The Scripture says, "And Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord."

2. Notice the accuracy of the Scriptures, just as even one syllable cannot be found (in it) without meaning. Having informed us of the excessive increase of human wickedness, and of the great punishment to which the perpetrators of this were to be subjected, the Scriptures also show us one who, among such a multitude, was able to preserve the purity of virtue. Of course, virtue in itself is worthy of wonder; but if someone else creates it surrounded by obstacles, then it is much more wondrous. Therefore, the Divine Scriptures, as if marveling at the righteous man, say that among such a multitude of people who had to be subjected to the wrath of God for their wickedness, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." "He found grace," but before God; it is not simply said, "He found grace," but before the Lord God, in order to show us that his only purpose was to win the approval of that watchful Eye, and that he cared not in the least for glory, or for dishonor, or for the ridicule of men. Naturally, for his determination, in spite of everything, to strive in virtue, he endured great reproach and ridicule, since all the impious usually always mock those who have decided to shun impiety and cling to virtue, which is often the case even today. And we see that many careless people, unable to endure ridicule and reproach and preferring human glory to true and eternal glory, are carried away and partake of the impiety of other people. Only a valiant and firm soul can resist those who try to seduce it and do nothing to please people, but direct its gaze to that ever-vigilant Eye and only expect favor from it, and not look at people and do not value their praise and blame, but leave them unnoticed, like a shadow and a dream. And now often many, unable to endure the ridicule of ten, twenty or fewer persons, stumble and fall: "There is shame that leads to sin" (Sir. 5:25). An important thing is not to pay attention to those who slander, mock and mock. But this righteous man did not act in this way: he despised not only ten and twenty and a hundred people, but all their totality, so many thousands of people. It is probable that everyone mocked him, mocked him, swore, and insulted him a lot; perhaps they even wanted to tear him to pieces, if it were possible. Impiety always shows great malice against virtue; and not only does he not harm it in the least, but by attacking it, it only makes it stronger. Such is the power of virtue that, even when it suffers, it overcomes those who inflict (suffering), and when it is attacked, it is higher than the attackers. And this can be seen from many (examples). But in order to present to you the means (to be convinced of this) – for it is said: "Give [instruction] to the wise, and he will be wiser" (Proverbs 9:9) – it is necessary to present to you examples from both the Old and New Testaments. Remember Abel: was he not killed by Cain? Was he not thrown to the ground? But do not look at the fact that (Cain) overcame, and conquered, and killed a brother whom he envied, and who did not offend him in any way, but consider the consequences, that the one who was slain from that time to this day is glorified and blessed, and that so long a time has not erased the memory of him; but he who killed and overcame, even then dragged out a life heavier than death, and from that time to this day is exposed to shame and condemned by all, while he is sung every day by the lips of all. And this is in the present life; And what will follow in the age to come – what word, what mind can imagine it? I am sure that you, as men of understanding, will find many other similar examples in the Scriptures: they are written for our benefit, so that we, recognizing them, may shun impiety and cling to virtue. Do you want to see the same thing in the New Testament? Listen to how Blessed Luke tells the same thing about the Apostles, namely: that they, having endured the blows, went out of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing, that for the name of Christ they were vouchsafed to receive mockery (Acts 5:41). Though the blows did not cause joy, but pain and dishonor, yet for God's sake the blows and the reason why (the apostles) were subjected to the blows gave them joy. Meanwhile, those who struck (the apostles) were in great perplexity and difficulty, not knowing what to do. Listen, indeed, how do they, even after they have struck, be perplexed and say: "What shall we do with these people" (Acts 4:16; cf. v. 3)? What do you say? You have inflicted beatings, done a lot of evil, and are still perplexed? So strong and invincible is virtue: even in suffering itself it conquers those who cause suffering.

3. But in order not to make the word prolonged, we must again turn to this righteous man (Noah), and marvel at his high virtue, how he was able to despise and rise above such a great multitude of those who mocked him, attacked, reviled, dishonored him (again I say the same, and I will not cease to speak). How is that? Here's how. He constantly gazed at the ever-vigilant Eye and directed the gaze of his soul to it; therefore he no longer cared about all these (scoffers), as if they had never existed. This is how it should be: whoever is wounded by this love and strives with his heart towards God, no longer pays attention to the visible, but constantly contemplates the object of his striving, both night and day, and when he lies down and when he gets up. Let it not surprise you if this righteous man, having only directed his thought there, did not think of any of those who tried to seduce him. Fulfilling his duty and acquiring the highest grace, he became higher than all of them. "And Noah," it is said, "found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Even if he was not pleasant and amiable to all the people of that time, because he did not want to follow the same path with them; therefore he found grace in the Searching heart. Who approved of his spiritual disposition. And tell me, what harm does it do to a man from the reproach and ridicule of those like him, when he who created our hearts and understands all your deeds glorifies and crowns him? What does it profit a man if the whole universe marvels at him and praises him, and the Creator of all and the infallible Judge condemns him on that terrible day? Therefore, knowing this, beloved, let us not treasure the praise of men, and let us not seek glory from men in every way, but for the sake of Him Who searches hearts and bowels, let us do good deeds and flee from wickedness.

That is why Christ, teaching us not to pursue the glory of men, after many other things, finally said the following: "Woe to you, when all men speak well of you!" (Luke 6:26). See how He showed us by the word "woe" what punishment is prepared for such people. This "woe" is a lamentable exclamation; as if weeping for them, (Christ) says: "Woe to you, when all men speak well of you!" Notice the accuracy of the expression: he did not say simply "people", but "all people". It is impossible for a virtuous person who walks the narrow and sorrowful path and fulfills the commandments of Christ to earn praise and amazement from all people, because the power of evil and enmity to virtue are great. Therefore, the Lord, knowing that it is impossible for a person who strives strictly in virtue and expects praise from Him alone, to enjoy praise and good fame from all people, calls unfortunate those who, because of human praise, neglect virtue. Praise from all can be the greatest proof that (the praised) care a little about virtue. And how will everyone praise the virtuous, if he begins to snatch away the offended from the offenders, those who suffer evil from those who want to do evil? Again, if he wants to correct sinners and praise those who live virtuously, is it not natural that some will praise him, and others will blame him? Therefore (the Lord) says: "Woe to you when all men speak well of you!" After this, should not this righteous man (Noah) be amazed and amazed when, guided by the natural law, he fulfilled with great accuracy in advance what Christ taught after his coming (to earth), and, disregarding human praise, tried to acquire grace from God by a virtuous life? "And Noah," he says, "has found grace in the eyes of the Lord." That for his virtue he found grace before the Lord God, this wondrous prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, told us; it is also necessary to know what is said next, to see how God Himself judged him. "Behold," it is said, "the life of Noah: Noah was a righteous man and blameless in his generation" (Gen. 6:9). An unusual way of genealogy. Having said, "This is the life of Noah," and having aroused our attention, intending as if to tell the genealogy of Noah, who his father was, whence he came into the world, how he came into the world, and all the rest of which genealogies are wont to narrate, the divine Scripture leaves all this, and, contrary to custom, says: "Noah was a righteous and blameless man in his generation; Noah walked with God." Have you seen the wonderful genealogy? "Noah," he said, "was a man." Behold, the common name of nature is turned into praise to the righteous. While others, immersed in the pleasures of the flesh, ceased even to be men, Noah, it is said, in the midst of such a multitude (of the depraved) retained the image of man, because it is man who exercises virtue. It is not that we have the form of a man – and the eyes, and the nose, and the lips, and the cheeks, and other members, this is not what distinguishes man: these are bodily members. We call a man the one who preserves the image of a person. What is the image of man? It is to be reasonable. Why, it will be said, were they not reasonable? But even this is not enough: in order to be a man, one must also be virtuous, flee from vices, conquer impure passions, and fulfill the commandments of the Lord.

4. And in order for you to be convinced that the Scriptures of those who are given over to impiety and do not care about virtue usually do not vouchsafe even the name of man, listen to those words of God, of which we said yesterday: "My Spirit is not forever despised by men; for they are flesh" (Gen. 6:3). I, says (God), have given them, together with the flesh, the power (or being) of the soul; but they, as if clothed only with flesh, so disdained of the valor of the soul, that at last they became completely flesh. See how God calls them flesh and not men because of their wickedness! And further, as you will immediately learn, St. The Scriptures call them earth because they have completely given themselves over to earthly thoughts; namely, he says: "The earth is corrupted before the face of God" (Gen. 6:11), meaning here not the sensual earth, but calling those who dwell on it the earth. And in another place he does not even call them flesh or earth, does not even consider them to exist in the present life, because they do not do virtue. Listen to what the prophet cries out and says in the midst of the chief city, Jerusalem, where there are so many thousands, where there are innumerable multitudes of people: "I came, there was none, and when I called, no one answered" (Isaiah 50:2), not because there was no one, but because those who were were no better than those who were not. And again in another place: "Go about...," he says, "and see if there is not one who keeps the truth, who seeks the truth? I would have spared [Jerusalem]" (Jeremiah 5:1).

Have you seen how the Divine Scripture calls man only he who does virtue, and does not even consider others to exist, calling them now flesh and sometimes earth? That is why even now, promising to depict the genealogy of the righteous man, the Divine Scripture says: "Noah was a man" – he was only a man, and the rest are not men, but, having the form of a man, by evil will they destroyed the nobility of their nature, and from men they descended to the foolishness of animals. And as for men, rational creatures, when they deviate into wickedness and become prisoners of irrational passions, the divine Scripture gives the names of beasts, listen to how it says in one place: "These are fattened horses: each of them neighs at the wife of another" (Jeremiah 5:8). See how it, for excessive voluptuousness, gives (man) the name of dumb. And in another place: "Their venom is like the venom of a serpent" (Psalm 57:5). Here it means those who imitate the cunning and cunning of this beast (adder). And again he calls others dumb dogs (Isaiah 56:10-11); and again he says: "Like a deaf adder that stops its ears" (Psalm 57:5), meaning those who close their ears to the teaching of virtue. And there are many names that the Divine Scripture gives to people who through negligence indulge in bestial passions. This can be seen not only in the Old Testament, but also in the New. Listen to what John the Baptist says to the Jews: "Offspring of vipers! Who inspired you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:7). Do you see how here also he designated the cunning of their will by the name of the beast? What can be more miserable than people who are given over to wickedness, when they are deprived of the very name of man, and are subjected to the greater punishment because, having received from nature many means (for virtue), they did not make use of them, having fallen of their own free will (from the heights) and turned to impiety? Thus, when the contemporaries (of Noah) appeared unworthy of the name (of man), and this righteous man, in such a poverty of virtue, manifested in himself such a great virtue, the divine Scripture, beginning the genealogy of this man, says: "Noah was a man." One can also meet another righteous man, to whom this name was given instead of the greatest praise, and who is glorified by this name above all others, as zealously striving in virtue. Who is he? Blessed Job, the ascetic of piety, the hero of the universe, who alone endured those unbearable misfortunes, and, having received innumerable arrows from the evil demon, remained unwounded, and, like a certain adamant, was able to endure all misfortunes, and not only did not sink into such great waves, but even became higher than them – having experienced all the sufferings of the universe on his body, he appeared even brighter from this. The continuity of the calamities that followed one another not only did not strike him, but even aroused him to even greater gratitude, and he fully showed his prudence, inflicting a mortal wound on the devil and proving that he was in vain strengthening himself and going against the. Praising and glorifying this holy even before the struggle and such great feats, the lover of mankind said to the devil: "Have you paid attention to My servant Job? for there is none like him on earth: a blameless man, just, God-fearing, and shunning evil" (Job 1:8)? Do you see, and he is glorified first of all by the common name of man? – "Have you paid attention to My servant Job? for there is no such man like him? Though all are alike, yet not in virtue, but only in appearance; but this is not what a person is, but when someone, avoiding impiety, strives in virtue.

5. Have you seen whom the Divine Scripture usually calls man? That is why in the beginning the Lord of all, approaching the creation of man, said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26), that is, that he should be lord over all things visible and over the passions that arise in him, so that he would rule, and not be under authority. And if, having left the rulership, he wishes to be under the ruler rather than to be the ruler, then he ceases to be a man and brings upon himself the name of a dumb animal. For this reason even now the divine Scripture, wishing to praise the virtue of the righteous, says: "This is the life of Noah: Noah was a righteous man." Here is another very important type of praise: "righteous." By this name (Scripture) means all the virtues of Noah in general; The name righteous we usually give to those people who practice every virtue. Then, so that you may know that Noah reached the very height of virtue, which was required of our nature even then. The Scripture says, "Righteous and blameless in his generation." He says that he fulfilled all that a virtuous man ought to have done (this is what "blameless" means perfect), without omitting anything, without stumbling in anything. Not that he did one thing, and sinned in another; but in every virtue he was perfect; and this he had to do. Further, in order to present the righteous man to us in a still greater light by pointing to time and by comparison with others, the Scriptures say: "Blameless in his generation," at that time in his corrupt generation, who gave himself over to such impiety and would not show even a trace of virtue. In such and such a way, in such and such times, this righteous man not only manifested virtue, but also reached the very height of virtues, appeared perfect and without any lack. As I said before, to live virtuously among those who rise up against virtue and to show constant zeal for it among those who hinder it, always testifies to the special dignity of virtue. That is why this righteous man is honored with special praise. But the Divine Scripture does not stop here in glorifying him, but, showing us the superiority of his virtue, and that he received approval from above, after the words: "Blameless in his generation," he says: "Noah walked with God." So great was his virtue that he deserved praise from God. "Noah," he says, "walked with God"; – this means that he was approved by God, pleased that vigilant Eye by his God-pleasing deeds, attracted His favor to himself by his life, so that (the Lord) not only delivered him from the wrath that was about to break out over everyone, but also made him the protector of others. "Noah," he says, "walked with God." Who can be more blessed than a man who was able to show such virtue that he was praised by the Lord of all?

Of what he has done, this is dearer to a reasonable man than any wealth, all fame, power, and any other human well-being; for a person who sincerely loves God, this is more desirable than the kingdom, because the true kingdom consists in gaining the favor and mercy of the Lord by a good life. For we must fear and dread Gehenna, not for the sake of that unquenchable fire, terrible punishments, and endless torments, but because we offend such a good Lord and become unworthy of His favor, just as we must hasten to the kingdom out of love for Him, in order to enjoy His grace. Just as the benevolence of our humane Lord towards us is more desirable than the kingdom, so the deprivation of His favor is more terrible than hell.

Have you seen how much benefit the mere name of the righteous man has brought us, and what treasure of thoughts has been revealed to us by the genealogy of this wondrous man? Let us also follow the rules of the Divine Scriptures, and if we wish to tell someone's genealogy, let us not expose either fathers, grandfathers, or great-grandfathers, but let us reveal the virtue of the one whose genealogy we are telling. This is the best way of genealogy. What is the use of coming from famous and virtuous fathers, and not having a virtuous life yourself? Or again, what harm will there be if you are descended from fathers and ancestors unknown and ignoble, and you yourself adorn yourself with virtue? And this righteous man, who became so great and gained the favor of God, did not descend from such parents – the Divine Scriptures do not mention them as being especially virtuous – and yet, in spite of so many obstacles and difficulties, he was able to ascend to the very height of virtue, so that you would know that whoever dares to be attentive and cheerful and diligently take care of his salvation, nothing will hinder this. Just as when we give ourselves over to carelessness, we suffer harm even from the most unimportant things, so if we wish to be vigilant, then, even if thousands of people lead us to impiety, nothing can weaken our zeal, just as so many could not make this righteous man less zealous for virtue. Therefore, do not blame another and do not lay the blame on others, but attribute everything to your own negligence. And what do I say to others? Nor should anyone think of the devil as being so powerful that he can block the path that leads to virtue; He deceives and seduces the negligent, but does not hinder or coerce. This is shown by experience itself, namely, when we decide to be vigilant, we show such firmness that even though many incline you to the path of wickedness, we do not follow their suggestion, but are stronger than adamant, and stop our ears from those who advise evil. And when we are negligent, even if no one advises or offends, we strive for wickedness of our own accord. If this were not in our will and not in the power of our soul, if the Lord did not create our nature free, then all people, as having the same nature and the same passions, would have to be either evil or virtuous. And when we see that those who are of the same nature with us, and those who are overwhelmed by the same passions, do not experience the same thing, but direct their nature with a firm mind, overcome disorderly movements, curb lusts, conquer anger, avoid envy, destroy hatred, despise the passion for riches, care less about (earthly) glory, do not value the well-being of the present life, but firmly strive for true glory, and prefer praise from God to all that is visible, is it not clear that by their own efforts they can do this with the help of the highest grace, and that through our carelessness we destroy our salvation, depriving ourselves of heavenly favor?

6. Therefore, I beseech you, constantly pondering and remembering this, let us never blame the devil, but always blame our careless will. And I say this not in order to absolve him from guilt – let it not be: he walks about like a ravenous lion, roaring and seeking "whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8); I only want us to be more careful, so that we do not consider ourselves innocent when we are so easily inclined to sin, and do not speak these empty words: why did God leave this evil one (the devil) to deceive and destroy us? These are the words of the greatest foolishness. And you reason thus: God has left him especially so that we, impelled by fear, and expecting the attack of the enemy, should constantly be vigilant and watchful, facilitating the work of virtue with the hope of rewards and the expectation of eternal and unspeakable blessings. And why do you wonder that He left the devil out of His care for our salvation, in order to awaken our carelessness and give us a reason to receive crowns? He prepared Gehenna itself so that the fear of punishment and the unbearable weight of torment would impel us (to strive) for the kingdom. Do you see the all-wise love of mankind of the Lord? (Do you see) how He uses all measures not only to save those created by Him, but also to vouchsafe unspeakable blessings? For this reason He has granted us free will, and has put into nature and conscience the knowledge of evil and virtue, and has allowed the devil to be, and threatens with hell, so that we may not experience hell, but receive the kingdom. And why do you wonder that He used all these and very many other measures for this purpose? "He, being in the image of God," deigned to take on "the form of a servant" (Phil. 2:6,7) and to experience all the rest pertaining to the body, – he was born of a woman and descended from a virgin, he was carried in his womb for nine months, wrapped in swaddling clothes, he considered Joseph the betrothed of Mary as his father, he grew little by little, he was circumcised and offered sacrifice, he hungered, thirsted and grew weary, and finally he suffered death – not an ordinary death, but it was considered the most shameful, that is, death on the cross; – and all this for us and our salvation was endured by the Creator of all, unchangeable, Who brought all things from non-existence into being, – "He looks upon the earth, and it trembles" (Psalm 103:32), – the splendor of Whose glory cannot be seen even by the cherubim – these bodiless powers, but, turning away their faces and covering them with their wings, bear witness to us of the miracle; Whom the angels, the archangels, and the darkness (spirits) praise unceasingly. For our sake and for our salvation, He was pleased to become man, and He revealed to us the way of a good life, and gave us sufficient instruction in that He Himself had walked (this path), taking on the same nature as us. What excuse will be left for us if, after so much has already been done for our salvation, we ourselves make all this useless for us, and by our negligence about it we lose salvation? Therefore, I beseech you, let us be vigilant, and let us not recklessly follow the custom of others, but let us examine our lives every day, and see in what we have sinned and what good we have done, and thus correct our sins, so that we may also obtain the highest mercy, and be pleasing to God, like this righteous man (Noah), and receive the kingdom of heaven, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, With Whom be glory, honor, and dominion to the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

CONVERSATION 24

"Noah begat three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. But the earth was corrupted before the face of God, and the earth was filled with wickedness" (Gen. 6:10-11)

1. Yesterday the genealogy of the righteous Noah brought us no small benefit. We learned the wonderful method of genealogy and saw that the righteous man is glorified not for the nobility of his ancestors, but for the goodness of his own morals. It was for this reason that he received such a lofty testimony from the divine Scriptures: "Noah," it says, "was a righteous and blameless man in his generation; Noah walked before God (Gen. 6:9). Yesterday we used the entire sermon for these brief words. Such is the property of the divine words that in a few utterances they reveal a great wealth of thoughts and bestow an ineffable treasure on those who wish to examine them thoroughly. Therefore, I beg you, let us not superficially skim over anything contained in the Divine Scriptures, but whether it be an enumeration of names, or an account of an incident, let us search for the treasure contained in them. That is why Christ said: "Search the Scriptures" (John 5:39), since it is not possible to immediately find the meaning of what is written everywhere, but a deep investigation is required of us, so that nothing that lies in the depths is hidden from us. For if the very name of the race, that is, the name "man," brought us such a useful subject yesterday, what good will we get if we consider with a careful and cheerful mind all that the Scriptures say? Our Lord is a lover of mankind: as soon as He sees that we are striving and exceedingly zealous for the understanding of the divine words, He does not allow us to need anything, but immediately enlightens our minds, grants us His illumination, and in His great wisdom communicates to our souls the true teaching. That is why, wishing to encourage us to do this and make us more diligent, He deemed worthy of blessedness those who show such diligence, saying: "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matt. 5:6). Notice the wisdom of the Teacher: He not only stirred up (to jealousy) with blessedness, but with the words: "Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" He also taught His listeners with what diligence one should strive to study spiritual words. Just as He says, those who feel hungry rush to food with unspeakable haste, and those who are burned with great thirst quickly run to drink, just as these hungering and thirsty must flow to spiritual teaching. Such people are not only worthy of gratification, but also receive what they seek: they are, it is said, "they will be satisfied," that is, they will be satisfied, they will fulfill their spiritual desire. And so, having such a Lord, so good, so generous, let us also run to Him and try to deserve His favor, so that He, in His love for mankind, may enlighten our minds to understand the power of the Divine Scriptures, and you will receive the spiritual teaching with great readiness, like those who hunger and thirst. And perhaps the good and all-wise Lord, in spite of our unworthiness and insignificance, for your benefit will "give" us a word to open our mouths (Ephesians 6:19), to His glory and our edification. And so, having placed all our hope in the grace above, and having called upon the help of Him Who "opens the eyes of the blind" (Psalm 145:8), and makes clear "the tongue of the dumb" (Isaiah 35:6), let us proceed to consider what we have recently read (from the Scriptures), and whatever He gives according to His love for mankind, we will also offer to your love. Only, I beg you, strain your mind, and, having removed from yourself all worldly thoughts, listen attentively to what is offered, so that we may be able to sow spiritual seed as it were into rich and fertile land, cleansed of weeds and thorns. "Behold," it is said, "the life of Noah: Noah was a righteous man and blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God." Thus ended yesterday's sermon; therefore it is necessary to suggest what follows next. "He begat me," it is said, "three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth." It is not without reason that the divine Scriptures have indicated to us both the time and the number of the sons of the righteous; no, and in this it wanted to show us, though not directly, the extraordinary greatness of his virtue. Above it said that "Noah was five hundred years," and immediately added: "And begat three sons" (Gen. 5:32), teaching us how extraordinarily great was his abstinence, and moreover, at a time when all the people of that time were given over to such intemperance and such debauchery, and every age, so to speak, rushed to evil. For you have heard the Divine Scripture say: "And the Lord saw that the wickedness of men was great on the earth, and that all the thoughts and thoughts of their heart were evil" (Gen. 6:5), and by this it clearly shows us that the young men tried to surpass (in wickedness) the older ones, and the old men were no less mad than the youths, and that even the most innocent age was strongly attracted to vice.

2. And so, so that we may know how, in spite of the fact that all these people gave themselves up to such frenzy and debauchery, the righteous man alone asceticized, with other virtues, in chastity until the age of five hundred, the Scriptures, having said: "Noah was five hundred years," already says: "and begat three sons."