Just as humility overcomes the weight of sin with its excellent height and quickly ascends to heaven, so arrogance, in its great heaviness and enormity, can overpower even the exalted righteousness and easily drag it down.

7. And that the first chariot is faster than the last, remember the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee harnessed righteousness and arrogance together, and spoke thus: "The Pharisee stood up and prayed within himself thus: God! I thank Thee that I am not like other men, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this publican" (Luke 18:11). O madness! His arrogance was not satisfied with the comparison with the entire human race, but with great fury attacked the publican who stood nearby. What is it? He did not rise up against reproach, nor was he offended by reproach, but generously endured what was said, and the arrow of the enemy became for him a cure and a cure, reproach a praise, and a reproach a crown. So great is the good of humility; It is so useful not to be offended by the backbiting of others and not to be irritated by the insults of others! One can also receive from them a great and important benefit, as was the case with the publican. Having endured reproach, he was cleansed from his sins, and having said: "Be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13), "he went to his house justified more than he" (Luke 18:14); words have proved to be higher than deeds, deeds have been defeated by sayings. The Pharisee put on display righteousness, fasting, and tithes; but the publican uttered simple words, and was delivered from his sins, because God not only heard the words, but also saw the spiritual disposition with which they were pronounced, found him humiliated and contrite, and had mercy on him, according to His love for mankind. However, I say this not so that we may sin, but that we may be humble-minded. If the publican, a man of utter wickedness, did not gain such favor with God by humility, but only by repentance, by declaring his sins, and confessing what he was, what great help will those receive from God who have done many good deeds and think nothing great of themselves? Therefore, I ask, persuade and beseech you to constantly confess your sins before God. I do not expose you before slaves like you, nor compel you to reveal your sins to men; open your conscience before God, show Him your wounds and ask Him for healing, show Him Who does not reproach, but heals; He sees everything, even if you keep silent. Speak, then, that thou mayest receive thy benefit, say that, having laid aside all thy sins here, thou mayest go thither pure and sinless, and be delivered from the future unbearable discovery of them. The three youths were in the furnace, having given up their souls for the confession of the Lord, and yet, after such great feats, they say: "Now we cannot open our mouths; we have become a shame and a reproach to Thy servants, and to those who worship Thee" (Dan. 3:33). Why then do you open your mouth? In order to say this, they say, that "we cannot open our mouths," and thereby bow down the Lord. The power of prayer extinguished the power of fire, curbed the fury of lions, stopped wars, stopped battles, calmed storms, drove away demons, opened the gates of heaven, broke the bonds of death, drove away diseases, repelled malice, strengthened wavering cities; and the blows sent from above, and human intrigues, and all calamities in general were rejected by prayer. Again, I am not speaking of that prayer which is only on the lips, but of that which is lifted up from the depths of the soul. If the trees have taken deep roots, they will not be crushed or uprooted even by the innumerable pressures of the wind, because with their roots they hold fast in the depths of the earth; In the same way, prayers lifted up from the depths of the soul, having their roots there, are safely lifted up to grief and are not hindered by any attacks of thoughts. That is why the prophet says: "From the depths I call upon Thee, O Lord" (Psalm 129:1). I say all this not only that you may praise, but that you may also do it in practice. If the unfortunate receive some consolation by expressing their misfortunes to people and sorrowfully describing the misfortunes that have befallen them, as if they find some relief in their words, how much more will you receive relief and great consolation if you reveal to your Lord the sufferings of your soul. A person is often burdened by those who lament and weep before him, who withdraw and turn away from the unfortunate; but God does not do this, but receives and draws you to Himself, and even though you continue to express your misfortunes to Him, then He loves you all the more and hearkens to your prayers. Expressing this very thing, Christ said: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). Therefore He calls, let us not turn away our ears; He draws, let us not flee from Him; even if we have a multitude of sins, then we will have recourse to Him even more, because He calls such people. "I have come," He says, "not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matt. 9:13). And there He calls those who are burdened and toiling who are burdened with the weight of sins. He is called "the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3) because his unceasing activity is to comfort and call upon those who mourn and mourn, even though they have a multitude of sins. Only let us surrender ourselves to Him, only let us turn to Him and do not depart, and then we will experience the truth of what has been said, and nothing that happens to us will be able to grieve us if we offer up a fervent and fervent prayer; by means of it we will get rid of everything that befalls us. And is it surprising that the power of prayer can put an end to human sorrows, if it easily extinguishes and destroys the very sins? Thus, in order that we may easily lead the present life, cast off all the sins that we have brought upon ourselves, and boldly stand before the throne of Christ, let us constantly prepare this medicine for ourselves, composing it from tears of zeal, constancy and patience. In this way we will enjoy permanent health and receive future blessings, which may we all be vouchsafed to receive, through the grace and love of humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

AGAINST ANOMEE

SIXTH WORD.

The full title of this word is as follows: "On the blessed Philogonius, who turned from a lawyer into a bishop, and that for the pleasure of God nothing can be compared with concern for the common good, and that for inattentive communion of the Divine Mysteries we are subjected to unbearable punishment, even if we dare to do so once a year. It was said five days before the Nativity of Christ."

TODAY I was preparing to go out to fight the heretics and pay you the rest of the debt; but the day of Blessed Philogonius, whose feast we celebrate now [1], prompts me to narrate his feats; And, of course, you must obey. If "whosoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death" (Exodus 21:17), it is evident that he who glorifies them will certainly enjoy life; and if we are to show such a disposition to natural parents, how much more to spiritual parents, especially when our praise does not make the dead more glorious, but we who are gathered together, and speak and hear, become better. Whoever has ascended to heaven does not need human praise, as one who has already attained a better and most blessed inheritance; and we, who still live here and are always in need of great consolation, have need of praise from him, in order to awaken in ourselves the same zeal. One wise man gives the following instruction: "The memory of the righteous shall be blessed" (Proverbs 10:7), not because those who have departed receive great benefit from it, but because it is received by those who glorify them. And so, if we receive so much benefit from this glorification, then let us obey the most wise and will not resist: and the very time is convenient for such a conversation. Today this blessed one has moved into a serene life and led his boat to a place where there is no longer any need to fear shipwreck, despondency, or sorrow. And is it surprising that that this monastery is free from sorrow, when Paul, conversing with people who are still alive, says: "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:16-17)? But if here, where sickness, sorrows, premature deaths, slander, envy, despondency, anger, vicious lusts, innumerable intrigues, daily cares, frequent and continuous calamities bring many sorrows from all sides, if here, according to Paul, one can always rejoice who is at least a little freed from the worries of worldly affairs and arranges his life well; then it is all the more possible to attain this blessing after departing to a place where there is nothing of the sort, neither sickness, nor passion, nor cause for sin, where there are no words: "mine" and "thine" - these cold words that bring all disasters into our life and produce innumerable wars. For this reason I especially bless this saint, that he, having migrated from here and left our city, ascended to another city – God's; leaving this church, he entered into that "Church of the firstborn written in heaven"; and, having ceased to participate in the local feasts, he moved to the triumph of the angels. And that there is a city, and a church, and a triumph, listen to Paul, who says: "They have come to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels, to the triumphant assembly, and to the church of the firstborn, who are written in heaven" (Hebrews 12:22-23). He calls everything there a triumph, not only because of the multitude of higher powers, but also because of the abundance of blessings and unceasing joy and gladness. The celebration is usually nothing but the multitude of those gathered and the abundance of things on offer, when wheat and barley are brought, and all kinds of fruits, and flocks of sheep, and herds of oxen, and clothes, and the like, and some are sold, and others are bought. Which of these things, it will be asked, is there in heaven? Of these things, nothing, but there is something much more venerable.

And the assembly of those gathered there is much more venerable and numerous; it consists not of urban and rural dwellers, but in one place myriads of angels, in another thousands of archangels, here hosts of prophets, there faces of martyrs, ranks of apostles, assemblies of the righteous and various communities of all kinds of saints. Truly it is a wondrous triumph; and what is most important of all, in the midst of this triumph of those gathered dwells the King of them all, of which the Apostle, after the words: "To the multitude of angels, to the triumphant assembly," said thus: "And to God the Judge of all" (Hebrews 12:23). Who has ever seen a king present at the market-place? No one has ever seen this here, but those who dwell there incessantly, as far as they can, see Him Himself present and adorning with the brightness of His glory all those gathered. The festivities here often cease in the middle of the day, but this is not the case there; it knows neither monthly turns, nor annual revolutions, nor the number of days, but continues constantly, and all its blessings have no limit, know no end, can neither grow old nor wither, but are ageless and immortal. There is no noise, as there is here, no confusion, but perfect order because all, with proper decorum and harmoniously, as if on some kind of kithara, sing to the Lord of these and other creatures a song in harmony and more pleasant than any music, and their souls there, as it were, in some mysterious sanctuaries and at the divine mysteries, performs a divine sacred action.

2. Into this blessed and ageless life the now blessed Philogonius has transmigrated. What word can be worthy of a person who has received such a beautiful heritage? There is no such word. Tell me, is that why we will be silent? Why have we gathered? Will you say that we are not able to depict the greatness of his works? But that is why it is necessary to speak, since the most important part of praise is that words cannot be equal to deeds; whose exploits are higher than mortal nature, to him is obviously the praise of human language. However, for this he will not reject our word, but will act like the Lord Himself, Who did not give a reward to a widow who gave only two mites. Why? Because He did not pay attention to the amount of money, but to the richness of the soul. If you look at the widow's money, you will find extreme poverty; and if you delve into its intention, you will see an inexplicable treasure of spiritual greatness. In the same way, your offering, though small and poor, is such as we have; although it does not correspond to the spiritual greatness of the valiant and righteous Philogonius, yet even this will be the greatest proof of his magnanimity, if he does not reject even a small offering, but acts like the rich. They, having received from the poor a little that they themselves do not need in the least, add to this their own, rewarding those who have brought them what they could. In the same way, this blessed one, having received from us verbal praise, which he does not need in the least, will give us a real blessing, which we always need. Where should we begin with praise? Why else but with the authority entrusted to him by the grace of the Spirit? External authority cannot always be a proof of the virtue of those to whom it is entrusted, on the contrary, it often testifies to their depravity. Why? Because in order to obtain such power, the intercessions of friends, and intrigues, and flattering speeches, and many other more shameful ways, usually help. But when God chooses and determines, and when His right hand touches the holy head, then the determination is not partial, the judgment is not subject to suspicion, and the undoubted approval of the one who is ordained is the dignity of the one who ordains. And that God chose the blessed Philogonius is evident from the very image of the election. He was taken from among the marketplace and elevated to this throne; such a venerable and bright life he had distinguished himself before, having a wife and a daughter, and going to the judgment seat; He shone brighter than the sun, so that directly from there he appeared worthy of authority, and from the seat of the judge he was raised to the sacred seat. Then he protected people from the wiles of men, making the offended stronger than those who offended; and when he came here, he protected people from the attack of demons. And how important a proof of his virtue is the fact that he was vouchsafed this power by the grace of God, listen to what the risen Christ says to Peter. When the Lord asked him, "Simon Jonah! whether thou lovest me," and he answered, "Yes, Lord! Thou knowest that I love Thee" (John 21:16), then Christ did not say: leave Thy possessions, exhaust thyself with fasting and severe asceticism, raise the dead, cast out demons, He did not mention any of these, nor of other signs or exploits, but keeping silent about all this, He says: "If thou lovest Me, feed My sheep" (John 21:17). He said this in order to show us the greatest sign not only of love for Him, but also of His love for the sheep, and this love (for the sheep) He recognized as the most important proof of love for Him, as if to say: "Whoever loves My sheep loves Me." Look how much Christ endured for this flock: He became man, taking the form of a servant, was spat upon and stabbed, and finally did not renounce death, and the most shameful death: He shed His blood on the cross. Therefore, if anyone wants to please Him, let him take care of these sheep, let him seek the common good, let him take care of his brethren; there is no podvig more precious than this before God; wherefore also in another place he saith, Simon! Simon! Behold, Satan asked that he should sow you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:31-32). What reward will you give Me for such care and providence? And what recompense does He Himself demand? Again of the same thing: "And thou," he says, "when thou shalt be converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32). So Paul says: "Be ye imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). In what way was he an imitator of Christ? "Just as I also please all in all things, seeking not my own profit, but the benefit of many, that they may be saved" (1 Cor. 10:33); and in another place he says: "For even Christ did not please himself" (Romans 15:3). And there is no other such testimony and sign of faith and love for Christ as concern for the brethren and concern for their salvation.

3.

From this it can be seen that love for one's neighbor is the greatest proof of love for Christ. Now let us see how the blessed one ruled the episcopacy; or rather, there is no need for words and our voice; for your very diligence proves it. Whoever enters a vineyard and sees vines covered with leaves, laden with fruit, and surrounded on all sides by wattles and fences, will need no words or other proofs to be convinced of the good qualities of the gardener and farmer; so here, too, whoever enters and sees these spiritual vines and your fruits, will need no words or explanations to know your Primate; as Paul says, "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read" (2 Corinthians 3:2). The river points to the source, and the fruit to the root. It would be necessary to speak also about the time in which this power was entrusted to him, since this is not a small part of praise and can very sufficiently testify to the virtue of this man. There were many difficulties when the persecution had just ceased, there were still traces of this fierce storm, and things required great correction. To this it should be added that he had to stop the heresy that had begun under him, since his wisdom foresaw everything; but my speech hastens to pass on to another necessary subject. Therefore, leaving this to our common father and imitator of Blessed Philogonius, who knows all ancient things better than we do, I will pass on to another subject of the conversation. Soon there will come a feast which is more worthy of reverence and reverence than all feasts, and which can unmistakably be called the matter of all feasts. What kind of holiday is this? The Nativity of Christ according to the Flesh. From him received the beginning and foundation of the Epiphany, and the Holy Pascha, and the Ascension, and Pentecost. If Christ had not been born according to the flesh, then He would not have been baptized, which is the Epiphany, and would not have been crucified, which is Pascha, and would not have sent the Spirit, which is Pentecost. Thus, from the Nativity of Christ, like various streams from the spring, all these feasts flowed. And not only for this reason could rightly occupy the primacy, but also because the event of this day is the most amazing of all events. That Christ, having become man, died, was in the order of things; for though he did not sin, he took on a mortal body. Of course, this is also surprising; but that He, being God, deigned to become man and humble Himself in such a way that it is impossible even to comprehend with the mind, is the most amazing and marvellous deed. Wondering at this, Paul also says: "And without question, a great mystery of godliness." What "great"? "God was manifested in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). And in another place: "For He does not receive angels, but the seed of Abraham. Therefore He had to be made like the brethren in all things" (Hebrews 2:16-17). Especially for this reason I greet this day with love and declare this love before all, so that I may make you partakers of such love; wherefore I beseech and persuade all of you to gather together with all zeal and zeal, to leave each of you his own house, that we may see the astounding and wondrous sight of our Lord lying in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Here will lie the body of the Lord, not wrapped in swaddling clothes, as then, but overshadowed on all sides by the Holy Spirit. Those who are initiated into the mysteries know what I am talking about. The Magi only worshipped Him; and you, if you approach with a clear conscience, we will allow you to take His very body and return home. Come also with gifts, not such as they are, but with much more precious ones. They have brought gold, thou shalt bring chastity and virtue; they have brought frankincense, you bring pure prayers, these spiritual incense; they have brought myrrh, thou shalt bring humility, a humble heart, and almsgiving. If you come with such gifts, you will enjoy this sacred meal with great boldness. I say all this today because I am sure that many will certainly come and approach this spiritual sacrifice on that day. Therefore, in order that we may do this not to harm or condemnation, but to the salvation of our souls, I already warn and ask you to purify yourselves in every possible way and then approach the sacred sacraments.

4. Let no one say to me: I am ashamed, my conscience is full of sins, I bear the heaviest burden. The period of these five days is sufficient to cleanse the multitude of sins, if you sober up, pray and watch. In spite of the fact that the time is short, keep in mind that the Lord loves mankind; the Ninevites turned away His wrath even in three days, and the brevity of time did not hinder them in the least, but all was done by their spiritual zeal, with the help of the Lord's love for mankind (Jonah ch. 3). And the prostitute, who came to Christ, in a short moment washed away all shame from herself; and when the Jews were indignant that Christ had admitted her to Himself and allowed her such boldness, He stopped their mouths, and sent her away, forgiving her all her sins and accepting her diligence (Luke ch. 7). Why is that? Because she approached with a warm disposition, with a fiery soul and with fervent faith, and touched His holy and sacred feet, letting down her hair, shedding streams of tears from her eyes, and pouring out myrrh. With what she deceived people, she also arranged the medicine of repentance; with what she stirred up the eyes of the lustful, the more she shed tears; with the hair with which she drew many to sin, she wiped the feet of Christ, with the myrrh with which she caught many, she anointed His feet. In the same way, with what you have angered God, propitiate Him. Did you anger Him by stealing money? With them propitiate Him, returning to the offended what was stolen, and adding to it, and say, like Zacchaeus: "I will repay fourfold" for all that I have stolen (Luke 19:8). Have you angered God with your tongue and backbiting, with which you have offended many? With your tongue and propitiate him, offering up pure prayers, blessing those who reproach, praising those who slander, thanking those who offend. This does not require many days and years, but only benevolence, and everything will be fulfilled in one day. Turn away from evil, love virtue, cease a vicious life, and promise not to do so again, and this will be enough to justify you. I testify and assure that if each of us sinners, having abandoned our former sins, makes a sincere vow to God not to repeat them, then God will not require anything else for justification. He is loving to mankind and merciful, and as one in the pangs of childbirth desires to be delivered from the burden, so He desires to pour out His mercy; but our sins hinder this. Let us break down this barrier and begin the feast with this, renouncing everything during these five days; Forgive judgments, forgive counsels, depart from worldly affairs, conditions, and covenants: I want to save my soul. "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul" (Matthew 16:26)? The Magi have come out of Persia, and thou hast also departed from the affairs of life, and go to Jesus; The distance is not great, if we want to go. It is not necessary to swim across the sea, nor to cross the tops of the mountains, but by staying at home, and showing reverence and great contrition, one can see Christ, destroy every obstacle, destroy an obstacle, shorten the space of the way. "Am I God [only] near, saith the Lord, and not God afar off" (Jeremiah 23:23); and: "The Lord is near to all those who call upon Him in truth" (Psalm 144:18). And now many of the faithful have come to such madness and contempt that, being filled with a multitude of sins and not caring for themselves in the least, they negligently and as it happens to approach this meal on feast days, and do not know that the time of communion is determined not by the feast and celebration, but by a clear conscience and an irreproachable life. Just as a person who is not aware of anything evil in himself can receive communion every day, so, on the contrary, it is not safe for a person who is mired in sins and does not repent to approach this meal on a feast day. The fact that we approach only once a year does not absolve us of guilt if we approach unworthily; on the contrary, the very same thing serves to lead to greater condemnation, that we, even when we approach once a year, do not approach clean. Therefore I exhort all of you to approach the divine mysteries not only on the occasion of the feast; but if you wish to partake of this holy offering, then in a few days you must purify yourself by repentance, prayer, almsgiving, and the occupation of spiritual things, and not turn back like "a dog to his vomit" (2 Peter 2:22).

Do you not know that this meal is filled with spiritual fire, and just as the springs abound in natural water, so it contains an ineffable flame? Do not approach it with straw, wood and hay, so that you do not increase this flame and do not burn the soul that partakes of it, but approach it with precious stones, gold and silver (1 Cor. 2:22), so that you may make this substance purer, and go out of here with great profit. If there is anything evil in your soul, cast it out, cast it out of it. Does anyone have an enemy and have suffered great offenses? Let him cease enmity, let him pacify the inflamed and irritated soul, so that there is no agitation and confusion within. Through communion you will receive the King into yourself; and when the Tsar enters the soul, then there must be great silence in it, great tranquility, deep peace of thoughts. But you have suffered great offenses and cannot tame your anger? Why do you inflict an even greater and cruelest offense on yourself? It is not so much that the enemy will harm you, no matter what he does, as you harm yourself by not being reconciled with him and trampling on the laws of God. Did the man insult you? Tell me, will you offend God because of this? Not to be reconciled with the offender is not so much to take revenge on him as to offend God, Who commanded reconciliation.

Amen.