2. Why do you wonder that Christ speaks to the Father, when He often addresses both the prophets and the Scriptures, as when He says, "They bear witness of Me" (5:39)? But shall we consider Him to be less even than the prophets, only because He borrows testimonies from them? Let it not be. In this way he only adapts his word to the weakness of his hearers, and if he says that he has heard what he said from the Father, he does not speak as having need of a guide, but so that they may believe that there is nothing false in his words. And John's words mean this: I must listen to Him, because He has come from above and proclaims heavenly things, which He alone truly knows. This is precisely the meaning of the words: "What He has seen and heard, that He also bears witness to; and no one accepts His testimony."

But He also had disciples, and many listened to His words: how then does John say, "No one receives? "Nobody" is said here instead of "few," because if John had said "nobody" in the strict sense, how could he have added, "He who has received His testimony has sealed that God is true" (v. 33). Here John also touches upon his disciples, since they were not quite disposed to believe in Christ. And that even after these words they did not believe in Him, this is evident from the subsequent legends. Being in prison, John sent them to Christ for this very reason, in order to unite them more closely with Him. But even then they hardly believed in Him, to which Christ hinted when He said: "And blessed is he who is not offended in Me" (Matt. 11:6). Therefore it was not for any other purpose that John said, "And no man receiveth His testimony," than to warn his disciples, as if to say, "If not many believe in Him, therefore do not think that His teaching is false; He "saw, and testifies." At the same time, John says this to reproach the insensitivity of the Jews, just as at the beginning of the Gospel the Evangelist John rebukes them, saying: "He came to his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11); this is not a reproach to Christ Himself, but a condemnation to those who did not accept Him. "He that hath received his testimony has thereby sealed that God is true" (3:33). In this way he frightens them, shows that he who does not believe in Christ not only does not believe in Him, but also in the Father Himself; wherefore he adds, "He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God" (v. 34). Since He speaks of God, he who believes or does not believe in Him believes in God or does not believe. The word: sealed means: proved. Thus speaking, and increasing their fear, John adds, "God is true," showing that not to believe in Christ is nothing else than to condemn in falsehood the God who sent Him. Therefore, if He says nothing alien to the Father, and everything is the Father, then he who does not listen to Christ does not listen to Him who sent Him. Do you see how he strikes them with these words? Hitherto they had not considered it important not to listen to Christ. That is why John threatens unbelievers with such great danger, so that they know that those who disobey Christ do not obey God Himself. But then, continuing his discourse, John condescends to the weakness of their minds, and says: "God does not give the Spirit by measure" (v. 34). As I have said, John again uses a derogatory form of expression, diversifying his discourse and thus making it acceptable to his hearers. Otherwise, it was impossible to arouse and strengthen fear in them. If he had said anything majestic or lofty about Christ, they would not have believed it, and would have despised his words. That is why John refers everything to the Father, and speaks of Christ as of a man. What is the meaning of the words: "God giveth the Spirit not by measure"? John wants to show that we all receive the power of the Spirit to some extent. Here he calls His power the Spirit, and it is this power that is divided according to measure. And Christ has immeasurable total power. If His power is immeasurable, how much more so is His being. But do you see that the Spirit is also infinite? And so, he who has received all the power of the Spirit, who leads all the things of God, who has said: "What He has seen and heard, of this also testifies," can he be suspected of anything? He says nothing that is not God's, that is not of the Spirit. And yet John does not yet say anything about God the Word, but only confirms in the name of the Father and the Spirit in his teaching, since they knew what God is, that there is a Spirit, they believed, although they did not have a proper understanding of Him, but they did not know what the Son is. That is why he always turns to the Father and the Spirit, and thereby confirms the truth of His words. And if any one, having lost sight of this reason, were to consider the doctrine in itself, he would be too far removed from a worthy conception of Christ, since Christ was not worthy of their faith because He had the power of the Spirit; He did not need His help, but has everything in Himself; but John speaks in this way in an adaptive way to the imperfect understanding of the disciples, wishing little by little to raise their concepts. I say this in order not to superficially skim over what is said in the Scriptures, but to inquire into the purpose of the speaker, and the weakness of the listeners, and other circumstances. Teachers do not all speak as they would like, but as the condition of the weak requires. Wherefore Paul also says, "I could not speak to you, brethren, as to spiritual men, but as to carnal men. I have nourished you with milk, and not with food" (1 Corinthians 3:1,2). I would have wished, he says, to converse with you as with spiritual people, but I could not. Why? Not because he himself did not have the strength to do so, but because they could not listen to such a teaching. In the same way, John wanted to teach his disciples many things, but they were not yet able to comprehend; therefore he confines himself to simpler concepts.

3. Therefore, it is necessary to test everything with care. The sayings of Scripture are spiritual weapons. And if we do not know how to use weapons and equip the disciples well with them, then they will have power in themselves, but they cannot be of any use to those who take them. Let's assume that armor, helmet, shield, spear are strong. But let someone, taking this weapon, put armor on his legs, a helmet not on his head, but on his face, holding the shield not in front of his chest, but trying to hang it at his feet: will there be any use for this weapon? Won't there be any more harm? This is obvious to everyone. But this will not happen from the weakness of the weapon, but from the inexperience of one who does not know how to use it well. In saying this to you always, both in private and in public meetings, I have no success, because I see that you are always attached to worldly affairs, and that you have not a shadow of spiritual things. That is why we are slothful in life, and, striving for the truth, we do not have much strength, but become ridiculous to the pagans, Jews, and heretics. If you had shown the same carelessness in other matters as you have here, it would not have been an excuse. But in the affairs of life each of you is sharper than the sword, both those who are engaged in crafts and those who perform civil affairs. And in necessary, spiritual matters, we are completely negligent; we do idleness as a business, and what should be considered the most necessary, we do not even place it along with idleness. Or do you not know that the Scriptures were written not only for the former people, but also for us? Do we not hear what Paul says: "All that was written before was written for our instruction, that we might keep hope by patience and comfort from the Scriptures" (Romans 15:4)? I know that I speak in vain; but I will not cease to speak, because in doing so I will justify myself before God, even if no one listens to me. He who preaches to attentive listeners has consolation in their obedience; but he who often preaches, and is not heard, and yet does not cease to speak, is worthy of greater honor, because for the sake of pleasing God he does on his part all that is right, even though no one listens. However, even though we have a greater reward, because of your inattention, we rather wish that it should diminish for us, and that the hope of salvation should increase for you, since we consider your very success to be a great reward for ourselves. And we say this now not in order to make our word difficult for you, but in order to show you sorrow for your negligence, from which God grant us all to leave behind, and to assimilate to yourselves spiritual zeal, that we may also be vouchsafed heavenly blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

CONVERSATION 31

"The Father loves the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him" (John 3:35,36).

1. The great benefit of gradualism is revealed in all matters. In this way we succeed in the sciences, not suddenly learning everything from our mentors. Thus we built cities, building them little by little and gradually; This is how we preserve our lives. Do not be surprised if this order in the affairs of life has such force; and in spiritual matters one can see the great power of this wisdom. Only in this way could the Jews also be freed from idolatry, being removed from it imperceptibly, little by little, not hearing at first anything sublime either in dogmas or in the rules of life. In the same way, after the coming of Christ, when the time came for the revelation of the highest dogmas, the apostles brought everyone to Christ, for the first time uttering nothing sublime. In the same way, Christ conversed with the greater part of His listeners from the beginning. This is what John (the Baptist) does, speaking of Christ as if only of an extraordinary man, and only in a veiled depiction of His sublime attributes. At the beginning he says: "A man cannot receive anything [on] [himself], except it be given to him from heaven" (John 3:27); then he touches upon something sublime, saying, "He who comes from above is above all" (v. 31). Then again he reduces the word to something humble, saying, among other things, "God does not give the Spirit by measure" (v. 34); then again he exalts (the word): "The Father loves the Son, and hath given all things into His hand" (v. 35); then, knowing the benefits of the threat of punishment, and how many are led not so much by promises of good things as by threats of torment, he concludes his speech thus: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him" (John 3:36). And here again, speaking of punishment, he raises the word to the Father. He did not say, "The wrath of the Son," although He is the judge, but presented the Father to them, wishing all the more to frighten them. But is it enough, you will say, to believe in the Son in order to have eternal life? Nohow. Listen to how Christ Himself explains this, saying, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matt. 7:21). And blasphemy against the Spirit alone is enough to be cast into hell.

But what can we say about dogmas alone? Even if someone rightly believes in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Spirit, if he does not live as he should, faith will not bring him any benefit for salvation. Therefore, when Christ says: "This is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God" (John 17:3), let us not think that this is sufficient for our salvation. A good life and good behavior are also needed. And although John said, "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life," yet he adds something stronger (for he composes his discourse not only of comforting, but also of contrary words, and see how); he adds: "But he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him" However, from this we should not conclude that faith alone is sufficient for salvation. This is proved by numerous passages in the Gospel where life is spoken of. For this reason John did not say: in this alone consists eternal life, or: only he who believes in the Son "has eternal life"; but of both he speaks only in general, that there is eternal life in them. And if the deeds of life do not follow, then a great punishment will come. And John did not say, "Wrath awaits him," but, "abides upon him," showing that wrath will never depart from him. In order that thou wouldst not attribute the words, "Thou shalt not see life," to temporal death, but to believe that the punishment would be endless, he used an expression which signifies unceasing torment. John did this in order to draw his disciples to Christ with such words. Therefore, he did not admonish them personally, but spoke in general in order to attract them. He did not say, "If you believe," or, "If you do not believe; but uses general expressions, so that his words are not suspicious to them. But he speaks with more severity than Christ Himself. Christ said: "He who does not believe is already condemned" (John 3:17); and John, "He shall not see life, but the wrath of God abide upon him." And this is very just, because it does not say the same thing about oneself and about another. One might think of Christ that He often speaks in this way out of self-love and vanity; but John was safe from such suspicion. If later Christ also used a stronger word, it was already when the Jews had a high concept of Him. "And when Jesus heard of the rumor which had come to the Pharisees, that he made more disciples and baptized than John, though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples, he left Judea, and went again into Galilee" (John 4:1-3). Thus, He Himself did not baptize; but this was divulged by the messengers, wishing to arouse hatred for Him in those who heard about it. Why did He leave Judea? Not out of fear, but in order to stop slander and calm hatred. He Himself was able to restrain them if they rebelled against Him, but He did not want to do this often, so as not to leave them in disbelief about the reality of His incarnation. If He had often avoided them during attacks, then this could have been suspicious for many. That is why in many cases He acted more humanly. He wanted people to believe that He was God, as well as that He, being God, bore flesh. Therefore, even after His resurrection, He said to His disciples: "Touch Me and see; for the spirit hath not flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39). That is why Peter also rebukes when he says to Him: "Be merciful to Yourself, O Lord! let it not be with Thee" (Matt. 16:22). He cared so much about this matter.

2. Moreover, this is not an unimportant dogma in the Church, but the most important thing in the matter of our salvation, and through this everything has been done and accomplished for us: death is destroyed, and sin is taken away, and the oath is destroyed, and innumerable blessings are granted to us in life. That is why Christ wanted so much that people should believe in His Incarnation, which is the root and source of innumerable blessings for us. Acting in a human way, He did not allow His divine deeds to be hidden. Thus, having withdrawn to Galilee, He continued the same thing that He had done before. He did not go to Galilee in vain, but in order to do great things with the Samaritans, and he did not arrange this simply, but with His usual wisdom, so as not to leave the Jews any pretext even for a shameless apology. Expressing this, the Evangelist adds: "And it behooved Him to pass through Samaria" (John 4:4), and thus shows that He did this as if unintentionally. The apostles did the same. As they, persecuted by the Jews, went to the Gentiles, so Christ, when the Jews expelled Him, also turned to the Gentiles, for example, for the sake of the Syrophoenician woman. The purpose was to deprive the Jews of all excuse and so that they could not say: He left us and went to the uncircumcised. In this way, His disciples, defending themselves, said: "You should have been the first to preach the word of God, but inasmuch as you reject it, and make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46). And Christ Himself: "I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 15:24), or: "It is not good to take the bread of the children and throw it to the dogs" (v. 26). When they rejected Him, they thereby opened the door to the Gentiles. However, even then He does not go to the Gentiles deliberately, but as if in passing. So, passing by, "He came to the city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the piece of land given by Jacob to his son Joseph. There was the well of Jacob" (John 4:5,6). Why does the Evangelist speak so thoroughly about this passage? In order that when you hear your wife say, "Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well" (v. 12), you do not think it strange. This was the place where Simeon and Levi, in revenge for Dinah, committed a cruel murder (Gen. 34:25).

It is not superfluous to say where the Samaritans came from, because this whole country is called Samaria. Where did the Samaritans get their name? Somor was the name of the mountain after the name of its owner, as Isaiah says: "The head of Ephraim is Samaria" (Isaiah 7:9). However, those who lived there were not called Samaritans, but Israelites. In the course of time, when they had offended God, in the reign of Pekah, Tiglath-pelaser came and took many cities, and attacked Elah, and slew him, and gave his kingdom to Hosea. Shalmaneser attacked Hosea, took other cities, made them subject to himself and imposed tribute. Hosea first yielded, then withdrew from his power and resorted to the help of the Ethiopians. The king of Assyria, having learned of this, came with an army, defeated the Israelites, and, in order to prevent new rebellions, no longer allowed them to remain in that country, but led them to Babylon and Media; and from thence he brought other tribes from various places and settled in Samaria, in order to secure his power in this country for the future, which was already occupied by the inhabitants who were already loyal to him. Then God, wishing to show His power and that He betrayed the Israelites not because they were powerless, but because of their sins, sends lions upon the barbarians, who did evil to all the people. Informed of this, the king sent a certain priest[1]) to teach them the law of God. But even then they did not completely abandon their impiety, but only partially, and only later, rejecting idols, began to worship the true God. Meanwhile, the Jews, who had finally returned from captivity, hated them as foreigners and their enemies, and by the name of the mountain they began to call them Samaritans. Not a small enmity with them among the Jews also arose from the fact that the Samaritans did not accept all the books of the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures, but only the books of Moses, and did not attach much importance to the prophets. They, on their part, tried to make themselves equal in nobility of birth with the Jews, boasted of their descent from Abraham and considered him their ancestor, since he came from Chaldea, and Jacob, as his descendant, was called their father. But the Jews abhorred them, as they did all other nations; For this reason they also blasphemed Christ in the name of a Samaritan, when they said: "That thou art a Samaritan, and that a demon is in thee" (John 8:48). For the same reason, Christ in the parable of the one who went from Jerusalem to Jericho introduces a Samaritan, "who showed him mercy" (Luke 10:37) - a man, in the opinion of the Jews, low, contemptible, vile; likewise, among the ten lepers, he calls one a foreigner (and this was a Samaritan); and He Himself commanded His disciples: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and enter not into the city of the Samaritans" (Matt. 10:5).

3. But the Evangelist reminded us of James, not only in order to mark the history of the country, but at the same time to show the loss of this place to the Jews, which had long since come to pass, since already in the time of their forefathers the pagans possessed this place in their place. What their forefathers possessed, although it was not their property, they lost through negligence and iniquity, although it was already their property. Thus, there is no benefit in coming from good ancestors when the descendants are not like them. The barbarians, in order only to avoid a greater calamity, immediately turned to Jewish worship; but the Jews, even having suffered so many punishments, did not understand. And so, Christ came to this country, who always rejected a pampered and capricious life, and led a life of great difficulty and constraint. He did not eat foul animals, but He Himself traveled so hastily that He was tired of the journey. And in any case, He inspires us to do everything ourselves, not to have excess in anything and not to demand much. He wishes us to be so devoid of all excess, so that we can reduce much in the most necessary things, and therefore He said: "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has not where to lay His head" (Matt. 8:20). In this way, He spent His time very often in the mountains and in the deserts, not only during the day but also at night. Announcing this, David also said: "Of the stream on the way he shall drink" (Psalm 109:7), showing the simplicity of His way of life. John also shows here: "There was the well of Jacob. Jesus, having labored from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about six o'clock. A woman comes from Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples went away into the city to buy food" (John 4:6-8). From this we learn how intensified His journeys were, how He did not care about His sustenance, and only in passing engaged in this matter. Thus His disciples also learned to satisfy their needs: they did not carry travel provisions with them. This is also pointed out by another Evangelist, who says that when Christ spoke about the leaven of the Pharisees, the disciples thought that they had not brought loaves of bread with them. When Christ brought with Him His disciples who hungered, plucked and ate ears of grain, and when it is said that He Himself, feeling hungry, came to the fig tree, He teaches us nothing else, how to despise the belly and not consider it worthy of care. See here also: they have brought nothing with them, and yet, not having food with them, they did not take care of it beforehand, or from the beginning of the day, but went to buy it at the time at which everyone usually eats dinner. And we, as soon as we get up from the bed, take care of this before all other things, call the cooks and servants of the meal, and with great care give them orders; and after that we proceed to other things, always taking care of worldly things, especially before spiritual things, and that which should be considered superfluous, recognizing as necessary. So everything is done wrong with us. In the meantime, one should pay all attention to spiritual affairs and, having already completed them, take up the things of life.

Further, from this we can see not only Christ's patience in labor, but also the avoidance of pomp. Not only did He grow weary and sit down on the way, but He was left alone, and His disciples departed. Of course, if He had wished, He could either not have sent all the disciples, or, after they had been removed, He could have had other ministers with Him; but He did not want this; and in this way he taught his disciples to despise all pomp. What is important, someone will say, that they lived modestly, being fishermen and skin-makers? True, they were fishermen and skin-makers, but they suddenly soared to the heights of heaven, and became more important than all kings, being vouchsafed to be the interlocutors of the Lord of the universe and to follow this wondrous Teacher everywhere. You also know that people of low fortune who attain honors are more easily carried away by arrogance, using honors in an ignoble way. Thus, Christ, wishing to strengthen His disciples in unfailing humility, taught them to moderate themselves in everything and under no circumstances to demand altar boys. He Himself, as the Evangelist says, "having labored from the way, sat down by the well." Do you see that He sat down because of fatigue and heat, and to wait for the disciples? He knew what was going to happen among the Samaritans; but he did not come here mainly for that. And although He did not come for this, He did not need to drive away the woman who had come, who had shown so much zeal for His teaching. The Jews persecuted Him, while He had come to them, and the Gentiles drew Him to themselves even when He went to other places. They hated Him, but these believed in Him; they were indignant, and these were amazed and worshipped Him. What then? Was it necessary to neglect the salvation of so many people and leave such sincere zeal unattended? This was unworthy of His love for mankind. For this reason He arranges everything in the present case with His proper wisdom. He sits down to rest the body and cool down at the spring. It was very noon, which is what the Evangelist means with the words: "He sat down by the well, it was about the sixth hour." What do you mean? That is, he sat not on the throne, not with the head, but simply, as happened on earth. "A woman comes from Samaria to draw water."

4. See, as the Evangelist shows, that the woman also left the city for another purpose, blocking every pretext for the shameless rebuke of the Jews, lest anyone should say that He contradicted His own commandment, commanding the disciples, "Do not enter into the city of the Samaritans," and meanwhile conversing with the Samaritans himself. For this he also adds that "His disciples went out into the city to buy food," thus representing many reasons for His conversation with his wife. What about the wife? Hearing His words: "Give Me a drink," she very intelligently turns Christ's words into a reason for the question: "How do you, being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, to drink? for the Jews have no fellowship with the Samaritans" (John 4:9). Why did she think He was a Jew? Maybe I recognized it by clothes or by adverb. But notice how cautious the wife is. If it was to be avoided, it was Jesus, not her; according to her, it is not the Samaritans who are alienated from the Jews, and the Jews do not draw near to the Samaritans; but the wife, being herself free from this reproach, and thinking that the other was being subjected to it, did not remain silent, but corrected the matter, which, in her opinion, was not in accordance with the law. Perhaps someone will wonder how Jesus asked her for a drink when the law did not allow it? And if He foresaw that she would not give Him a drink, then it was not necessary to ask. What can I say to this? The fact that for Him Himself the violation of such customs was an indifferent matter. Whoever led others to violate the Jewish rules, how much more could He himself violate them. "It is not that which enters into the mouth," He said, "that defiles a man, but that which proceeds out of the mouth that defiles a man" (Matt. 15:11). Meanwhile, His conversation with His wife could have been no small condemnation for the Jews, because He repeatedly drew them to Himself both in word and deed, but they did not follow Him. And look how your wife is carried away by a simple question. He Himself did not enter upon this work, on this path[2]), but did not hinder if anyone turned to Him. Although He said to His disciples: "Do not enter into the city of the Samaritans," He did not command them to drive away those who came. This would be too unworthy of His love for mankind. That is why He answers the woman and says: "If you knew the gift of God, and Who says to you, Give me a drink, then you yourself would ask Him, and He would give you living water" (John 4:10). First of all, it shows that it is worthy to listen to Him, and not to be rejected, and only then reveals Itself; but she, as soon as she knew who He was, was ready to obey and listen to Him, which cannot be said of the Jews. They, even recognized Him, did not ask Him anything, had no desire to learn anything useful from Him; on the contrary, they reproached Him and drove Him away from them. But when the woman hears His words, see with what meekness she answers Him: "Lord! you have nothing to draw with, but the well is deep; whence then hast thou living water" (v. 11)? Now it is clear that Christ has already turned her away from the low concept of Him, from the idea that He is one of the ordinary people. She does not just call Him Lord, but as a sign of special respect for Him. And that she said this out of respect is evident from the subsequent conversation. She is not joking, not mocking, but only perplexed. And don't be surprised that she didn't understand everything soon. After all, Nicodemus did not understand either. What did he say? "How can this be"? "How can a man be born when he is old" (v. 4)? And again: "Can he enter into his mother's womb another time and be born"? But the wife speaks with greater modesty. "Sir! you have nothing to draw with, but the well is deep; whence then hast thou living water" (John 4:11)? Christ says one thing to her, and she understands another. Hearing nothing more from Him than the words spoken, she could not think of anything sublime, although she could boldly say to Him: "If Thou hadst living water, Thou wouldst not ask me for water, but would have given it to Thyself first; but now Thou art only vain. But she said nothing of the kind, and both at first and afterwards she answered Him with great modesty. First she says, "How can you, being a Jew, ask me to drink"? And she does not speak as if she were talking to a foreigner and an enemy: "It is not so that I give water to such a person – an enemy and a stranger to our race!" And then, listening to His lofty words about Himself, which especially irritates her enemies, she does not laugh, does not blaspheme Him, but what does she say? "Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank of it, and his children, and his cattle" (v. 12)? Do you see how she introduces herself into the eminent family of the Jews? Its words mean this: Jacob used this water and did not have any other better water himself, and did not give it to us. In this way she showed that from the very first answer she had a lofty and lofty thought of Him, because the words: "He himself drank of it, and his children, and his cattle" give us no other meaning than that she had the thought of better water, but she had not yet found it and did not know it well. But if we express more clearly what she wanted to say, it will be like this: You cannot say that Jacob, who gave us this spring, himself used another, because both he and his children drank from it; and they would not drink from here if they had had another water, a better one. You cannot get even this water; but it is not possible for Thee to have another better one; unless you acknowledge Yourself to be greater than Jacob. Where do you get the water that you promise to give us (John 7:38)? The Jews did not speak to Him so modestly, although with them He conversed on the same subject and reminded them of such water. But they did not gain any benefit for themselves from this. And when He mentioned Abraham, they even plotted to stone Him (8:56,59). But this is not how the woman treats Him, but with great meekness, in the midst of the noonday heat, she speaks and listens to everything with patience, and does not think, like the Jews, to say: "He is possessed by a demon and is mad" (10:20), he keeps me at the spring, giving me nothing, but only boasting in words. She listens patiently, waiting to find what she wants.

5.

But the Jews not only did not call others, but also hindered and did not allow those who wished to come to Him. Wherefore they said, "Did any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believe in Him? But this people is ignorant of the law, they are cursed" (John 7:48). Let us, therefore, imitate the Samaritan woman; let us converse with Christ. Even now He stands among us, and speaks to us through the prophets and through His disciples. Let us listen and obey. How long shall we live in vain, in vain? Not to do what is pleasing to God really means to live in vain, or better, not only in vain, but also to one's own detriment. If we do not use the time given to us for any useful work, then, having departed from here, we will be subjected to the greatest punishment for the loss of time. If he who receives money for trade and then spends it is held accountable to those who entrusted it to him, will he not be punished who has wasted this life in vain? God did not bring us into the present life and breathe in the soul so that we would use only the present, but in order that we might do everything for the life to come; Only the dumb are created for one real life. And we have an immortal soul in order to fully prepare ourselves for that life. If anyone asks what is the purpose of horses, donkeys, bulls, and other animals, we will say that there is no other purpose than to serve us in this life. And this cannot be said of us; there is a better state for us after departing from here; and we must do everything in such a way that we may shine there, rejoice with the angels, stand before the King, always, unto endless ages. For this reason our soul was created immortal, and the body will be immortal, so that we may enjoy infinite blessings. But if you nail yourself to the ground, when heavenly blessings are offered to you, then consider what an insult this is to Him who gives them. He offers you the heavens, and you, not dearing it too much, prefer the earth. Therefore, as one who has been offended, He threatens with hell, so that you may know from this what blessings you deprive yourself of. But may we not be subjected to this punishment, but, having pleased Christ, may we be vouchsafed eternal blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.