DISCOURSE 79. (on John 16:16-18) 1. Consolation to the disciples. – 2. They receive from the Father all that they ask in the name of the Son. – 3-5. How you can defeat the world. "Death does not make a man mortal, but victory makes him immortal. – Comparison of resurrection with birth. – The corruption of the body does not hinder the resurrection. – Against vindictiveness. – Exhortation to almsgiving.

DISCOURSE 80. (on John 17:1) 1. Refutation of the Arians and Anomians, who condemned the divinity of Jesus Christ. – 2. The Son of God is one with the Father. – 3. We can partake of the glory of Jesus Christ according to our ability, by our faith and works. The goods we possess are not ours. "We do everything for the body, and nothing for the soul. With the multiplication of needs, the number of servants increases. The master becomes a slave of his servants. "True freedom consists in not needing anyone.

DISCOURSE 81. (on John 17:6) 1. More about the equality and consubstantiality of the Son with the Father. – 2. Jesus Christ, adapting himself to the understanding of His disciples, entrusts them to the care of the Father, as if He Himself did not have the ability to protect them. – 3. You don't have to be a babe in wisdom. – One must follow the advice of the Apostle not only in order to gain understanding, but in order to lead one's life righteously. – Not listening to heavenly things, most people, like children, are carried away by earthly things. – The sin of covetousness. – What is true wealth? – Exhortation to almsgiving. – The glory and efficacy of almsgiving.

DISCOURSE 82. (on John 17:14) 1. The disciples of Christ are not of this world. – On the equality of the Son with the Father. – 2. Jesus Christ calls His disciples to peace and unity, which is more likely to attract people to them than miracles. – 3. No one knows God except those who know the Son. – 4. One must believe in God and love Him. God gives us opportunities to do good. – Vices of Christians. "They often come to church just to stare and show themselves to others. - Cruelty to the poor. – Seeing evil, no one tries to eliminate it; on the contrary, many are jealous of those who do it, and are angry that they cannot do the same themselves.

DISCOURSE 83. (on John 18:1) 1. The beginning of the Savior's sufferings. – 2. Malchus, wounded by Ap. Peter and healed by Jesus Christ, is the same servant who struck the Lord on the cheek. – The first renunciation of Ap. Peter. – 3. How weak our nature is when God leaves us. – The Second and Third Renunciations of Ap. Peter. – 4. Jesus Christ on trial before Pilate. – 5. We must follow the example of Jesus Christ. – A list of the insults and torments suffered by the Savior for us. – Discourse on the insults inflicted on us. "Human glory is nothing more than a shadow. "You need to correct your shortcomings little by little, today one, tomorrow another. – It is as if one should climb the steps to virtue and perfection.

DISCOURSE 84. (on John 18:34) 1. Jesus Christ teaches us patience. – Pilate first tries to free Him. – 2. Fear seized Pilate and prompted him to pronounce an unjust sentence – 3. We must always remember the sufferings of Jesus Christ and constantly reflect on them. "They will serve as the best medicine for all our sorrows and evils. – We must imitate His meekness and the meekness of His apostles in order to win over those who have insulted us. – Anger and lies are from the devil. "Without the practice of virtue, life in this world will be useless and detrimental to us. "Faith alone, devoid of good works, does not open the door to heaven, but brings condemnation. – You can die every hour, and therefore you need to be constantly ready for this.

DISCOURSE 85. (on John 19:16-18) 1. Jesus Christ was crucified between two thieves. – What was the purpose of the inscription on the cross of Jesus Christ? – 2. The clothes are seamless. – Why did Jesus Christ entrust His mother to His disciple? – The death of Jesus Christ was not a disgrace, but a glory. – 4. The ardent love of Mary Magdalene. – 5. Condemnation of the pomp of funeral ceremonies. "The last debt should be paid to the dead, but without excess. – The death of the crucified Jesus shows that death is not death. – The dead should be buried in such a way that it serves to the glory of God: generous alms should be distributed.

DISCOURSE 86. (on John 20:10-11) 1. The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2. Mary announces him to the apostles. – Why Jesus Christ appeared to His disciples in the evening. – 3. The grace of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is inexhaustible. – 4. One must try in every possible way to have the Holy Spirit in oneself. And to preserve His grace. – The greatness of the dignity and office of priests: one should honor and respect them, and help them. – To insult them is to harm oneself.

DISCOURSE 87. (on John 20:24-25) 1. Why did Jesus Christ appear to Ap. Thomas only eight days after the appearance to the other disciples. – Why did Jesus Christ keep wound scars on His body? – 2. The difference in the characters of App. Peter and John: the first was alive and hot, the second more exalted and insightful. – 3 and 4. What a joy it is to see Jesus Christ in glory! "One must spare nothing in order to attain eternal bliss. – Contemplation of future blessings makes the present life simple, pleasant and easy. The power of love. – Comparison of love Ap. Paul to Jesus Christ with our love. – The vice of covetousness and ways to combat it. – Improper use of earthly goods.

DISCOURSE 88. (on John 21:15) 1. The change in the mood of the apostle. Peter after the fall. – Peter as a teacher of peace. – 2. The humility and meekness of Ap. John. – 3. The good fruits of studying and meditating on the Word of God. "The cares of this world and the goods of this world are thorns that prickle us on all sides. – Spiritual blessings delight the eye. "Even before the heavenly reward, people receive the fruits of good deeds here. – It is the same with bad deeds: even before hell, they produce torments of conscience here. – The Consequences of Sin. – Ahab's repentance, which must be imitated in order to receive forgiveness of sins. Covetousness destroys the good done to almsgiving. – The fruits of good deeds.

DISCOURSE 70.

"Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, [showed by deed that] having loved His own who are in the world, He loved them to the end" (John 13:1).

1. "Be ye imitators of me," says Paul, "as I am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). For this reason Christ also took flesh from the same composition with us, in order to teach us virtue through it. "In the likeness," it is said, "of sinful flesh [as a sacrifice] for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3). And Christ Himself (says): "Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29). And this He taught not only in words, but also in deeds. Thus, they called Him a Samaritan, and a demon-possessed, and a deceiver, and threw stones at Him; and the Pharisees sometimes sent servants to seize Him, sometimes they sent other malefactors, moreover, they themselves often blasphemed Him, and all this at a time when they not only did not have the slightest reason for accusing Him, but, on the contrary, still constantly enjoyed His beneficence. However, even after all this, He did not cease to do good to them both in word and deed. And when a servant struck Him, He said, "If I have spoken evil, show me what is evil; but if it is good, why do you strike me" (John 18:23)? But this is what He did with His enemies and evildoers. Let us see how He also deals with His disciples, and especially what He now says in relation to the deceitful (disciple). For he was to be hated more than anyone else, because he, being a disciple and a participant in meals and suppers, and seeing miracles, and being counted worthy to receive so much, dealt with Him the worst of all, did not throw stones at Him or blaspheme Him, but betrayed and betrayed Him. Meanwhile, see how graciously He receives him: He washes his feet. And by this He also wanted to keep him from evil intention. He could, of course, if He had willed, dry it up like a fig tree, and tear it to pieces as He tore the stones, and tear it as a veil; but He wanted him to abandon his evil intention, not by compulsion, but of his own free will. For this purpose He washes his feet. But this unfortunate and pitiful man was not ashamed of this either. "Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come." Not only did he know then, but he knew, says (the Evangelist), long before he did what he did. "Go". The Evangelist profoundly calls death His transition. "Having loved His own which are in the world, He loved them to the end." Do you see how He, intending to leave them, shows a strong love for them? The words, "Having loved, loved them to the end," mean that He did not omit anything that should have been done by one who loves deeply. But why didn't He do it first? More importantly, He does in the end to increase their affection for Himself and to provide them with great comfort in the coming calamities. He calls them "His own" because of His close fellowship with them. He also calls others "His own," but as His own creature, for example, when He says: "And His own received Him not" (John 1:11). But what does it mean, "those who are in the world"? This means that He had "His own" among the dead, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the like; but they were no longer in the world. Do you see that He is the God of both the Old and the New Testaments? And what does it mean, "He loved them to the end"? By this (the Evangelist) says that He never ceased to love them; and this he calls evidence of especially strong love. True, in another place (such testimony) is not called this, but the position of the soul for one's friends; But that wasn't the case then. But why did He do this (wash His feet) now? Because it was much more amazing when He seemed so glorious to everyone; and through this He left no small consolation before parting with them. Since they had to endure a cruel sorrow, He offered them an equal consolation through this. "And at the time of supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot of Simon to betray him" (v. 2). The Evangelist said this in amazement, showing that he had washed Judas' feet when he had already decided to betray Him. In this way He also reveals the great malice of Judas, because he was not deterred either by participating in the supper, although this is usually the better to tame malice, or by the fact that the Master continued to care for him until the very last day. "Jesus, knowing that the Father has given all things into his hands, and that he has come from God, and is going away to God" (v. 3). Here He expresses His surprise that He Who is so great and so lofty, that He has come from God and departs to God, Who holds all things in His power, that He has done this, and, in spite of all His greatness, did not disdain to take upon Himself such a deed. By tradition, as it seems to me, he means here the salvation of the faithful; and Christ, when He says: "All things have been delivered unto Me by My Father" (Matt. 11:27), means the same tradition. In the same way He says in another place: "They were Thine, and Thou hast given them unto Me" (John 17:6); and again: "No man can come to me, except the Father draws him" (John 6:44); and: "Except it be given unto him from heaven" (John 3:27). So, either this expresses , or that the washing of the feet could not humiliate in the least, since He came from God and goes to God, and contains everything. And when you hear: tradition, then do not assume anything human. This shows only respect for the Father and oneness of mind with Him, because as the Father commits to Him, so He commits to the Father, as Paul shows when He says: "When He commends the Kingdom to God and the Father" (1 Corinthians 15:24). Here He speaks of this in a human way, showing His great solicitude for His disciples and revealing His ineffable love for them, since He now cared for them as if they were His own, teaching them the mother of all good things – humility, which He called the beginning and end of virtue. And it is not without reason that the words are added: "He came from God and departs to God," but so that we may know that He acted worthy of Him who came from there and goes thither, trampling down all pride. And "he arose from supper, and took off his outer garment" (John 13:4).

2. See how Christ shows His humility not only by washing, but also by other actions. He did not rise before He reclined, but when everyone had already reclined. Then He does not just wash Himself, but first He lays down His clothes. But he did not stop there, but girded himself with a towel; and he was not satisfied with this, but he himself poured in the water, and did not command another to fill it. Thus He Himself does all this, in order to show that when we do good, we must do it not carelessly, but with all diligence. And it seems to me that He washed the feet of His betrayer first, for (the Evangelist) having said, "And he began to wash the feet of the disciples" (v. 5), then continues: "He came to Simon Peter, and he said to him, Shall you wash my feet" (v. 6)? – That is, with the same hands with which You opened Your eyes, cleansed lepers and raised the dead? Truly, this already expresses very much, why did Peter not need to say anything more than: "Are you?" In this one thing, everything has already been expressed. But someone may justly ask: why did no one else prevent Him (from washing His feet), but only Peter, which is a testimony of no small love and respect? What is the reason for this? It seems to me that Christ first washed the betrayer's feet, and then approached Peter, and that others were already enlightened by Peter's example. And that He really washed someone else before Peter is evident from the words: "When (ουν) came to Peter." However, the Evangelist does not speak directly, but by the word "began" he hints at this. And although Peter was the first, it is probable that the traitor, in his impudence, reclined even higher than the supreme (apostle). His impudence is also manifested in other cases, for example, when he immerses his hand in salt together with the Teacher, and when, in spite of the rebukes, he does not feel remorse. Peter, having once been reproached before, and reproached for the words he had spoken out of love, humbled himself so much, that even then, when he was in anguish and trembling, he turned to another to inquire; but this one (Judas), in spite of frequent rebukes, did not come to his senses. And so, when he came to Peter, "he said to Him, Lord! Shall thou wash my feet?" - (Christ) said to him: "What I do, now you do not know, but you will understand later." (v. 6, 7), i.e. (later you will learn) what benefit from this, how useful this lesson is, how it can dispose us to all humility. What about Peter? He continues to resist and say, "You will never wash my feet" (v. 8). What are you doing, Peter? Do you not remember the former words? Did you not say, "Be merciful to yourself, O Lord," and heard, "Depart from me, Satan" (Matthew 16:22,23)? Has this not brought you to your senses, and you are still hot? Yes, he says; but now an extraordinary and astounding deed is being done. Since Peter acted in this way out of great love, Christ again catches him with this love. As then He rebuked him greatly, saying, "You are a stumbling block to Me," so now He says, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me" (v. 8). What is this ardent and fiery one? "Lord," he says, "not only my feet, but also my hands and head" (v. 9). He is ardent in resistance, but even more ardent in the expression of consent; and both are from love. But why did (Christ) not say why He did this, but used a threat? Because Peter wouldn't listen. If He had said, "Leave it, I want to teach you humility," then Peter would have promised a thousand times to be humble, if only the Lord would not do it. And now what does he say? That which Peter feared and dreaded most of all was precisely that he should not be excommunicated from Him. For it was he who often asked, "Where art thou going," and on this occasion he said, "I will lay down my life for thee" (John 13:36-37). If he did not yield even then, when he heard, "You do not know now what I am doing, but you will know later," how much more so if he had known. Wherefore he said, "Knowing that if he had understood these things now, he would have continued to resist. And Peter did not say, "Explain it to me, and I will not resist; but – which was a sign of even greater fervor – he did not even want to know this, but again insisted on his own, saying: "You will not wash my feet." When (Christ) used the threat, he immediately calmed down. But what does it mean, "Thou shalt understand afterwards"? When exactly "after"? Then, he says, when in My name you cast out demons, when you see My ascension into heaven, when you learn from the Spirit that I sit at the right hand of the Father, then you will understand what is now being done. What about Christ? When Peter said: "Not only my feet, but also my hands and head," (Christ) says: "He who has been washed needs only to wash his feet, for he is completely clean; and you are pure, but not all. For He knew His betrayer" (John 13:9-11). But if they are clean, why do you wash their feet? In order for us to learn modesty. For this reason He did not address any other part of the body, but that which is least valued. What does "washed" mean? The same as clean. Were they clean? After all, they had not yet been freed from their sins and had not been counted worthy to receive the Holy Mysteries. Since sin still reigned, the oath of handwriting still existed, and the sacrifice had not yet been offered? Why does He call them pure? Lest you think that they are pure in that respect they are already freed from sins, He added: "You are already cleansed through the word which I have preached to you" (John 15:3), i.e., you are still clean only on this side; you have already received the light; you have already been freed from Jewish errors. So the prophet says: "Wash yourselves, be cleansed; put away your evil deeds from my eyes" (Isaiah 1:16). It means that such a person has already been washed and clean. And since the Apostles rejected all deceit from their souls and treated Christ with a clear conscience, He says, in accordance with the words of the prophet, that "he who is washed is already clean." By ablution He does not mean the Jewish washing with water, but the cleansing of the conscience.