Thus, the daily use of food, according to the rule and order we have indicated, is not the work of the imperfect, but also of the very perfect: nevertheless, everything is established by the Divine Fathers well and God-pleasing. Oh, that the Lord would grant us even more health and strength of soul and body, to serve the living and true God, and to await us the last day of recompense, in which ye may shine like the sun with all the saints of eternity, having received the heavenly kingdom as an inheritance, 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 49[61].On the First Sunday of Orthodoxy. On not asceticizing beyond one's strength in Divine feats, and in order to nourish the soul with spiritual contemplation[62]

Brothers and Fathers! Just as any good deed is difficult at first, so the beginning of the Holy Spirit. The Forty Days brought us a certain burden, because of the change of food and church services. But in the course of time, from habit, this work, with God's help, will become easy for us, just as the Divine Scripture says: "Every chastisement in the present time bringeth sorrow, but it also recompenses the fruit of righteousness and peace" (Heb. 12:11). So now labor seems hard to us, but labor goes on and goes; Later, when we learn what benefit abstinence has brought to our souls, we will be filled with great joy. And since, with the help and grace of God, we have been vouchsafed to spend one week of fasting, let us apply even more diligence and thoroughness for the rest of the time of the forty days, knowing that diligence gives strength to the soul and body, and makes the heavy easy and the uncomfortable comfortable; On the contrary, laziness and negligence make the light heavy, and the comfortable uncomfortable. However, in the matter of asceticism and labor, let us have measure and discernment, in order to preserve our bodily health. For what is the use of first striving beyond one's own strength, then, gradually getting tired, abandoning one's podvig? For this reason the Fathers also said that it is better that which is small and everlasting, than that which is much and which is short. Such should be our labors and feats according to God. But since the length of the day brings upon a person burdensome and faint-heartedness, let us spend the daytime keeping in our minds and thoughts spiritual thoughts and reflections, by which the soul is nourished and comforted, and we will not allow our minds to be occupied with worldly affairs, which are all filled with confusion and bitterness; but let us meditate on the Divine, in which lies sweetness and joy.

Let our minds, brethren, always abide in God, in heavenly contemplations, in the beauties of paradise, in the eternal abodes, in the ranks of angels, in this abode. Let us meditate on where the souls of the righteous are now, and where the souls of sinners are; what will be the fear and trembling when this second coming of Christ comes, in which, according to the words of the Divine Scriptures, these heavens pass by with a noise and a great cry, the four elements will be destroyed, but the earth, and the works in it, will be burned up (2 Peter 3:10); and this sea shall be dried up by that great and terrible flame; how then each soul will be reunited with its body, with which it lived in this world, and what a multitude of people there will then be who were from Adam to the end of the world. And again, how terrible will be the glorified face of the Lord, and will shine like the seven suns, and shed rays more abundantly than the sun; and what voice shall we hear from Him, meek, sweetest, and joyful: Come ye to the blessing of My Father, or that terrible one: depart from Me by the curse (Matt. 25:34, 41). After all, what will be this end, when the righteous will be called to the heavenly kingdom with great honor and glory, and the accursed sinners will be sent with great dishonor and sorrow to eternal punishment and torment.

This, brethren, is what we ought to have care and care for, and this is what we ought to meditate on, as strangers in this world, for our dwelling is in heaven, and far from carnal and peace-loving people. From these good reflections come tears and enlightenment of the soul, and from that time man has lived in peace and without confusion, having spiritual joy and hope in receiving future and heavenly blessings, 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.

HOMILY 50[63]. On Wednesday of the second week. About guarding the soul from deadly passions

Brothers and Fathers! Having spent the first week in fasting, we now see in each other a change as if before that: our faces are emaciated, and have become pale and yellow. But if our outward man decays and diminishes, as the Apostle says, so does the inner, i.e., the soul, grow and renew itself day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). For just as the body becomes fat and flourishing from contentment in life, so the soul becomes brighter and more courageous from abstinence. And it is by this suffering of our body that we have increased in ourselves spiritual beauty and splendor, that is, that beauty which the Holy Spirit desired. The Prophet David prayed to God to grant him grace, saying: "Lord, by thy will give strength to my kindness" (Psalm 29:8). Through this splendor of abstinence, our souls are betrothed to the mental Bridegroom Christ, as Blessed Paul says: "Betroth you to one man, a virgin, to present Christ purely." But I am afraid, but not for the serpent deceive Eve with his wickedness, so your minds will also be corrupted by simplicity, which is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3) Do you see the greatness of the gift? We have been vouchsafed to have Christ as our bridegroom. Do you see how I and the great Apostle Paul fear and tremble for us, lest our enemy the devil deceive us and bring us down from such a great dignity? Our soul is like a virgin girl who is betrothed, and hides herself and is kept from the eyes of young men, so that they do not see her, and watchfully guards herself, so that she may keep her virginity pure and undefiled, until the time of marriage and union comes. In the same way, the soul must keep itself pure from sin until the very hour of death. And then, when she leaves the body, as if from a royal chamber, if she is beautiful and shines with the virtues of virginity, which she has preserved in this world, then the holy Angels will rejoice over her, seeing her beauty and splendor; but if she is ugly and blackened by sins, then she will bring joy to the demons to the reproach of Christ. And this is such a thing that it is scary to talk and listen.

For this reason we now subject the body to suffering and lead a harsh life, in order to humble carnal passions and disorderly movements, and so that the spiritual mind may prevail in us, and not the evil will of the flesh; and not only now, but always, we desire to have the same protection and the same podvig of abstinence. And what else is the life of a monk if not the curbing of the passions, vigilance over thoughts, and constant warfare with invisible and hiding demons? Though it seems heavy and difficult for the body, it is of great benefit to the soul; moreover, this labor is temporary, and the reward is eternal. For this reason the Apostle also says: "The lightness of our sorrow, the burden of eternal glory makes unto us; let us not look at the visible, but the invisible, for the visible is temporary, but the invisible is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). For the sake of eternal blessings, in which the Angels themselves desire, and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom our souls are betrothed, I beseech and beseech your love, brethren, let us keep our souls pure from evil deeds and from impure thoughts, which, according to the Lord, defile (Matt. 15:18) our souls, let us by no means accept sinful thoughts; for from such thought and reflection lust is kindled in us, like a great flame, which burns and burns our souls, and often makes them ugly and black.

By the Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

ПОУЧЕНИЕ 51-Е[64].В пяток второй недели. О единомыслии и любви, и о том, чтобы мужественно претерпевать труды добродетели, дабы получить небесное царство

Братия и Отцы! Радуюсь я смиренный, видя ваше мирное состояние и преуспеяние, особенно в единомыслии и любви, которую имеете между собою, и то, что вы терпеливо проводите время поста. Делаете же вы так ради спасения душ ваших и ради благой надежды на вечную жизнь. Ибо из всех добродетелей нет лучше мира и единомыслия среди общества братий. И это есть плод воздержания; и где появится и обрящется воздержание, там всякое зло и лукавство исчезает; так и теперь между нами исчезли нестроение, бесчиние, прекословие, клевета, ослушание, гордость и всякое другое зло. Тем из вас, братие, которые тщательны, пусть будет известно, что они не только себе приносят пользу, но и прочих братий возбуждают к добру добрым примером, который подают другим, за что получат от Бога великое воздаяние; а те, которые производят соблазны, бывают виновниками себе жесточайших мук за то, что подают собою худой пример. Так опять бывают други Божии, споспешники святых Ангелов и наследники благословения те, которые наставляют словом и побуждают братий к добродетели но Богу. О дабы всегда находиться нам в таком похвальном состоянии и устроении! Итак, пусть не перестает и никогда не оскудевает в нас любовь Божия; ибо Христос говорит: возлюбиши Господа Бога твоего, от всея души твоея, и от всего сердца твоего, и всем помышлением твоим (Лук. 10, 27). Если кто так возлюбит Бога, тот никогда не насыщается любви Его, не утомляется, не ленится, но еще прибавляет теплоту к теплоте, усердием возжигает усердие, созидая и возращая в сердце своем восхождения добродетелей, преуспевая и приходя от силы в силу духовную; и это постоянно и всегда.

Не видите ли, как мирские люди, ради тленных дел день и ночь трудятся и подвергаются злостраданиям? Не видите ли, как здесь перед нами строющие корабль всякий день работают, трудятся и отнюдь не имеют покоя? Для чего же это, и по какой причине? Дабы приобресть какие-нибудь средства к содержанию себя и своих домашних. А мы ради стяжания божественного богатства, ради получения царства небесного, ради наслаждения оными вечными благами, ради избавления от оных бесконечных казней вечного мучения, ужели не перенесем труд и злострадание со всякою радостию и усердием? Ей, братие, поистине, если придет время, и самую кровь нашу прольем за Имя и любовь Христову. Итак, умоляю вас, станем мужественно, упованием радуясь, в скорби терпя, претерпевая в молитве, пении, стихословии и чтении, дабы чрез таковое делание сосредоточить нам ум свой в Боге и в себе, и избавить его от неполезных помышлений; потому что праздность и леность причины всякого худого дела, а делание и тщательность охраняют от сего ум наш.

Сверх всего позаботимся о послушании; каждый пусть исполняет свое служение без ропота и со страхом Божиим; дела наши да совершаются чинно, без смущения и с благоговением; возлюбим успокоение брата нашего; будем иметь ревность ко всему, что полезно и содействует спасению душ наших. Кроме сего будем еще молить Бога о братиях наших, которые в разных местах проходят свои послушания, чтобы покрыл их Бог; об них я болезную и забочусь, потому что их пет со мною, и я не вижу, как они живут. Помолитесь и о мне смиренном, чтобы устам моим дано было слово пользы, и я проводил жительство правое и православное, дабы с вашею любовию и мне, малейшему и низшему, обрести спасение души, о Христе Иисусе Господе нашем, Которому подобает слава и держава с Отцем и Св. Духом, ныне и присно, и во веки веков. Аминь.

ПОУЧЕНИЕ 52-Е[65].В неделю вторую поста. О том, чтобы с кротостию и в мире проводить дни поста в уповании вечной жизни