My thanksgiving is this: Who shall speak the power of the Lord? Who will declare all praises in the hearing of all (Ps. 105. 2)? Now both are one, and the center of the fence is broken (Ephesians 2:14). Thou hast made us cease to be the talk of the town, the object of a nod of the head among foreigners (Ps. 43. 15). Thou hast given us as much evil as was necessary for us to know the good of the world in a time of division, and having struck us with sorrow, hast restored us again. Wonderful healing! Thou hast taught the world by enmity those who soon hate enmity; He has arranged the opposite for the opposite, and has separated you so much that we have rushed to each other all the more willingly: just as the branches of plants, forcibly cultivated and then left free, again strive towards one another, assuming their former natural position, and show in themselves the property that by force they can be bent, and not corrected. The hand no longer despises the eye, and the eye despises the hands; the head does not rise up against the feet, and the feet are not alien to the head (1 Cor. 12:21), and do not harm, or rather do not suffer, harm from disorder and lack of authority, from which confusion and destruction occur in everything, but all the members, according to the natural order and law, by which all things are united and preserved, take equal care of each other, — and we are now one body and one spirit, Therefore the mighty nations will glorify Thee (Isaiah 25:3), having become rich from the poor. Thou hast shown us Thy mercy (Psalm 30:22), and something new is added to the ancient tales. And when sin abounded, grace abounded (Romans 5:20). Throwing away the grain, I received an ear; mourning the loss of the sheep, I have gained shepherds, and I know for a fact that I will gain the best of shepherds,' although he, for some spiritual reasons, is slow to receive the flock. This pastor has already been entrusted with the grace of the Spirit, and talents for use, and care for the flock; he is anointed with the anointing of holiness and perfection, but wisdom still restrains him from authority, and he keeps the candle under a bushel for a time, but soon he will set it on a candlestick, to shine to every soul in the Church (Matt. 5:15) and to be a light to our paths (Ps. 118. 104). He now surveys the wilderness, mountains, and streams, and prepares nets for the wolves, the predators of souls, in order to receive the rod in good time and feed the flock of words, together with the True Shepherd, dwelling in the places of evil, among the ever-green words of God, and nourishing them with still waters, that is, with the Spirit (Psalm 22:2). That is what we hope and pray for.

But it is time for me to add to thanksgiving an exhortation, which I will also offer as much as possible, in short, because for the most part you have already been enlightened by the events themselves, and for those who have been taught by experience there is no need for lengthy teachings.

In the first place, brethren, it was not fitting for us to divide ourselves and thus destroy our ancient dignity and adornment, according to which our small flock, although it is impossible to place it along with the numerous flocks, nevertheless I equaled with the greatest and most extensive, even preferring to some according to the strength of the Spirit. This was the case before: each flock had its own lesser or greater adornment; the distinguishing characteristic of our flock was steadfastness and serenity, and therefore it was often called Noah's Ark because it alone was saved from the Flood and kept within itself the seeds of piety. Even when the axis has denounced that we are people, when we have not completely escaped the envy of the evil one, have not resisted the disease that infects everything, but have borne our share in the common misfortune and have not fully preserved the beautiful and paternal heritage, that is, the blessing of unanimity: and in this case we had no small advantage over others (unless, trusting in Christ, we can boast of something even in the face of our enmity itself) — the advantage is that the latter have been subjected to evil and the former have reformed. To fall into sickness is the destiny of the common nature and weakness of man, which extends to all, even to the strongest in body and spirit, but to rise from sickness and return to one another is a matter of reasoning and grace, which has rewarded you beautifully and justly, even better than we desired and others hoped. For those who were appointed heads of those who seceded, as having been ordained for the sake of piety and for the benefit of suffering Orthodoxy, we received with love and treated not as enemies, but as brothers, embraced those who rebelled against us for a short time for the sake of their fatherly heritage, however, they rebelled fraternally, and not maliciously. We did not praise their enmity, but approved of their zeal, for disagreement for the sake of piety is much better than agreement for some passion. In this way, we have turned the loss itself into gain, covering with love what they have planned against us, and in this one thing we have changed the order, that grace did not follow election, but election after grace, and that we made use of alien ordination to communicate it, being somewhat preceded by the Spirit. But you, abandoning suspicion against writing, turned to the spirit, and although you did not approve of simplicity in the clarity of speech, yet you did not suspect impiety; knowing that the Trinity is as firm and unshakable with us as in His nature, and that to cut off or alienate anything from the Three is for us the same as to cut off everything, and to insolently rebel against the whole Godhead. In this, even during the very division, we sometimes defended each other in front of famous people. And this is the strongest proof that truth is not impelled even by time, and that enmity has not completely extinguished the spark of love in us. In the midst of the very strife, the most important thing was preserved in us, that is, unanimity and confidence, that we did not waver in the truth and did not contradict it, but were sealed with the same character of faith and our first hope. For men who sincerely worship God can be so strongly moved to unanimity as agreement in the doctrine of God, and nothing is so conducive to discord as disagreement in this doctrine. The most humble person in other cases becomes the most ardent, the meek one becomes brave (Joel 3:11), when he sees that through his indifference he is deprived of God, or, better said, by his fall he causes damage to God, Who honors us with His riches and enriches us.

Thus, in the very separation, as I have said, we were so moderate that our unanimity became more visible than the separation, and the favorable dispositions of both sides almost obscured what had happened. And since haste in reconciliation is not enough for the stability of peace, if it is not supported by reason, and God Himself is not the champion of reason, from Whom all good is beginning and comes to perfection, then by prayer and meditation let us try to confirm our reconciliation in force. Let us think, first, of the most excellent and highest of all things, God (unless one finds it most proper to place Him above essence (ωσια), or to enclose all existence in Him, since from Him is communicated being and the rest); let us think, secondly, of the first beings from God and around God, that is, of the angelic and heavenly Powers, which are the first to drink of the First Light, and who are themselves enlightened by the word of truth, are themselves the light and reflections of the Perfect Light. Nothing is more characteristic of these creatures than peace and serenity. For in the Godhead there is no disagreement, because there is no disagreement (since separation is the consequence of disagreement), but in Him there is so much agreement both with Himself and with secondary beings, that along with others, and preferably before other names that God pleases to be called, this has become His name predominantly. It is called peace (Eph. 2:14), love (1 John 4:16) and similar names, inspiring us by the very names to strive for the acquisition of these perfections. And of the angels, the one who dared to stir up indignation and raised his neck above his dignity against the Lord Almighty, or, according to the prophetic word, conceived a throne above the clouds (Isaiah 14:13-14), — suffered a punishment worthy of arrogance, condemned to be darkness instead of light, or, more correctly, became darkness himself. Meanwhile, the rest abide in their dignity, in which peace and serenity are the main thing, because from the All-praised and Holy Trinity, from Whom they have radiance, they have also received that they should be one. For the Trinity is also and is confessed to be the One God no less by agreement than by identity of essence. Therefore, all those who love the good of the world and, on the contrary, hate strife and turn it away, are close to God and the divine spirits; but those who are abusive in disposition, seek glory in innovations, and are vain in what they ought to be ashamed of, belong to the opposite side. For the devil is not only at odds with himself, in his diversity and in his passions, but does the same in others, as a murderer from time immemorial and a hater of good, covering himself with the darkness of indignation (in order to shoot in darkness the common body of the Church); With what cunning and cunning, I think, he approaches for the most part each of us, and secretly looks out for a place in us where he could break in completely, as a brave warrior invades a broken wall or a broken rank.

Thus, the necessity of benevolence and concord is sufficiently proved by this alone, that is, by the imitation of God and Divine beings, for they are only to be looked upon and safe for the soul, created in the image of God, in order to preserve its nobility to the greatest extent possible by striving for the Divine and assimilating it to the greatest extent. Moreover, heeding the voice of God, let us look up and look at the earth (Isaiah 8:22), and let us delve into the laws of creation. Heaven, earth, sea — in a word, the whole world, this great and most glorious book of God, in which the very silence of God is revealed, this world, as long as it stands firm and at peace with itself, does not go beyond the limits of its nature, as long as no creature in it rebels against another and does not break the bonds of love with which the Artist, the Creative Word, has bound everything, until then it corresponds to its name, and truly there is peace and incomparable beauty; until then, nothing can be imagined more glorious and majestic than him. But with the cessation of peace, peace will cease to be peace. In fact, do you not notice that the law of love governs the heavens when it imparts light to the air and rain to the earth in orderly order? And do not the earth and the air imitate parental love, when they give all animals one food, the other the opportunity to breathe, and thus maintain their life? Is it not the world that governs the seasons, which, meekly dissolving among themselves, gradually take one place of another, and at the middle times soften the severity of the extremes, thus serving at the same time for pleasure and benefit? What shall we say of day and night, which are equalized to each other, waxing and waning evenly, of which the one calls us to work, and the other to rest? What can be said about the sun and the moon, about the beauty and the multitude of stars that appear and set harmoniously? What can be said about the sea and the land, which, peacefully uniting with each other, graciously and philanthropically transfer man to each other and lavish their treasures on him richly and generously? What can be said about the rivers that flow through the mountains and fields and do not overflow their boundaries, except for profit, and will not return to cover the earth (Psalm 103:9)? What can be said about the confusion and dissolution of the elements? What shall we say of the proportion and harmony of the members, of the food, of the birth and habitation assigned to each animal, of which some are dominant, others are submissive, some are submissive to us, others are free? If all this happens in this way, and is governed according to the original laws of harmony, since everything flows together, one breaths, can we draw any other conclusion from this, except that everything preaches to us about friendship and like-mindedness, that everything is prescribed to us by the law of unanimity? But when matter in the world rebels against itself, and by its confusion prepares destruction, it becomes indomitable, or when God, for the fear and punishment of sinners, disturbs a somewhat orderly order, either by a flood, or an earthquake, or by extraordinary rains, or by an eclipse of the sun, or by the length of a season, or by the eruption of fire, then disorder and fear are spread everywhere, and in the midst of confusion it is revealed, How beneficent the world is.

I will not say that cities, kingdoms, choirs, armies, houses, societies sailing on the same ship, marriages and friendships are maintained by peace, and from disagreement they come into disarray; I will dwell on Israel, and reminding you of their calamities, dispersion, and wanderings, in which they are now and will remain for a long time (in which I believe the prophecies); I will ask you afterwards about the cause of these misfortunes, which is known to you for certain, so that the misfortunes of others may teach us to be of one mind.

Is it not true that while the Israelites kept peace among themselves and with God, they were tormented in Egypt as in an iron furnace, and united by common oppression (sometimes oppression serves as a salvific cure); until then they were called holy nations, a part of the Lord, and a kingdom of priests. (Exod. 19. 6. W. 32.9)? And not only in name were they so, but in fact they were different. They were governed by leaders led by God; day and night a pillar of fire and cloud guided them; while fleeing, the sea parted for them; when they were starving, heaven gave them food; when they were thirsty, the stone gave them water; when they fought, the lifting up of their hands replaced thousands of soldiers, with the help of prayer erected victory monuments and paved the way forward; before them the rivers receded, imitating a homogeneous sea, the elements stopped, and the walls fell from the sound of trumpets. What shall we say of the plagues of Egypt, and of the voices of God heard from the mountain, of the twofold legislation, one in writing, and the other in the spirit, and of all that the Israelites were once honored above their dignity? But when they fell into sickness, they rebelled against one another with fury, they were divided into many parts, being driven to the last extreme by the cross and by their stubbornness, with which they rebelled against God and our Saviour, not knowing God in man, when they brought upon themselves the rod of iron (Psalm 2:9), with which God threatened them from afar (I mean the now ruling Power and the prevailing kingdom), Then what happened? What did they not tolerate? Jeremiah weeps over their former misfortunes and laments over the captivity of Babylon: truly, and it was worthy of weeping and lamentation. How could bitter tears not be shed when the walls were dug up, the city was razed to the ground, the sanctuary was destroyed, the offerings were plundered, unclean feet entered into the inaccessible, vile hands took the inviolable in the service of sensuality, the prophets were silent, the priests were taken captive, the elders had no mercy, the virgins were desecrated, the young men fell, the fire of strangers and the fire of battle, and rivers of blood took the place of the sacred fire and blood, the Nazarites are dragged through the streets, the songs are replaced by lamentations, and, I will say in the own words of the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the sons of Zion, precious (Lamentations 4:2) and equal to gold, who lived in contentment and did not experience calamities, walk an extraordinary path, but the ways of Zion lament, because there are no ones who go to the feast (1:4)? And a little earlier: the hands of soft-hearted women (4:10) do not serve food to children during an intensifying siege, but they tear children for their own food, and satisfy their hunger with what is most pleasing to them. Is this not terrible, is it not the height of horror not only for those who endured it then, but also for those who hear about it now? Every time I take this book in my hands and read the Lamentations (and I read it every time I want to make my well-being chaste by reading), my voice breaks, tears flow of their own accord, the calamity seems to be happening before my eyes, and I weep with the weeping prophet. But who among those who know how to compose lamentable songs and fully depict sorrow in words, will worthily mourn the final blow — the migration of the Israelites, the yoke of slavery that now weighs upon them, the humiliation known to everyone under Roman rule, the main fault of which was indignation? What books will hold it? For them there is only one monument of calamity, the whole universe in which they are scattered, the ceased Divine services, the now scarcely recognizable place of Jerusalem itself, which is only accessible to them and only in this way delights them for their former glory, that they, appearing there for one day, can mourn the desolation.

If, however, indignation is really so terrible and disastrous in its consequences, as is evident from what has been said and as many other examples show, then it is much more terrible for people who have already freed themselves from petty attachment and have tasted the blessings of the world, to be subjected to the same disease again, and, as they say, to return to their vomit, without understanding the experience itself, which is instructive even for the foolish. For, as I see, it is not those who are given over to any vice that are considered frivolous and foolish, but those who, like the changeable winds, or the changes and tides of the Eurips, or the fickle waves of the sea, are easily carried away and pass from one side to the other. I also observe that those who remain in discord are made more accessible at least by the hope of concord, which alleviates most of their misery; for it is a great consolation for the unfortunate to hope for a change and to have something better in mind; but those who have often approached unanimity, and have always rushed again to dissension, above all else, are deprived of hope for the best, fear agreement no less than dissension, and because of their susceptibility to both, and their inconstancy, they do not trust either.

Let them not think, however, that I assert that every world is to be cherished. For I know that there is a beautiful disagreement and the most pernicious unanimity; but one must love the good world, which has a good purpose and unites with God. And if it is necessary to express myself briefly about this, then I will say my thought: it is not good to be too sluggish and excessively hot, so as to either agree with everyone out of gentleness of disposition, or, out of stubbornness, to disagree with everyone. As lethargy is inactive, so flexibility to everything is uncommunicative. But when it comes to manifest wickedness, then one should rather go to the fire and the sword, not to look at the demands of the time and the rulers, and at everything in general, than to partake of the leaven of wickedness and touch the infected. The most terrible thing is to fear anything more than God, and because of this fear the servant of truth will become a traitor to the teaching of faith and truth. But when we are grieved by suspicion and are afraid without investigating the matter, then patience is preferable to haste and forbearance is better than perseverance. It is much better and more useful, without separating oneself from the common body, as its members, to correct one another and to correct oneself oneself, than, having prematurely condemned by one's excommunication and thus destroying the trust, then imperatively demand correction, as is characteristic of rulers, and not of brothers.

Knowing this, brethren, let us embrace and kiss one another, let us be sincerely united, let us imitate Him Who destroyed the center of the fence and gathered and reconciled all things with His blood. Let us say to this common father, the venerable elder, the meek and quiet Shepherd: Do you see what a reward for humility? Lift up thine eyes and look around: they are all gathering, coming to thee (Isaiah 60:4). They are gathered together, as you wished, and what one thing you asked day and night, in order to end your pilgrimage in a good old age. Behold, they have all come to thee, resting under thy wings, and encircling their altar; with tears they departed, and return with joy. Rejoice and rejoice, O thou best and most loving of fathers, for thou art as a bride clothed and clothed with all of them. Say to us also: "Here am I, and the children whom the Lord has given me" (Isa. 8.18)! Add also another word of the Lord, especially now befitting: bodies; which thou hast given me, I have preserved" (John 17:12), and of them I have not destroyed a single one. And oh, if no one perished, but we all remained in one spirit, with one accord contended for the Gospel faith, and reasoned with one thing; Armed with the shield of faith, girding their loins with the truth, they knew only one battle, the battle against the evil one and against those who fight under his command; they were not afraid of those who could kill the body, but could not steal the soul; but they feared the Lord of soul and body; we kept the precious deposit we received from our fathers, that is, we worshipped the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in Whom we were baptized, in Whom we believed, with Whom we were united; they knew the Father in the Son and the Son in the Spirit, before they were united, before divisions they united; did not revere the Three as one (because they are not hypostatic, and do not constitute one hypostasis, so that our wealth is not in the names alone, but in the thing itself), and believed that the Three are one, and the one is not in hypostasis, but in Godhead, the Unity in the Trinity worshipped and the Trinity in the One, all venerable, all reverent, all royal, unthroned, equal in glory, pre-worldly, and above time, not created, invisible, inviolable, incomprehensible, knowing only about Itself what order it has in Itself, but for us equally venerable, worthy of equal service. One who enters into the Holy of Holies, but leaves every creature outside, and separates some by the first, and others by the second veil; so the heavenly and angelic beings are separated from the Divinity, while our nature is separated from the heavenly beings of the second.

Thus, brethren, let us act and behave in this way, and let us receive and heal those who disagree, as long as it is possible, as an ulcer of truth; As for those who suffer incurably, let us turn away, lest we ourselves become infected with their illness before we communicate our health to them. And the God of peace, surpassing every understanding, will be with us, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

HOMILY 7. Funeral Eulogy for Brother Caesarius, pronounced during the lifetime of his parents

Perhaps you think, friends, brothers, and fathers, dear in deed and name, that I willingly proceed to speak, wishing to accompany those who have departed from us with tears and lamentation, or to offer a long and flowery speech, which many delight in.

No, do not think of me in this way, if you want to understand justly. It is no longer proper for me to weep for the dead, who do not approve of it in others. Nor will I praise beyond measure and decency; although the word for him who has the gift of speech, and praise for him who loves my words especially is a gift that is pleasant and more appropriate to him than any gift, and not only a gift, but a duty that is more just than any duty. However, I will shed tears and marvel at how much this justifies the law given for this, for this is not alien to our wisdom, since the memory of the righteous will be blessed (Prov. 10:7). Shed tears over the dead, and, as if subjected to cruel misfortune, begin to weep (Sir. 38:16), says someone, equally preventing us from insensitivity and from immoderation in sorrow. Then I will show the weakness of human nature, and I will mention the dignity of the soul. As I will give due consolation to those who mourn, so I will raise sorrow from the bodily and temporal to the spiritual and eternal.