But the Lord loves him, chastens him, beats his son, and receives him (Heb. 12:6). And whosoever is glad to me, says the Divine Apostle, receive sorrow from me (2 Corinthians 2:2). Rejoice, receiving penances from me, and know that I do this, moved by love for you, although I am a sinner. I accept your labors and sweats as precious myrrh and fragrance that you bring to God. Remember death, the separation of the soul from the body, the presence of the Angels, the long journey, alienation from everyone, the appearance before the face of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, the terrible and undeceived response in all our deeds, the terrible and terrible torment, the Kingdom of Heaven and the invisible and ineffable blessings promised there. That we may all inherit them, but to the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom the Father and the Holy Spirit may inherit them. By the Spirit is due glory and dominion, honor and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

SERMON 27: On Doing the Work of the Monastery with Diligence and Attention, as if it were the works of God

My most honorable brethren and spiritual children! Those instructions which I wanted to give you orally, I venture to convey through the Scriptures. For this is why our most gracious God has given us the gift of speech, as Basil the Great said, in order to reveal to one another the thoughts of our hearts. So I reveal to you the love I have for you; For although I am a sinner and desperate, yet because of the multitude of my sins, in spite of this, having left my own misfortune and weakness, I take care of you in every way and in everything, I am afraid, trembling and caring for all of you. Whoever is weary, and I am not weary, I say thoughtlessly, or, "He who is faint, and I do not liquefy" (2 Corinthians 11:29). In my folly I speak, having in spite of all this, as I have said, a multitude of sins. He who cares for his own salvation is not only my child, but also my master, master, and father, and I lie with my soul at his feet. For he who is zealous and careful in his obedience is my salvation; the humble-minded is my strength and courage; the trembling words of God are my soul, my heart, my thought. But for the idle and slothful I grieve, because he is unworthy to eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10), as the Divine Paul says; in the same way about him who is not diligent and lazy, who murmurs, who is drowsy and slumbers at every good deed; for such people lose half of their lives. Therefore, arise with me, children and brethren, companions and travelers on the path that leads us to heaven. And first of all, hold on to spiritual struggles with zeal and courage, and burn like fire, going to the night hymns and to the daytime prayers; and then be careful also in the external affairs that are entrusted to you. Get up early, so that the sun does not find you in bed, as our great teacher, our blessed Basil, commanded in the rules; In hot times, one hour is enough for you to sleep, and get up immediately. Or do you not hear what is said in the Holy Gospel? Deep in the morning, it says, the wife came to the grave. (Luke. 24. 1). Also in the morning were Peter and John (John 20:4). Paul and Silas arose to pray at midnight (Acts 16:25); the Prophet David speaks of himself in the same way (in Psalm 118:62) [33]. And what does Paul himself say about himself? Working night and day, let us not burden any of you (1 Thessalonians 2:9). Look at the Apostle, look at the preacher of the Gospel, at the fisher of the universe, how he, after such a ministry of word, sat at needlework.

Therefore, do not be hearers of the Scripture, but be both hearers of the law and creators of the word, as God wills. Have competition among yourselves, and urge one another, trying each one to listen quickly, without waiting for the second word from the one who commands; He will appear among you as the highest in humility, who with the first word asks forgiveness with a bow, and takes all the blame upon himself. If you do this, then I am firmly convinced that you are in joy and gladness, that you are lifted up in hope to impassibility, and that you ascend boldly to the Heavenly. If you are pure in soul and already alien to envious zeal, it is better to say, if you are impassible, or even if passions tempt and confuse you, but armed with such spiritual virtues, you will drive out the demons that fight you. And what warrior will allow himself not to be always armed, even though he always wins? And how can the King of heaven not crown such a person, even if he receives a thousand wounds, if only he is not put to death from sin?

Be merciful, as our Heavenly Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). The wombs of the wicked, as the Scripture says, are unmerciful; but the righteous have mercy on the souls of his beasts (Prov. 12:10). And first be merciful to yourselves, and then to the animals, so that they do not remain unfed and unwatered; but in due time give them both food and water, and this is a sign of the monastery's working animals, that they are not full and strong; and if they are not, then they are not monastic animals, but the poorest, or rather the most insane laymen.

And so, my children, show that you are careful about your life in everything, even in the smallest things, and, as you are careful in everything, do not neglect the greenery, do not throw away the fruit, do not despise even the smallest scrap, even if it be old and no more than one span, much less clothing; for a monk must wear such a garment, as it is said in the Patericon [34], that if it were thrown out of the gate for three days, no one would wish to lift it. What condemnation will be subjected to those who despise any thing? And not only that; But even do not neglect firewood, and do not burn it unnecessarily, especially if it turns out to be suitable for crafts, not part of a board, even with a dog's jaw. Never spill wines and oils on the ground. Alas! the Fathers say that we should not smell wine; And oil, do you know how much oil was consumed by the one who checked the vessel with a needle [35]? But we, eating them in abundance, from much satiation, or rather from our inattention, spill them on the earth and give it to drink; and others, either because of their abstinence or because of poverty, would at least like to taste it. A folk proverb can also be cited, if it is relevant; It is said: when the butcher's children are satisfied, then rings are made from the intestines of the killed animals. Do not do this, my children, for both in the spiritual and in the body, man grows rich little by little.

I do not know whether any of you are subject to laryngealism; but I know that every day you are approaching death, and that then you will stand before the face of God. Therefore let your tears be shed like a fountain day and night. Remembering this, pour out your hearts before God, and I trust that you will go to the wondrous tabernacle, even to the house of God, living in the voice of joy, in the dwelling of those who celebrate in heaven, in the noise of the spirit. Therefore, do not grieve and do not be troubled by the passions, even though they struggle you strongly. But spread the sail of your soul, and with boldness swim across the abyss of this life, aided by the prayers of our father.

If passion rages like a storm, then lower the sail, which means true humility. If the rope, that is, the strength of patience, is erased, correct it by the power of the mind. In this way you will enter with the weight of your virtues into the quiet abode of life, having made a happy purchase, being enriched with eternal treasures, and rejoicing with our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is due glory, honor, and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

HOMILY 28: On Spending Time in Ascetic Labors and Deeds for the Sake of Receiving Eternal Blessings

My fathers, brethren and children! Because of the illness of the legs, I cannot participate with you and help you in the bodily labors in which you find yourselves; and for this I grieve greatly. True, even if I were with you, I would not be of any use to you; but then I would see you and rejoice at the diligence, good obedience, patience and thoroughness of each of you, I would rejoice that I would see and observe all those who work with zeal and help each other in spiritual and bodily labors. And I pray more to God, that your faith may not fail, and that your spiritual love, which you have for me, humble, may not grow cold, and that you may be strengthened in oneness of mind and in the same love, and that you may fulfill the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ. I know that you are cramped, in labor, suffering, and sweat. But I beseech you, be of good courage for the love of the Lord; endure, fighting the good fight, that you may be crowned and rejoice in heaven. O that I, children, may work together with you! O that I also may go out with you to work, that by labor I may humble my body. Blessed is he who labors according to his strength together with the brethren, and venerable is he who participates in bodily labors. By such labors you sanctify your bodies, and make your souls the most passionless, as truly the Lord's workers, if only you do what is commanded as you should, that is, when the stewards and their helpers give commands with the fear of God and compassion, and those who obey show obedience to those who are higher than themselves.

Look, my child, steward, thou art my beloved Zosima, my venerable Ephraim, and also ye my glorious ones. Pimen and Lucian, one cellarer, and the other gardener, and the first in everything, see how you dispose of it, as you command. Do not command, with violence, without pity, and carelessly, but with attention, brotherly love and prudence, since the brethren are not all equal in mind, morals and strength. With this condition alone, the power over the brotherhood has been entrusted to you; and if you dispose of it in this way, then you are blessed and will be heirs of eternal blessings. See also you, my children, who are in obedience, my venerable Nilus, Dositheus, Tiphoi, Aphra, and you Dius — there is not enough time to call them all by name — see how you accept the commands of the administrators, how you obey, how you live. Do not laugh, my children, for by this you grieve the Lord. Do not be idle, for by doing so you offend the Holy Spirit. The Apostle says: "Let all sorrow, wrath, and wrath be taken away from you with all malice" (Ephesians 4:31). And again: Let not every rotten word proceed out of your mouth, but let it be good for the building up of needful things, let it give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29). Be merciful to one another, meek, brotherly; condescend to one another out of love; bear one another's burdens, forgive, give preference to one another, and revere one another, with the fear of God.

If you do this, and lead such a life, then you will be my beloved, especially the saints of God, His earthly angels, worshippers of His power, ministers of His glory, and heirs of the heavenly kingdom: you will be cohabitants with the saints, inhabitants of paradise, and partakers of eternal and inscrutable blessings. Wherefore I, unworthy, pray for this, O sinner, for this I beseech the humble, that your steps may always be directed to God, that you may be strengthened by the help of His power, and that for my sake, a sinner, there may not be any temptation or stumbling, nor pernicious murmuring, nor deadly insolence, nor slander in any evil deed, nor anything else forbidden or sinful; but in every deed and movement, let the light of God's mind come before you, that you may abide in a peaceful dispensation and in the silence of brotherly love.

May the Lord our God send down to us a faithful angel, a guide, a guardian of your souls and bodies, so that he may drive away evil demons and assist you in every good deed and in a good life. May the Lord our God open to you the door of righteousness and the way of truth, may He receive you, warm you, make of you an organ and a beautiful psalter for joy, may He make you all temples of the living God, may He dwell in you, and may He also give you the betrothal of the blessedness there. Little and insignificant is what I have told you today, as always. But in imitation of Christ, accept as the two mites of a widow, the seed of our poverty, and repay us by doing what is said to you. For if this is sung, we do not demand praise; but if we speak repeatedly, do not be amazed; for although we have heard the same commandments so many times, we have not fulfilled them. Oh, that while we are alive and breathing, I may speak and listen to you! May the Lord our God preserve and strengthen you, may He correct your way and works, may He rejoice you, may He delight you, and may He vouchsafe you the heavenly kingdom, in Christ our Lord, to Whom is due glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

INSTRUCTION 29: On Not Pleasing Any Other Life Than Those Who Live in the Dormitory