Blessed be God, Who vouchsafed us this life, not because of our good deeds done by us, for we have not done a single good deed on earth before God, but only because of His immeasurable goodness. For this reason, each of us, with a contrite and humble heart, must give great thanks to our benefactor God. Thus it happens in monastic life, as we have said, but in the world there is scarcity in such matters; for the laity spend all day and night in worries about wealth and unrighteous acquisition, and in other worldly passions, in fornication, adultery, in kidnapping, unrighteousness, deceit, in shameful speech, oaths and reproaches; one starts a lawsuit with another, one brings another to lawless judgment, and many other evils are in the world; for this reason the Divine Chrysostom says: "Not many of the worldly will be saved." These words are terrible, but they are not true. Therefore we must weep not only for our sins, but also because of this utterance. For are we not the laity brethren one to another? Were we not of the same dust, and were we not baptized in the same holy font? If someone sees an animal going into the abyss, will he not regret it? How much more should we grieve and weep for our Christian brethren? For this reason Blessed Paul also wept over the enemies of the cross of Christ, praying for them with unceasing heartfelt sorrow (Romans 9:2). In like manner the Prophet Jeremiah mourned the destruction of the Jews, and not only mourned for them, but also gave up his lamentation to the Scriptures, and left it to be read. And the God-seer Moses cried out to God, saying: "If you forgive them sin, forgive them; but if not, blot out me also from Thy book (Exodus 32:32). In short, every saint grieved so much for sinners, and prayed to God for them. Thus, if we wish to follow in the footsteps of the saints, let us be concerned not only for our own salvation, but also for the whole world, lamenting for sinners, heretics and other impious pagans who are in the darkness of unbelief, and speak briefly about all people, as the Apostle Paul commands us, saying that we should make supplications and thanksgiving (1 Tim. 2:1). l). And then we will gain more benefit than those for whom we pray and remember, and we will receive cleansing and forgiveness of our sins, and we will inherit eternal life in the heavenly kingdom; in Christ Jesus our Lord, 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.

INSTRUCTION 46[57]. On Cheesefare Week. On fasting and the fact that the true fast of a true novice consists in cutting off one's own will

Brothers and Fathers! Our good God, Who grants us life and leads us from one time to another, has now brought us to the time of holy Lent out of love for mankind, during which each of the ascetics ascetics asceticizes and labors for the salvation of his soul, according to his own will and desire. One, observing abstinence, fasts for two or three days, the other, awake in vigil, reads or prays for a greater or lesser number of hours; and some make genuflections, placing on the pedestal according to his strength a greater or lesser number of prostrations; and another exercises in some other podvig; and someone would look at their great thoroughness and diligence in these days. And a monk who is in obedience and obedience, who is a true novice, bears his podvig not only at a certain time, but throughout his entire life. In what does the podvig of a true novice consist, and what is his great correction and his bright crown, if not to rely on his own reason and not to follow his own will at all; but whatever he does, do with the blessing of the abbot, or his elder and steward? This is the greatest of all monastic feats. In short, obedience with obedience vouchsafes us the crown of martyrdom, if, i.e., someone cuts off his own will and fulfills the will of his superior; it is so valued before God, as if he had shed his blood for Christ. However, we are well aware, my brethren, that during these holy days there is a change in food, an increase in kneeling and prostrations, and an increase in singing and in services, according to the ancient tradition of our Holy Fathers. Let us receive this gift of fasting honestly and with joy; let us not grieve over the suffering and weakening of our body, but let us rejoice in the health and salvation of our souls. Let us spend these holy days in meekness of heart, in gentleness, without condemnation, without anger, without guile, without envy, but even more in peace, in love for one another, in meekness and obedience, filled with mercy and good fruits. When the time of silence comes, let us be silent; when the need for a word arises, let us respond with humility and reverence; let us flee from verbosity, confusion, and disorder, so that we, as servants of Christ, may carry out our obediences peacefully and without confusion; for confusion in the community brings great harm to the unanimity of the brethren. In addition to all this, let us be careful not to open the doors to evil thoughts that come and defile our souls, and not to give place to the devil, just as the Divine Scriptures, teaching us, say: "If the spirit of him that possesses ascends against thee, thou shalt not leave thy place" (Ecclesiastes 10:4); for our enemy, the devil, has no power to force us, but only throws evil thoughts, like a fisherman to bait. And when we deign and accept them, then they rule over us; and when we drive them away by prayer and invocation of the glorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, then the enemy flees from us in shame. Let us use labor and diligence to keep our soul undefiled and pure from every impure thought and unwounded by its arrows, as the bride of Christ, and we will be vouchsafed to be the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. And to hear: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8). And, as the Apostle says, "If this is true, if it is honest and honorable, if it is righteous, if it is most pure and pure, if it is lovely, if it is good, if it is virtue, and if it is praise" (Philippians 4:8). We will do this, and God will be with us. Therefore, brethren, let us flee from gluttony and drunkenness, from which all sins are born; let us eat and drink with reverence and the fear of God, and glorify God, Who has delivered us from the delusion and rebellion of the world. Incidentally, there are monks among us, but in reality they are not monks, who sing satanic songs, i.e., disorderly songs, and amuse themselves like senseless children, which the worldly should not do, and even more so the monks, the chosen ones of God. We find a similar thing in the Old Testament, how God was angry with the Jews, and in one day three thousand of them died, because they ate and drank gray, and rose to play (Exodus 32:6). And if He was angry with the Jews, then what will we, monks, be subjected to, if we do similar things to them?

Therefore, be attentive, brethren, and live as children of God. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling (Psalm 2:11). Or do you not see how the earth shakes and the hills shake, while you play, mock and riot? Shall we play with those who stand before the King of heaven and earth? Listen to you, too, who play and sing disorderly! The Scriptures say of the unruly, that their heart is filled with the spirit of demons, and the heart of the one who sings is humbly filled with the Holy Spirit, just as the Apostle says: "If any man are happy, let him sing (James 5:13) wisely, and not drunk." I testify before God and the Holy Angels that if any monk does such lawless deeds, then he will not be worthy to receive communion and receive the antidoron during the entire Forty Days; unless he has a confessor like himself who will forgive him. Therefore, be attentive and observe the traditions and commandments of the Saints, eat and drink in moderation, as children of God; and give to the poor who have not, that they also may be comforted on this holy day. If we do this, then now we will be vouchsafed to reach the days of the Lord's Resurrection, and in the age to come, in the resurrection of the dead, we will receive the heavenly kingdom in Christ Jesus 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.

HOMILY 47[58].On Wednesday of the first week. On Fasting, Impassibility and Purity

Brothers and Fathers! The present days of holy fasting, among other seasons, are likened to a quiet haven, where all flock and find spiritual silence, not only monks, but also laymen, small and great, rulers and subjects, kings and priests; for this time is useful and salvific for all kinds and ages of people.

But Christians who live in the world have teachers, that is, their own bishops and pastors, who instruct and teach them. For just as wrestlers and fighters require excitement, so fasting require the encouragement and consolation of teachers. And since I, too, am among you who are desired in the place of primacy and abbotship, it is my duty to tell you a few words about this soul-saving fast.

Fraternity! Fasting is the renewal of the soul; For the Apostle says: To the extent that the body faints and withers from the Lenten asceticism, to that extent the soul is renewed day by day, and becomes beautiful, and shines with the beauty which God gave us from the beginning. And when it is purified and adorned by fasting and repentance, then God will love it, and will live in it, as the Lord also says: "I and the Father will come, and we will make our abode with him" (John 14:23). Therefore, if such is the dignity of fasting and such is its grace, that it makes us the dwelling place of God, then we must meet it with great joy and gladness, and not lose heart because of the scarcity of food, knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ, when He blessed five loaves of bread in the wilderness, fed five thousand people with bread and water. He could have commanded, if he had wished, that all kinds of phenomena should appear there; wherefore He gave us an example of abstinence, so that we might be concerned only with what was necessary. Fasting now seems difficult for us at first, but if we apply diligence and compulsion day by day, then with God's help it will be easier for us. However, if we want our fasting to be true and pleasing to God, then with abstinence in food, let us also abstain from all sin, spiritual and bodily, as the stichera teaches us, in which it is said: "Let us not fast fasting, but alienation of all sinful passions" [59]. Let us guard against laziness and negligence about our cell rule and church services, and most of all from vanity, envious jealousy, hatred out of malice and enmity, since these are secret passions that kill the soul; let us guard against ill-temper and self-will, i.e., let us not appropriate things and fulfill our will. For the devil loves nothing so much as if he finds a man who does not question another and does not consult with someone who is able to guide him to good; then the enemy conveniently seduces the self-initiator, and catches him in everything that he does and considers to be good.

Let us be vigilant, especially regarding carnal lust; for even now, when we fast, the manifold serpent devil wrestles with evil thoughts. The fruit of sin is beautiful to look at and pleasant to the taste, but it is not so in fact. As sometimes an apple seems beautiful on the outside, but when you cut it, you find rottenness inside; so the lust of the flesh seems to contain pleasure, and when sin is committed, it will be more bitter than gall, and like a two-edged sword. This was suffered by our forefather Adam; he was deceived by the devil, he ate of the fruit of disobedience, and hoped to receive life through this, but he found death. This has been endured by all from that time to this day, who have been deceived by the evil desires of carnal passions from the ancient serpent. For the devil is darkness, but he is transformed and appears as an angel of light. Thus Satan, the inventor of evil, shows evil to be good, and bitter to sweet, and dark to light, and ugly to beautiful, and death to life, and by this he deceives the world and torments it. But we, brethren, will have special attention, so that he does not ensnare us with many of his own and evil snares, so that we do not suffer like birds that are caught in snares and nets because of food. Let us carefully test with our minds the tricks of malice, and in any case recognize evil where it is hidden, and guard against it. In addition to this, let us have diligence and thoroughness in psalmody and church services; let us diligently listen with our minds to what is read. For just as the body, being nourished by bread, is strengthened and grows, so the soul is nourished by the Word of God. Let us make genuflections every hour, each according to his strength, and as many as are assigned to him; let us also be occupied with our needlework; for he who does nothing, according to the words of the Apostle, is not even worthy of food (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Let us help each other; for the one is weak, and the other is strong; let us not be contentious, but let us only do good; let us be sweet-talking, peaceful, forgiving, merciful, meek, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits. And may the peace of God preserve our hearts and minds, and may it vouchsafe us the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord, 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.

INSTRUCTION 48[60]. On the Friday of the first week. That we should adorn our eternal abode with divine virtue

Brothers and Fathers! If a layman wants to build a large and magnificent house, he has no rest at all, day or night, he labors, cares, and endures needs until the construction of the house is completed. They have such diligence and diligence in this matter, that their minds and thoughts, day and night, are occupied with nothing else but how to make the roof more beautiful and elegant, and how to decorate and decorate the whole bottom and everything else in such a way that everyone who looks at it will desire to have this house. And if anyone wanted to restrain them from this work, it would be as difficult for them as to bear a great offense.

What do I mean by this to your love, most honorable brethren? For each of us builds and builds for his own soul, not a sensual and perishable house, which is made of stones and wood, but a heavenly abode, incorruptible and eternal, which is built from the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Tell me, shall we be more slothful and lazier than those who build temporary houses? Would we not suffer a heavy loss? Moreover, since a perishable and temporary house receives carnal people into itself, and after many owners of the house have changed, it itself becomes old, ruined, and giveaway; and our spiritual house, which is built of virtues, receives the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle says: "You are the temple of the living God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" (1 Corinthians 3:16). And when the time comes for us to leave this world, He will follow us to heaven, and we will be there forever.

The beginning of the creation of virtue is the fear of God, just as the Divine Scripture says: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 110:10). And then the four great virtues, i.e., wisdom, courage, chastity, and righteousness, and the rest with them, copulated one with the other and built up by the union of love, grow into the holy temple of the Lord. Let us, brethren, build this monastery and adorn it with virtues, so that we may be vouchsafed to have the Holy Spirit within us, and that we may rejoice the holy angels, and benefit people through the accomplishment of virtues. And since abstinence is one of the great virtues in which we now struggle, let us give glory to God, Who has vouchsafed us to complete one of the races of Holy Week. Our faces have changed and become pale, but shine with the grace of abstinence. From the bile that has risen as a result of the fast, bitterness is felt in our mouths, but our souls have delighted in the hope and grace of salvation. For these two, i.e., soul and flesh, by nature fight one against the other, and when the one is strengthened, the other is weaker. And so, brethren, let us rejoice that we have made the better side, that is, the soul stronger.

Perhaps someone will say: eat every day, but will not one day violate the perfection of abstinence? No, this is not to be feared; for if it were so, then Christ would not command us in the Lord's Prayer to ask for the necessary food for every day, or the raven would not bring food to the Prophet Elijah every day, as well as to the divine Paul of Thebes; and Anthony the Great would not have considered it better to eat a little every day than to remain in fasting for three, four, and seven days.