Holy Scriptures of the Holy Fathers. Teachings of the Optina Elders
Recently the same Brotherhood has expanded its dilettantism, following the latest intellectual fashion, to include in its program lectures on Sufism and other non-Christian religious traditions, which probably enrich the "spirituality" of the listeners in much the same way that Orthodoxy has hitherto done for them.
The same perverted spiritual approach can be seen on a more subtle level in the "agreements" that come from time to time from "theological consultations" - whether they be Orthodox Catholic, Orthodox Anglican, or anything like it. These "agreements" on topics such as "the Eucharist" or "the nature of the Church" are again exercises in ecumenical politeness in which no hint of their heresy is given to the heterodox (even if the "Orthodox theologians" present know this), that, No matter what definition of such realities one may "agree", the non-Orthodox, having no experience of life in the Church of Christ, do not really have them. Such "theologians" do not hesitate to seek even some agreement on spirituality itself, although here, as nowhere else, the impossibility of any agreement is obvious. Those who can believe, as the official "Message" adopted at the "Orthodox-Cistercian Symposium" (Oxford, 1973) says, that Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican monastics "are deeply united among themselves as members of monastic communities, belonging to various traditions of the Church,” of course, think according to the corruptible wisdom of this world and its “ecumenical” fashions, and not in accordance with Orthodox monastic spiritual tradition, which strictly insists on the purity of faith. The secular aims and tone of such "dialogues" are made clear in the report of the same symposium, which indicates that this "dialogue" is now going to be expanded to include non-Christian monks, which will make it possible for "our common Christian monasticism... to be identified in some in a real way with the monasticism of Buddhism and Hinduism" (Diaconia, 1974, no. 4, ss. 380, 392). As sophisticated as the participants in this symposium may imagine themselves, their dilettantism is no better than that of lay Protestants, who are as much in awe of the Baptist service of refraction as they are of the Orthodox Liturgy.
Again, in an "Orthodox" periodical, one can read the report of the "Ecumenical Institute of Spirituality" (Catholic-Protestant-Orthodox), which was held at St. spoke about the Christian spirituality of East and West. An Orthodox priest reports this report thus: “One of the most shocking statements of the professor was that there already exists a Christian unity of all the holy Christian traditions. It would be interesting to try to draw some conclusions from this about how to relate to differences in teaching and social institutions, which obviously also exist ”(Fr. Foma Hopko, No. 4, 1969, p. 225).
The doctrinal deviations of "Orthodox" ecumenists are quite large, but when it comes to spirituality, there seem to be no limits to what one can say and believe - an indicator of how far and vague the tradition and experience of true Orthodox spirituality has become for today's "Orthodox theologians". ". A real serious study of "comparative spirituality" can be done, but it will never lead to a "statement of agreement". Just one example: an excellent example of "Western spirituality", cited by Dr. Arseniev and almost all others, is Francis of Assisi, who, from the point of view of Orthodox spirituality, is a classic example of a spiritually misguided monk who has fallen into delusion, who is only revered as a saint because the West already fell into hypostasis and lost the Orthodox standard of spiritual life. In our study of Orthodox spiritual tradition, we intend (by way of contrast) to show exactly where Francis and the later Western "saints" went astray; for now, suffice it to note that this attitude that gives rise to such "ecumenical institutions" and "agreed statements" is exactly the same attitude of frivolous amateurism that we have already considered on a more popular level.
The main reason for this, in a spiritual sense, pathological attitude, perhaps, lies not so much in the falsely intellectual theological relativism that prevails in ecumenical circles, but in something deeper, in something that permeates the whole personality and the whole way of life of most modern "Christian". This can be seen in the remark of an Orthodox student at the "Ecumenical Institute" in Bosse, Switzerland, sponsored by the World Council of Churches. Speaking about the significance of "personal exposure to such different approaches, which he had not experienced before," he notes that "the best discussions (on the subject of 'evangelism') have not taken place in plenary sessions, but by the fire with a glass of wine" ( St. Vladimir theological quarterly, No. 3, 1969, p. 164). This remark, made almost casually, reveals more than the "sloppiness" of modern life; it shows the whole modern attitude towards the Church, her theology and practice. And this brings us to the second main trap that we must avoid when studying the Holy Fathers.
The second trap: "theology with a cigarette"
Not only "ecumenical" meetings can be frivolous and frivolous; one can note exactly the same attitude at “Orthodox” meetings and interviews and at meetings of “Orthodox theologians”. The Holy Fathers are not always directly touched upon or discussed at such meetings, but if you feel the spirit of such meetings, it will help us understand what seemingly serious Orthodox Christians rely on when they begin to study spirituality and theology.
One of the largest "Orthodox" organizations in the United States, the "United Russian Orthodox Clubs" - URPC, consisting mainly of members of the former Russian-American Metropolis; it holds annual congresses, the activities of which are quite typical of "Orthodoxy" in America. The October 1973 issue of the Russian Orthodox Journal is dedicated to the 1973 convention at which Bishop Demetrius of Hertford told the delegates: “What I see here, and I say it with complete sincerity, is that the ORPC is potentially the greatest spiritual force in all of America. Orthodoxy” (p. 18). Indeed, many clerics are present at the congresses, including usually Metropolitan Irenaeus, divine services are held daily, and there is always a seminar on some religious topic. Significantly, at this year's seminar (titled in the spirit of "American Orthodoxy": "What? Fasting Again?"), "Questions were raised about the observance of Sabbath evening as preparation for Sunday afternoon. Conflicts arise because the American way of life has made Saturday night the “social night” of the week. One priest gave the following Orthodox answer to this question: “On Saturday evening I suggest attending vespers, confessing, and then spending the evening in a calm and quiet atmosphere” (p. 28). But for those who organized the convention, there was clearly no "conflict"; they gave (as at every convention) dances on Saturday nights quite "American style", and on other evenings also - similar entertainment, including a "teenager's holiday" "with a rock band", a mock casino "in a setting reminiscent of Las- Vegas” and for men “the art of belly dance culture” (p. 24). The illustrations accompanying these articles show some of these frivolities, assuring us that "Orthodox" Americans are no way behind their compatriots in shamelessly profane entertainment; and interspersed are pictures of the Divine Liturgy. This mixture of the holy and the frivolous is considered "normal" in "American Orthodoxy" today; and this organization is (let's repeat the Bishop's words) "potentially the greatest spiritual force in all of American Orthodoxy." But with what spiritual preparation can a person come to the Divine Liturgy if he spent the evening before, celebrating the spirit of this world, and spent many hours of the day off in completely frivolous entertainment? A sober observer can only answer: “Such a person carries with him a worldly spirit, and the very air he breathes is saturated with worldliness; therefore, for him, Orthodoxy itself becomes part of the "carefree" American "lifestyle." If such a person were to read the Holy Fathers, which speak of a completely different way of life, he would either find them completely irrelevant to his own way of life, or he would try to distort their teaching in order to make it applicable to his own way of life.
Now let's look at a more serious "Orthodox" meeting, where the Holy Fathers were even mentioned: the annual "conferences" of the "Orthodox Student Commission". The autumn 1975 issue of Care magazine contains a number of photographs of the 1975 conference, the purpose of which was completely “spiritual” - the same “carefree” spirit, young ladies in shorts (even the URPC congress was put to shame!), a priest delivering the “main address” , holding his hand in his pocket... and in this atmosphere, Orthodox Christians discuss topics such as "The Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Church." The same issue of the magazine "Care" gives us the opportunity to penetrate into what is happening in the minds of such seemingly "easy" people. A new column on “women’s liberation” (its title is so deliberately vulgar that it’s embarrassing to list it here) is written by a witty young convert: “When I converted to Orthodoxy, I thought I knew about most of the problems I would face in the Church. I knew about the scandalous national problems dividing, about quarrels and strife, seizing the parishes, and about religious ignorance ... "The host then moves on to object to the traditional forty-day "cleansing" of the puerperal, as well as other "old-fashioned" arrangements that this "enlightened ” are presented to the modern American woman as “unfair”. She probably never met a real Orthodox priest or layman who would explain to her the meaning or inform her of the spirit of a truly Orthodox way of life; perhaps, if she met one, she would not want to understand him, nor comprehend that the most serious "problem" of new converts today is not at all criticism of the Orthodox environment, which can be carried out so easily, but rather concentration of converts on the own internal actions. The way of life reflected by the magazine "Care" – not Orthodox, and his very attitude makes any approach to the Orthodox way of life impossible. Such periodicals reflect the opinions of most of today's spoiled, selfish, empty young people who, when they come to religion, expect to find "spirituality in comfort," something immediately accessible to their immature minds, deafened by "modern education." Today's young and slightly older clerics, themselves influenced by the secular atmosphere in which young people grow up, sometimes stoop to flattering young people, allowing them to frivolously criticize their elders and their Orthodox "ghettos", and at best give languid academic lectures. on topics far beyond their comprehension. What is the use of talking to such young people about "deification" or "the way of the saints" ("Care", autumn issue of 1974), - concepts that are undoubtedly intellectually comprehensible to today's students, but for which they are emotionally and spiritually completely unprepared , not knowing the basics of Orthodox warfare, the meaning of leaving the worldly environment and education? Without such preparation and teaching in the fundamentals of spiritual life, without understanding the difference between the secular and the Orthodox way of life, lectures will not produce a worthy spiritual fruit.
Seeing the environment from which today's young Orthodox in America (and indeed around the world) come out, one is not surprised when one finds a general lack of seriousness in the works - lectures, articles, books on Orthodox theology and spirituality, and the contribution of even the best lecturers and writers in " main stream" of today's Orthodox jurisdictions seems strangely impotent, lacking spiritual strength. The same is true at the national level: the life of an ordinary Orthodox parish now gives the impression of spiritual inertia, just like today's "Orthodox theologians." Why is it so?
The impotence of Orthodoxy, so widely expressed and experienced today, is in itself, undoubtedly, a product of spiritual weakness, the lack of seriousness of modern life. Orthodoxy today, with its priests, theologians and believers, has become mundane. Young people coming from comfortable homes and adopting or seeking ("native Orthodox" and converts are alike in this respect) a religion that is not far from the self-serving life they are used to; professors and lecturers living in an academic world where nothing is known to be taken seriously as a matter of life and death; the very academic atmosphere of worldly self-satisfaction, in which almost all these "conversations", "conferences" and "institutions" exist - all these factors taken together produce an artificial, greenhouse atmosphere in which, no matter what is said about the sublime truths of Orthodoxy or about experience, by virtue of the very context in which it is spoken, and the worldly orientation of the speaker and servant, cannot reach the depths of the soul and evoke those deep feelings that were normal for Orthodox Christians. In contrast to this greenhouse atmosphere, a real Orthodox education, a real transmission of the Orthodox spirit takes place in an environment that was previously perceived as natural Orthodox: in monasteries, where not only novices, but also pious lay people come to learn both from the very atmosphere of the shrine and from the instructions of the revered elder; in normal parishes, if priests of an "old-fashioned" way of thinking, inspired by Orthodoxy and striving so much for the salvation of their flock that they do not indulge them in their sins and worldly habits, but always encourage them to a higher spiritual life; even in a theological school, if it is of the old type, and not modeled after worldly Western universities, if there is an opportunity for live communication with truly Orthodox scholars who really live by faith and think in accordance with the old school of faith and piety. But all this - what was once considered a normal Orthodox environment - is now rejected by the Orthodox, living in complete harmony with the artificial environment of the modern world, and is no longer even part of the being of a new generation. In the Russian emigration, the "theologians" of the new school, who wish to be in tune with intellectual fashion, to quote the latest Roman Catholic or Protestant thought, and to adopt the whole "laid-back" tone of modern life and, in particular, the academic world, were aptly nicknamed "theologians with a cigarette" . It is equally fair to call them "theologians with a glass of wine" or adherents of "theology on a full stomach" and "spirituality in comfort." Their word has no power, because they themselves are entirely of this world and turn to worldly people in a worldly atmosphere - all this is not Christian exploits, but only empty talk and worthless, pompous phrases.
An accurate reflection of this spirit at the popular level can be seen in a short article written by a well-known layman of the Greek Archdiocese in America and published in the official newspaper of that jurisdiction. Evidently under the influence of the "patristic revival" that swept through the Greek Archdiocese and its seminary a few years ago, this layman writes: "It is very necessary to 'calm down' today. This is, in fact, an important part of our Orthodox tradition, but the fast-paced world in which we live is trying to force it out of our lives.” To find this silence, he advises “to make a start, even in our homes ... At the table before meals, instead of the usual prayer, why not arrange a minute of prayer in silence, and then read the Lord's Prayer together? This could be practiced as an experiment in our parishes during services. You don't need to add or subtract anything. Just at the end of the service, leave all kinds of prayers aloud, singing, reading and movement, and just stand in silence, and let each of us pray for the presence of God in our lives. Silence and bodily discipline constitute a significant part of our Orthodox tradition. In past centuries, this was called in the Eastern Church "the hesychast movement"... Observe silence. This will lay the foundation for that inner renewal that we so much need and strive for” (“Orthodox Observer”, September 17, 1975, p. 7). The author obviously has good intentions, but, like the Orthodox churches themselves today, he has fallen into the trap of worldly thinking, which makes it impossible for him normal orthodox vision. Needless to say, someone who is going to read the Holy Fathers and experience the “patristic rebirth” only to insert into his regime from time to time a moment of purely external silence (obviously filled from within with the worldly mood of his whole life outside this moment!), and to pompously call it the high name of hesychasm - it would be better for him not to read the Holy Fathers at all, for reading this will simply lead us to hypocrisy and falsity and to the inability, like Orthodox youth organizations, to separate the holy from the empty. In order to approach the Holy Fathers, one must strive log off from the atmosphere of this world, recognizing it for what it is. Whoever feels good in the atmosphere of modern "Orthodox" readings, conferences and institutions is alien to the world of true Orthodox spirituality, the "mood" of which is completely different from what exists in these manifestations of worldly "religiosity." We must honestly recognize the unpleasant but necessary truth: the one who Seriously reads the Holy Fathers and strives to the best of his ability (even at a very primitive level) to lead an Orthodox spiritual life, becomes an outcast in our time, a stranger in the atmosphere of modern "religious" movements and discussions; must consciously strive to lead a life completely different from that which is reflected in almost all current "Orthodox" books and periodicals. Of course, all this is easier said than done; but there are some general indications which may help us in this battle. We shall return to them after a brief examination of yet another trap to be avoided in the study of the Holy Fathers.
Third trap: "jealousy... not according to reason" ()
With all the impotence and thinness of today's worldly "Orthodoxy", there is nothing surprising in the fact that, even among secularized "Orthodox" organizations, there are people who light up with the fire of true Orthodoxy, contained in Divine services and patristic writings, in contrast to those who are satisfied worldly religion, they become zealots for the true Orthodox life and faith. This in itself is commendable; but in practice it is not so easy to escape from the snares of worldly religion, and all too often such zealots not only show many signs of the secularization which they desire to avoid, but even depart altogether from the Orthodox tradition, becoming frenzied sectarians.
The most striking example of such “irrelevant jealousy” is the “charismatic” movement. There is no need to describe this movement (a detailed description can be found in Father Seraphim's book "Orthodoxy and Religion of the Future" - ed.). With each issue of the “Charismatic Orthodox” magazine Logos, it becomes clearer that those Orthodox who are involved in this movement do not have a solid foundation. experienced patristic Christianity, and their apologies are almost entirely Protestant in language and tone. Logos, of course, quotes St. Simeon the New Theologian and St. Seraphim of Sarov about the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, but the contrast between this truly Orthodox teaching about the Holy Spirit and the Protestant experience described here in the journal is so sharp that here we are talking about two completely different realities: one is the Holy Spirit, Who comes only to those who strive in a truly Orthodox life, but (in these last times) not in any sensational way; the other is the ecumenical religious "spirit of the times", which is possessed by those who left the "exceptional" Orthodox way of life (or never knew it) and "opened" to a new revelation, accessible to all, members of any sect. Those who carefully study the Holy Fathers and apply their teaching to their own lives will be able to discern obvious signs of spiritual deception (deception) in this movement and recognize the obvious non-Orthodox practice and spirit that characterize it.
There is another completely inconspicuous form of “zealousness beyond reason”, which can be more dangerous for an ordinary serious Orthodox Christian, because it can lead him into his personal spiritual life without revealing any obvious signs of spiritual deception. This danger especially concerns the new converts, the novices in the monasteries - in short, all whose zeal is immature, not tested by experience and not moderated by prudence.
This kind of jealousy is the product of a mixture of two basic dispositions of the soul. First, there is lofty idealism, inspired, in particular, by tales of hermitage, severe ascetic deeds, and lofty spiritual states. Idealism in itself is good, and it characterizes every true striving for spiritual life, but in order to be fruitful, it must be moderated by actual experience - difficult spiritual warfare and humility born in this battle, if only it is true. Without such moderation, he loses contact with the reality of spiritual life and is emasculated by passion - we quote the words of Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov - "an impossible dream of a perfect life, represented vividly and attractively in the imagination." To make this idealism fruitful, one must follow the advice of Bishop Ignatius: “Brothers, do not trust your thoughts, even if they seem to you the best, even if they represent to you in a picturesque picture the most holy monastic life!” (“Offering to Modern Monasticism,” chapter 10).
Secondly, this deceptive idealism, especially in our rational age, is joined by an extreme critical an attitude applied to anything that does not meet the impossibly high demands of the convert. This is the main reason for the disappointment that often befalls new converts and novices after their first flash of enthusiasm for Orthodoxy or monastic life has died out. Such disappointment is a sure sign that their approach to spiritual life and to the reading of patristic writings was one-sided, with excessive emphasis on abstract knowledge that puffed up, and little or no heart disease which must be accompanied by spiritual warfare. This is what happens when a novice discovers that the rules of fasting in a monastery are incommensurable with what he read about the Desert Fathers, or that the Divine Services do not literally follow the typikon, or that his spiritual father has human shortcomings, like all people, and in reality is not "spiritual old man"; but the same novice would be the first to faint if he found himself under the rule of fasting or service according to the typikon, unsuitable for our spiritually weak days, and without a spiritual father, whom he considers impossible to trust, he will not be able to be spiritually nourished at all. Today's people living in the world will be able to find exact matches of this monastic situation in new converts in Orthodox parishes.
patristic teaching about heart disease there is one of the most important teachings for our day, when so much importance is given to "intellectual knowledge" to the detriment of the proper development of the emotional and spiritual life. The absence of this essential experience, first of all, determines amateurishness, triviality, lack of seriousness in today's commonly used study of the Holy Fathers; without this it is impossible to correlate the patristic teaching with one's own life. One can reach the highest level of mental understanding of the teachings of the Holy Fathers, one can have "ready" quotations from the writings of the Holy Fathers on any conceivable topic, one can have seems one can even perfectly know all the traps one can fall into in the spiritual life, as he is described in the books of his fathers - and yet, without a heartache, one can remain a barren fig tree, a boring "know-it-all" who is always "right", or to become an adept of the current "charismatic" experience, which does not know and cannot convey the true spirit of the Holy Fathers.
All of the above is by no means a complete catalog of wrong ways of reading or approaching the Holy Fathers. This is just a series of indications of how many ways one can approach the Holy Fathers erroneously, and, consequently, not getting benefit from reading them, and maybe even to the detriment. This is an attempt to warn the Orthodox that the study of the Holy Fathers is a serious matter that should not be approached lightly, following the intellectual fashion of our time. But this warning should not deter serious Orthodox. Reading the Holy Fathers is indeed a necessary thing for those who value their salvation and wish to do it in fear and humility; but one should approach this reading practical to get the maximum benefit.
Opening for reading a book - the holy Gospel - remember that it will decide your eternal fate. According to her we will be judged and, depending on what we were here on earth, in relation to her, we will receive either eternal bliss or eternal punishment. Do not be satisfied with one fruitless reading of the Gospel; try to fulfill his commandments, read his deeds. This is the book of life, and one must read it with life.
When reading, observe moderation. Temperance maintains a constant desire for reading, and satiation with reading produces an aversion to it.
The Spirit has spoken Scripture, and only the Spirit can interpret it. God-inspired men, prophets and apostles wrote it; God-inspired men, the Holy Fathers, interpreted it. Therefore, anyone who wants to acquire a true knowledge of the Holy Scriptures needs to read the Holy Fathers.
Many, all those who madly, arrogantly rejected the Holy Fathers, who approached the Gospel directly, with blind insolence, with an impure mind and heart, fell into disastrous error. They were rejected by the Gospel: it admits only the humble…
The books of the Holy Fathers, in the words of one of them, are like a mirror: looking at them carefully and often, the soul can see all its shortcomings.
Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov)
Reading only then will bring the desired benefit ...
When what is read will, to the best of its ability, enter into life, become the rule of life, and not simple, bare, soulless and cold knowledge. What good can it be that a man knows to pray and does not pray; knows that it is necessary to forgive insults - and does not forgive; knows that it is necessary to fast - and does not observe fasts; one must endure - and does not tolerate, etc. Such knowledge, according to the word of the Gospel, will even be a condemnation of a person. Therefore, you need to read with attention and try to live in the spirit of what you read. Of course, we cannot immediately become an executor of everything that is written - gradualness is needed.
It is best, if possible, to receive the blessing of a spiritual father for each reading. In the absence of such an opportunity, one should receive at least a general blessing on the order and choice of books to read.
The elders advise reading and re-reading the works of the Holy Fathers... There is no limit to spiritual growth, so re-reading is of great importance. It is better to reread a small number of books with reverence and attention than to read a lot hastily.
Reverend Nikon of Optina
Constant spiritual singing and reading of Scripture is the food of the soul, it is its decoration, it is its protection. On the contrary, not listening to the Scriptures is hunger and ruin for the soul. If you do not understand something, then accept it by simple faith; for it was God Himself who said it.
Saint John Chrysostom
Before you hear what needs to be done, you must promise that you will do it. One thought, that God speaks, banishes all contradiction and produces complete obedience.
Rev. Isidore Pelusiot
When you read, read with zeal and diligence; stop at each verse with great attention and do not only try to turn over the sheets, but, if necessary, do not be lazy and twice, and thrice, and read the verse several times in order to comprehend its power. And when you sit down to read or listen to the reader, first pray to God, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! Open the ears and eyes of my heart, that I may hear Thy words and understand them, and do Thy will; because I am a stranger on earth; do not hide from me, O Lord, Thy commandments, but open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders manifested by Thy law (Ps. 119:18-19). For I trust in You, my God, that You may enlighten my heart.”
Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
The humble and spiritually active, reading the Divine Scriptures, will refer everything to himself, and not to another.
Reverend Mark the Ascetic
When reading spiritual books, apply more to yourself, and not to others, what is written in them, otherwise, instead of applying a plaster to your ulcers, you impose a harmful poison. Read not for curiosity, but for teaching piety and knowing your weakness, and from this come to humility. Read books with humility, and the Lord will enlighten your hearts.
Venerable Macarius of Optina
First, pray to God to direct your mind to comprehend the Scriptures. What is clear, try to fulfill, and skip the incomprehensible, as the Holy Fathers advise. Holy Scripture must be read not for knowledge, but in order to save one's soul. And the study of the incomprehensible belongs to pride. The Holy Fathers advise reading the Holy Gospel daily; if it is very untimely, at least one conceived yet read. Do not read in such a way that you only read it, but inwardly pray to the Lord to open the eyes of your heart to comprehend the power of the holy gospel of Christ; read carefully, exactly in warehouses. By experience you will know the spiritual power emanating from such reading.
Schiegumen John (Alekseev).
If you only refine your mind from a book, but do not correct your will, then from reading a book you will be even angrier than before, since learned and reasonable fools are the most evil than simple ignoramuses.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
Who is from God, he listens to the words of God. (John 8, 47) No prophecy in Scripture can be solved by oneself (2 Pet. 1, 20). If a wise word is heard by a prudent one, he will praise it and apply it to himself. (Sir. 18, 18). Laying aside every impurity and remnant of wickedness, receive in meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:21-22)
St. Ignaty Brianchaninov
Conversation and the company of neighbors has a great effect on a person. A conversation and acquaintance with a scientist conveys a lot of information, with a poet - a lot of lofty thoughts and feelings, with a traveler - a lot of knowledge about countries, about the customs and customs of the people.
Obviously: conversation and acquaintance with the saints communicate holiness. You will be reverend with a reverend, and you will be innocent with an innocent man, and you will be chosen with a chosen one.(Ps. 17:26-27).
From now on, during a short earthly life, which Scripture did not even call life, but wandering, get to know the saints. Do you want to belong in heaven to their society, do you want to be a participant in their bliss? from now on enter into communion with them. When you leave the temple of the body, they will accept you as their friend, as their friend (Luke 16:9).
There is no closer acquaintance, there is no closer connection, as a connection by unity of thoughts, unity of feelings, unity of purpose (1 Cor. 1, 10).
Where there is unanimity, there is certainly unanimity, there is certainly one goal, the same success in achieving the goal.
Assimilate the thoughts and spirit of the holy fathers by reading their writings. The Holy Fathers reached their goal: salvation. And you will achieve this goal in the natural course of things. As one of one mind and unanimous to the holy fathers, you will be saved.
Heaven received the holy fathers into its blessed bosom. By this it testified that the thoughts, feelings, deeds of the holy fathers were pleasing to him.
The holy fathers set forth their thoughts, their hearts, and the mode of their actions in their writings. This means: what a true guide to heaven, witnessed by heaven itself, are the writings of the fathers.
The writings of the holy fathers are all compiled by the inspiration or under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Wonderful harmony in them, wonderful anointing! He who is guided by them has, without any doubt, the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
All the waters of the earth flow into the ocean, and perhaps the ocean serves as the beginning for all the waters of the earth. The Scriptures of the Fathers are all united in the Gospel; everyone tends to teach us the exact fulfillment of the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ; all of them and the source and end - the Holy Gospel.
The Holy Fathers teach how to approach the Gospel, how to read it, how to understand it correctly, what helps, what hinders understanding it. And therefore, at first, be more engaged in reading the holy fathers. When they teach you to read the Gospel, then read the Gospel predominantly.
Do not consider reading the Gospel alone sufficient for yourself, without reading the Holy Fathers! This is a proud, dangerous thought. It is better that the holy fathers lead you to the Gospel, as your beloved child, who received a preliminary upbringing and education through their writings.
Many, all those who madly, arrogantly rejected the holy fathers, who approached the Gospel directly, with blind insolence, with an impure mind and heart, fell into disastrous error. The gospel rejected them: it admits only the humble.
Reading the writings of the fathers is the parent and king of all virtues.
From reading the writings of the Fathers, we learn the true understanding of Holy Scripture, the right faith, living according to the commandments of the Gospel, the deep respect that one must have for the Gospel commandments, in a word, salvation and Christian perfection.
The reading of the Fathers' writings, by belittling the spirit-bearing mentors, has become the main guide for those who wish to be saved and even attain Christian perfection (St. Nil of Sora, Rules).
The books of the holy fathers, in the words of one of them, are like a mirror: looking into them carefully and often, the soul can see all its shortcomings.
Again - these books are like a rich collection of medical remedies: in it the soul can find salutary medicine for each of its ailments.
Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus said: "One look at the sacred books excites one to a pious life" (Alphabetic Patericon).
The reading of the holy fathers must be thorough, attentive, and constant: our invisible enemy, who hates the voice of affirmation, hates especially when this voice comes from the holy fathers.
This voice exposes the intrigues of our enemy, his cunning, opens his nets, his mode of action: and therefore the enemy arms himself against the reading of the fathers with various proud and blasphemous thoughts, tries to plunge the ascetic into vain cares in order to distract him from saving reading, fights him with despondency, boredom , forgetfulness.
From this battle against the reading of the holy fathers, we must conclude how saving for us is the weapon, so much hated by the enemy. The enemy is anxious to wrest him from our hands.
Each choose for himself the reading of the Fathers, according to his way of life. Let the hermit read the fathers who wrote about silence; a monk living in a hostel - the fathers who wrote instructions for monastic hostels; a Christian living in the midst of the world - the holy fathers who delivered their teachings in general for all of Christianity.
Everyone, whatever his rank, draw abundant instruction from the writings of the fathers.
You absolutely need to read in accordance with the way of life, otherwise you will be filled with thoughts, although holy, but impracticable by the deed itself, stimulating fruitless activity only in the imagination and desire; the deeds of godliness that befit your way of life will slip out of your hands.
Not only will you become a fruitless dreamer, your thoughts, being in constant contradiction with the circle of actions, will certainly give rise to confusion in your heart, and uncertainty in your behavior, painful, harmful to you and your neighbors.
With an incorrect reading of the Holy Scriptures and the holy fathers, one can easily deviate from the saving path into impenetrable jungles and deep abysses, which happened to many. Amen.
About my own compositions
My writings do not belong to me; their source is the fathers, they belong to the fathers of the Orthodox Church. The choice of me by the Providence of God as a tool for teaching this vital spiritual food to the modern remnant of believers is a blessing of God to them and to me. "The world loves its own," said the Savior.
When the world hears the Word of God proclaimed according to the elements and in the spirit of the world, i.e. when he hears his teaching, covered with the guise of the teaching of God, then he exalts him with praises. When he senses in the word the presence of another spirit that acts destructively on the dominion of the world, then he becomes infected with hatred for the word, establishes persecution against the one who uttered the word.
It is very dangerous to acquire knowledge not in Christ, but by developing one's own fallen nature, to abide in spirit in communion with the world.
Acting in the field of the latter method, people will certainly become infected with enmity towards the Holy Spirit, just as the Jewish clergy were infected with this deadly enmity, in which they were convicted by the first martyr Stephen (Acts 7, 51).
These scholars literally did not find words to oppose them to the words of the Spirit that Stefan spoke, and therefore they were kindled to the vessel of the Spirit with envy and hatred.
They answered the words with stones; the teaching of the truth was countered with murder. The word of God has always been persecuted by the world; persecution from the world has always been evidence of teaching from God.
On the Truth and Concordance of the Teaching of the Fathers of the Eastern Church with Holy Scripture
Now I am reading a book that I have in Slavic, Russian and other languages, which contains the "Collection of sayings of the holy desert dwellers of Egypt."
These sayings are priceless pearls! A diver descends into the deep sea in order to get an expensive pearl: and the holy fathers retired to deep deserts, there they deeply delved into themselves, found various priceless spiritual pearls: Christ-imitating humility, infantile simplicity and gentleness, angelic dispassion, spiritual reasoning and wisdom, - in a word, to say found the gospel.
Today I read that saying of the Great Sisoy, which I have always especially liked, which has always been especially to my heart. Some monk said to him: "I am in constant remembrance of God." The Monk Sisoy answered him: "This is not great; it will be great when you consider yourself worse than all creation."
A lofty occupation is the unceasing remembrance of God! But this height is very dangerous when the ladder to it is not based on the solid stone of humility.
See how Scripture agrees with the Fathers! The Scripture says, "You do not favor burnt offerings... the sacrifice to God is a broken spirit. A broken heart and humbly God will not despise."
Human sacrifices and burnt offerings themselves must be based on a feeling of spiritual poverty, on a feeling of repentance. Without this, they are rejected by God. I also really like the saying of the Great Pimen: "If we always blame ourselves for everything," he said, "we will find peace everywhere."
Another father said, "We have left the light burden of blaming ourselves and have taken on the heavy burden of blaming others." Such sayings are worth whole books! No one, it seems, has delved into the Gospel as much as the holy hermits have delved into it; they tried to realize the gospel by their very life, by their very thoughts and feelings.
Their distinguishing feature was the deepest humility; the fall of man was a constant subject of their reflection; weeping over their sins was a constant occupation... The Holy Fathers of the Eastern Church lead their reader not into the arms of love, not to the heights of visions - they lead him to contemplate his sin, his fall, to confession of the Redeemer, to weeping for himself before the mercy of the Creator.
They first teach to curb the impure aspirations of our body, to make it light, capable of spiritual activity; then they turn to the mind, straighten its way of thinking, its mind, clearing it of the thoughts that we assimilated after our fall, replacing them with thoughts of a renewed human nature, vividly depicted in the Gospel.
With the correction of the mind, the holy fathers take care of the correction of the heart, changing its habits and sensations.
It is more difficult to purify the heart than to purify the mind: the mind, convinced of the validity of a new thought, easily discards the old one, easily assimilates a new one; but to replace a habit with a habit, a property with a property, a feeling with another feeling, with an opposite feeling, is labor, it is strenuous continuous work, it is an incredible struggle.
The fierceness of this struggle is expressed by the fathers thus: "Give blood and receive spirit." This means that it is necessary to put to death all the sinful desires of the flesh and blood, all the movements of the mind and heart that depend on the flesh and blood.
It is necessary to bring both the body, and the mind, and the heart into the control of the spirit. Blood and nerves are set in motion by many passions: both anger, and love of money, and voluptuousness, and vanity. The last two extremely inflame the blood of ascetics who labor illegally, making them frenzied fanatics.
Vanity aspires prematurely to spiritual states, to which a person is still incapable due to his impurity, for not achieving the truth - he composes dreams for himself. And voluptuousness, joining its action to the action of vanity, produces in the heart seductive, false consolations, pleasures, and intoxications.
Such a state is a state of self-delusion. All those who labor illegally are in this state. It develops in them more or less, depending on how much they intensify their exploits...
In the holy fathers of the Eastern Church, there is by no means a heated state of blood. They never become enthusiastic... True selflessness breathes from their writings, the fragrance of the Holy Spirit breathes, deadening passions. The sons of the world flee from this fragrance, as wasps fly away from smoking incense. "The world loves its own," said the Lord...
And "the wise stumble in their deceit" (1 Cor. 3:19), they stumbled, they fell with a terrible fall.
They wanted to explain the "spiritual" with a dark spiritual mind - and this "spiritual" in the writings of the Holy Fathers seemed strange to them, contradicting the Holy Scriptures.
"Spiritual speaks to the spiritual," said the holy Apostle Paul.
"But a man of the soul does not even accept the Spirit of God: for he is foolishness and cannot understand, but he claims spiritually" (1 Cor. 2, 14).
The last words in the Russian translation of the New Testament are read as follows: "because this (spiritual) must be judged spiritually."
About the vanity of earthly life. On Reading the Holy Fathers
Precisely - the path of earthly life is mournful; when a man accomplishes a significant part of it and looks back, how vain all the pleasant earthly things that he aspired to with such greed in his youth seem to be!
Let us not lose, at least, the rest of our life by sacrificing it to vanity; let us get acquainted with eternity not from romantic foreign little books that lead their readers to indispensable self-delusion, but from the guidance of the holy writers of our Church, in which there is nothing romantic, dreamy, flattering and deceiving the mind and heart.
The reading of the writers of our Church communicates a positive knowledge of man's relationship to God, the Creator and Redeemer, and teaches us to approach Him through repentance, and not to flatter ourselves with the sweet feelings of imaginary spiritual love...
Spiritual love is the property of the perfect, but the property of the pious and those who are being saved is the fear of God, the sight of their sins and shortcomings; the result of both is a contrite and humble heart, expressed in repentance. This is the true moral teaching of the Orthodox Church, free from deceit and self-delusion.
About reading spiritual books according to one's position
A Christian living in the midst of the world should read the works of the great saints, who wrote for the people, teaching Christian virtues, going for those who spend their lives among material pursuits.
Another reading for cenobitic monks: they should read the holy fathers who wrote instructions for this kind of life. And another reading for silent and hermits!
The study of virtues that do not correspond to the way of life produces daydreaming, leads a person into a false state.
Practicing virtues that do not correspond to the way of life makes life fruitless. And life is exhausted in vain, and the virtues disappear: the soul cannot keep them to itself for a long time, it must soon leave them, because they are beyond its power.
Such an exercise in exalted virtues, exceeding one's strength and ability, often damages the soul irreparably, upsets it for a long time, sometimes for life, and makes it incapable of feats of piety.
The Lord commanded "new wine", i.e. lofty virtues and feats, "pouring new wineskins", i.e. give to ascetics who have already matured in pious deeds, renewed and enlightened by grace.
He forbade pouring new wine into old wineskins, repairing an old robe with a new patch.
Do not think that an exalted feat, for which your soul is not yet ripe, will help you! Not!
He will upset you more: you will have to leave him, and despondency, hopelessness, darkness, bitterness will appear in your soul.
In such a disposition, you will allow yourself greater errors, greater violations of the law of God than you have fallen into before.
“They don’t put a new patch on an old robe, because this will only make the hole bigger.” And for the monks of all in general, and for Christians living in the middle of the world, the most useful reading is the New Testament, especially the Gospel.
A Christian living in the midst of the world should not read the holy fathers who wrote for monastics. What is the use of reading those virtues which cannot be fulfilled by the deed itself? There can be no benefit, but there can be harm, consisting in the fact that a dreaminess of a spiritual state is aroused in a person, which does not suit him in any way.
This daydreaming will be a time to flatter the imagination of lofty virtues, a time to bring despondency and despair to the soul, when we see that we cannot fulfill these virtues, always and constantly distract us from good deeds that go straight to us, thus making our life empty, fruitless. .
The Christian, whose lot is to lead and end his life in the midst of the world, should read the holy fathers, who wrote in general for all Christians.
These are the writers whose works are written in Russian or translated into it: St. John Chrysostom, St. Dimitry of Rostov, St. Tikhon of Voronezh, Nicephorus of Astrakhan, George the Recluse. An abundant field for reading! A plentiful spiritual pasture, where the verbal sheep of Christ can feed until they are full and fat!Reading of the Holy Fathers
The elders advise reading and re-reading the works of the holy fathers. They are deep and understood gradually. Their subject is the spiritual life, and it is vast: “Wide is thy commandment.” There is no limit to spiritual growth, so rereading is of great importance. It is better to reread a small number of books with reverence and attention than to read a lot hastily. Reading is one of the most important things to do. Without reading or listening to reading, one cannot know the truth. Speaking of reading, I mean exclusively the reading of Holy Scripture and the writings of the Fathers and the Church. But reading will only bring the desired benefit when what is read enters life to the best of its ability and becomes the rule of life, and not just naked, soulless and cold knowledge. What use can it be that a person knows that one must pray and does not pray, knows that one must forgive offenses, and does not forgive, knows that one must fast and does not observe fasts, one must endure, and does not tolerate, etc. Such knowledge, according to the word of the Gospel, will even be in condemnation of a person. Therefore, you need to read with attention and try to live in the spirit of what you read. Of course, we cannot immediately become an executor of everything that is written - we need gradualness. At first, self-compulsion and humility, awareness of one's weakness, then the knowledge gained from reading will bring the desired benefit. In general, all the books and writings of the holy fathers and true teachers of the Church on the spiritual life, and especially the writings on prayer, must be read with extreme attention, slowly, delving into every saying, every word with the strength of your mind, so as not to miss something. - or necessary, so as not to give yourself a reason for an incorrect, arbitrary understanding and interpretation of what is being read. Spiritual life and the feat of prayer have their own laws, their own sequence; they must be studied and understood, mastered by the mind and heart. Self-made, self-thinking should not have a place here, they lead a person astray. A seemingly small deviation or inaccuracy sometimes leads to big mistakes and delusions, which have bitter fruits and consequences. If something seems incomprehensible, unclear, then you need to ask someone who knows if you have such a person, and if you don’t, then let it remain incomprehensible for the time being; don't try to understand with your mind. In due time the Lord will send admonition; St. Tikhon of Zadonsk speaks well of this. The elders advise reading and rereading the books of the holy fathers. The writings of the holy fathers embody the truth of spiritual life and wisdom, and always bring consolation and enlightenment and spiritual reinforcement to the reader! They can never lose their vitality, for the spiritual life set forth in them has forever its own laws that cannot be changed. They (scriptures) are understood and assimilated gradually, as the spiritual growth of the reader and ascetic, as understanding is gained from their experience and personal experiences. Incidentally, the latter is one of the reasons for the need to reread the writings of the fathers. And it is advised to reread them like this: if a person sees that he is attacked, for example, by the passion of anger, then he is advised to read about this passion and the opposite virtue; if malice attacks, then read about malice and love; if fornication attacks, then read about prodigal passion and chastity, etc. It is useful for those who are depressed by grief to read about the benefits and necessity of sorrows, etc. It has been noticed that what it needs at a given time makes a particularly strong impression on the soul, like a ban on reading books in a row. Those who wish and have the opportunity, let them read each book in a row. It is even necessary to get a complete impression and understanding of the writings and teachings of this or that holy father. And this advice can be used as your spiritual need for this or that reading. It is best, if possible, to receive the blessing of a spiritual father for each reading. In the absence of such an opportunity, one should receive at least a general blessing on the order and choice of books to read (St. Nikon).
About reading the books of the fathers, I cannot give an exact meaning; they are not written according to a scientific system, but simply about various passions and virtues, how to resist the first and acquire the latter. There are also lofty subjects for the perfect. You, reading books, what is accessible to your mind and befits your dispensation, then assimilate it for yourself, and what exceeds your concept, then, after reading, leave it like that, without delving into the depth of understanding: it can be opened in time, for babies it is firm food is uncomfortable. Read books chi-tai from the beginning, continue in a row, but not all one, but read in one in the morning, in the other in the evening; read not for curiosity, but for teaching piety and knowing your weakness, and from this come to humility (St. Macarius).
Read the books of the fathers and engage in their teaching, it will be useful to the knowledge of one’s weakness and to the acquisition of humility, patience and love and admonishes us how to resist passions, how to cleanse our hearts from this thorns and plant virtues (St. Macarius).
They are<святые отцы>they didn’t just write from the mind, but before the deed many sorrows and illnesses passed and they left us, as a rich heritage and as a repository of hope, their inspired words, and we, sending thanks to the Lord who gave us this gift, we will teach to be in them and, in case of need, to apply to our ulcers, as a healing balm ... (St. Macarius).
Books to read to the sisters, depending on the dispensation of each, but it is more necessary to give active, rather than speculative readings, such as: Saints Ephraim, Abba Dorotheus, St. John of the Ladder, Prologue and Lives of the Holy Fathers; and look from them the fruit - the knowledge of their weakness and humility, and not what - I know everything, and in the case of a conversation, challenge others. And then the Lord Himself will give them the true mind, which is acquired from humility; and how much it brings benefits, so much, on the contrary, the offering damages, which they themselves have seen in experience on many (St. Macarius).
You can read books that are moral, that is, active, relating to the life of a Christian, as much as time allows in social studies; speculative, i.e. contemplative, are not yet available to us; the contemplative life happens after the purification of oneself by the commandments of Christ, and this grace itself teaches. In patristic teachings it is called: "action and vision." Action is the commandments, and vision is the contemplation by the mind of the mysteries that are not subject to the senses; one should by no means look for this, lest instead of truth delusions fall (St. Macarius).
You trust your conscience and be guided by the teachings of the holy fathers, who have passed the path of monastic life and who have left us an example with their life and teaching. In their teaching we see how to act and walk the path of life, to have a struggle with passions... (St. Macarius).
You write that you don’t understand some places from the book of John of the Ladder; be content with what you understand, and try to fulfill it, and then other things will be revealed (St. Macarius).
What you read in your father's books and what you talked about orally, try to pass by skill or experience, and most of all with self-denial, in the rejection of your will and mind, and in leaving your desires ... (St. Makary ).
Read fatherly books; in their teaching you will find admonition and strengthening for yourself (St. Macarius).
I ask you, for God's sake, read the word of God and the fatherly instructions more often, you will find benefit, you will find there that one way to peace is patience and humility (St. Macarius).
Get out the book “Teachings of Abba Dorotheus”... Read this book constantly, applying moral lessons to yourself and trying to correct and direct your life according to them. Our late elders called this book the ABC of our life (St. Joseph).
That you are reading the book of Abba Dorotheus is good. God grant that reading will bear good fruit. Try to delve into what is written there, everything is understandable there, and if you want, then it can be easily applied to life. And if it's hard to come by, it's because you're reading for the first time. If you read more diligently, you will understand better... It is also useful to read the “Ladder” of St. John, but do not be embarrassed by shortcomings, but try to reproach yourself for them, repent and humble yourself more (St. Joseph).
Batiushka said... what about. Macarius, the great elder, every three years re-read Abba Dorotheus and the Ladder and found in them everything new and new, for he grew spiritually (St. Barsanuphius).
Abba Dorotheos is the ABC of monastic life, although by reading it, you can discover everything new and new, and for everyone it is in accordance with his condition ... She has a shore, and from the shore one can walk first knee-deep, then deeper and deeper . Sometimes, right into the depths... (St. Barsanuphius).
Question: "Father, I've noticed that reading godless books and generally disagreeing with my worldview, although it does not change my views, nevertheless, some kind of sediment remains after these books." Answer: “Yes... the holy fathers and our elders advised reading books of their direction and by reading to further strengthen and develop their convictions...” (St. Varso-nofiy).
It's a good thing you did that you started reading this book.<«Отечник» епископа Игнатия>. It is composed as follows: Bishop Ignatius wrote out what answered the exciting monastic questions. From this side, this work is irreplaceable. Many perplexities that have worried someone for a long time are immediately resolved by some kind of extract (St. Barsanuphius).
I take great comfort in the writings of Bishop Ignatius. I don’t know how to thank the Lord and the priest that I have such a treasure... I am amazed at the angelic mind of Bishop Ignatius, his wonderfully deep understanding of the Holy Scriptures... I feel a special disposition towards his writings. They enlighten my heart, my mind with the true gospel light (St. Nikon).
The works of St. Isaac the Syrian are best read in Russian translation. His writings, with a very deep content, should be read with caution. What is said there for beginners is in our time accessible only to those who have succeeded in the spiritual life, and much cannot be applied at all. Such books as the works of St. Isaac should be read not in order to apply to oneself, but for mood. Otherwise it can be very bad. In arrogance, in charm, you can fall and be damaged. And you need to take the entire essay or article as a whole, you need to look at the whole. So it is said by Isaac the Syrian that his teaching as a whole must be taken ... It is better to read what is simpler, more understandable, for example: Abba Dorotheus, The Ladder, Theodore the Studite, Cassian the Roman and others (St. Nikon).
By reading spiritual books without direction, you are afraid that you will fall into some wrong thoughts and wrong opinions. Your fear is very well founded. Therefore, if you do not want to suffer such a distress of the soul, do not read indiscriminately any new works, even if they are of spiritual content, but such writers who have not confirmed their teaching by the holiness of life, but read the works of such fathers who are recognized by the Orthodox Church for firmly known and, without a doubt, instructive and soul-saving (St. Ambrose).
In order not to lose firm Orthodoxy, take the book The Orthodox Confession by Peter Mohyla as a guide for yourself and your children. Examine it with attention and diligence, and keep firmly in your memory what is written there, so that you yourself know well the work of your salvation, and know what you need to say and point out to the children at a decent time. Let the Chronicle or the 4th part of the works of St. Demetrius of Rostov be the second book of this kind. Behind her and other parts of his creations, read not only for guidance on right opinions and understandings, but also for guidance in life itself, what to know and be able to do, how and when to act purely Christianly, according to Orthodox decrees. For the same purpose, read the book of Abba Dorotheus, which is justly called the mirror of the soul. This mirror will show everyone not only his actions, but also the very movements of the heart. During fasts, and especially during fasting days, it is decent and useful to read the works of Ephraim the Syrian in Russian translation, choosing chapters on repentance (St. Ambrose).
In order to be more firmly established in Orthodox concepts, I would advise you to read with attention and diligence all the creations of the new saint of God, St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Although their style is heavy, when reading, try to pay your attention more to thoughts and to the proposed Christian rules. The reading of two Russian luminaries, St. Demetrius of Rostov and St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, will explain a lot to you and will confirm a lot for you. To this add the words of the Apostle Paul: “Do not be carried away by different and alien doctrines; For it is good to strengthen hearts with grace, and not with dishes from which those who dine on them have not benefited” (Heb. 13:9). And in another place: “But even if we or an angel from heaven began to preach to you not what we preached to you, let it be anathema” (Gal. 1, 8). Hold fast to this testimony and do not agree to accept any new teachings, no matter how plausible they may be, imitating one who knows well all the signs and signs of pure silver, who soon notices the admixture of any ligature and rejects non-pure silver. Similarly, you also reject every teaching where you notice even a little ligature of various human opinions, which are charged on the mind of God (2 Cor. 10, 5). Having established yourself in the Orthodox teaching, first read all the spiritual journals, with the aforementioned analysis, and then choose the one that suits your spirit more (St. Ambrose).
You write again and ask why Bishop Theophan did not approve of the works of Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. I have not read all of his writings, but I remember an inaccurate citation of passages from the writings of the holy fathers. For example, in the “Philokalia” of Simeon the New Theologian, the third way of praying for obedience to the elder and spiritual father is mentioned, without which it is inconvenient to be saved by the Jesus Prayer, and Bishop Ignatius attributed this to simple general monastic obedience, and you for you yourself know what a great difference there is between the one and the other obedience. It is likely that St. Theophanes also found many other inaccurate passages from St. Ignatius. However, the “Sermon on Death” is well written by him, and the charm of the mind and the charm of the heart are also well explained to them (St. Ambrose).
Don't worry about reading your father's books when your inner feeling doesn't bow to it. Someone says: acquire God in yourself, and do not demand books (St. Ambrose).
Reading spiritual books
When reading spiritual books, apply more to yourself, and not to others, what is written in them, otherwise, instead of applying a plaster to your ulcers, you impose a harmful poison, and more<раны>dissolve (St. Macarius).
Your thirst for reading spiritual books is commendable, but you should not confine yourself to reading alone, but extend to doing; but everything must be done with humility. From reading, it also happens that, seeing the height of living and knowing one's weakness, one must involuntarily humble oneself and thereby attract the grace of God and help in our affairs. However, it is not necessary to be arrogant about what you read (St. Macarius).
I advise you not to leave reading spiritual books, because sometimes even one line read at a good hour will be valued more than the entire annual publication and will remain forever in your memory (St. Anthony).
I sincerely ask you, as a sincere friend, not to fill your heads with your wasteland and nonsense, but use your memory to read books that are most spiritual and edifying (St. Anthony).
Nothing so much consoled my soul and calmed it as the constant reading of spiritual books, which I read alternately, and noticing some places, and repeated, so that they could be preserved in my memory for a longer time. For even lambs, when they are full, usually chew their former food, setting an example, so that when we eat incorruptible food, that is, when we read or listen to the word of God, we chew it more often, that is, with attention and reasoning in our memory, we carry what we hear and like it. -their quality was corrected (St. Anthony).
The best guide for you will be reading the lives of the saints (St. Barsanuphius).
The lives of the saints are irreplaceable reading, which has such a beneficial effect on the soul, especially when read in the Slavic language. At present, the Slavic language is often not understood, but meanwhile, it is much more beautiful and richer than the Russian language. One expert compares the Slavic language with Russian and says that there is the same difference between them as between a palace and a tavern ... In the world, reading the lives of the saints, and especially in the Slavic language, is completely abandoned, you don’t follow the customs of this age, but do this saving reading (St. Barsanuphius).
I am sending you ... three pamphlets: 1) advice from the mind to your soul, 2) about things that forbid salvation, with soulful conversations of the blessed elder Zosima, and 3) an interpretation on "Lord have mercy." The volume of these books is apparently very small, but their content is large, very large. In them, although briefly, but clearly and practically, it is stated how every Christian should adapt the Gospel teaching to the way of his life in order to receive God's mercy and inherit eternal blessedness. ... To read at least one of these books every week and do this every month, because what is said in these spiritual books is not retained in memory for a long time. And why it is not being held back, the late 80-year-old elder, Archimandrite Moses, explained to us the reason, saying to the one who asked about this: “These books require these things” (St. Ambrose).
You wrote that N. yours, apart from the Gospel, does not recognize other books of theological content and considers them, like the modern sermons of priests in the church, to be an unnecessary repetition and distortion of the gospel teaching. Why? Is it because he does not read spiritual literature at all and does not listen to sermons. But in this case, is it possible to correctly judge the dignity of spiritual and moral writings? After all, by heart, that is, without looking into the book, only the beggars sing Lazarus. And your N., who thinks a lot about himself, is ashamed to speak so reproachfully about spiritual literature without any actual evidence (St. Ambrose).
Wonders
You see in your N. a contradiction to himself. This is the absolute truth. In fact, he does not believe in the Gospel miracles of Christ, but partakes of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Meanwhile, the Holy Eucharist is the first, most important and greatest miracle of Christ, and the other gospel miracles are already secondary. For how not to call it the greatest miracle that simple bread and simple wine, once directly transubstantiated by the Lord into the true Body and into His true Blood, for almost two thousand years, through the prayers of the priests, therefore, already ordinary people, do not cease to be transubstantiated in exactly the same way, producing a miraculous change in people who partake of these Divine Mysteries with faith and humility (St. Ambrose).
N. your gospel miracles of Christ ascribes to hypnotic and telepathic phenomena and calls them tricks. But there is an immeasurable difference between the miracles of the Gospel and tricks. And firstly, they differ from each other in their meaning. The miracles of Christ, being extraordinary deeds, at the same time were the greatest blessings to suffering humanity. In fact, to heal the blind-born, withered hands, to raise the dead is not the essence of all these are the greatest blessings. It is not for nothing that the Apostle expressed himself about the Lord Jesus Christ as follows: “And He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38). And these miraculous blessings of Christ produced the most beneficial influence on the people blessed by the Lord. For example, after healing the man born blind, the Lord, having found him, said to him: “Do you believe in the Son of God? “And who is He, Lord, that I should believe in Him” (John 9:35-36), he objected. The Lord said to him: “And you saw Him, and He speaks to you” (John 9:37). The healed man said: “I believe, Lord! And he worshiped Him” (John 9:38). And what do we see when we present tricks? The magician is busy with a selfish goal, he cares only about his own profit, how to collect more money from the audience, and the audience will look, yawn, say: “yes, this is amazing,” and then they will go away with empty pockets. And how many seductive speeches and glances there are. And already there is nothing to interpret about bad thoughts. Secondly, the miracles of Christ were true miracles. For example, to resurrect a four-day dead man (Lazarus), whose body has already begun to decompose, is this a trick? And what kind of hypnotist or telepathist can do anything like that? And magic tricks are deceit, this has long been known to everyone (St. Ambrose).
Chess
The game of chess serves to waste time, which we lose quite a lot even without this game... (St. Anthony).
jokes
Jokes are indecent in our rank, we must not do this in advance - and pray to God with repentance: “I know my iniquity, and I take out my sin before me ...” (Ps. 50, 5). When we remember our sins, we will not fall into new ones (St. Macarius).
foolishness
You just blew it! And she's tired! And it's hard to live on earth! And he wants to be a fool! And go to another monastery! If only he were there! Humble yourself!.. Father ordered you to say that “the saints are foolish,” that is, there are too few sorrows between brothers for these people, and they look for them in the worldly crowd! (teacher Anatoly).
Your reasoning that one should not trust all holy fools, because many of them are in delusion and deceive others with their imaginary foolishness, but that one should also not condemn them is in accordance with the truth (St. Hilarion).
Sneaking
What are you complaining about, about the same thing that people complained about you before, that you unnecessarily conveyed to M. a lot, what you see or hear and sometimes incorrectly, but as it seemed to you; for this they grieved at you, and now the word is being fulfilled: that which we sow, that we shall also reap... (St. Ambrose).
Language
For some people, the tongue is the cane of the Holy Spirit, that is, edifying and comforting, while for others, the tongue pronounces the words of the devil, irritable, upsetting those who listen to illness. What is the most (not to say reproachfully) I often noticed in the words of T.V., which I always regretted, but I did not find any opportunity to correct him, because he took any third-party word for himself in a bad way. Therefore, we have no other means to protect ourselves, except for one prayer to the Lord (St. Anthony).
Our benefit comes not from the number of words, but from the quality. Sometimes a lot is said, but there is nothing to listen to, and at other times you hear one word, and it remains in your memory for life (St. Anthony).
If we take into consideration one of our own languages, then how much evil they uttered - blasphemy against God, condemnation of neighbors, grumbling, ridicule, blasphemy, chatter, scolding, swearing, and so on and so forth! And does at least one day pass in a year on which we would not sin with our tongue, forgetting that for every idle word we will give the answer to God. Therefore, the Lord God, who provides for our correction and salvation, sends sorrows, from which a person not only talks idle, but also makes it difficult to speak sensibly (St. Anthony).
Rage
You, N. N. through these cases, falling into a rage, understand that this comes from self-love, and not being able to fight or repent, you fall into cowardice and despondency, and this is also from self-love or spiritual pride: you, not seeing correction in yourself, you lose heart and lose heart, but it would be necessary, seeing your poverty in spiritual work and in failure to fulfill the commandments, humble yourself and repent, then the mercy of God will visit you and give you peace: “God looks down on the humble” ( Compare: Ps. 112, 6) (St. Macarius).
Reading the writings of the fathers is the parent and king of all virtues.
St. Ignatius
With pain in his heart, St. Ignatius noticed that Christians, his contemporaries, almost did not study the works of the holy fathers at all. “The writings of the Holy Fathers are forgotten! The fact that from ancient times they were recognized by the Holy Church as the only correct guide in the ascetic life is not at all accepted in respect, ”he wrote. Seeing that in his time there were very few spiritual mentors who were able to correctly guide the spiritual life of the flock, and noticing that every year the true mentors are diminishing, Vladyka tirelessly reminded in his creations and letters that the only true guide in the spiritual life are the creations of the saints. fathers. “The light in which spiritual vigil is performed is shed from themselves… the writings of the Holy Fathers,” Vladyka reminds all Christians of this truth.
The writings of the holy fathers, according to the unfalse conviction of St. Ignatius, were composed under the inspiration or under the influence of the Holy Spirit; they bear the seal of anointing and marvelous unity. All of them basically have the gospel and teach how to correctly fulfill the gospel commandments. "Their source and end is the Holy Gospel." Many holy fathers delved into the Gospel in deep solitude, put its teaching into practice in their lives, and then set forth in their writings how to fulfill the Gospel commandments. Saint Ignatius writes: “The Holy Fathers teach how to approach the Gospel, how to read it, how to understand it correctly, what helps, what hinders understanding it.”
In order to improve the perception and correct understanding of the Gospel, Vladyka even advised to first study the writings of the Holy Fathers, learn from the Holy Fathers how to relate to the Gospel, and then only begin to read the Word of God.
The necessity of interpreting Holy Scripture in the light of the writings of the Holy Fathers, St. Ignatius bases on the words of the Apostle Peter: “No prophecy in Scripture can be resolved by oneself. For prophecy was never uttered by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21). These apostolic words clearly forbid arbitrary interpretation of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit spoke, and the holy apostles wrote down the Holy Scripture, and only the Holy Spirit can correctly interpret it. God-inspired men - prophets and apostles - wrote the Holy Scriptures, only God-inspired men - holy fathers - can correctly interpret It. All who want to get a true knowledge of the Word of God must study the holy fathers and perceive their understanding of the Word of God. This is the only safe way. Arbitrary interpretation always leads to the path of error, because "no one knows God, but the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2, 11).
Just as the knowledge of the holy fathers is necessary in interpreting the Word of God, it is also necessary for the correct passage of the Christian feat. “The distinguishing feature of all the holy fathers,” writes St. Ignatius, “was the steady guidance of the moral tradition of the Church.” All the ascetics of ancient times went through a difficult feat of external and internal deeds, based on repentance, lamentation, humility, self-reproach and many other Christian virtues. Their creations are founts from which everyone can learn the doctrine of Christian virtues and walk along the path of salvation. “Assimilate the thoughts and spirit of the holy fathers by reading their writings,” the archpastor-mentor suggests, “the holy fathers have reached their goal: salvation. And you will achieve this goal in the natural course of things. The holy fathers set forth their thoughts, their hearts, and the mode of their actions in their writings. This means: what a true guide to heaven…” Under the guidance of the Holy Fathers, according to St. Ignatius, one can not only be saved, but even achieve Christian perfection.
In the patristic traditions one can find the answer to any question of spiritual life. St. Ignatius compares the books of the holy fathers with a rich collection of medical remedies, the soul of a Christian can find in this collection a cure for his sinful ulcers.
Vladyka Ignatius advises reading both the Gospel and the works of the holy fathers constantly, with attention, observing prudent moderation, which for a long time preserves the “taste” for the writings and increases the heart’s thirst for the divine truth contained in the writings. Knowing how easily an inexperienced soul can lose the path of salvation, the wise mentor warns that everyone should choose to read the works of the fathers according to his lifestyle, so that he can not only admire and enjoy reading the scriptures, but also practically apply to his life . The study of deeds and virtues that do not correspond to one's way of life can lead to daydreaming and make life fruitless. “With an incorrect reading of the Holy Scriptures and the holy fathers, one can easily deviate from the saving path into impenetrable jungles and deep abysses, which happened to many,” the saint warns.
A layman living in the midst of the world should not read books written for monastics. This reading will distract the layman from the virtues that are characteristic of him to do, with a dream of higher spiritual feats. This dreaminess can at times delight his imagination, at times plunge the soul into despair and despondency. Even if a layman temporarily succeeds in a feat that is unusual for his way of life, which is usually achieved by inflaming the flesh and blood, he still will not be able to stay in him for a long time, he will soon leave the feat that exceeds his capabilities. However, a temporary exercise in an exalted feat can for the rest of his life make him incapable of the feats of piety characteristic of his way of life.
For Christians whose feat takes place in the conditions of worldly life, St. Ignatius recommends reading the works of the Holy Fathers, who wrote in general for all Christians. These include: St. John Chrysostom, St. Demetrius of Rostov, St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Nicephorus of Astrakhan and George the Recluse.
It would seem that Vladyka offers few spiritual writers to the layman, but, as he himself notes, the works of these writers are “an abundant field for reading! A plentiful spiritual pasture, on which the verbal sheep of Christ can feed until they are full and fat!”
Having advised one “statesman” to engage in a “deep” reading of all the writings of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop Ignatius wrote to him: “I offer you that church writer who, with his extraordinary purity, clarity, and the power of Christian teaching, elevates the reader above all earthly things, this spiritual the eagle and from there shows the land to his fledgling."
Although St. Ignatius recommends for reading the works of St. Demetrius as a writer who bears the seal of blessed anointing and communicates this anointing to readers, he warns that his writings “are not entirely pure, not entirely in an oriental character ... This is a significant shortcoming in the writings of St. Dmitry. Some deviations from the spirit of the Eastern Church in the writings of St. St. Ignatius explains Demetrius by the fact that the Rostov hierarch lived for a long time in western Russia and received his education there. Western Russia at that time was under the strong influence of Latinism. Of all the writings of St. Vladyka Ignatius liked Demetrius most of all for the “maturity of spirit” in the 4th part of the appendix to St. stories. He suggests that this was the last work of Saint Demetrius. “The fourth part of the writings of St. Dmitry,” wrote St. Ignatius, “is especially good, here you can glean a lot of information that is very necessary and very useful.” The works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk were highly valued by St. Ignatius. He even placed excerpts from his creations in the Fatherland along with the ancient ascetics. Vladyka Ignatius treated the personality of the Zadonsk ascetic with special reverence, and it seems that it is no coincidence that both saints have some similarities in the direction of the feat, teaching, and even the external events of life. (Priest in the monastery, short-lived administration of the diocese, literary activity at rest, death on the day of the week).
Archbishop Nicephorus of Astrakhan (1731-1800) wrote the Commentary on the Sunday Gospels. According to St. Ignatius, he was a writer "very thorough and with anointing." He was Greek by nationality. He was educated at European universities, then became a monk and was invited to Russia, where he eventually became the Astrakhan archbishop. Recommending sister Elizaveta Alexandrovna to read Archbishop Nikifor’s Commentary on the Sunday Gospels, Archimandrite Ignatius wrote: “He stands incomparably higher than all our church writers (that is, Russians), combining in himself thorough learning with spiritual anointing. There are signs by which they guess that his body is imperishable. You will see for yourself how excellent his book is, and therefore - what a spiritual dignity the writer has.
Zadonsk hermit George (1789-1836) was a contemporary of St. Ignatius. In his youth, he was a warrior, then he entered the monastery and spent 17 years in non-original seclusion. He died relatively early, at the age of 47, but, as St. Ignatius says, “replacing many years with spiritual success.” The recluse Georgy carried on a large correspondence with many persons. After his death, many of his letters were collected and printed. Saint Ignatius highly valued the dignity of these letters. He said that the book of George the Recluse became one of his "desktop". Inviting his acquaintances to read this book, Vladyka testified that George is a spiritual writer who surpasses all, all spiritual writers of his time, “gracious streams flow from his pen.” True, Vladyka noted the lack of external education of the writer, but this lack was replaced by his abundant spiritual dignity. St. Ignatius called the letters of George the Recluse a "precious book" filled with comforting instructions, especially for the suffering.
A Christian who studies the works of the Holy Fathers nourishes his soul with heavenly blessings. “Resort more to reading the holy fathers, let them guide you, remind you of virtue, guide you on the path of God. This way of living belongs to our times: it is commanded, given to us by the holy fathers of later centuries. Complaining about the extreme lack of God-enlightened mentors and advisers, he commands the zealot of piety to be guided in his life by his father's writings. “The council of the saints is understanding” (Prov. 9:10)—this is the admonition of St. Ignatius, which every Christian should be guided by in his spiritual life to the best of his ability.
From the work of ig. Mark (Lozinsky) “The spiritual life of a layman and a monk according to the works and letters of Bishop. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov).