All other animals show their anger, rage, resistance: some butt and kill with their horns, others bite with their teeth and devour other people's flesh, others beat and trample under foot, others tear with their claws. Only the lamb's nature has nothing of this in it, it is not irritated, it does not rage with rage, it does not resist the one who offends it. That is why the prophet Isaiah likened our Lord to this animal, Who was to come to a free passion.

"As a sheep," he says of Him, "is led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before his shearer, so He does not open His mouth" (Isaiah 53:6). All these virtues mentioned above: meekness, humility and gentleness – can be considered as one, for meekness walks together with humility, as the Lord says: "Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart"; and again: "On whom shall I look, but on the meek and humble?" (Psalm 24:21).

And kindness does not lag behind them and, as friendly to them, finds grace with them with the Lord, drawing near to Him, as David also said on behalf of the Lord Himself: "The gentle and the righteous are united with me" (Psalm 24:21). However, each of these virtues has a special interpretation of its power. Meekness means restraining anger, taming rage.

A meek person is one who, being grieved by someone and having the opportunity to take revenge, does not take revenge, does not get angry, and the offended does not offend. Humility is a sincere awareness of one's insignificance, contempt for oneself. Humble is the one who, knowing his weakness, sinfulness and lewdness, does not exalt himself in his mind, considers himself inferior to all, and even though he succeeds in some virtue, nevertheless, filled with the fear of God, calls himself a useless servant.

Kindness is called either a clear conscience, innocent of any evil, or simplicity of heart, adorned with righteousness, or forbearance, not repaying evil for evil. All these three virtues were found in the meek, humble and gentle lamb – the great Holy Hierarch of God Peter. But there is not enough time to talk about all of them in detail now. At this hour, it is enough to talk about one of the above-mentioned virtues – meekness (

putting aside all the others for the future, if the Lord wills and we live), and this one, as combined with the other two, will show us in part their power. For just as during the playing of the harp and cymbals, when one string is struck, the other strings also make a quiet sound, so in the discourse on meekness humility will also have a somewhat resonant response. If you want to overcome your enemies without battle, to conquer without weapons, to tame without difficulty, be gentle yourself, and you will overcome, conquer, and tame others.

If you do not believe me, look with me at the book called the Apocalypse, and from it you will be convinced. I look into this book and see St. John the Theologian weeping. What are you weeping about, beloved disciple of Christ? Is it not fitting for you to rejoice more quickly, having been vouchsafed so many revelations? You see the Throne of God and God Himself, sitting on it, holding in His right hand the book of His unknown mysteries of God, sealed with seven seals.

I weep, he said, that "no one was found worthy to open and read this book." At this time one of the most honorable twenty-four elders, sitting around the Throne of God, said to him: "Do not weep; behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, and is able to open this book, and to open the seven seals thereof" (Rev. 5:4-5). And I, hearing these words: "Behold the lion," looked at what this lion was, and saw together with the holy Theologian "in the midst of the throne and the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood the Lamb as if slain.

And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat on the throne. And when He took the book, then the four beasts and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. And they sing a new song, saying, 'Thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals from it, for thou wast slain, and by thy blood thou hast redeemed us to God.'" 5, 6-9). What is surprising here is that it is said: Behold the lion, and we did not see a lion, but a lamb: the name of the lion, and the image of the lamb, and then, the image of the lamb, and the power of the lion.

It is not surprising that the lion defeats someone, for he is the king of beasts, strong, formidable, stealing and roaring, terrible not only for beasts, but also for people. But what power does the lamb have? What thunderstorm? What is he stealing and what are his weapons? Who is afraid of him, how and whom can he defeat? But in order to understand more clearly the strength, strength and courage of the Lamb, let us go together with St. John the Theologian to the sand of the sea and look at his struggle, let us see what adversaries and how he fights.

"And I stood on the sand of the sea," says the Apostle, "and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns." And in another place: "I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; he had two horns." And further: "They shall wage war" (Rev. 13:1, 11; 17:14). I looked: against whom do they want to raise a battle? And I heard the voice of the Angel saying to the Theologian: "They will wage war with the Lamb."

Again I am amazed: so many such terrible beasts are armed against one Lamb! Will not each of the lesser beasts prevail over him? The wolf alone drives a thousand sheep, and so many beasts gather against the apocalyptic Lamb! Can the Lamb overcome them? The Angel announces that he will prevail: "The Lamb," he says, "will overcome them; for He is the Lord of lords, and the King of kings" (Rev. 17:14). How did the Lamb defeat those beasts?

The theologian says that He "threw them alive into the lake of fire" (Rev. 19:20). I turn to meekness: meekness has the image of a lamb, and the strength of a lion. Who was worthy to receive the book of the mysteries of God with the seals of gifts? The Silent Lamb. Who was worthy of praise from the heavenly dwellers? The Lamb is not malicious. Who has the power to overcome those terrible and fierce beasts that come out of the sea, from the earth, and from the abyss? Meek Lamb: "The Lamb shall overcome them."

The Lamb whom John the Theologian saw was an image of the meekness and quietness of the Lamb of God Himself, "Who taketh away the sins of the world" (John 1:29), Christ our Savior. What good did not His meekness and quietness do? What merits did she not receive? What fierce beasts have you not defeated? Let everyone see this in the Divine Scriptures. It is time for us to turn our mental eyes and conversation to another lamb – the saint of God who is now being celebrated.