ABOUT THE THREE VOWS OF MONASTICISM - VIRGINITY, NON-POSSESSION, AND OBEDIENCE (Moscow 1845)

 

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ABOUT THE THREE VOWS OF MONASTICISM : VIRGINITY, NON-POSSESSION, AND OBEDIENCE

Moscow 1998

The text is printed according to the publication: “On the three vows of monasticism: virginity, non-possession and obedience”, M., 1845. From the St. Petersburg Committee of Spiritual Censorship, May 1, 1845, it is allowed to print. Censor Priest Andrey Okunev.

Table of contents

Foreword

I. VOW OF VIRGINITY

a) THE BASIS OF THE VIRGINITY VOW.

b) CONTENT OF THE VOW.

c) THE PURPOSE OF THE VIRGINITY VOW.

d) THE IMPORTANCE AND INVIOLABILITY OF THE VOW OF VIRGINITY.

e) MEANS FOR KEEPING THE VOW OF VIRGINITY.

II. VOW OF NON-POSSESSION

a) THE BASIS OF THE VOW OF NON-POSSESSION.

b) CONTENT OF THE VOW OF NON-POSSESSION.

c) PURPOSE OF THE VOW OF NON-POSSESSION.

d) THE IMPORTANCE AND INVIOLABILITY OF THE VOW OF NON-POSSESSION.

III. VOW OF OBEDIENCE

a) THE BASIS OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

b) CONTENT OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

c) PURPOSE OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

d) THE IMPORTANCE AND INVIOLABILITY OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

e) THE IMPORTANCE AND INVIOLABILITY OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

 

On the ladder of monastic vows, the vow of obedience is the highest and therefore the most difficult step. One great old man, being in an angel-like vision, saw four degrees in heaven, signifying the perfection of the ascetics. In the first degree stood one dejected by ailments, but blessing the name of the Lord; to another disinterested stranger, and always obliging; on the third, a silent desert-dweller; finally, the fourth and highest degree was occupied by the obedient to his mentor, and for the sake of God devoted to him with all his heart. This man, for obedience, wears a shield and a scarlet robe, as a sign that he was obedient even unto death, and shone with glory above all. Why is this one, apparently less in deeds, exalted more than others, thought the elder, who was awarded the heavenly vision! “For this, a mysterious voice suddenly answered him, that the stranger is practicing virtue, so dear to his heart, of her own free will; likewise, the hermit, removed from the world according to his own good judgment, and lives freely; as for one who is afflicted with ailments, he would gladly change them to health. But this one, who has undertaken the most difficult task of obedience, having abandoned all his desires, depends on God and his guide; therefore he received great glory before others. “So, children,” the same elder continues, “obedience to the Lord is a good deed. Obedience, you are the salvation of all the faithful, you are the mother of all virtues, you open the heavens and raise people from the earth to them, you feed all the Saints, they are perfected through you, you dwell with the Angels! obedience; for such a person is a true follower of our good Teacher, who was obedient even unto death (Phil. II, 8). Truly blessed who has learned obedience: for, being an imitator of Jesus Christ, he also becomes a joint heir with him.”[2] A monk by means of this virtue (obedience) can be perfected in such a way as it cannot be from any other. “Like a traveler,” says St. Abba Dorotheos, having found the rod, and leaning on it, makes the path faster with its help, as it happens with those who follow the path of cutting off their will. For whoever cuts off his own will, through this acquires impartiality, and from impartiality passes with the help of God into perfect impartiality. It is possible to cut off ten desires in a short time, while another completes the entire path in a short time. He sees something, and the thought tells him: pay attention to it, and he answers the thought: “I do not pay any attention, and cuts off my desire, and does not pay attention.” He finds those engaged in idle talk, and the thought says to him: “Say such and such a word,” but he cuts off his desire and does not speak. Thus, cutting off everything, he acquires the habit of cutting off, and after the small, he begins without difficulty to cut off the great; and thus finally begins to have no will at all, and whatever happens to him, he is calm, no matter how everything goes according to his desire. And then, as he does not want to fulfill his will, it is always fulfilled with him: because whoever has nothing of his own, for him everything that happens is his own. And thus he becomes, as I said, impartial, and from impartiality comes to impartiality. Do you see to what success little by little the cutting off of one's own will leads? so the monk, having given himself over to the exploits of obedience, having passed through the fire of all the sorrows of life for God, and in this sorrow and much patience having learned obedience, having melted morals, he learns humility and becomes bright and worthy of heavenly treasures, endless life and a blissful fate, from where sorrow and sighing are removed, and joy and uninterrupted joy are installed. Great is the feat of obedience, so that some Holy Fathers equated it with martyrdom. “Whoever cuts off his own will and does the will of the abbot,” says St. Theodore the Studite, this is imputed before God, that he seemed to have shed his blood for Christ.[5] “Without the shedding of blood,” says another teacher of the Church, one cannot forsake one’s own will, i.e., to cut off one’s own will, one needs labor even to death.”[6] In one Egyptian Monastery there was an old man very angry and stern. Learning about this, one young brother made a vow before God to go to obedience to the angry old man and endure any insult from him for his sins. For six years the patient brother lived with the elder, and every day he endured new vexations. Then he sees in a dream a husband wearing a larger scroll. Here, says the one who appeared to the novice, look: the Master has crossed out half of your debt; strive for the other half too! The brother revealed this vision to an old man and continued his obedience with the same patience. If the day passed as usual in the patience of insults from a stern old man; then a novice to the question of that good old man, who knew the secret of his life: how was the day? Did we manage to cross something out of the scroll? He answered: so, father, we have not worked much now. But when the day passed peacefully, without vexations and beatings, the novice wept and said: Today was an evil day; we didn't buy anything! So another six years passed, and the patient brother died. After this, the good old man saw the deceased among the martyrs, and heard that he is praying to God for the obstinate old man. Lord, this is what the new martyr said, just as You had mercy on me for the sake of the elder, so have mercy on him according to Your Goodness for the sake of me, your servant! Forty days after the death of the novice, his elder also died, and was taken to a place of eternal rest.[7] In addition, how important the feat of obedience is, this is evident from the fact that God shows special favor to those who are distinguished by this virtue, it is sometimes He rewards her ascetics with the gift of miracles. So once an elder ordered John (Kolov) to stick a dry tree and water it every day until it bears fruit. The novice, despite the remoteness of the water, fulfilled the commandment for three years. And what? the power of obedience revived the dead tree; it flourished and bore fruit. Then the elder, having called the brethren, and showing them the fruit of a dry tree, said: take and taste, this is the fruit of obedience! Another time, the elder said to the same novice: in such and such a place I saw hyena droppings; come and bring it to me. “Well, father,” John asked, “if the hyena itself finds me?” "If it finds, then you tie up the beast and bring it here." John, having gone in the evening, really saw the hyena itself, and, without thinking anything, immediately chased after the beast, and said: wait, my father ordered me to tie you up. The hyena was caught, bound, and brought to the old man; but the elder, wanting to humble the obedient monk, and fearing that he would not become proud of his very obedience, took a stick and beat John, saying: what a fool you brought a dog here! untied the hyena and let it go.[8] So great is the power of the virtue of obedience! So, spiritual ascetic, you promised to keep obedience until death, then do not leave it. "If anyone," says St. Basil the Great, once joined the body of the brotherhood and wants to be recognized as a usable vessel, then he must show obedience and obedience to his mentor until his death, remembering that the Lord is obedient to reality even to death, but death on the cross” (Phil. II, 8).[9] “There is no more unfortunate, says another teacher of the Church, there is no closer to the destruction of that person who does not have a guide for himself on the path of God. For what do these words mean: if there is no control, like leaves fall? (Prov. II. 14) At first, the leaf is always green, blooming, pleasant, then little by little it fades, and finally they despise and trample it: so also a person who is not controlled by anyone, at first always has a disposition to fasting, to vigil, to silence, to obedience and to every other good, but then this disposition, without a mentor that arouses and kindles it in him, little by little decreases in him, cools and insensibly disappears, and he finally becomes subject to enemies who do what they want with him. And the enemy especially rejoices over those who have no control over them. Imagine that brother, says the same teacher of the Church, whom the evil one loved, and about whom he speaks to Abba Macarius: “I have one brother who, when he looks at me, whirls like a whirlwind.” He loves such, he always rejoices in such, whom no one controls, who do not reveal their state to those who, according to God, can give them a helping hand. For this demon did not approach all the brethren, when the saint, seeing him carrying all sorts of dishes in pots, did not offer them to everyone; because everyone, seeing his chains, fled and opened his thoughts, and found help in time of temptation, so that the evil one could no longer do anything with them, but he found only this one unfortunate one, disposing of himself, having no help from anyone; and therefore he treated him like a toy, and, departing, thanked him, and cursed others. When in this way he told Abba Macarius the very matter and announced the name of his brother: the saint hurried to this brother, found that this was the very reason for his death, found that he did not want to confess, found that he was not in the habit of revealing his state, and therefore the enemy circled him as he wanted. When the saint asked: "What is your condition, brother?" He replied: "Thy prayers, good." When the saint still asked him: “Do not thoughts fight against you?” He replied: "I find myself well." And until then he did not want to confess anything, until he was brought by the art of the saint to the point that he told his state. Having strengthened him with a conversation and the word of God, St. Macarius returned; the enemy, according to his custom, again came to this brother, with the intention of overthrowing him, but he was put to shame: for he found him fortified, he found him no longer such that it was possible to mock him. So he departed from it, having done nothing, departed in shame. Therefore, when the saint asked him again: “What is the state of this brother, your friend?” became more ferocious than all." That is why the enemy hates the voice of affirmation! Because he always seeks our doom. That is why he loves those who dispose of themselves! because they help the devil by building their own yards. I do not know any other reason for the fall of a monk, except for the power of attorney to my heart. Some say: "A man falls from one or the other"; but I don't know, said, another reason for the fall, except this one. Did you see someone fall? Know that he had himself. There is nothing more dangerous than to dispose of oneself; There is nothing more disastrous than this!” [10] “How did the devil deal with Adam and Eve, says St. Anthony V.; so it is with those who follow their own inclinations, are content with their own opinion and judgment in everything, and do not want to follow the instructions of their fathers, who are more perfect than them and know how to distinguish good from evil. Those people, my children, who fulfill the desires of their hearts and think that they have reached perfection because of the blessing of their fathers, are like birds that make their nests on high, but fly to the ground, and here they are caught in a net by bird-catchers. The devil is trying to produce in these people the confidence that they are great and glorious in their spirit, superior to many other people; therefore they do not want to obey their fathers, so that they may be said to be like bitter, unripe grapes. They are really like him, because the instructions of the fathers are unpleasant for them, and they think of themselves that they know everything. So my children, understand that you will not succeed, grow and perfect in virtue if you do not obey your fathers, who have already reached perfection. And our fathers themselves obeyed their fathers and followed their instructions, and therefore grew up and perfected in piety, and became teachers of others.”[11] “Unfortunate and worthy of contempt, who has not accustomed himself to obedience, but always grumbles!”[12] departed from the pride and ambition of the world. He should look carefully so as not to approach the host of Korah, whose end showed that the pure desert land does not want to bear the power-hungry and rebellious"[13]. Let us conclude our discussion with this brief instruction of one teacher of our Church. “Twice you promised, he says, to work for Christ faithfully, during Baptism and tonsure. Listen to this, beloved, and always remember your vows, and act according to them and live, so that you will not be condemned as a deceiver at the court of it.

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1. Paterik of Skitsky. Abba Ruf.

2. TV. Ephrem the Syrian.

3. Chr. Thu. Lecturer Abba Dorotheus' guidance in self-sacrifice.

4. St. Theodore of Edessa

5. St. Theodore the Studite Announcement on Cheesefare Week.

6. St. Barsanuphius and John the Disciple, soul-saving instructions. Chr. Thu.

7. Sunday Thu.

8. Sunday Thu.

9. Chr. Thu. Space rules.

10. Chr. Thu. St. Abba Dorotheus's instruction is that one should not arrange oneself according to one's own mind. “And at those who labor under the supervision of the Fathers, the enemies of our life, the demons, are excessively furious,” says St. Theodore of Edessa; gnashing their teeth with their teeth, and devising all sorts of tricks. What don't they do! Why are they not inspired in order to snatch them from their fatherly embraces? They present reasons apparently plausible; they invent motives for strife, incite hatred towards the father, they give the appearance of reproaches to his exhortations, and reproaches are presented in the form of sharpened arrows. Why, they tell him, having been born free, have you made yourself a slave, and a slave of the merciless master? How long will you suffer under the yoke of this slavery and not look freely at the world? Then they are encouraged to hospitality, to go after the sick and to care for the poor, and sometimes they also exalt the feat of deep silence and solitude, in a word, they sow every kind of worthless tares in the heart of a warrior of piety, in order only to snatch him from the spiritual fence, and, having pulled him out of an unstormy haven, plunge him into the sea raging with soul-destroying waves. Finally, having received into their power, they will, like a prisoner, dispose of it according to their evil will. So, when you are under the supervision of your father, try to penetrate the secret deceit of your haters and enemies, and do not forget your doom and promise before God, do not be cowardly when you are offended, do not be afraid of censure, or reproach, or ridicule, do not obey suggestions of evil thoughts, do not run away from the strictness of the father, do not dishonor the good yoke of humility with the audacity of self-indulgence and self-will, but, having put in your heart the word of the Lord: enduring to the end, He will be saved (Matt. X. 22); with patience, flow to the feat set before you, looking to the Head and Finisher Jesus. St. Theodore of Edessa

11. Chr. Thu. Letter. St. Anthony the Great.

12. TV. Ephrem the Syrian.

13. Word of Metropolitan Mosk. Philaret, speaking. in the church built over the relics of St. Micah 1842 — If this salvific law (of obedience) is excluded even for a moment from the sphere of moral existence, and everywhere the brute force of matter overcomes the mind, eclipses the truth, and the orderly world plunges into the abyss of destruction. Monastic cloisters given freedom would be hotels in which frivolity and lawlessness would stay, as well as in noisy gatherings of vain peacefulness.

14. Works of Tikhon Voronezh. Monastic instruction.

 

 

Who will give me a krill, like a dove, and I will fly and rest? Behold, he ran away, and settled in the wilderness. The teas of God saving me from cowardice and from the storm. (Ps. LIV, 7-9) The (whole) world is not worthy of them, wandering in the deserts and in the mountains, and in dens, and in the abysses of the earth. (Heb. XI, 38) Truly red and monastic life is red in truth and good, if it is in accordance with those rules and laws that were laid down by the rulers and founders of the onago, taught by the Holy Spirit. (St. Theodore of Edessa. 48 act.ch.)

A life entirely dedicated to God has always won the hearts of well-meaning people. Knowing that we are all here only strangers and strangers (Heb. XI, 13), they love to develop in themselves the spirit and powers of the higher - the spiritual nature of man; they like to shorten and reduce their earthly needs and worries for heaven; they love to seek bliss in the one and only Source of heavenly comforts - God; in a word, they love life in the Lord, a higher, perfect, holy life, indicated by the Gospel counsels about arbitrary virginity, non-possession and obedience to the Lord for the sake of it. All, even in the world, says the beloved disciple of Christ, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John II, 16). This triple evil can, however, be conquered by chastity, poverty and obedience. And this is why monasticism always requires the fulfillment of three vows: virginity, non-possession, and obedience. For those who wish to devote themselves to the monastic life, a correct and thorough understanding of each of these three vows is necessary. Let us satisfy this need according to our strength and ability: we will consider with attention each vow separately.

 

 

I. VOW OF VIRGINITY.

 

a) THE BASIS OF THE VIRGINITY VOW.

 

The first vow of monasticism is the vow of virginity. The purity which the holiness of the Christian calling requires of all the faithful is not limited to forbidding them some gross and shameful disorder, which St. Paul also forbade naming among Christians (Eph. V: 3). Every Christian renounces the lusts of the flesh at baptism, and through this becomes a saint, a member of Jesus Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. III. 16-18). Therefore, he must live in the spirit and run away from everything that defiles the purity of his soul in him. Thus, the enslavement of the flesh to the spirit is a duty common to monks and to all Christians. But to dedicate his body to Jesus Christ through the obligation to keep it eternally in virgin purity - not every true Christian undertakes: he who can only contain this, as the Savior says, let him contain it. The Ascetic Jesus Christ Himself serves as the first example of virgin life for the monk. “The Lord, says St. Methodius, is granted to teach this doctrine (about virginity) to people; because He alone, having come to earth, taught to ascend to God. It is proper for a bishop and head of the prophets to be called the head of the virgins.”[1] “Jesus Christ, says another teacher of the church, He is virginal glory, not only born of God without beginning, but also as a man like us, but superior to us, incarnated from a Virgin without a husband, showed in Himself true and all-perfect virginity. Therefore, He Himself taught this by the very deed, although He did not establish it by law, (for not everyone can accommodate, as He says).[2] And St. Chrysostom says: “Once upon a time virginity existed in paradise, and it was corrupted by the serpent; therefore in the Middle Ages it was not seen; when Jesus Christ, who was born of a virgin, came, then it appeared again.”[3] Another pure example of virginity we see in the Immaculate Virgin Mary. “The first Virgin of God is the Most Blessed Mary. In the purity of her childhood, having been consecrated to God, to everlasting purity, She became forever the unshakable foundation of an angelic life on earth.”[4] “And Your Mother, say St. Methodius, the mother of Life, incorruptible grace, being a Virgin, cried out to You: I consecrate Myself to You pure and with a light-bearing lamp I meet You.”[5] “From the time the Virgin became the Mother of God,” says St. Gregory the Theologian, already openly began to lead a celibate life.”[6] And from the very words spoken by the Holy Virgin Mary to the Angel: what will this be, even if I don’t know a husband (Lk. 1, 34), it is clear that she was a Virgin, she vowed to keep her virginity. Otherwise, what would her question express? This is how the words of the Mother of God and the Fathers of the Church understood these words. “I must keep my flesh, consecrated to God, as a kind of sacred gift, inviolable. Although you are an angel, says the Mother of God, and came from heaven, although your appearance is higher than nature; However, it is impossible for me to know a husband. How can I be a mother without a husband? For although I know the betrothed Joseph, I do not know the husband, ”this is how St. Epiphanius[7]. Likewise these words: what will be this, where I do not know a husband, he understands and is blessed. Augustine. “This, he says, the Holy Virgin would not have said if she had not previously given a vow to be a Virgin. But since this custom was rejected by Israel, she was betrothed to righteous Joseph.”[8] After the examples of the Head of the virgins Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, the Apostles James, John and Paul. About John the Forerunner, Josephus tells that he was Elijah according to the way of life and pious zeal, and a virgin[9]. About St. Hegesippus, the Palestinian writer (v. 2), testifies to James that he, consecrated to God from the womb of his mother, did not taste wine, did not eat the meat of animals, did not anoint his body with oil; his knees from frequent kneeling before God in prayers for himself and for others were covered with growths[10]. Bliss. Jerome adds to this that Jacob also kept virginity (to Juvian). The same teacher of the Church testifies that John was also a virgin, who was honored with special love from the Lord and adopted by him to the Most Blessed Virgin from the Cross (11). “You (virginity), says St. Ephraim the Syrian, loved and St. Evangelist John, and for this he was deemed worthy to lie on the Persians of the Lord of glory[12]; or as another teacher of the Church says, “For this reason, more than the other Apostles, the door to the mysteries of heaven was opened to him”[13]. And St. The Apostle Paul testifies of himself that he was a virgin: good for them (widows and the celibate, he says, if they remain like I am (1 Cor. VII, 8). “I want,” says St. Ambrose, that you (virgins) they imitated in this (virginity) the Apostle Paul, who withdrew from the bond of marriage in order to unite more closely with Jesus Christ. He could not have achieved such a gift of his Apostleship if he had been bound by the bonds of marriage. , says the Apostle in another place, "bring your sister to your wife? But we do not create in this region, but we endure everything, so that the gospel of Christ will not cease (1 Cor. IX, 5; 12). "That is, he deprived himself of help and the consolations of the marriageable state, so that the more unimpeded they can be engaged in the preaching of the gospel. Consequently, the Apostle would have wished for everyone to devote himself to the service of God and piety in virginity”[15]. The place in the New Testament about the vow of virginity is in the words of Jesus Christ: they are eunuchs, says the Savior, who were born from the womb like this: and they are eunuchs, who are accumulated from a man: and they are eunuchs, who distort themselves for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. XIX, 12). Here the Savior represents the various kinds of people who accumulate themselves; some are such from birth, others by compulsion, others, finally, by their own conviction, voluntarily. These latter are clearly none other than those who have taken a vow of virginity. Thus, under the eunuchs, who bought themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, they mean the virgins and the Fathers of the Church. “Whom, if not those who have chosen monastic life and virgins, says St. Epiphanius, should be understood as eunuchs, who have accumulated themselves for the sake of the kingdom of heaven?”[16] The other Fathers of the Church also mean by them.[17] In addition, the very connection of speech shows that under the eunuchs, who have accumulated themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, one should understand virgins. The Savior, speaking about the eunuchs, as about those who accumulate themselves in vain, not being chaste in thoughts, and about those who accumulate themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven, he adds: he who is able to accommodate, let him accommodate (v. 12): not everyone is obliged to be eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, but those who can accommodate it. “The Lord Himself forewarned us that not all are capable of virginity: not all can accommodate this word, but they are given to eat (Matt. XIX, 11). He Himself does not call everyone to the feat of virginity, but only those who are capable, to whom this gift has been given: whoever can accommodate, let him accommodate”[18] But, not everyone can accommodate, says St. Chrysostom, because not everyone wants; palm suggested; who desires glory does not think of work.”[19] The ascetic, says another teacher of the Church, offers a reward, invites to the field, holds in his hand a wreath (reward) of virginity, shows the purest source and cries: thirst, let him come to me and yes who drinks, who is able to contain, let him contain.”[20] “Jesus Christ of this difficult feat (virginity), says the same teacher of the Church, neither commands nor imposes, but proposes. It can be said about virginity: he who is able to contain, let him contain, but it is impossible to say about truth: whoever can fulfill it, let him fulfill it; but every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”[21] From all this it can be seen that by eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, we must understand those who voluntarily renounce the bonds of married life and devote themselves to a life without marriage. There is also a clear passage about the vow of virginity in Ap. Paul in a letter to the Corinthians: about virgins, the Apostle says, the commandments of the Lord are not an imam, but I give advice (1 Cor. VII, 25) Above, the Apostle offered the teaching to the Corinthians about chastity, and now he turns to virginity, and says that the Lord did not lay down a law and he gave no command concerning virginity, but said only, He that is able to contain, let him contain. “Therefore, I also, says the Apostle, do not prescribe anything regarding this subject, but give my opinion-advice, since I myself, by the grace of God, have been honored to be faithful - close to Him, and one to whom secrets can be entrusted.” This is how St. Anthony the Great: “Blessed Ap. Paul, says St. Anthony, speaking about virginity, says: about the virgins of the Lord's command is not an imam, He had no command, since not everyone can bear the heavy burden of virginity. For this reason, it is granted to the freedom of those who can wear it. ”[22] “The Holy Apostle Paul did not say, says the holy Chrysostom, I do not believe the command of the Lord about the virgins, but I do not command the imam. How would he say: “If I, prompted by human reasoning, commanded this, then it would not be worthy of probability; but when this was pleasing to God, then it is a trustworthy pledge to faith.”[23] This is the basis of the monastic vow of virginity.

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1. Creations of the Holy Fathers in Russian. translation. Added about Christian virgins.

2. St. Damascus.

3. Chrysostom in the word about fasting and alms.

4. Chr. the doctrine of virginity Metropolitan Moscow. Filaret.

5. Creations of the Holy Fathers

6. St. Gregory of Nazianzus.

7. St. Epiphanius.

8. Bl. Augustine.

9. Flavius ​​Josephus. Jewish Antiquities.

10. Eusebius. Church history.

11. Jononym. Against Vigilance.

12. TV. Ephrem the Syrian.

13. TV. St. Ambrose.

14. TV. St. Ambrose.

15. Chr. the doctrine of virginity Metropolitan Moscow. Filaret.

16. Bellarmino R.F.

17. Jerome.

18. Chr. the doctrine of virginity Metropolitan Moscow. Filaret.

19 Comment. Cornell. a Lapide in hoc Locum.

20. Ibid.

21. TV. bl. Jerome. In the words of Jesus Christ, under the eunuchs who have accumulated themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, the female sex is not excluded. Although, apparently, says Bl. Jerome, only men are spoken of here, but they are not the only ones to be understood here; and the palm of virginity is equally promised to both sexes. This is confirmed by Ap. Paul, when he says: I do not command the Lord about virgins, but I give advice. (1 Cor. VII, 25). He: “The Lord is not only for men, say St. Cyprian, promises the grace of continence, bypassing wives, but since the wife is part of the husband, she is taken and formed from him, and since the power of the words spoken to the progenitor is confirmed in all writings: and her two flesh will be one, then with the husband, of course, the wife is together. . Christ. Thu.

22. St. Anthony the Great. Word 17 to monks about virginity.

23. Chrysostom. A book about virginity. Throughout the seventh chapter of Ap. Paul answers the Corinthians' questions about the rights of marriage and offers together advice on virginity and celibacy, in addition to the clear passage we have explained about the advice of virginity. Let us give testimony to one more place of one Father of the Church, namely: “I want more, so that all people will be, like az, but everyone should have their own gift from God, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Obviously, says St. Ephraim the Syrian, that the Apostle here distinguishes between the laity and those who have rejected the world (virgins), when he says that everyone should have their gift from God, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, the gift to remain in virginity, ov sitse i.e. gift to live in marriage. Nor to the laity Ap. Paul does not forbid legal marriage, nor exempts those who have renounced the world (virgins) from continence. He commands the laity saying: but fornication for the sake of every one to have his own wife, and even marriage is honorable in all and the bed is undefiled, (Heb. XIII, 4) God judges a fornicator and an adulterer, refraining from the world commands abstinence: every one strive, he will refrain from all (1 Cor. IX, 25). If the word commanded everyone: it is better to marry than to be inflamed, then no one would practice this virtue (abstinence); neither Elijah the Thesbitian, nor Elisha, nor John the Baptist, below those who accumulated themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, and preserved their flesh pure of God, below the Apostle himself would have abstained. Tv. Ephrem the Syrian. then no one would practice this virtue (abstinence); neither Elijah the Thesbitian, nor Elisha, nor John the Baptist, below those who accumulated themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, and preserved their flesh pure of God, below the Apostle himself would have abstained. Tv. Ephrem the Syrian. then no one would practice this virtue (abstinence); neither Elijah the Thesbitian, nor Elisha, nor John the Baptist, below those who accumulated themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, and preserved their flesh pure of God, below the Apostle himself would have abstained. Tv. Ephrem the Syrian.

 

b) CONTENT OF THE VOW.

 

So what is virginity? Everyone, says the famous pastor of our Church, knows virginity from his own experience as a natural state preceding marriage, having not experienced the mysteries of marriage, not awakened to the knowledge of them. It is only lily grass, not a color; only the summer growth of the apple tree, and not the fragrant apple. The virginity of infancy, for the very reason that it is simply a natural state, is not a matter of freedom, nor the fruit of achievement, a trace. is not a virtue. It is fittingly called innocence, because there is no guilt in it contrary to virginity; but that's all: and yet there is not in him the excellent dignity that belongs to perfect virginity. Virginity, as a feat, as a virtue, as the color of purity, as the fruit of chastity, as the path of perfection, appears when a person is aged, according to the ordinary course of bodily nature, more or less conducive to marriage, not indulging in the attraction of nature, not being carried away by custom, examples, amenities and needs of the community, he decides not to partake of marriage, but to keep virginity forever. But one renunciation of the marriage union does not constitute true and perfect virginity; perfect virginity consists in both purity of body and soul. He who encroaches cares about the Lord, how to please the Lord, may she be holy in body and spirit, says St. Apostle Paul (1 Cor. VII, 34). “He must only keep the body uncorrupted,” says St. Methodius, one must also take care of the soul and adorn it with righteousness”[2]. “Bodily removal from everything belonging to marriage is not yet perfect virginity, but only the lowest degree of it; for the striving and approach to God, as a spiritual being, can and must be accomplished in the spirit; the virginity of the body removes only the obstacles to the spiritual striving, and suppresses the opposite strivings”[3]. “What is the use, says the Blessed. Diadochus, who kept his body virgin, when his soul was corrupted by the demon of disobedience? or how will he receive a crown who has suppressed in himself gluttony and all bodily lust, and left self-conceit, pride without attention? Thus, everything must be pure and blameless in a virgin who has dedicated himself to a celibate life. Eyes should be directed only to heaven, mouths should be opened only for singing spiritual songs, and ears for hearing the truths of eternal life; the imagination must present only images that are pure and holy; the mind must be occupied with the hope of eternal blessings alone, and with the mercy of God in the reasoning of his soul. “If my mouth, says St. Methodius on behalf of a Christian virgin, I will open for the interpretation of the Scriptures, or in order to sing in an Orthodox and worthy manner according to the power of God, and I will conclude, laying the door and keeping the lips, so as not to speak vain things: then my lips are clean and consecrated to God. If I teach my eyes not to be seduced by the beauty of the body, and not to delight in shameless spectacles, but to look at grief, then my eyes are pure and consecrated to the Lord. If I block my hearing from slander and reproach, and open it to the word of God, then I have consecrated my hearing to the Lord. If I am pure in heart, I dedicate all his thoughts to the Lord, I do not think about anything vain, pride and anger do not live in him, I think about the law of the Lord day and night: then I truly make a great vow: to be cleansed with purity. Other Fathers and Doctors of the Church teach in a similar way[6]. The highest degree of purity of virginity, or, "perfect purity, says St. The ladder consists in looking with the same eyes at both animate and soulless things, both at people and at dumb animals. There is perfect purity when, after the perfect mortification of unclean thoughts, the body is completely mortified. Great is the man who, on the occasion of touching another's body, does not feel embarrassment: more so, who, having looked at female beauty, the flame proceeding from this view extinguishes the beauty of heaven with his imagination. Whoever completely destroyed the desire for voluptuousness, even in mortal flesh, was resurrected from the grave. An example of the highest degree of purity of virginity is presented to us by Simeon of Christ for the sake of the holy fool. He was once asked in private by John (to whom he revealed himself in everything): “Father, what did your flesh feel when you were in the women’s bath and at the same time among naked women?” Simeon said to him: "Believe me, brother, that I was among them, just like a tree among trees, and did not feel that I had a body, I thought below that I had entered into the bodies, but my whole mind was turned to the contemplation of Divine deeds. Such is the degree of purity this ascetic achieved, that while staying with women, he remained pure, like a pure dove! St. John of the Ladder gives another example of the highest degree of purity: “Some man, having once seen a beautiful woman, instead of being seduced by her beauty, began to glorify and marvel at the wisdom of the Creator of such a beautiful creation, and looking at her flared up to God with the purest love, shedding warm tears. Wonderful adventure! what to another might be a ditch of destruction, to this supernaturally became a crown of glory[9]. but my whole mind was turned to the contemplation of the works of God”[8]. Such is the degree of purity this ascetic achieved, that while staying with women, he remained pure, like a pure dove! St. John of the Ladder gives another example of the highest degree of purity: “Some man, having once seen a beautiful woman, instead of being seduced by her beauty, began to glorify and marvel at the wisdom of the Creator of such a beautiful creation, and looking at her flared up to God with the purest love, shedding warm tears. Wonderful adventure! what to another might be a ditch of destruction, to this supernaturally became a crown of glory[9]. but my whole mind was turned to the contemplation of the works of God”[8]. Such is the degree of purity this ascetic achieved, that while staying with women, he remained pure, like a pure dove! St. John of the Ladder gives another example of the highest degree of purity: “Some man, having once seen a beautiful woman, instead of being seduced by her beauty, began to glorify and marvel at the wisdom of the Creator of such a beautiful creation, and looking at her flared up to God with the purest love, shedding warm tears. Wonderful adventure! what to another might be a ditch of destruction, to this supernaturally became a crown of glory[9]. having once seen a beautiful woman, instead of being seduced by her beauty, he began to glorify and wonder at the wisdom of the Creator of such a beautiful creation, and looking at her, he burned with pure love for God, shedding warm tears. Wonderful adventure! what to another might be a ditch of destruction, to this supernaturally became a crown of glory[9]. having once seen a beautiful woman, instead of being seduced by her beauty, he began to glorify and wonder at the wisdom of the Creator of such a beautiful creation, and looking at her, he burned with pure love for God, shedding warm tears. Wonderful adventure! what to another might be a ditch of destruction, to this supernaturally became a crown of glory[9].

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1. Teaching about virginity Metropolitan Moscow. Filaret.

2. Creations of St. Fathers. About Christian virgins.

3. Chr. The doctrine of virginity Metropolitan Moscow. Filaret.

4. Chr. Thu.

5. Creations of St. Fathers. About Christian virgins.

6. Temperance and chastity, says St. Cyprian, consists not only in the purity of the flesh, but also in the modesty of clothes and in the chastity of jewelry, so that, according to the Apostle, the inviolable was holy both in body and spirit. (1 Cor. VII, 34). "A word about the clothes of virgins." Many, says Abba Gerontius, who are tempted by carnal lusts, although they did not approach the bodies, committed fornication mentally and, preserving their bodily virginity, commit adultery in spirit. Therefore, it is very well said: “watch your heart with all things” (Prov. IV, 23). “The Lord said: everyone who looks at a woman, in a hedgehog lusts for her, is already committing fornication with her in his heart (Matt. V, 28.) Therefore, as there is fornication of the heart: there must be a virtue opposite to this vice - virginity of the heart. And if in order to protect virginity from temptation and impurity, it is necessary to mortify the sense of sight: then by comparison one can understand and be convinced that in a similar way it is necessary to kill other senses, such as: hearing from listening to immodest and seductive speeches, taste, smell, touch - from the sensations corresponding to them, inclining to bliss and luxury. Christ. The doctrine of virginity Metropolitan. Moscow Filaret.

7. St. Ladder.

8. Cheti-Minei.

9. St. Ladder.

 

c) THE PURPOSE OF THE VIRGINITY VOW.

 

The objects of the world and its vanity, no matter how innocent, can sting the modest glances of a virgin; worldly conversations, even if they were only idle and empty, can make his mouth unclean; excessive carnal attachment to relatives can defile the holiness of his heart (Matthew X. 37, 38). A faithful spouse or a faithful spouse in the world tries to please each other, and this pleasing is not reprehensible; for the duty of the sacred union makes it necessary. But he who has dedicated himself to Christ is bound to please Him alone. Everything that tends not to earn the love of Christ and prove to Him its all-devotion offends Him and violates the fidelity in which one swore to Him; in a word: everything that is not holy, eternal, heavenly, will defile the virgin, humiliate and dishonor. Pleasing God and for this sanctification of spirit and body is the goal of those who strive in virginity. Who runs in the field of virgin life not to this goal: he does not run to the crown. For this reason, a virgin retires from marriage, so that a special inclination towards earthly beings does not delay or distort his striving for God. According to this striving with all the power of the mind and love for the Lord and in the direction of all activity to please Him, the virgin soul is called the bride of the heavenly Bridegroom. “If those who cling to the world, says St. Athanasius the Great, they leave their father or mother, and unite with mortal people: then a chaste virgin is not more obliged to leave everything earthly, and cling to the one Lord. The Apostle himself bears witness to the truth of what I have said, saying: She who has not encroached takes care of the Lord, how to please the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit; (1 Cor. VII, 33, 34) So, I say, every chaste virgin or widow, if she takes care of the things of the world, then this care happens to her instead of her husband; whether she cares about wealth or about other things, this care defiles her soul and paves the way to heaven. Thus, virgins, being free from the bonds of marriage, can serve God more easily and without hindrance. “Remember, says St. John the Faster, that the Apostle said: I want you to be without sorrow, (1 Cor. VII, 32) and to bake only about the Kingdom of Heaven. May your eyes always be in heaven, where your longed-for Bridegroom is. You already now have a pledge of eternal life and repose, because you do not suffer from a dissolute husband, you do not experience birth diseases, you do not cry over a dead child, you do not care that a husband who has gone to a strange side will return sooner; you are free from childbearing and child feeding. Follow your Bridegroom Christ, who leads you to the Kingdom of Heaven; follow him according to the word: if you do not listen to Me, and go to Me as a country, and I will go with you as a country. (Lev. XXVI, 27, 28)[3]. This is how the narrow and difficult path to the Kingdom of Heaven becomes easier in the life of a virgin!

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1. Chr. the doctrine of virginity Metropolitan Moscow. Filaret.

2. TV. Athanasius the Great.

3. Chr. Thu. St. John the Faster Epistle to the Virgin.

 

 

 

d) THE IMPORTANCE AND INVIOLABILITY OF THE VOW OF VIRGINITY.

 

“Do you want to see,” says St. Chrysostom, how important virginity is? Christ, when he came to earth, did not force anyone to him; for when he urgently demanded the fulfillment of other virtues, he did not demand virginity, giving a crown to those who voluntarily keep it. According to the meaning of His words, he who strives in abstinence preserves it. The essence of the eunuchs, even from the mother's womb, was born like this: and the essence of the eunuchs, who accumulated from a man: and the essence of the eunuchs, even if they did not claim the Kingdom for themselves for the sake of heaven; (Matt. XIX, 12) not by cutting off the bodily members, but by laying off unbridled lusts: let him who is able to contain. And the Apostle, when he enumerates all the virtues, realizing the impracticability of virginity, says: “I do not command the Lord about virgins, but I give advice” (1 Cor. VII, 25) [1]. And how highly the ascetics of piety venerated virginity, and how strictly they fulfilled it! Some, out of love and respect for virginity, would rather agree to lose everything, even life itself, than to lose this most precious flower in the garden of the Church. This is what Saint Euphrasia did. Maximian, the great persecutor of Christianity, was already tired of signing death sentences for the champions of the Gospel faith: for, having exhausted all the horrors of torment on them, he could not shake Christian firmness. The tyrant contrived another kind of execution. The maiden Euphrasia was taken into custody for confessing the name of Christ and they began to force her to make a sacrifice to the gods of her fatherland; but as all efforts were in vain, she was given to the most daring and most depraved of warriors in lawless marriage. The barbarian took her to his house. The maiden, praying in her heart to God, the Guardian of innocence, that she would keep it from all evil, assumed a cheerful look and said to the lawless bridegroom: “as a spouse, I must now reveal to you everything that is in my heart: I am a sorceress; I know the power of all herbs, all plants. Like you, a warrior is always subject to death; hear from me the most important secret: I have in mind the herb, which, having with you, you will be unharmed against arrows and spears - but the same magical science revealed to me that this herb has an effect only when it is handed over from a maiden ". The barbarian rejoices at such a useful discovery for him, goes with her into the garden; Euphrasia plucks some grass and, giving it to him, says with feigned affection: “Here is the best dowry from me.” - “How will you assure me of the truth of your words?” the warrior asks her. - “An experiment on my head, if you please,” Euphrasia answers, and suddenly, exposing her neck, she applies an imaginary mysterious grass to it and says: “swing your sword as hard as possible and hit me; you will see that the sharp steel will sooner break than do me the slightest harm.” The barbarian believed, and the head of Euphrasia flew off from the neck. The martyr fell lifeless. The idolater, mocked by innocence, gnashed his teeth; and the chaste maiden went to the Heavenly Bridegroom[2]. Of the many examples like this, here is another example. So St. Euthymia, the daughter of a noble and rich man, named Philophron, was presented to the court for the confession of the Christian faith among forty-nine other Christians who ended their lives as martyrs. But St. Euthymia, like a young and beautiful maiden, seemed to be the most precious prey for the tormentor: “Therefore, having separated her from other sufferers, the tyrant used all possible means to persuade her to impiety: with caresses, promises, he caught the girl’s heart; but all was unsuccessful! In a tender body, the tormentor saw a most courageous soul, ready for all horrors. Then his love turned to rage. Priscus (that was the name of the tormentor) ordered to prepare the instruments of execution: but the sickle-studded wheel was stopped by the right hand of the Almighty; the angels sprinkled the red-hot oven with cool dew; snakes and all poisonous reptiles had no deadly stings for her; fierce beasts were transformed into meek lambs. Only one beast made a light wound on her leg; blood flowed out; a voice was heard from heaven, calling her to the Heavenly Bridegroom, and instantly the holy soul left a clean body[3]. “O purity,” exclaims St. Ephraim the Syrian, good acquisition, not plundered by beasts and not burned in fire!”[4] The importance of the vow of virginity can also be seen from the fact that virginity, in its highest goal, contributes to the achievement of the highest moral perfection, and, showing the perfect true follower of Christ, represents the true adornment of the Church and forms her best servants. “Jesus Christ, saying that His Father has many mansions, says St. Cyprian, by this points to the best abodes of His house: “you (virgins) are looking for these best abodes, cutting off carnal lusts, and you receive in heaven the reward of greater grace. Although everyone who reaches St. By the baptism of the Divine title and heritage, the old man is drawn into it by the grace of saving baths, and renewed by the Holy Spirit, being born again, they are cleansed from the former filth; however, your paki-being is more holy and true: for you have no carnal and bodily desires. In you, to the glory of God, there is only one virtue, one spirit.”[5] “Like worldly nobles,” says another teacher of the Church, they entrust various positions to servants: others are sent to the villages to cultivate the land and spread their kind; and their children, if they are found good, and especially beautiful, are transferred to their own houses to serve themselves. So the Lord supplies those who have entered into an honest marriage in the country of the world; and their best children (virgins), who have been honored with a particularly happy pre-election, he puts into His service. They are free from all worldly exercises: inasmuch as they were rewarded with the Lord's table. “There is no feat greater than virginity,” says Theognost; the very angels are surprised at the one leading a celibate life: because how much work and effort is required to, consisting of flesh and blood, always strive with purity to imitate the insubstantiality of the angels! And truly, how great and sublime is this virtue, which almost seems impossible, as exceeding nature, if the Lord does not help from above! sincere lovers of virginity, Elijah, Elisha, John, differ from angels? Nothing, except that they are clothed with a mortal nature. Do you see the angels on earth? Do you see the power of virginity?”[8] “Having become higher than nature,” says St. Ladder, small than, or if I may say, is in no way detracted from the Angel. This is not surprising when the incorporeal fights with the incorporeal: but this, this truly for a great miracle, should be honored that a person, being overlaid with this warring body against the spirit, nevertheless defeats the incorporeal adversaries, demons. And rightly some of the Fathers call this virtue perfect holiness. This is the seal of perfection[10], the flower in the garden of the Church[11], the candle-bearer of the holy Church[12], the beauty and glorification of grace, the image of God, conformable to the holiness of the Lord[13], the most pleasant fragrance to the Lord Jesus Christ[14], glorious part of the flock of Christ[15]. The Lord says: the sons of this age marry and encroach: but if she is worthy of the age, she will improve the resurrection, even from the dead, neither marry, nor encroach, nor die for anyone else: they are like an angel, and the sons of God, resurrection sons exist. (Luke XX, 34-36) “You (virgins) have already begun to be that, says St. Cyprian, what will we be: you already have the glory of the resurrection in this age: you walk the path of this age, not being infected by its filth, being in purity, you are equal to the Angels of God; it is only necessary that virginity be permanent and unharmed, it is necessary to abide in it without interruption with the courage with which you began to keep it. And about what we should reason more diligently, continues the same teacher of the Church, if not about the fact that our bodies, cleansed from all filth by the bath of resurrection, are the temple of God; that shall not corrupt or defile this temple; because whoever corrupts him will also be corrupted? We are honorers and high priests of these temples: let us serve the One to whom we already belong. Paul, in his epistles, guiding you in the field of life with Divine instructions, says: carry your own: for you are bought with a price: glorify God in your bodies. So let us glorify God, and let us carry Him in our clean and undefiled body, let us glorify Him with holy reverence; and as redeemed by the blood of Christ our Lord, let us obey the authority of the Redeemer with all the obedience of faithful servants; let us rush into the temple of God not to bring anything filthy and worldly, so that, having been offended, he will not deprive us of his presence. The Lord, our Savior, and Teacher and Instructor says: Behold, ecu is healthy, and sin not to anyone, but what will be worse than this (Jn. V, 14) [16]. "There is nothing worse says St. Ephraim, if a monastic person violates virginity"[17].

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1. St. Chrysostom. A word about fasting and charity.

2. Her memory is January 19. School of Blagoch.

3. School Blagoch.

4. TV. Ephrem the Syrian.

5. St. Cyprian's word about the clothes of virgins. Chr. Thu.

6. St. Athanasius of Alexandria. The life and works of St. Synclitiki. Chr. Thu.

7. Teacher Theognost chapters on activity, contemplation and priesthood.

8. Chrysostom. Book about devsta.

9. St. Ladder.

10. St. Anthony the Great. A word about virginity.

11. St. Cyprian. A word about the clothes of virgins. Chr. Thu.

12. St. Amphilochius Ep. Iconic sermon on the Presentation of the Lord. Chr. Thu.

13. St. Cyprian. There.

14. St. Anthony. There.

15. St. Cyprian. There. But in order not to become proud of those who lead a celibate life before married people, hearing such praises from St. husbands to virginity, then the Holy Fathers warn them against this with their wise advice, without humiliating either one or the other state. “Leading a virgin life,” says St. Cyril of Jerusalem, do not be proud of those who have entered into marriage; for marriage is honorable in all, and the bed is not filthy (Heb. XIII, 4), as the Apostle says. And you, who preserve innocence, are you not born of nuptials? Do not despise silver because you are gold” (St. Cyril, Jerusalem, Announcement 4th.) “Many of the great people, says another Church Teacher, glorify virginity. Indeed, it is worthy of praise. Virginity is peculiar to the Angels, a neighbor of the heavenly forces, an imitator of incorporeal beings, a priest-bearer of the holy Church; it conquers the world, tramples on passions, tames desires, does not belong to Eve! it is free from sorrow, free from groaning; the sentence pronounced by God does not extend to virginity: Multiplying I will multiply your sorrows, and your sighs, in 6 diseases you will bear children, and your appeal will be to your husband, and she will possess you. (Gen. III, 16) So, in truth, virginity is glorious, like an unenslavable acquisition, like an unfading plant, like the freedom of life, like an adornment of ascetics; it is higher than the ordinary human condition, is not constrained by the bonds of necessary cares, and together with the Bridegroom Christ enters the chamber of the heavenly Kingdom. Such and similar are the titles of virginity. However, marriage is also honest (Heb. XIII, 4), it surpasses every earthly gift, like a fruitful tree, like a beautiful fruit, like a virgin root, like a producer of animated and intelligent branches, like a blessing for the multiplication of the world, like a comforter of the human race, as a cultivator of mankind, as a depiction of the Divine image, as an acquirer of the blessings of the Lord, as a support for the whole world, as one who fulfills the commands of Him Who became man, as one who can boldly say seaz and children, God give me. (Is. VII, 18). Root out honest marriage, where will you find the flower of virginity? But by saying this we do not introduce enmity between virginity and marriage; on the contrary, we respect both, as mutually beneficial. Inasmuch as the Lord and Provider of both does not oppose one to the other; for both in virginity and in marriage godliness can be observed; and without piety even virginity is not chaste and marriage is not honest. St. Amphilochius Ep. Iconic word on the Meeting of the Lord. Chr. Thu. The Holy Fathers also warn the married against the reproaches of the unmarried. All these accusations of St. Gregory the Theologian put in one conversation, written in verse, between carnal and spiritual life, where by carnal he means married life. So the life of the flesh (marriage) asks the spiritual: Yes, I ask you to tell me, how could the human race exist, if there were no marriage, established by nature and approved by the law? The spiritual one answers: True, the law approves of marriage; but now one can be dismissed from it if one strides with quick steps to another, better external country, in which there is no vice and in what kind of marriage relations from what did the celibate life so recently come into use, the carnal life still asks? “She was in use before, the spiritual one answers, only covertly: but from the time the Virgin became the Mother of God, they began to see her off in an open way. For since then the Old Law has given way to the New; the realm of the letter has passed away and the realm of the spirit has come.” “But without the help of marriage, the carnal life finally asks, could the most godly virgin ever come into the world?” “You seem ridiculous to me,” says the spiritual woman, wanting to prove that marriage produces pious men. People become good or evil in the aftermath of time; but carnal lust is produced by none other than the sower of evil tares. And he would be worthy of ridicule who would boast of his sins, as if they contributed to the intentions of the Supreme Being. Tv. Gregory of Nazianzus. Similarly, other Fathers of the Church answer this question: why was marriage introduced, and could the human race spread without it? Bliss. Augustine says that before marriage bvl is necessary for the spreading of the people of God, from which Christ is to come. But now, when it is said: He who is able to accommodate, let him accommodate, only those should enter into marriage, who cannot abstain. Chrysostom speaks in a similar way in the book about virginity.

16. St. Cypriai's word about the clothes of virgins. There.

17. TV. Ephrem the Syrian.

 

 

e) MEANS FOR KEEPING THE VOW OF VIRGINITY.

 

But, in order not to violate the vow of virginity, for this St. The Fathers attribute the following means: fasting, prayer, and avoiding the treatment of women. “Temperance, says St. Neil gives birth to chastity, and gluttony is the mother of voluptuousness. Whoever fills the stomach and vows to be chaste is like one who claims that he can put out burning straw. For just as it is impossible to restrain the striving of fire that has embraced the straw, so it is not possible to quench the flame of lustful striving by being satiated. “Those who strive for chastity and desire blissful purity, says another teacher of the Church, which can not be mistakenly called dispassion, must enslave and oppress the flesh, humbly calling on Divine grace; and thus get what he wants. But whoever nourishes the body without observing moderation in food, he will be dejected by the spirit of fornication. For as great water quenches the flame; so smooth or abstinence, united with the humility of the soul, destroys the flames of the flesh and shameful dreams” [2]. Another means of maintaining chastity is prayer. Prayer is a priceless treasure. Prayer purifies and sanctifies everything, deeds, thoughts, intentions and desires. “How impossible it is for the Red Sea to appear in the firmament between the stars; and how it is impossible for a person who walks the earth not to breathe the local air; so it is impossible, says Hesychius, for us to cleanse our heart from passionate thoughts, and drive out mental enemies from it, without frequently calling on the name of Jesus Christ. But most of all, St. The fathers rebel against the treatment of women as very dangerous for the observance of chastity. So St. Neil says: "Run away from women if you want to be chaste, and don't let them have enough courage to behave freely in your presence. For in the beginning they either have, or hypocritically show modesty; but after that they do everything boldly without shame. At the first meeting, they lower their eyes, speak meekly, weep pitifully, dress modestly, sigh heavily, ask about chastity, and listen attentively. When they saw it another time, they already raised their eyes a little; in the third - already shamelessly look in the face. You smiled - they laugh at the top of their lungs; finally, they dress up and want to be liked, they cast glances expressing passion, raise their eyebrows, move their eyelashes, bare their neck and soften their whole body; start conversations that arouse passion and try to express themselves captivatingly for the ear, until at last they completely take possession of the soul. This is all for you, ouds, luring with their spice into death, and into intricately woven nets, leading to death. May they not deceive you with their kind words: for in them lies the evil venom of the serpent. Come closer to a burning fire than to a young woman when you yourself are young. Approaching the fire and feeling pain, you will immediately jump back: but being seduced by women's words, you will not leave soon. Grass blooms, growing near the water; the passion of lust also blooms when dealing with women. If you feel sorry for the enemy in the war, he will be your enemy; if you spare passion, it will rise up against you. The look of a woman irritates the voluptuous to lust, and urges the chaste to praise God. If your passion is calm when dealing with women, do not believe this her announcement of dispassion: even a dog, surrounded by people, shows caresses, but when he goes out, he reveals his anger. When, remembering a woman, you do not feel a passionate movement in yourself, then you can think that you have reached the limits of chastity: and when the image of her excites dreams in you, and its arrows pierce your soul, know that you are still far from this virtue. However, do not stay long with such thoughts, and do not often occupy your mind with a woman's face: for passion returns easily and danger is near. Just as a moderate refinement purifies gold, but a long one can spoil it, so a long dream of a woman corrupts a chaste disposition. Do not be too busy with the face that has presented itself, so that it does not kindle the flame of passion in you, and does not burn the threshing floor of your soul. For just as a spark long hidden in tares produces a flame, so long-term remembrance of a woman kindles lust. “Women rarely, says another teacher of the Church, but rather should never visit your hospice cell. Do not often be under the same roof with them; and do not rely on your former chastity: it is not for you to be holier than David, and wiser than Solomon. Always remember that the inhabitant of paradise was brought by his wife to the point that he lost his abode. “If in your thoughts,” says St. Athanasius the Great, the idea of ​​a beautiful face is born, then it must be expelled as follows: gouge out the eyes of your image, which is represented in your mind, take away the fullness of your cheeks, cut off your lips, and then look at the disgusting composition of bare bones, and finally think about what is there entertaining? in this way a disfigured thought may rise from an empty charm. For there was nothing attractive here: the blood was mixed with phlegm, which is the very thing and the educated composition is the property of animals. In this way and with these reflections, one can drive away the vile evil: one must push out the demon like a nail with a nail. In addition, the whole body of the beloved object should be presented in stinking wounds and pus; briefly say present him to the inner eyes like a dead corpse, or even himself dead. Thus it will be possible to get rid of voluptuousness. But most of all, the womb should be tamed; after that, it is possible to mortify those pleasures that are within it” [6].

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1. Chr. Thu. St. Nile on eight vicious thoughts. 2. The thought of fornication.

2. Chr. Thu. teacher Theodore of Edessa

3. Chr. Thu. Word of Hesychius the Presbyter to Theodulus on sobriety.

4. Chr. Thu. St. Nile, on eight vicious thoughts. 2. The thought of fornication.

5. Chr. Thu. Blessed letter. Jerome to Neocianus on the duties of clerics.

6. Chr. Thu. Athanasius Alex. describing the life and deeds of St. Synclitiki.

 

 

II. A VOW OF NON-INTERRUPTION.

 

a) THE BASIS OF THE VOW OF NON-INTERRUPTION.

 

Another vow of monasticism is the vow of non-possession. Every Christian at Baptism makes a vow to renounce the world and all its pride. All people on earth are wanderers (1 Pet. II, 11), and therefore a Christian begins his entry into the world by renouncing the world at Baptism. For this reason, even if someone does not enter into a state of monastic poverty, even if he spends his life in the world among wealth, he should not cling to it. And if someone clings to him, then he ceases to be a wanderer on earth, makes it his fatherland, is denied the highest rank - a citizen of heaven, no longer has the right to the Kingdom, which is promised to those who are poor in spirit (Matt. V, 3). But how difficult is this alienation of the heart from everything earthly in the world! “No matter how strong a person is, says St. Isaac the Syrian, to be invincible, no matter how strong; but when near him the causes of warfare and fighting: then fear attacks him, and he is much closer to a fall than in an open battle with the devil. Until a man moves away from that to which his heart is attached; until then, his enemy always has a chance to rise up against him, and at the slightest drowsiness he easily destroys him. For when the soul is delayed by the harmful encounters of the world, then these very encounters become a stumbling block for it, and it is, as it were, naturally defeated when it encounters them. Therefore, our ancient Fathers, who walked along these paths, knowing that the mind is not at all times firm and cannot stand steadfastly in the same order and have guard over it, but sometimes it is unable to see what is harmful to itself, exercised in wisdom , and, as a weapon, were clothed with poverty; because she is free from many temptations, as it is written in Scripture, (so that many falls could be avoided through their poverty), and they went into the desert, in which there are no objects that serve as an occasion for passions ”[1]. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of poverty. So He was born in a manger, lived without a head to worship, and died on the cross. He himself, giving us the image of arbitrary poverty, instructs all who seek the Kingdom of Heaven to live like this on earth. If you want, says the Savior, be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor (Matt. XIX, 21). In the words of Jesus Christ: if you want to be perfect, go, sell your property and give to the poor, this is clearly not a commandment, but advice - that those who seek spiritual perfection, if they want to be even more perfect, let them refuse not only luxury items, but also let the necessary needs be reduced as much as possible: Sell ​​your possessions and give to the poor. This explanation is confirmed by the whole connection of speech. A lawyer comes to the Lord and says: Good teacher! what will I do, but Imam eternal life? The Lord answers: you know the commandments: you shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, etc.? And to the answer of the young man: I have kept all this from my youth, the Lord adds: if you want to be perfect, go, sell your property and give to the poor. “Behold, He did not say,” says St. Abba Dorotheos, sell your property in the form of a command, but in the form of advice: because the expression, if you wish, does not mean an order, but advice. So each of us can ask his Lord: what having done, I inherit eternal life? and receive in response an indication of the main commandments. But the monk is already daring to answer the second question: what have I not finished yet? Then he hears advice leading to perfection: go, sell your possessions and give to the poor. And even in the pre-eminent times of the Christian Church, many, having heeded the advice of Jesus Christ, took a vow of poverty - distributing their property to the poor. So St. Anthony the Great, having heard the Lord's advice about poverty while reading the Gospel in the church, immediately distributed all his possessions to the poor and went into the wilderness; St. Hilarion the Great also distributed his estate to the poor[3]; Peacock, the son of the richest senator, with his wife distributed their incalculable wealth to the poor by common consent, and entered monasticism in Nola, where Peacock, having become a Bishop, surprised others with his voluntary poverty. Augustine tells about him that during the plunder and devastation of the city of Nola by the Goths, he prayed to God with these words: “Lord, let me not suffer for the sake of silver and gold, for you know where all my treasure is” [4].

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1. Chr. Thu. St. Isaac the Syrian's word about the benefits of withdrawal from the world.

2. Chr. Thu. St. Abba Dorotheus instruction in self-denial.

3. TV. bl. Jerome.

4. TV. bl. Augustine. About the city of God.

 

 

b) CONTENT OF THE VOW OF NON-INTERRUPTION.

 

What is arbitrary poverty, or non-possession? “Non-acquisition is the laying aside of all worldly cares,” says St. John of the Ladder, alienation of sadness"[1]. “Actually, arbitrary monastic poverty, according to one of the greatest ascetics, is nothing more than abstinence from everything that a person does not need”[2]. So, arbitrary poverty consists in the alienation of the heart from everything earthly, in the deprivation of all excesses, even when using necessary things. In the discussion of the alienation of the heart from everything earthly, the duties of a monk and a layman are common - for this is the fulfillment of the vow given at Baptism, through which they renounce the world and all its pride. But it must be admitted that this alienation of the heart from everything earthly is very rare in a world where one clings to everything one possesses, where one always desires what one does not have. All alienation from the world, so difficult in the world, and so necessary for salvation, is par excellence characteristic of monasticism. For it is easy to be indifferent to everything when we put aside everything, to cling to nothing when we have nothing, to live like a wanderer when everything around us does not belong to us. The second obligation of arbitrary poverty is the complete rejection of all excesses, i.e., of all that in the world is called excess and the comforts of life. But this duty is also common with all faithful Christians; it also lies in the vow given at Baptism, and is inevitable for all the faithful. But a monk, adding to his general obligation a special promise to spend his life in monastic deprivation, must deprive himself of everything, must deny himself with extreme severity and unimportant excesses - from everything that would apparently exalt him in front of the brethren - from everything, what could remind him of the vain advantages of name, family and wealth, from which he renounced, consecrating himself to Jesus Christ - in a word: from everything that could introduce the differences of this world into a holy place, established in order to blot out and destroy them . “Who comes, says the famous pastor of our Church, as a migrant who wants to transfer here the benefits and conveniences of his former residence, or replace them with others, and not as a fugitive who abandoned everything just to get rid of what was the reason for the flight; he is not quite a hermit, not a perfect desert-dweller”[3]. Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor - give everything away and keep nothing from yourself. It is told about one brother who wants to renounce the world, who distributed all his possessions to the poor, but left a few for himself, the following: one brother, renouncing the world, and distributing all his possessions to the poor, he left a few for himself and came to Abba Anthony. The elder, learning about this, said to him: if you want to be a monk, then go to that village, buy meat, cover your naked body with it, and come here in this position. When the brother did this, the dogs and birds began to torment his body. When the brother returned, the elder asked him if he had followed his advice? The brother showed him his torn body. St. Anthony said to him: this is how demons attack and torment those who, renouncing the world, want to have money[5]. Let us now present some examples from the life of St. husbands who have reached the highest degree of non-possessiveness. So St. Macarius of Egypt, when the thief came to rob him, himself helped him to take out his meager belongings from the cell and put not a horse; “Nothing,” thought St. Husband, we have not brought into this world, we will not endure anything. Also, when the robbers wanted to attack St. Hilarion, thinking to find something from him, but they searched all night and did not find it. In the morning, seeing him himself, having nothing, they said to him: “If robbers attacked you, what would you do?” He said: "The naked (having nothing) is not afraid of robbery." "But they can kill you?" The saint said: “I am ready to die, and therefore I am not afraid of thieves”[7]. St. Serapion. Once going to Alexandria, the man of God met with a beggar who was shaking from the cold. Serapion stopped and thought to himself: “I am revered as a faster and follower of Christ, meanwhile I wear a robe! and this time Christov is dying from the cold! Without a doubt, I will be a murderer if the poor person freezes,” he immediately took off his cape and gave it to the beggar. Serapion sat down at the crossroads, holding under his bosom the holy Gospel, which he carried everywhere with him; and when one passing by asked him: “What are you, Father Serapion, without a mantle?” “This book of God has undressed me,” he answered, showing the holy Gospel. As soon as the unmercenary said this, he saw that they were leading past his debtor to the dungeon. Serapion did not think much: he immediately sold the Gospel and satisfied the lender. The unfortunate man went home, blessing the equally angelic stranger. When Serapion came to the cell, the student asked him: “Where are your clothes?” - “I gave them there,” answered the unmercenary, “where you can get better ones instead.” “Where is the holy Gospel,” the disciple asked again? - "My son! - said the righteous man, - it constantly repeated to me: sell your property and give to the poor; and do you know, that it was only one and made up all my property, and so - I sold it and gave it to the poor ”[8]. Let's present one more particular remarkable example of non-possessiveness and impartiality to external goods. Someone wanted to give some money to one sixty-year-old elder for the needs he needed, because he was sick and could not get food for himself (by his own) labors of his hands. But the elder said to him: for 60 years now, I have been getting bread with my own hands, and God has always sent me what I need, both in time of health and in time of illness. So why should I now leave hope in Him and take what I do not need? When he asked him to take money, even for distribution to the poor, the elder said: “It will be doubly ashamed for me when I gain gratitude and glory through someone else’s alms”[9]. Apart from the particular examples of holy men, who have reached the highest degree of non-acquisitiveness, whole monastic cloisters can serve as a similar example. So once a stranger, a rich man and from the upper class, came to the Scythian monastery to look at the brethren and donate a certain amount of money. And seeing the poverty of the brethren, he gave Abba a large sum of money so that he would divide it among the brethren. But Abba said to him: "Take your money back, because my brethren do not need anything." When he did not stop asking, the Abba took the money, put it in front of the church doors and said to the brethren: “And if any of you needs anything, let him take it from here!” But no one touched them, and many of them did not even want to see them. Then the Abba said to the visitor: “God accepted your sacrifice, now take your money again and give it to the poor”[10]. whole monastic cloisters can serve as a similar example. So once a stranger, a rich man and from the upper class, came to the Scythian monastery to look at the brethren and donate a certain amount of money. And seeing the poverty of the brethren, he gave Abba a large sum of money so that he would divide it among the brethren. But Abba said to him: "Take your money back, because my brethren do not need anything." When he did not stop asking, the Abba took the money, put it in front of the church doors and said to the brethren: “And if any of you needs anything, let him take it from here!” But no one touched them, and many of them did not even want to see them. Then the Abba said to the visitor: “God accepted your sacrifice, now take your money again and give it to the poor”[10]. whole monastic cloisters can serve as a similar example. So once a stranger, a rich man and from the upper class, came to the Scythian monastery to look at the brethren and donate a certain amount of money. And seeing the poverty of the brethren, he gave Abba a large sum of money so that he would divide it among the brethren. But Abba said to him: "Take your money back, because my brethren do not need anything." When he did not stop asking, the Abba took the money, put it in front of the church doors and said to the brethren: “And if any of you needs anything, let him take it from here!” But no one touched them, and many of them did not even want to see them. Then the Abba said to the visitor: “God accepted your sacrifice, now take your money again and give it to the poor”[10]. a person rich and from the upper class, see the brethren and donate a certain amount of money. And seeing the poverty of the brethren, he gave Abba a large sum of money so that he would divide it among the brethren. But Abba said to him: "Take your money back, because my brethren do not need anything." When he did not stop asking, the Abba took the money, put it in front of the church doors and said to the brethren: “And if any of you needs anything, let him take it from here!” But no one touched them, and many of them did not even want to see them. Then the Abba said to the visitor: “God accepted your sacrifice, now take your money again and give it to the poor”[10]. a person rich and from the upper class, see the brethren and donate a certain amount of money. And seeing the poverty of the brethren, he gave Abba a large sum of money so that he would divide it among the brethren. But Abba said to him: "Take your money back, because my brethren do not need anything." When he did not stop asking, the Abba took the money, put it in front of the church doors and said to the brethren: “And if any of you needs anything, let him take it from here!” But no one touched them, and many of them did not even want to see them. Then the Abba said to the visitor: “God accepted your sacrifice, now take your money again and give it to the poor”[10]. "Take your money back, for my brethren need nothing." When he did not stop asking, the Abba took the money, put it in front of the church doors and said to the brethren: “And if any of you needs anything, let him take it from here!” But no one touched them, and many of them did not even want to see them. Then the Abba said to the visitor: “God accepted your sacrifice, now take your money again and give it to the poor”[10]. "Take your money back, for my brethren need nothing." When he did not stop asking, the Abba took the money, put it in front of the church doors and said to the brethren: “And if any of you needs anything, let him take it from here!” But no one touched them, and many of them did not even want to see them. Then the Abba said to the visitor: “God accepted your sacrifice, now take your money again and give it to the poor”[10].

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1. St. Ladder.

2. St. Anthony V. Brief spiritual instructions. ridge Thu.

3. Word Vysokopr. Metropolitan Moscow. Philaret, said on the occasion of the consecration of the church built over the tomb of St. Micah.

4. Some misunderstand the words of the Lord, if you want to be perfect, go, sell your property and give to the poor: and have your property a treasure to heaven: and come after Me. “They think,” says St. Cassian, that the possession of one's own wealth and from the excess of it giving alms to those who demand is much more blessed than poverty. Such should know that they have not yet renounced the world, and have not reached monastic perfection, since they are ashamed for Christ to accept the poverty of the Apostle, and with the labors of their hands to serve themselves and others who demand it; by the very deed to fulfill the monastic vow and be glorified with the Apostle. They must, having squandered their former wealth, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, strive with the Apostle in a good struggle (2 Cor. XI, 27). For if this Apostle would consider the former wealth necessary for perfection; he would not despise his dignity. He talks about himself that he was famous by birth and a Roman citizen. Also, the Jerusalemites, who sold their houses and fields, and set their prices at the feet of the Apostles, would not have done this if they knew that the Apostles provide blessedness more in being saturated with their own possessions, and not with their own labor and offering from the Gentiles. But the mentioned Apostle instructs you even more clearly about this in his letter to the Romans, saying this: now I am coming to Jerusalem, serve the saints ... . And he himself, since he was often subjected to chains, dungeons and difficulties of travel, which prevented him with his own hands, as usual, from getting food for himself, he received what he needed from the brethren who came to him from Macedonia, as he says: the brethren who came from Macedonia fulfilled my poverty (3 Cor. XI, 9). And he writes to the Philippians: Veste you, Philippians, as if you had always died from Macedonia, not alone the Church was united in the word of giving and receiving, then you are united: Like and in Thessalonica and one and two in my demand sweet mi (Philip IV, 15 , 16). And so if we want to follow the Gospel commandment, and all the leading ones. Apostles of the founded Church, we must not trust our opinions, and misunderstand Divine sayings: but having rejected their undefined and contrary to faith meaning, we must accept them according to the exact meaning of the Gospel. For in this way we will be able to follow the footsteps of the Fathers, and never deviate from the communal rules and truly renounce this world. It is appropriate here to recall the word of a saint. They say that St. Basil, Bishop of Cappadocia, one senator, coldly rejecting the world and leaving for himself something of his estate, he said the following: “And you lost the senatorship, and you did not acquire monasticism.” So, with all diligence, it is necessary to pluck out of your soul the root of all evils - the love of money, firmly knowing that when the root is left, the branches grow comfortably. (Chronicle reading. "The 3rd vicious thought of the love of money.") This is the deceit of the evil one, by means of which he arouses vanity and entertains the mind with care for many things. Even if you have bread alone, or water, you can fulfill the duty of hospitality through this, even if you don’t have this, but if you only accept the stranger with a good disposition and offer him a word of consolation, then you will also be able to receive the reward of hospitality. You have an example, praised by the Lord in the Gospel, a widow who, through only two mites, surpassed the zeal and great alms of the rich (Matt. XII, 43). (Chr. Thurs. St. Theodore of Edessk. activity. Ch.) “For what a monk, says St. Isaac the Syrian, from among the wise, and having food and clothing, and seeing a man hungry or naked, will he not give him what he has, and will regret something? or who, seeing one of those clothed in the same flesh, afflicted with illnesses, suffering from sorrow, and in need of help, out of attachment to solitude, will prefer the rule of seclusion to love for one's neighbor? It goes without saying that if we have nothing, then it is not prescribed for us to enter into the care and care of the poor. This is required of us when we have something." (Chronicle reading. St. Isaac the Syrian Epistle to St. Simeon the Wonderworker). which by means of only two mites surpassed the zeal and great alms of the rich (Matt. XII, 43). (Chr. Thurs. St. Theodore of Edessk. activity. Ch.) “For what a monk, says St. Isaac the Syrian, from among the wise, and having food and clothing, and seeing a man hungry or naked, will he not give him what he has, and will regret something? or who, seeing one of those clothed in the same flesh, afflicted with illnesses, suffering from sorrow, and in need of help, out of attachment to solitude, will prefer the rule of seclusion to love for one's neighbor? It goes without saying that if we have nothing, then it is not prescribed for us to enter into the care and care of the poor. This is required of us when we have something." (Chronicle reading. St. Isaac the Syrian Epistle to St. Simeon the Wonderworker). which by means of only two mites surpassed the zeal and great alms of the rich (Matt. XII, 43). (Chr. Thurs. St. Theodore of Edessk. activity. Ch.) “For what a monk, says St. Isaac the Syrian, from among the wise, and having food and clothing, and seeing a man hungry or naked, will he not give him what he has, and will regret something? or who, seeing one of those clothed in the same flesh, afflicted with illnesses, suffering from sorrow, and in need of help, out of attachment to solitude, will prefer the rule of seclusion to love for one's neighbor? It goes without saying that if we have nothing, then it is not prescribed for us to enter into the care and care of the poor. This is required of us when we have something." (Chronicle reading. St. Isaac the Syrian Epistle to St. Simeon the Wonderworker). ch.) “For what a monk, says St. Isaac the Syrian, from among the wise, and having food and clothing, and seeing a man hungry or naked, will he not give him what he has, and will regret something? or who, seeing one of those clothed in the same flesh, afflicted with illnesses, suffering from sorrow, and in need of help, out of attachment to solitude, will prefer the rule of seclusion to love for one's neighbor? It goes without saying that if we have nothing, then it is not prescribed for us to enter into the care and care of the poor. This is required of us when we have something." (Chronicle reading. St. Isaac the Syrian Epistle to St. Simeon the Wonderworker). ch.) “For what a monk, says St. Isaac the Syrian, from among the wise, and having food and clothing, and seeing a man hungry or naked, will he not give him what he has, and will regret something? or who, seeing one of those clothed in the same flesh, afflicted with illnesses, suffering from sorrow, and in need of help, out of attachment to solitude, will prefer the rule of seclusion to love for one's neighbor? It goes without saying that if we have nothing, then it is not prescribed for us to enter into the care and care of the poor. This is required of us when we have something." (Chronicle reading. St. Isaac the Syrian Epistle to St. Simeon the Wonderworker). seeing someone clothed in the same flesh, afflicted with illnesses, suffering from sorrow, and in need of help, out of attachment to solitude, will he prefer the rule of seclusion to love for his neighbor? It goes without saying that if we have nothing, then it is not prescribed for us to enter into the care and care of the poor. This is required of us when we have something." (Chronicle reading. St. Isaac the Syrian Epistle to St. Simeon the Wonderworker). seeing someone clothed in the same flesh, afflicted with illnesses, suffering from sorrow, and in need of help, out of attachment to solitude, will he prefer the rule of seclusion to love for his neighbor? It goes without saying that if we have nothing, then it is not prescribed for us to enter into the care and care of the poor. This is required of us when we have something." (Chronicle reading. St. Isaac the Syrian Epistle to St. Simeon the Wonderworker).

5. Paterik of Skitsky. Abba Anthony.

6. Sunday Reading.

7. Cheti-Minei.

8. School Blagoch.

9. Abba Agathon did the same

10. Von Behubert. Old and new from the realm of inner life. This example is also given by Roswayde.

 

 

c) PURPOSE OF THE VOW OF NON-INTERRUPTION.

 

Complete alienation from the blessings of the world makes a monk completely free from all worldly concerns. Therefore, he no longer cares about what tomorrow will give rise to (Matt. VI, 34), does not take any precautions in reasoning about the future, has no worldly concerns in the present: and moving away from everything that stirs and excites the child of this age, “flies up above clouds, is renewed and brightened, like an eagle, and with renewed wings directs a bold flight to the sky. “Such a (non-possessive) monk,” says St. Nilus, laughs at the present, rises higher and higher, renounces the earthly, lives in the heavenly ones. For his wings are light, not weighed down by worries. Trouble happened - he leaves the place without sadness; death has come, he comes out of life with joy: for he has attached his soul to nothing else. Most of the sorrows and worries are caused by the taking away of the estate; but since the non-possessive monk has nothing, he has nothing to worry about. “Does the monk have to take care of that, says St. Gregory the Theologian, so that he himself is not stolen? For all he has is that his body is covered with rags. Let others who have accumulated a lot of money take the necessary steps to save. My possessions are all in God; no one can steal this treasure. As for the rest, let everyone take it from me, let them, if you like, plunder my property to the last thread. My state is the safest; and what I own will forever remain with me, is not subject to any corruption and any change. The Lord is my share (Lamentations Jer. III, 24). “I want nothing but the Lord. Yes, and I am the share of the Lord and His inheritance (Deut. XXXII, 9), and therefore I have no share with the other tribes, but like a Levite and a priest, I live by tithes (Deut. XVIII, 1); when I serve the altar (Cor. IX, 13), having food and clothing, I will be pleased with it (Tim. V, 8), and I will go poor after a poor cross ”[4], so that grief can more freely and without hindrance, ascending, as says the Apostle, in the clouds at the meeting of the Lord in the air[5]. For renunciation of the blessings of the world makes a monk more capable of entering the path of God. “It is,” says St. Basil the Great, the bridle of sinful actions, the removal of obstacles to the acquisition of that which is much more desirable than gold and stone (Ps. XVIII, 11) - the exaltation of the human heart into heavenly habitation, because of which we can say: our life is in heaven (Philp xvi, 20), but what is most important, it is the beginning of our likening to Christ, who is rich for us for the sake of impoverishment[6], and Who is, as it were, a mysterious book written on the outside and inside, in which the monks read this excellent truth: Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and have treasure in heaven (Matt. XIX, 21). “Without renunciation, the same teacher of the Church continues, it is impossible to achieve a life in conformity with the gospel of Christ. For being bound by wealth, worldly cares, addictions and habits, is it possible to crush your heart, destroy your proud mind, curb anger, sorrow, indignation and, in general, the fatal passions of your soul? Who is not allowed to take care of even the necessities, such as food and clothing, does he have any reason to burden his soul with evil cares about wealth, which, like thorns, prevents the seed sown by the Cultivator of our souls from being fertilized? For thus says the Lord: and if the fallen is in thorns, these are those who heard, and from sorrow and wealth and the sweetness of life, they are crushed, and do not bring forth fruit. (Luke VIII, 14)[7]. “It is difficult, I think, says St. Athanasius the Great, to know the craft, (obligation, bliss) and not have tools (wealth). And if one has not left the first, how can he leave the second? Therefore, the Savior, speaking with the rich, did not immediately order him to leave the estate, but first asked if he had fulfilled what was prescribed by law? And the Lord, as a teacher, says: if you have learned the alphabet; if he learned to add letters; if you are accustomed to parsing words: then finally proceed to perfect reading, that is, go sell your property and give to the poor, and then follow in the footsteps of Me. And if, as I think, he had not admitted that he had done what he was asked about, then the Lord would not have called him to wretchedness. For how could he begin to read, not knowing the power of syllables?” [8] “And is it possible for a mother-in-law clothed with caring thoughts to honor a higher rank, or to fight with the principalities, authorities and world rulers of the darkness of this age? At least I don't think so, says St. Nile, judging by this even from a sensual example. For as a dress will no doubt hinder the wrestler (athlete) and bind him; so will thoughtful thoughts bind the soul, if the one who says that the soul is constantly with its treasure is true. For it is said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew IV, 21)[9]. “Maybe with worldly cares, as if with iron ties, to march there (to the King of Kings), but with inconvenience. For even those whose feet are bound with fetters walk, but they always stumble, and from this stumbling receive ulcers. powers and rulers of the darkness of this world? At least I don't think so, says St. Nile, judging by this even from a sensual example. For as a dress will no doubt hinder the wrestler (athlete) and bind him; so will thoughtful thoughts bind the soul, if the one who says that the soul is constantly with its treasure is true. For it is said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew IV, 21)[9]. “Maybe with worldly cares, as if with iron ties, to march there (to the King of Kings), but with inconvenience. For even those whose feet are bound with fetters walk, but they always stumble, and from this stumbling receive ulcers. powers and rulers of the darkness of this world? At least I don't think so, says St. Nile, judging by this even from a sensual example. For as a dress will no doubt hinder the wrestler (athlete) and bind him; so will thoughtful thoughts bind the soul, if the one who says that the soul is constantly with its treasure is true. For it is said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew IV, 21)[9]. “Maybe with worldly cares, as if with iron ties, to march there (to the King of Kings), but with inconvenience. For even those whose feet are bound with fetters walk, but they always stumble, and from this stumbling receive ulcers. who says that the soul is constantly with its treasure. For it is said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew IV, 21)[9]. “Maybe with worldly cares, as if with iron ties, to march there (to the King of Kings), but with inconvenience. For even those whose feet are bound with fetters walk, but they always stumble, and from this stumbling receive ulcers. who says that the soul is constantly with its treasure. For it is said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew IV, 21)[9]. “Maybe with worldly cares, as if with iron ties, to march there (to the King of Kings), but with inconvenience. For even those whose feet are bound with fetters walk, but they always stumble, and from this stumbling receive ulcers.

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1. Chr. Thu. St. Ambrose of Milan a letter to Irenaeus.

2. Chr. Thu. St. Nile on eight vicious thoughts.

3. TV. Gregory of Nazianzus.

4. Bliss. Jerome in a letter to Nepotian. Chr. Thu.

5. St. Gregory. A word about bliss. Chr. Thu.

6. St. Basil V. Prostr. rules. Chr. Thu.

7. St. Basil V. Ibid.

8. St. Athanasius V. The life and deeds of St. Synclitiki. Chr. Thu.

9. St. Nile. About various vicious thoughts. Chr. Thu.

10. St. Ladder.

 

 

d) THE IMPORTANCE AND INVIOLABILITY OF THE VOW OF NON-INTERRUPTION.

 

What a blessing it is for a non-possessive monk to have, instead of all treasures, one unvalued treasure - Jesus Christ, and for peace of mind to renounce useless blessings, of which even the most seemingly innocent use is rarely sinless! What a blessing it is to be rich only in gifts of grace, which no one can steal, and which alone accompany him to heaven! In a word: what bliss is not to possess anything that could bind a monk to oneself; to be rich, desiring nothing, and to possess everything, enjoying the one God! Blessed be the non-possessiveness that receives such an inheritance! And here, already possessing non-possessiveness, he lives as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven; he is in the Kingdom of the Saints, although from a distance he only adds his voice to their hymns. Only he who has risen above all perishable things can renounce everything, that the world can present pleasant and attractive things; only he who considers nothing to be his property and willingly offers all of his own as a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord, he alone can inherit the Kingdom of God, prepared for those who love God, who hope in Him alone, who constantly seek Him, how to find Him. Since no acquisition captivates him, no vanity, no arrogance rules in him, no earthly love distracts him from his love for Jesus Christ; then his heart is open to receive Christ. Because who feels weak, miserable, unable to help himself; without delay, Christ Jesus renders His help, as an Advocate and Intercessor, as a Physician and Savior, as a compassionate Spirit for his weakness, as a Helper and Redeemer. “Yes, and the enemy is more affected by the poor. He doesn't know how to harm them. Burn down the estates but they are not. Damage livestock? but they don't have it either. Touch the dearest, but they ordered him to have a long hello. Is it not a great punishment for the enemy, and a valuable treasure for the soul - squalor? were mentors and leaders of many thousands? Was it not from this school that Providence summoned almost all the great builders of the Kingdom of grace? Was it not here that the Prophets, Apostles, great Shepherds of the Church and desert-dwellers were brought up? Thus the power of God is perfected more in weakness! How much arbitrary squalor is great and glorious among the monks, so much, on the contrary, the love of money is vile and vile. The Divine Apostle rightly said that it is the root of all evil. "Covetousness, perjury, theft, robbery, fornication, envy, murder, brotherly hatred, abuse, idolatry, covetousness and their branches: hypocrisy, flattery, ridicule - all this has its origin in the love of money, says St. Athanasius the Great. Therefore, the Apostle rightly called the love of money the matter of all evils[2]. “Let us think, says another teacher of the Church, into what vice this disease draws a person when it plunges him into idolatry, for the lover of money, tearing his mind away from the love of God, loves the images of people carved on gold. The monk, darkened by these thoughts, and anticipating the worst, can no longer have any obedience, but is annoyed, indignant, grumbles at every deed, contradicts, and no longer retaining any respect, like a ferocious horse rushes along the rapids, he remains dissatisfied with daily food. and clearly says that he cannot endure this any longer, that God is not only here, that his salvation is not concluded in this place, that if he does not leave this monastery, he will perish. Thus, when his thoughts are upset, and meanwhile the pieces of silver saved, like wings, give him lightness, he thinks about leaving the monastery. Then he proudly and rudely answers all the orders of the abbot, and considering himself an outsider, although he noticed any shortcoming in the monastery, he neglects to correct it, despises and condemns everything; then he looks for pretexts for anger and grief, so that it does not seem that he is frivolous and leaves the monastery for no reason. And if he can seduce another with murmuring and empty talk, he will expel him from the monastery, without hesitation, he will do this, wanting to have a participant in his crime. Thus, the lover of money, scorched by the fire of his possessions, he can never remain silent in that monastery, or live under the rule. When the devil, like a wolf, snatches him out of the fence and, excommunicating him from the flock, begins to prepare him for eating, then he forces him in the cell day and night with great zeal to do the very things that he did not do during the hours appointed for them. in dorm; does not allow him to perform ordinary prayers, nor to observe certain fasts, nor established vigils: but, having bound him with a frantic passion for money, he compels him to use all diligence for needlework. Such evils are the cause of wealth! “So the addiction to wealth, says St. Theodore of Edessa, should not be in the souls of ascetics. For a rich monk is a loaded ship, overwhelmed by waves of worries, and sinking into the abyss of sorrow. Such a monk, says St. Neil, bound by worries, and, like a dog, tied with a chain. If he is forced to change his place, then without letting go of wealth, he carries with him a heavy burden and useless grief, is pierced by sadness, and at the thought that he left the estate, he is greatly tormented and stricken with grief. And if death comes, then with pity he leaves the present, emits his soul, and does not take his eyes off the estate! Dragging like a runaway slave; is separated from the body, but is not separated from property, so that passion attracts him much more than those who draw him there. In the 6th canon of the two-time Council on the inviolability of the vow of non-acquisitiveness, it is said: “Monks should not have anything of their own, but everything that belongs to them must be approved by the monastery. For the blessed Luke about those who believe in Christ and represent the image of a monastic community, says: As if from their possessions, they say their being, but I give them everything in common. But if someone turns out to acquire a certain acquisition for himself, without presenting it to the monastery, and enslaved by the passion of covetousness, let the abbot or bishop take this acquisition from such, and sell it in the presence of many, and distribute it to the poor and needy. And the one who, having placed in his heart, like the ancient Ananias, hide this acquisition, St. The council decided to enlighten with a decent penance” [6]. “Who in the brotherhood of the hermit, says the famous pastor of our Church, learns what is not blessed, or more than what is not blessed; after a vow of poverty, he thinks to become rich for himself, and not for God, not for brotherhood, not for the poor: he has not departed from the greed of the world. In what image does he form himself? Is it not in the image of the prophetic disciple Gehazi, who, having secretly and unblessedly desired to assimilate the silver of Naaman, obviously assimilated his leprosy for himself? says St. Anthony, because of perishable earthly goods: but always remember and fulfill everything that you promised to fulfill when you retire from the world and enter the monastic life. Pay attention to your clothes and remember those tears of repentance with which you watered it when you put on it. “Remember, lover of silence! what did you do when you came to the holy temple on the day of your tonsure? Why did you take off all your former clothes, and stand in the midst of the brethren, in only one srachka, not shoes? You did not do this in the sense that, putting aside worldly clothes, you put on monastic ones; but in a mysterious sense, may you testify before God and the Church that by laying aside worldly clothes, you lay aside all addiction to the world from your heart, you impute all the blessings of this age for a sleepy dream, for wisdom, for nothing, so that you gain the One Christ: with all His heart love, and

Paisios, brother of Abba Pimen, found a small vessel with gold coins. He said to his elder brother Anuv: “You know that the word of Abba Pimen is very cruel. Let's go, let's build a cell for ourselves in another place, and let's keep quiet." Abba Anub answered him: "We have nothing to build a cell with." Then Paisios revealed to him about his discovery. This greatly saddened Abba Anuv, who realized that the discovery could be the cause of spiritual death for Paisios. However, he said, "Let's go and build a cell on the other side of the river." Abba Anub took from Paisios a vessel with gold pieces and twisted it into his doll. When they were crossing the river and were in the middle of it, Abba Anub pretended to stumble and dropped the vessel with the gold pieces into the river. Having done this, he began to grieve, and Abba Paisios consoled him, saying: “Do not grieve, Abba, for the gold coins. Let's go back to our brother." They returned and lived in peace.

(Patrionic, compiled by St. Ignatius of Stavropol)

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1. Chr. Thurs St. Athanasius the Great. The life and works of St. Synclitiki.

2. St. Athanasius the Great life of St. Synclitica. Ibid., p. 32

3. St. Cassian on eight vicious thoughts. Chr.Reading.

4. St. Theodore of Edessa.

5. St. Nile. About eight vicious thoughts. Chr. Reading.

6. Chr. Thu. Epistle of Jeremiah, Patriarch of Jerusalem. about monastic life to the Lutherans.

7. A word for the consecration of the temple built over the relics of the prof. Micah, spoken by Metr. Moscow Philaret.

8. St. Anthony V. spiritual instructions. Chr. Thu.

9. Useful reminders to the monk at the beginning of his exploits.

 

 

III. OBEDIENCE VOW.

 

a) THE BASIS OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

 

The third monastic vow is the vow of obedience. And every Christian has an eternal and heavenly rule (Ap. XIV, 6), with which he must constantly conform in all his affairs. All his actions must be in their place, in their order, and such as this rule - the Law of God, requires the following from him: no matter what he does, he is not allowed to seek satisfaction of his will anywhere. Everything that has its basis in whim, willfulness, self-love, is no longer in order, is no longer a Christian thing and worthy of eternal life; for every Christian, as the Apostle says, must be guided in all his affairs by love for God and neighbor (Rom. XIII, 8-10, XIV, 15, 1 Cor. XVI, 14); but self-righteousness and self-love cannot be compatible with this love, because one commands us to do everything for God, and the other for ourselves. But, as the will of God, expressed in His Law, weak Christians are often prevented from seeing the temptations of the world, their own delusions and prejudices, and the hostile suggestions of the prince of darkness; then, for a clear and unerring understanding of the will of God, for faithful and unswerving obedience to it, a monk who is still inexperienced in the field of ascetic life needs a leader already experienced in monastic life, to whom he is obliged to render obedience in everything that is in accordance with the will of God. Jesus Christ is the Highest image and example of perfect obedience to the Will of the Heavenly Father. He Himself says about Himself: I do not seek My will, but the will of the Father who sent Me (Jn. V, 30) And St. The apostle affirms that the Lord Jesus, who in the image of God humbled Himself, being obedient even unto death, the death of the cross. (Phil. II, 6, 8) Divine Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. XII, 2) He also commanded His followers perfect obedience to the Will of God. If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself. (Matt. XVI, 24) Jesus Christ, saying this, does not force it, but leaves it to the good will of everyone, therefore he says: if anyone wants. What does it mean to deny oneself, if not to everything, as St. Macarius the Great, not to obey one's own will, but to fulfill only what was commanded by the chiefs[1], that is, to make the will of the chief his law; to force ourselves to sacrifice our own will to the will of the rulers, despite the good opinion that we have in our mind, giving him a secret advantage over others, regardless of shortcomings and unlimited knowledge, even the passions of the rulers; in spite of all this, we must act as if we did not see anything, but saw only one thing, our own unworthiness,

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1. St. Macarius of Egypt.

 

 

b) CONTENT OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

 

Thus, monastic voluntary obedience consists in complete and free obedience to the abbots and spiritual elders in everything with complete trust in them. “Monk, in all his affairs in the cell and in the discussion of every drop of water that he wants to drink, says St. Anthony should be guided by the advice of his elders"[1], and instead of a key, have the language of his spiritual father, who would open his mouth to eat and conclude, says another teacher of the Church"[2]. For “he who has renounced himself and his will in everything, must no longer do what he wants, but what he is taught. And the mind does not allow that one who has entrusted himself to the control of others, at his own discretion, chooses what seems useful to him; on the contrary, the leaders should determine him to what they have recognized him to be capable of in the name of the Lord. Otherwise, choosing an occupation of his own free will, he exposes himself to condemnation, firstly for self-pleasing, and secondly for being addicted to well-known art, either out of love for worldly glory, or out of a desire for greater self-interest, or for some other reason. reason, or because, out of laziness and idleness, he prefers the easiest. And one who acts on such motives, obviously, has not yet freed himself from passions. For whoever desires to satisfy his inclinations has not denied himself; whoever still strives for self-interest and glory has not abandoned worldly deeds; whoever does not lift a heavy burden has not yet slain his earthly members, but reveals in himself signs of proud pride: for he thinks that his own judgment is much more just than the definition of many people. So the monk, who renounced his will, must obey his spiritual experienced mentors in everything, and obey with full confidence in them. “After entering the field of piety, says St. Ladder, and worldly rejection, should no longer talk with all severity about our good ascetic, although in him as a person, perhaps, we can see some minor errors. Otherwise, with this strict reasoning about the deeds of our superior, we will not receive any benefit from worldly rejection. For it is very necessary that those who wish to maintain full and undoubted confidence in their mentors, keep their good deeds in their hearts as indelible and unforgettable, in order to block the mouth of demons with this recollection when they begin to instill distrust in us towards them. For as much as faith blooms in the heart, so much does the body succeed in its service. And as soon as someone stumbles on the stone of unbelief, then without a doubt already such will fall. For it is true that everything that is not from faith is sin. When your thought compels you to condemn or blaspheme your boss, then you jump away from this, as if from fornication, and give this serpent no hope, no place, no entrance, below any attack. On the contrary, exclaim to him: it was not I who took judgment on the boss, but he over me. “Do not be a judge of your father's deeds,” says another teacher of the Church, but be a doer of his commands. For the devils usually try to expose his shortcomings to you, so that they can make your ears deaf to his instructions and through this either seduce you from your field as a timid and fearful warrior, or entertain you with thoughts of unbelief, and make you incapable of any kind of virtue. “Even though you could see with your own eyes,” says St. Simeon the New Theologian, your mentor who commits some kind of sin, but even here do not be offended by him, and do not reduce your trust towards him, remembering the words of Him who said: do not judge, and they will not judge you ”(Luke VI, 37) [6]. So, everything that the rector or the elder commands, and that, according to the will of God, the monk who has taken a vow of obedience must fulfill with full confidence in them, without any hesitation. Only in that case it is possible not to fulfill their commands, when they are clearly opposed to the will of God and do not agree with it. “If someone orders us, says St. Abba Anthony, to do something contrary to the commandments of God: then to the one who orders us, we will say: it is more fitting to obey God than man. (Acts V, 29). Let us also remember the words of the Lord: My sheep do not go in strangers, but flee from him, as if they do not know a strange voice (Jn. X, 5). And the Divine Paul speaks of this: If we or an angel from heaven will bring you more good news, let it be anathema to you with the good news.” (Gal. I, 8, 9)[7]. St. Abba Dorotheos describes in some detail those cases to which one must fulfill obedience. So he asks his mentor, the sagacious John: in what deeds should one renounce his will, in good or indifferent ones, or in those deeds that tend to transgress the commandment? Also, if something is ordered to me beyond my strength, should I refuse so that later it does not bring me to sorrow and grumbling? And to what extent should it be denied and opposed where the matter tends to the violation of the commandment? To all these questions John answers thus: “Beloved brother! whoever wishes to be impassive must not have a will of his own in any matter. This is what the Lord teaches, saying: I descended from heaven, let me not do my will, but the will of the Father who sent me. (John VI, 38). And truly, if one fulfills one, and renounces the other; Either he shows himself through this to be more reasonable than the one who commands him, or he does so at the instigation of the demons. If the brethren put any work on you, and you see that it is either harmful or exceeds your strength, turn again to the Abba and do what he tells you. For if you begin to distinguish not only deeds, but also people, then you yourself will bring sorrow. Thus, if the thing seems good to you, then show obedience to the brethren; but if you doubt it, or it exceeds your strength, or is accompanied by harm, then consult with Abba and act according to his advice. He knows what to do, and how to take care of your soul, you will be calm. Be sure that every word of his is in accordance with the will of God; but everything that is in accord with the will of God is useful, and causes neither grief nor anxiety. For evil cannot come from good. Every good tree produces good fruit (Matt. VII, 7). This is the true path of God, along which, with the assistance of the Grace of God, try to walk with an unfeigned and pure heart.

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1. St. Anthony instructing his children to the Monks. Chr. Thu.

2. TV. St. Vasily V.

3. Chr. Reading. St. Basil V. Space rules.

4. St. Ladder.

5. Acts of St. Theodore of Edessa.

6. Simeon the New Theologian. Word 25.

7. Chr. Thu. St. Anthony the Great. Instructions for monks.

8. Chr. Thu. Lecturer Abba Dorotheus conversation with Barsanuphius and John.

 

 

c) PURPOSE OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

 

To what does such monastic obedience lead? It promotes the attainment of the highest moral perfection; facilitates the understanding of the will of God, in accordance with it, the monk must act at any time and in any place; precedes mistakes, according to which he could choose something harmful for himself; in a word, he frees him from the dangers of his own arbitrariness and entrusts him with the control of God. “When I was in confinement, to speak to St. Abba Dorotheos, I revealed myself to the elder Abba John in everything and never dared to do anything without advice. It happened that a thought inspired me: “Will not the elder say the same to you? Why are you bothering him?" But I answered the thought: “Cursed are you, and your judgment, and your understanding, and your wisdom, and your knowledge; because you know, you know from the demons. “So I went and asked the elder, and it happened that the elder indeed sometimes gave me the same advice that I imagined before. Then my thought said to me: “Look, I told you the same thing: isn’t it in vain that you disturb the old man!” I answered the thought: “Now this is good, now this comes from the Holy Spirit; and your advice was bad, because it came from demons and from a passionate state. Thus, without asking for advice, I never allowed my thoughts to be obeyed. And believe me, brethren, that I was in great peace, in great carelessness, so that I already began to worry about this, for I heard that it is fitting for us to enter the Kingdom of God through many tribulations; (Acts XIV, 21), but I did not notice any sorrow in myself. Therefore, I was afraid, and was in perplexity, not knowing the reason for this calmness, until finally the elder explained to me, saying: “Do not grieve, for everyone, who gives himself to the fathers in obedience, enjoys this peace and carelessness[1]. This is how obedience to rulers and elders frees truly obedient monks from the dangers of their own arbitrariness.

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1. Church of Thu. St. Abba Dorotheus's instruction is that one should not arrange oneself according to one's own mind.

 

 

e) THE IMPORTANCE AND INVIOLABILITY OF THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.

 

On the ladder of monastic vows, the vow of obedience is the highest and therefore the most difficult step. One great old man, being in an angel-like vision, saw four degrees in heaven, signifying the perfection of the ascetics. In the first degree stood one dejected by ailments, but blessing the name of the Lord; to another disinterested stranger, and always obliging; on the third, a silent desert-dweller; finally, the fourth and highest degree was occupied by the obedient to his mentor, and for the sake of God devoted to him with all his heart. This man, for obedience, wears a shield and a scarlet robe, as a sign that he was obedient even unto death, and shone with glory above all. Why is this one, apparently less in deeds, exalted more than others, thought the elder, who was awarded the heavenly vision! “For this, a mysterious voice suddenly answered him, that the stranger is practicing virtue, so dear to his heart, of her own free will; likewise, the hermit, removed from the world according to his own good judgment, and lives freely; as for one who is afflicted with ailments, he would gladly change them to health. But this one, who has undertaken the most difficult task of obedience, having abandoned all his desires, depends on God and his guide; therefore he received great glory before others. “So, children,” the same elder continues, “obedience to the Lord is a good deed. Obedience, you are the salvation of all the faithful, you are the mother of all virtues, you open the heavens and raise people from the earth to them, you feed all the Saints, they are perfected through you, you dwell with the Angels! obedience; for such a person is a true follower of our good Teacher, who was obedient even unto death (Phil. II, 8). Truly blessed who has learned obedience: for, being an imitator of Jesus Christ, he also becomes a joint heir with him.”[2] A monk by means of this virtue (obedience) can be perfected in such a way as it cannot be from any other. “Like a traveler,” says St. Abba Dorotheos, having found the rod, and leaning on it, makes the path faster with its help, as it happens with those who follow the path of cutting off their will. For whoever cuts off his own will, through this acquires impartiality, and from impartiality passes with the help of God into perfect impartiality. It is possible to cut off ten desires in a short time, while another completes the entire path in a short time. He sees something, and the thought tells him: pay attention to it, and he answers the thought: “I do not pay any attention, and cuts off my desire, and does not pay attention.” He finds those engaged in idle talk, and the thought says to him: “Say such and such a word,” but he cuts off his desire and does not speak. Thus, cutting off everything, he acquires the habit of cutting off, and after the small, he begins without difficulty to cut off the great; and thus finally begins to have no will at all, and whatever happens to him, he is calm, no matter how everything goes according to his desire. And then, as he does not want to fulfill his will, it is always fulfilled with him: because whoever has nothing of his own, for him everything that happens is his own. And thus he becomes, as I said, impartial, and from impartiality comes to impartiality. Do you see to what success little by little the cutting off of one's own will leads? so the monk, having given himself over to the exploits of obedience, having passed through the fire of all the sorrows of life for God, and in this sorrow and much patience having learned obedience, having melted morals, he learns humility and becomes bright and worthy of heavenly treasures, endless life and a blissful fate, from where sorrow and sighing are removed, and joy and uninterrupted joy are installed. Great is the feat of obedience, so that some Holy Fathers equated it with martyrdom. “Whoever cuts off his own will and does the will of the abbot,” says St. Theodore the Studite, this is imputed before God, that he seemed to have shed his blood for Christ.[5] “Without the shedding of blood,” says another teacher of the Church, one cannot forsake one’s own will, i.e., to cut off one’s own will, one needs labor even to death.”[6] In one Egyptian Monastery there was an old man very angry and stern. Learning about this, one young brother made a vow before God to go to obedience to the angry old man and endure any insult from him for his sins. For six years the patient brother lived with the elder, and every day he endured new vexations. Then he sees in a dream a husband wearing a larger scroll. Here, says the one who appeared to the novice, look: the Master has crossed out half of your debt; strive for the other half too! The brother revealed this vision to an old man and continued his obedience with the same patience. If the day passed as usual in the patience of insults from a stern old man; then a novice to the question of that good old man, who knew the secret of his life: how was the day? Did we manage to cross something out of the scroll? He answered: so, father, we have not worked much now. But when the day passed peacefully, without vexations and beatings, the novice wept and said: Today was an evil day; we didn't buy anything! So another six years passed, and the patient brother died. After this, the good old man saw the deceased among the martyrs, and heard that he is praying to God for the obstinate old man. Lord, this is what the new martyr said, just as You had mercy on me for the sake of the elder, so have mercy on him according to Your Goodness for the sake of me, your servant! Forty days after the death of the novice, his elder also died, and was taken to a place of eternal rest.[7] In addition, how important the feat of obedience is, this is evident from the fact that God shows special favor to those who are distinguished by this virtue, it is sometimes He rewards her ascetics with the gift of miracles. So once an elder ordered John (Kolov) to stick a dry tree and water it every day until it bears fruit. The novice, despite the remoteness of the water, fulfilled the commandment for three years. And what? the power of obedience revived the dead tree; it flourished and bore fruit. Then the elder, having called the brethren, and showing them the fruit of a dry tree, said: take and taste, this is the fruit of obedience! Another time, the elder said to the same novice: in such and such a place I saw hyena droppings; come and bring it to me. “Well, father,” John asked, “if the hyena itself finds me?” "If it finds, then you tie up the beast and bring it here." John, having gone in the evening, really saw the hyena itself, and, without thinking anything, immediately chased after the beast, and said: wait, my father ordered me to tie you up. The hyena was caught, bound, and brought to the old man; but the elder, wanting to humble the obedient monk, and fearing that he would not become proud of his very obedience, took a stick and beat John, saying: what a fool you brought a dog here! untied the hyena and let it go.[8] So great is the power of the virtue of obedience! So, spiritual ascetic, you promised to keep obedience until death, then do not leave it. "If anyone," says St. Basil the Great, once joined the body of the brotherhood and wants to be recognized as a usable vessel, then he must show obedience and obedience to his mentor until his death, remembering that the Lord is obedient to reality even to death, but death on the cross” (Phil. II, 8).[9] “There is no more unfortunate, says another teacher of the Church, there is no closer to the destruction of that person who does not have a guide for himself on the path of God. For what do these words mean: if there is no control, like leaves fall? (Prov. II. 14) At first, the leaf is always green, blooming, pleasant, then little by little it fades, and finally they despise and trample it: so also a person who is not controlled by anyone, at first always has a disposition to fasting, to vigil, to silence, to obedience and to every other good, but then this disposition, without a mentor that arouses and kindles it in him, little by little decreases in him, cools and insensibly disappears, and he finally becomes subject to enemies who do what they want with him. And the enemy especially rejoices over those who have no control over them. Imagine that brother, says the same teacher of the Church, whom the evil one loved, and about whom he speaks to Abba Macarius: “I have one brother who, when he looks at me, whirls like a whirlwind.” He loves such, he always rejoices in such, whom no one controls, who do not reveal their state to those who, according to God, can give them a helping hand. For this demon did not approach all the brethren, when the saint, seeing him carrying all sorts of dishes in pots, did not offer them to everyone; because everyone, seeing his chains, fled and opened his thoughts, and found help in time of temptation, so that the evil one could no longer do anything with them, but he found only this one unfortunate one, disposing of himself, having no help from anyone; and therefore he treated him like a toy, and, departing, thanked him, and cursed others. When in this way he told Abba Macarius the very matter and announced the name of his brother: the saint hurried to this brother, found that this was the very reason for his death, found that he did not want to confess, found that he was not in the habit of revealing his state, and therefore the enemy circled him as he wanted. When the saint asked: "What is your condition, brother?" He replied: "Thy prayers, good." When the saint still asked him: “Do not thoughts fight against you?” He replied: "I find myself well." And until then he did not want to confess anything, until he was brought by the art of the saint to the point that he told his state. Having strengthened him with a conversation and the word of God, St. Macarius returned; the enemy, according to his custom, again came to this brother, with the intention of overthrowing him, but he was put to shame: for he found him fortified, he found him no longer such that it was possible to mock him. So he departed from it, having done nothing, departed in shame. Therefore, when the saint asked him again: “What is the state of this brother, your friend?” became more ferocious than all." That is why the enemy hates the voice of affirmation! Because he always seeks our doom. That is why he loves those who dispose of themselves! because they help the devil by building their own yards. I do not know any other reason for the fall of a monk, except for the power of attorney to my heart. Some say: "A man falls from one or the other"; but I don't know, said, another reason for the fall, except this one. Did you see someone fall? Know that he had himself. There is nothing more dangerous than to dispose of oneself; There is nothing more disastrous than this!” [10] “How did the devil deal with Adam and Eve, says St. Anthony V.; so it is with those who follow their own inclinations, are content with their own opinion and judgment in everything, and do not want to follow the instructions of their fathers, who are more perfect than them and know how to distinguish good from evil. Those people, my children, who fulfill the desires of their hearts and think that they have reached perfection because of the blessing of their fathers, are like birds that make their nests on high, but fly to the ground, and here they are caught in a net by bird-catchers. The devil is trying to produce in these people the confidence that they are great and glorious in their spirit, superior to many other people; therefore they do not want to obey their fathers, so that they may be said to be like bitter, unripe grapes. They are really like him, because the instructions of the fathers are unpleasant for them, and they think of themselves that they know everything. So my children, understand that you will not succeed, grow and perfect in virtue if you do not obey your fathers, who have already reached perfection. And our fathers themselves obeyed their fathers and followed their instructions, and therefore grew up and perfected in piety, and became teachers of others.”[11] “Unfortunate and worthy of contempt, who has not accustomed himself to obedience, but always grumbles!”[12] departed from the pride and ambition of the world. He should look carefully so as not to approach the host of Korah, whose end showed that the pure desert land does not want to bear the power-hungry and rebellious"[13]. Let us conclude our discussion with this brief instruction of one teacher of our Church. “Twice you promised, he says, to work for Christ faithfully, during Baptism and tonsure. Listen to this, beloved, and always remember your vows, and act according to them and live, so that you will not be condemned as a deceiver at the court of it.

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1. Paterik of Skitsky. Abba Ruf.

2. TV. Ephrem the Syrian.

3. Chr. Thu. Lecturer Abba Dorotheus' guidance in self-sacrifice.

4. St. Theodore of Edessa

5. St. Theodore the Studite Announcement on Cheesefare Week.

6. St. Barsanuphius and John the Disciple, soul-saving instructions. Chr. Thu.

7. Sunday Thu.

8. Sunday Thu.

9. Chr. Thu. Space rules.

10. Chr. Thu. St. Abba Dorotheus's instruction is that one should not arrange oneself according to one's own mind. “And at those who labor under the supervision of the Fathers, the enemies of our life, the demons, are excessively furious,” says St. Theodore of Edessa; gnashing their teeth with their teeth, and devising all sorts of tricks. What don't they do! Why are they not inspired in order to snatch them from their fatherly embraces? They present reasons apparently plausible; they invent motives for strife, incite hatred towards the father, they give the appearance of reproaches to his exhortations, and reproaches are presented in the form of sharpened arrows. Why, they tell him, having been born free, have you made yourself a slave, and a slave of the merciless master? How long will you suffer under the yoke of this slavery and not look freely at the world? Then they are encouraged to hospitality, to go after the sick and to care for the poor, and sometimes they also exalt the feat of deep silence and solitude, in a word, they sow every kind of worthless tares in the heart of a warrior of piety, in order only to snatch him from the spiritual fence, and, having pulled him out of an unstormy haven, plunge him into the sea raging with soul-destroying waves. Finally, having received into their power, they will, like a prisoner, dispose of it according to their evil will. So, when you are under the supervision of your father, try to penetrate the secret deceit of your haters and enemies, and do not forget your doom and promise before God, do not be cowardly when you are offended, do not be afraid of censure, or reproach, or ridicule, do not obey suggestions of evil thoughts, do not run away from the strictness of the father, do not dishonor the good yoke of humility with the audacity of self-indulgence and self-will, but, having put in your heart the word of the Lord: enduring to the end, He will be saved (Matt. X. 22); with patience, flow to the feat set before you, looking to the Head and Finisher Jesus. St. Theodore of Edessa

11. Chr. Thu. Letter. St. Anthony the Great.

12. TV. Ephrem the Syrian.

13. Word of Metropolitan Mosk. Philaret, speaking. in the church built over the relics of St. Micah 1842 — If this salvific law (of obedience) is excluded even for a moment from the sphere of moral existence, and everywhere the brute force of matter overcomes the mind, eclipses the truth, and the orderly world plunges into the abyss of destruction. Monastic cloisters given freedom would be hotels in which frivolity and lawlessness would stay, as well as in noisy gatherings of vain peacefulness.

14. Works of Tikhon Voronezh. Monastic instruction.

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