That spiritual enlightenment is usually gradual

December 18, 1946

He comes to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man to Him, and ask him to touch him. Taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the village, and spitting on his eyes, laid his hands on him, and asked him, "Does he see anything?" He looked at him and said, "I see people passing by like trees." Then again he laid his hands on his eyes and told him to look. And he was healed and began to see everything clearly. And he sent him home, saying, Go not into the village, and tell no man in the village" (Mark 8:22-26).

Why did the Lord Jesus Christ heal the blind man not as He always did? Usually he healed him all at once, but this one gradually: first he partially restored his sight, and then, laying his hands on him again, he healed him completely.

We do not know why this is so, we cannot know all the thoughts of the Lord. We can only guess why. It is very possible that the Lord Jesus Christ, through this gradual healing, teaches that spiritual enlightenment cannot and does not be a sudden process, but a gradual one.

It is. We know that it is impossible to immediately become spiritually sighted, to become a saint, to become a righteous man. It is a process of gradual development that often lasts a lifetime. And it should last the whole life of a person and all mankind. Look: the revelation of God given to mankind did not come immediately.

At first, only a few of the mysteries of God were revealed to the forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. This Revelation that they received was a small, initial one. Centuries passed, and the Jewish people received a much greater, deeper Revelation through Moses. The Ten Commandments were received, and the law was established. The matter did not stop there. The Lord Himself deigned to come into the world and bring the greatest Revelation – the full great Revelation of the Gospel.

Only since the time of the Lord Jesus has there been a complete Revelation, as complete as is possible for all mankind; the opportunity to develop and improve spiritually, to purify and enlighten His heart. There will be no more revelation. There can be no higher revelation than the great Revelation of the Gospel.

До конца мира остается Откровение Господа Иисуса Христа самым высшим, самым полным. В истории человечества, в истории мира происходит то же, что при исцелении слепого: не сразу открыл Господь глаза человечеству, не сразу исцелил, не сразу дал людям прозрение. Постепенно давалось оно в течение веков.

Так бывает и с каждым отдельным человеком, приходящим в мир, ибо Господь его просвещает, и это просвещение идет весьма постепенно. Зрение телесное дается сразу при рождении, а зрение духовное чрезвычайно медленно и ценою больших трудов.

Постепенно открывает Господь всё, что нужно открыть. Постепенно и медленно, по мере собственных усилий человека в деле прозрения. Человек должен приложить великие усилия, чтобы получить это зрение от Христа. Должен неустанно просить Его о помощи. Такой человек должен очищать себя молитвой и постом, должен исполнять заповеди Христовы. И тогда, по мере очищения сердца его, дается прозрение. Медленно, страшно медленно идет процесс духовного развития.

Многое множество людей совсем не ищут прозрения. А те лучшие, которых избрал Бог, получают прозрение по мере своих усилий. Если усилия постоянны, неуклонны, неустанны, процесс прозрения идет дальше, дальше и дальше.

Святые и праведные люди достигали великого прозрения. Не может быть никакого сравнения между степенью прозрения рядовых христиан и великих святых, например, преподобных Серафима Саровского, Сергия Радонежского, ибо их прозрение было неизмеримо больше нашего.