, hell would have turned into paradise, and if He had disappeared from paradise for a moment, paradise would have turned into hell. The image of this Divine Face is the soul. What will man give in return for his soul? How can he replace a creature so beautiful, the like of which cannot be found either in heaven or on earth? And, contemplating such beauty in my soul, can I then look at any other beauty in this world? Do I honor the tablet on which the image of a king or a nobleman is written, and will I not honor my soul, on which God has inscribed His image? By defiling my soul with carnal lust, it is as if I were throwing the image of God into the dirt and impurity, and I do not realize that I am committing a great evil! O soul! How often do I despise thee! O God, how Thou endure such an insult! It is quite true that we have nothing more precious than the soul, but we value nothing so little as the soul. We give this precious treasure for the instant pleasure of sin. We exchange it for paltry wealth. We betray her for the sake of a one-day splendor of temporary glory...

This is still tolerable if we had a few souls; for if one perish, the other remains. But we have only one soul, for the sake of which the heavenly and the earthly were created, for the sake of which nature labors, the heavens move, the sun shines, the earth bears fruit, plants and animals appear; for the sake of which paradise was planted, the Heavenly Kingdom was prepared, infinite bliss, boundless glory and all the blessings of eternal life in general, "which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor ascended into the heart of man" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Having destroyed the soul, we decisively lose everything: heaven and earth, the world, and paradise, and this temporary, and the other, eternal, life. That's it, that's it! In order to test the patience of the righteous Job, God gave the devil the power to tempt him, harm him, grieve him, and smite him in his children and in his own health. "Behold, all that is unto him, I give into thy hand... only guard his soul" (Job 1:12; 2:6). The rich Job became impoverished in the twinkling of an eye; his numerous herds of small and large cattle were partly plundered by robbers, partly struck by lightning. His high palaces fell, shattered by the stormy breath of the strong wind. His sons and daughters were subjected to an unforeseen and sudden death in one hour. He himself, poor, childless, homeless, outside the city, stricken with ulcers from head to foot, lay on a festering pit. During the day, the sun's rays scorched him, at night the cold tormented him even more. Job lost everything: wealth, children, and health; no, properly speaking, Job lost nothing, for he did not destroy his soul. What, he says, have I lost? My riches? But I was born naked, and what wonder that I should die naked? "Naked myself came out of my mother's womb, naked and I will depart" (Job 1:21). Have I lost my health? Thus it pleased God — "as the Lord willed, so it was" (Ibid.). Have I lost my children? "The Lord will give, the Lord will take away" (Ibid.). I have lost everything, and yet I have lost nothing, until I have lost my soul. I am still righteous before God even without my former well-being, wealth, children, health. As He who gave them to me took them away, so that He who took them away can return them to me. Though I have lost everything, yet for this I praise and bless His holy name, for He has allowed me to be tested in every way, except to touch my soul. "Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Ibid.) Thus God, the lover of mankind, has such a great providence, that when he permits our trial or punishment, or when he allows the devil to tempt us and harm us in the most precious things for us in this world, he nevertheless commands him: "Only guard his soul, that he may be careful not to do any harm to the soul, this only-begotten daughter of Jesus Christ, heiress of His Kingdom, whom He entrusts chiefly to a guardian angel, that He may cover her, watch over her, and preserve her "from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, from the things that pass away, from the gnarls and the demon of the noonday" (Psalm 90:5-6). Why is this? "Because everything else," says Chrysostom, "is many, and if one suffers damage, we use the services of another. And he continues: "If one is lost today, it will be found tomorrow, as Job found it in double and triple quantity." And the soul is the only one, and everything else depends on it, if we destroy it, how will we live?" But all is lost if we have lost our souls. The loss of everything, if the soul is preserved, is not in the least sensitive. The acquisition of everything, if the soul is ruined, does not compensate for anything. The soul alone is that which gives people life in this world and that inspires hope for a blissful life in paradise. If we have destroyed it, we have lost peace and paradise, we have lost everything. Why? "If we destroy it, how shall we live?"

Strange thing! If we have a child, the only thing we care about is that he will not be scorched by the sun, damaged by the wind, or upset by anyone. But our salvation does not depend on this child at all. If we have a precious stone, we keep it with such care that we are ready, if possible, to hide it in our hearts. And we cannot buy paradise with this stone. And after that, do we value the soul in any way, on which the well-being of the present and the bliss of the future life depend? This inestimable treasure, with the loss of which we lose everything heavenly and earthly, we entrust in the hands of which I am ashamed to speak!

Alcibiades was expelled from Athens. When a long time had elapsed after his exile, when the Athenians, for the necessities of the war that had arisen, had sent men to summon him, sending a letter in which all the archons had signed an undertaking not to do him any harm, Alcibiades, who had had many occasions to convince himself of the infirmity of the decisions of his fellow citizens, did not believe it, and resolutely refused to return. "How, Alcibiades? A friend told him. "In all other things," he answered, "I trust my fatherland, but I will not entrust my life to anyone, not even my mother, lest she should ignorantly put a black ball instead of a white one." "In everything that the Athenians demand of me," Alcibiades wanted to say, "I believe them. But as for my life, I do not trust anyone, not even the one who gave birth to me. Why? Because I have only one life, only one, and if I destroy it, I will lose everything. Thus Alcibiades reasoned about his life, for life is one. And we, Christians, how many lives do we have? And so, I say, for the sake of our country, parents, brothers, children, teachers, and everything else, I am glad to endanger money and property, in general, everything that I have in the world. But if we are talking about a single soul, by destroying which I lose everything, let my fatherland, parents, brothers, teachers, and friends forgive me, I will not trust anyone with my soul! Alcibiades did not wish to expose his life to danger, which in any case is temporary and has a definite end, but I, if necessity so requires, am willing to endanger my life as well. What difference does it make if I die today or tomorrow? But to endanger his soul, immortal, the destruction of which is the death of eternity? Oh, I'll never do that, never!

Immortality is another, remarkable advantage of the soul. This vain and perishable world with all the beautiful, good and valuable things that are in it has an end. "For the image of this world is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7:31). Sooner or later, death will come and bring an end to everything. Everything we have either leaves us when we lose everything, or we leave everything when we die. "All flesh is hay, and all the glory of man is like the flower of grass; the grass is gone, and the flower is gone" (Isaiah 40:67). Only the soul that lives forever and never dies is immortal in us. "Kaya... Is it profitable for a man if he gains the whole world, and forsakes his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). If I lose a thing, I can regain it, if I lose my honor, I can get it back if I lose my freedom, I can redeem it, if I lose my health, I can be healed, even if I lose my life itself, I can be resurrected. Thus I believe: "I look forward to the Resurrection of the dead." But if I lose my soul, there is no ransom, no healing, no resurrection. I lost her once and for all! Oh, if it were possible that it could enter our minds and hearts once and for all! God created heaven and hell; The first is a place of eternal life, the second is a place of eternal torment. There are the souls of the righteous, here are the souls of sinners. "These go away into eternal punishment, the righteous into everlasting life" (Matt. 25:46). He gave the keys to paradise into the hands of people. "And I will give thee," He says to Peter and to all the apostles, "the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19). The keys to hell are not given to men or angels, they are held by God Himself. He Himself says this in the first chapter of Revelation: "Imam the keys of hell" (18). Why then did He give the keys to paradise, the palace of God, the royal palace of Divine glory, into the hands of people, that is, His servants, and the keys to hell, the terrible prison of utter darkness, the place of torment of tormented souls, did God Himself, the King and Lord, keep with Himself? This is to make us understand that in this life, as soon as we wish to open paradise for the salvation of our souls in it, we easily find the keys. They are entrusted to people here on earth. As soon as we are converted, we immediately find them in the hands of the bishop or every spiritual father.

But if a natural and sudden death comes and finds us (God forbid) burdened with worldly cares or bound by worldly chains, and we die without reforming, without repenting, we destroy our soul, doomed to hell, then where will we find the keys to open hell and save the soul from there? Man does not have them, the angel did not receive them, they are held by God Himself. Then He, the Judge without mercy, does not open, for the door is closed. "There is no hope of deliverance, for in hell there is no repentance." So, the unfortunate soul, imprisoned in hell once, is imprisoned forever? Forever. Did she die once, died forever? Forever.

О душа моя! Вместо того чтобы тебе погибнуть, пусть лучше погибнет для меня весь мир со всем, что он имеет прекрасного и хорошего. Да и что же такое мир? Какое–то сновидение. А ты прекраснейшее творение, ибо ты — образ Божий; ты драгоценнейшее имущество, ибо, погубив тебя, я теряю все; ты бессмертна, и потерять тебя раз означает потерять навеки. Зачем мне губить тебя? Разве ты душа какого–нибудь зверя? Или какого–нибудь смертельного врага? Нет, ты моя душа. Кто не ценит свою душу в тысячу раз дороже этого суетного и тленного мира, тот или не имеет души, или же недостоин иметь ее.

2

Душа и мир, повторяю, это два таких предмета, о которых люди судят очень несправедливо. Вся забота людей, вся любовь и попечение обращены на мир! А на долю души осталось нерадение и пренебрежение. По молитве Илии Фесвитянина, заключившего небо, так что оно не одождило три с половиной года, «бе глад крепок в Самарии» (3 Цар.18:2). Какое плачевное зрелище представляло все царство! Земля иссохла, деревья обнажились, растения завяли, люди полумертвы или совершенно перемерли. Царь, которым был тогда Ахаав, старается подать какую–либо помощь. «И призва Ахаав Авдиа строителя дому… И рече Ахаав ко Авдию: гряди, и прейдем на землю и на источники водныя, и на вся потоки, да негли како обрящем былие… И разделиша себе путь ити по нему: Ахаав иде путем единым един, и Авдий иде путем другим един» (3 Цар.18:3–6). Какой хороший царь, хороший отец своего народа! Он сам берет на себя труд и отправляется искать пищу! О нет, мы ошиблись, слушатели мои! Знаете ли, чего идет искать царь Ахаав? Сена для своих коней и мулов. «Прекормим кони и мски, да не изгибнут от скот» (3 Цар.18:5). Сколько людей гибнет от голода, а царь этого народа старается напитать своих животных, а не людей! И это предмет его заботы, совещания и труда! Это ли царь, это ли отец? Это тиран и убийца. Не так поступал его эконом Авдий. Он боялся Бога, помнил о душе: «егда нача избивати Иезавель пророки Господни, и взя Авдий сто мужей пророки и скры я по пятидесяти во двоих вертепех, и кормяше их хлебом и водою» (3 Цар.18:4).

О, если бы среди людей только немногие разделяли бы образ мыслей бесчеловечного Ахаава! Но сколько из них заботятся и стараются больше о животных, чем о людях! Неужели и десятой части того, что расходуется на содержание лошадей в стойлах и гончих собак, нельзя бы уделить на пропитание вдов и сирот? Но так требует мир, и это исполняется, а то, что необходимо для души, не исполняется. То, что отдается на корм ненасытным зверям, не лучше ли было употребить на освобождение заключенного должника? На выдачу замуж бедной девушки? Но исполняются лишь требования мира, а не нужды души. То, чем откармливают псов, умеющих только кусаться и лаять, не лучше ли бы отдать на пропитание голодающей семьи бедняка? Но исполняются лишь требования мира, а не нужды души. И что расточается на зрелища и распутство, не лучше ли было отдать на церкви и монастыри? Но первого хочет мир, и оно исполняется, а второе нужно для души и потому не исполняется. Все подражают тому худому царю Ахааву, который во время голода заботился о прокормлении своих коней и мулов, но никто не подражает доброму строителю Авдию, который заботился о пропитании ста голодающих пророков. Что требует мир, то исполняется, а чего хочет душа — нет. И все пойдет на яства и наряды для этого животного тела, но ничего — на милостыни для души. О, несправедливость человеческая! О, несчастье души! Твоя душа, о человек, погибает от голода добрых дел, а тебя это не касается? И после этого ты раздумываешь и трудишься, чтобы напитать животных, совершенно не сознающих твоей милости. Ты должен поступать совсем наоборот, говорит тебе Василий Великий. «Что другое ты должен делать, как не заботиться только о душе своей, отложив все другие заботы?»

Распятый Иисусе мой, Сыне Бога Живаго! Ты дал Свое дыхание, чтобы создать эту душу; пролил кровь Свою, чтобы искупить ее, даровал купель Божественного крещения, чтобы омыть ее; установил еще второе крещение покаяния, чтобы ее очистить; уготовал трапезу пречистых Твоих Тайн, чтобы напитать ее; устроил здесь Церковь, чтобы освятить ее; а там — рай, чтобы даровать ей блаженство; Ты сделал все, что могла совершить крайняя твоя благость, чтобы спасти эту душу. А мы делаем все, что только может сделать наша крайняя злоба, чтобы погубить ее! Да не будет этого, вечный Женише душ наших, да не будет! Лучше пусть мы потеряем все, но сохраним душу. Ибо спасши ее раз, мы спасаем ее навсегда. «Какая… польза человеку, аще приобрящет мир весь, и отщетит душу свою?» Даруй нам Твою благодать, чтобы мы стяжали ее для Твоего царства. Аминь.