June: Day 4: Teaching 3: Venerable Methodius of Peshnosha

June: Day 4: Teaching 3:
Venerable Methodius of Peshnosha

(On Hard Work)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Methodius, today commemorated by the Church, was a disciple of Saint Sergius the Wonderworker of Radonezh. He first settled in the monastery of Saint Sergius, but desired greater solitude, and with the blessing of his teacher went to the outskirts of the city of Dmitrov, and there he chose for himself a secluded place, beyond the Yakhroma River, in an oak forest surrounded by swamps, where he built a cell for himself. Saint Sergius visited him and advised him to build a monastery, but not there, nor far from there, in a drier and more convenient place. Venerable Methodius himself worked very hard in the construction of the church and cells, carrying trees on foot across the river, from which the monastery itself was called Peshnoshsky, just as the river itself was called Peshnosha. The monks who settled with him followed the example of the abbot, practicing fasting and prayer, and they at the same time labored, earned their own food, and performed all the work necessary for the monastery. This rule is observed by the monks to this day.

II. The Golden Rule! In the matter of arranging the salvation of the soul, after prayer, what can be more salutary and useful than work? Dejection and melancholy are dispersed by work - idle thoughts flee far away in the midst of work, the body becomes more cheerful, stronger, the person himself is more cheerful - whole hours fly by quickly, imperceptibly, pleasantly. It was not for nothing that the Lord indicated work to the first people in paradise, they had to cultivate and preserve this paradise. It was not for nothing that our Savior, until the age of thirty, when he lived in Nazareth, was constantly at work, helping his supposed father Joseph in carpentry. His most pure Mother was also constantly in work. And the Apostles, no matter how great their evangelistic labors were, never abandoned bodily labor. The Apostle Paul taught during the day, and worked at night, and supported himself by the labor of his hands - so he said about himself. And all the saints, all the ascetics were at the same time tireless workers, they slept for the shortest time, but prayed and worked, one might say, constantly. Saint Anthony once fell into despondency and cried out to the Lord: "Lord! How can I be saved? Thoughts give me no peace!" And after his prayer, a man appeared, who would alternately pray and work. This was an angel, who indicated to Anthony that prayer should be accompanied by labor. He began to do just that—and his despondency passed; he attained a bright and tranquil state of spirit. Thus, physical labor is indeed beneficial. Truly, it encourages and enlivens a person. And every labor that is useful in communal life has a positive effect on the soul of a person. Who among us is more sober, chaste, and serious? Is it not the one who earns his living by honest and tireless work? Who is a good owner, a kind family man, an exemplary boss? Is it not the one again who spends his whole life in work? Yes, work is a savior from many sins, work is a means to earthly well-being. The Apostle Paul valued work so highly that he considered those who run away from work, living in idleness, unworthy of food. "He who does not work, let him not eat," he says.

a) How can one not pity those who shun labor and spend their lives in idleness! And how many of them there are! Some have acquired a good fortune - abundant means of living, and, taking advantage of this, how they spend their lives! It is pitiful to look at their way of life from the outside. A long sleep in the morning, food and drink that never leave the table during the day and change one after another, idle conversations, idle visits, in the evening either spectacles or home feasts - this is their daily behavior! Tell me, what kind of life is this? Is it worthy of a rational being, and especially of a Christian? This is not the development of one's powers, but their suppression - this is not service to God, but the indulgence of the belly and the senses alone.

Here are other idle people. Having nothing, they have no desire to work. From morning till night they are idle and inactive - their only concern is to beg for more, to get more without effort, and to live through it all right away, not caring about tomorrow. Unhappy, they are voluntary wanderers, they have abandoned their families, about whom they have forgotten to think, they are poor and pitiful, and barefoot and naked. And all this is from the unwillingness to work. They are nothing more than parasites - they are a burden to society, a humiliation of humanity, a reproach and dishonor to Christianity. They wallow in vices, sometimes the most gross, they do not think about the soul, they live without sanctifying themselves with the mysteries, they feed on the name of Christ, but do not know Christ, they receive alms at the temple, but have no relation to the temple. They have buried themselves for everything holy. What pity these unfortunates deserve! The fate of the lazy slave who buried his talent in the ground awaits them. May the Lord protect everyone from such a state.

b) But even among the workers, are all true workers? Do all work with God and with the thought of Christ? Working for the body, for the earth, for temporary well-being, do they, like the saints, create for themselves by these works eternal happiness? But here is a farmer cultivating his field - have you seen how he beats the animal working for him, have you heard what vile, abusive words he spews out at this unfortunate animal? He does not water and irrigate his field with prayers, but with the most shameful abuse. Is this Christian work - is it salutary for the soul of the worker?

Here is a craftsman sitting at his work, often hard work. Is God in his mind and heart? Does he call upon God as his Helper? Is prayer on his lips and in his heart? No, or else the same abuse, or songs, often the most indecent. Is this how Christians should work? Is this how true workers are saved?

And a Christian should pay attention to the purpose of his work. Another works honestly, and increases and expands his work, but for what purpose? With the purpose of bringing more benefit to others? With the purpose of using what he has acquired for God-pleasing deeds? No, many do not even think about this. They work with the sole purpose of profit, to acquire, to increase their wealth, in order to live in luxury and abundance. What an unworthy purpose of work for a Christian! Is this what a follower of Christ should think about? He should become rich in God, enrich his soul with good deeds, he should direct his eyes upward, strive for eternal riches with all his might, seek the kingdom of heaven first of all. Let us pity such workers. May the Lord enlighten them! May they know what the happiness of a Christian is - this happiness in Christ! He who has found Christ has found everything. Without Him, nothing will make a person truly happy, even if he owns the whole world.

III. Let us, brethren, love labor, let us fear idleness like fire, but let us labor with the thought of God, and with a good goal, so that by labor we may serve for the glory of God and for the benefit of our souls and our neighbors, according to the words of the Apostle: “Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”  

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.