SERMON 34: On Enduring Reproach and Reproach with Good Faith in Future Blessings

Fathers, brethren and children! Since you daily grow and multiply, because you have spent much time in asceticism and have acquired the habit of active and speculative virtue, then I, a sinner, am drawn to good, and I will tell you truly, believe me, I am all in fear and trembling; for I pass from strength to strength, I stand on the high and exalted guard, and I see to what heights of abbotship I have ascended accursed, how great and broad is the mental sea of our life, where is the refuge of salvation — a mountain high in the heavens of heavens; there are so many occasions, storms and waves from opposing spirits, how much confusion and confusion from the hostility and envy of people. From this I am terrified, my children. And how can I, who am ungoverned, lead you from earth to heaven and from the material to the divine and eternal? Have mercy on me, help me, take up your deeds and labor together with me, unite and be vain, and empty every one will take something from the spiritual weapons. Let one look forward, the other stand with me; let one watch, another go around; let others watch over the depth of their sins, lest they be found on a pitfall, or on a ground, lest a storm overtake us, and this or that happens, which you know and see every day. We take these comparisons as an example, so that all of us, with God's help and through the prayer of our father, may reach the desired refuge. And do not think, my most honorable brethren, that to attain the kingdom of heaven is a matter of little importance. For this reason, as it is said in the Scriptures, all the Saints walked in goatskins, destitute, sorrowful, embittered, wandering in the wilderness, and in the mountains, and in caves, and in the abysses and clefts of the earth, of which the whole world is not worthy (Heb. 11:38). Thus Isaiah was sawn with a saw; Jeremiah was cast into a pit of mud; Jonah was thrown into the sea and devoured by a whale; Daniel was given to the lions, that they might devour him, he fasted there for three weeks, and the covetous did not eat bread; the three youths were cast into the heavens; Zachariah, the father of the Baptist, died by the sword; the Forerunner himself was beheaded. And I will not have time to tell about Paul, who, as he himself says, dwelt in hunger and thirst, in winter and nakedness, in labor and asceticism (2 Corinthians 11:27); and I leave it to count his other innumerable feats. The First Martyr Stephen was stoned; James, the brother of God, was killed. But why should I go into an innumerable multitude of examples, presenting the other sorrows of the Apostles, the sufferings of the Holy Martyrs, and the feats of a multitude of venerable Fathers? In this way, my beloved brethren, as we have said, they received the promised blessings and eternal and ineffable delight. Thus, my children, we also humble will struggle, I beseech and beseech you as my fathers; for, as Basil the Great says, those are honored who labor, and crowns for those who gain the victory. Let us labor and strive always in the field (of our life), let us fight against the adversary, let us be tireless in the struggle, let us not retreat; advocating, let us not turn back. Let there be zeal in our hearts like fire, and no one will stand before our eyes, and the demons themselves will turn to flight. For it is said that they melt like wax from such spiritual fire; people will also fear us, or they will be reverent. Having ascended above everything, we will ascend to the place where our life and peace are ineffable. Woe, woe! Why are we so faint-hearted and impatient? Go, it is said, to the grave, about the lazy. (Proverbs 6:6).

Therefore, let us rejoice, my brethren, let us be of good cheer, that we may be of good courage and strengthened, that we may be strengthened and enlightened, that we may embrace and kiss one another with love. Let us guard ourselves, let us arm ourselves, and let us receive salvation in Christ our Lord Himself, to Whom belongeth glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 35: We Must Grieve and Pray for Those Who Foolishly Separate Themselves from the Brotherhood

Fathers, brethren and children! Our business, according to the Divine Scriptures, is likened to anything else but the position and duties of the helmsman? Usually, when the helmsman crosses this great sea and the sea of thought, he encounters many things: stormy winds, i.e., unclean spirits, various waves, confusion, and insurmountable noise. For the sound of its waves, as the Prophet says, who will stand? (Psalm 64:8, cf. 106:23 et seq.). For our humble spiritual ships ascend as it were to the heavens, and descend to the abysses.

But if this is so, and it often happens that we are exposed to waves, we are flooded with water, the ship is troubled, the tackle is torn, and we are run aground; however, we should not grieve over this, despair and leave the ship, but we should make even more efforts, and then both the helmsman and the miracle of salvation will be revealed. For if the helmsman is afraid of the contrary winds, the waves that cover the ship, and the waters in the ship, and even with one word he reveals fear, and because of fear his countenance is changed, then before the wreck he is the cause of destruction both for himself and for others in the ship, having brought them to despair. Therefore, my children, if sometimes one of the brethren is disturbed, like the waters of the sea, or shakes another, like the ropes of a ship, or resists some and rebukes like contrary winds, and we, the accursed, are afraid, then we harm both ourselves and you, and we are in distress, as if without a helmsman.

It is sorrowful when someone out of recklessness separates himself from the brotherhood, as has now happened to the humble Tarasius. Is it not also sorrowful if someone makes disorder and is troubled? It is truly deplorable, but not as if someone separates himself from our nourishment. On the contrary, we must try to gather together those who are scattered, to pacify those who are at war, and to do everything and make an effort for the benefit of our society [44] and yours for the sake of salvation. In this way, let us always pray for those who have fallen into sin, and especially for the accursed Thalassia. For God hates no one so much as the proud, just as the Brother of God says: "The Lord resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble" (James 4:6). Let us therefore guard ourselves, let us strengthen ourselves, and let us flee from the mouth of the serpent, who seeks to devour us, separating us from the brotherhood; let us dwell in the courts of the Lord's commandments, there serving and eating there, where there are no pastures bitter and deadly, but only life-giving, nourishing, fattening, and strengthening your honest souls. There drink yourselves, where there are no bitter and harmful waters of sin, but only sweet, quiet and God-filled. God has opened a stone for us; drink the waters of salvation. Manna is sent down from heaven; gather and eat. The sea splits; go, cross, and march into the land of eternal blessings. In order not to prolong the words, for the sake of the brevity of the night (I will say in general); observe all these things, and shun every evil deed, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is due glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 36: On the Sorrows That Occur in the Community, and That as the Brotherhood Increases, the Lord God Continually Gives What Is Needed

Fathers, brethren and children! If I have dared and dare to rule over you and be your superior, then I did not rely on the power of my word, for it, as you see, is weak, and not on a life worthy of imitation, for you know my sloth, but only on the mercy of God, having at the same time, as I think, some good intention and the prayer of my father and your father that helps me. I know to whom it is necessary to be superior, those who have attained impassibility and shine in it, who possess the word and the wisdom they need, who are attentive, clairvoyant, merciful, and can, according to the words of the Apostle, bear the burdens of the weak (Romans 15:1). But I, my children, am insignificant and weak, and I am not yet able to lead a life pleasing to God; however, I do not falsely and invariably wish to convey to you not only the salvific word of God, but also my most accursed soul. I do not know whether my work will be pleasing to the Lord, but (I believe) that it will be so for your sake, if only you will help me with diligence and thoroughness, keeping God's commandments. Children, sometimes sorrows, oppressions and temptations happen to me, as you know; but I do not grieve over this, and I do not think that I am tolerating anything unusual and beyond hope. For this, for this, and for this I am what I am, and I must watch vigilantly for your souls, watch both night and morning, carefully ponder, labor, pursue, and make the course in deed and word, in order to bring you to perfection.

Wherefore ye also, my brethren, do not faint. And if I, who am unworthy, who is considered your teacher, endure so much for your sake, then you also must labor for my sake, and also for one another, to endure together sufferings and misfortunes, not being surprised, not complaining, not despairing, and not terrified at the sorrows that arise, for we, my children, have not yet resisted sin to the point of blood; they have not yet passed through fire and water like the holy martyrs; our soul has not yet passed through the iron, as it was with the ever-memorable Joseph; We have not yet been wounded, we have not yet received wounds, like all the saints and righteous. And what will we boast of in the age to come, is that we have suffered for Christ, when we do not endure with joy and courage even the smallest thing, that is, reproach, shame, reproach, contempt, dishonor, scarcity of food, drink, and clothing, bodily labors, zealous attendance at church services, standing at psalmody, and reprimands.

Yes, my children! Endure and endure, that we may sing with David: "Endure the Lord, and hearken unto me, and hear my prayer" (Psalm 39:2). Each of his fruits will bear fruit in the age to come: the threw-blessed martyrs will bear their blood, the venerable fathers will have great virtues; And what feats are for us sinners, we have already said. And I am firmly convinced that we will not lose a part of them, as the Divine Anthony tells us. Therefore, my children, seek God fervently, and your soul shall live (Psalm 68:33). Seek His face, and see Him with a pure heart. Remember His miracles, which Thou hast wrought for us in the past years, and now, as I see the blind man, He is working in the midst of the city. For there are many adversaries there, and no one agrees with us in the Divine, but God preserves them harmless, multiplies them, grows and nourishes them, and does not deprive us of anything necessary for the present life. Therefore, my most honorable brethren, for what He is now doing for us, let us show our gratitude to Him all the more, and give Him his due. And what does He seek from us? Nothing else but that we fear and love Him with all our heart and with all our thoughts, and to imitate His life in the flesh according to our strength.

He, like a stranger, descended from heaven to earth, so that we, too, might depart from our will in thought. He was obedient to the Father, so that you also would zealously obey me, who am unworthy. He humbled himself even unto death, so that you, thinking these things, might be bowed down and humbled in thoughts, deeds, words, and movements. In what does true and divine glory consist, if not in being subjected to dishonor from people for God's sake? And in what does the true honor and glorification of a monk consist, my brethren, if not in humbling themselves for God's sake and appearing dishonorable? Humble and humiliated chose my God and Saviour, when I put on a body, that I might put to shame all that is glorious and rich among men. For this reason He was born in a cave and was laid in a manger; he was called Tecton's son, called Nazarene; he dressed in only clothes, walked and toiled; he was threatened by the Jews with stones; He was harassed, seized, crucified, pierced, killed, and then rose again, so that we, my brethren, might be moved to endure all this before His angelic powers, and crown us in the heavenly kingdom, in Christ our Lord Himself, to whom is glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

PRECEPT 37: On Loving to Be the Last and Enduring Dishonor and Reproach with Thanksgiving

Fathers, brethren and children! Leaders of warriors, teachers of children, artists of disciples, and we must instruct you, and give you, as our children, proper advice. And so, my children, abide in asceticism, in your suffering obedience and in your martyric obedience, compel yourselves day by day during the present life, acquire [46] your souls in virtues, betroth yourselves to the kingdom of heaven, and treasure the blessings preserved in the promises. Narrow and sorrowful is the way of God, and I say the same, but for this in the future we will be met with breadth, space, and peace. Temptations from demons are frequent, attempting to burn down our spiritual home, but the dew of the spirit extinguishes them and pours out for us water flowing into eternal life. Distress and sorrow, despondency and sloth, work and vigilance, desire and non-obtaining, labor and podvig, suffering and strain, poor clothing, [47] languor [48] and sweating, rebuke and reproach, excommunication and exile – this is the sorrowful path. But for all this, indescribable joy and endless joy await us.