It Should Be Remembered That the Devil Viciously Attacks Those Who Turn From Sin to Virtue
September 2
(The Story of the Young Man Who Robbed the Dead and Repented Again)
September 2
(The Story of the Young Man Who Robbed the Dead and Repented Again)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Why is it, brethren, that when we decide to sin, it is as if someone were pushing us to sin, and we rush into it with great haste; but when we decide to turn from sin to virtue, it becomes so much more difficult for us? Why is it that in these latter times despondency, and melancholy, and often some kind of discontent so oppress us? Know, brethren, that in the first case we rush into sin with great haste because the devil pushes us into it and encourages us; but in the latter case it is difficult because, when turning from sin to virtue, the devil declares a terrible battle against us, torments us invisibly and disturbs us, using all his powers to quickly turn us away from the path of virtue and set us again on the path of destruction.
In a certain city there lived a young man who had committed much evil, and his trade was that of robbing the dead. But one day, the grace of God touched his heart; he was horrified by his wicked deeds, recalled the judgment of God, and resolved to live the rest of his life in repentance and humility. To this end, he went to the caves where the corpses he had robbed lay, and at first, he wept bitterly there, not daring even to utter the name of God, and then he completely secluded himself in one of the caves. But here began a dreadful struggle for him against demons. A week had passed living among the graves, and after this, legions of demons appeared and cried out: "Where is this foul and impure one, who, having become satiated with sin, now wishes to present himself as chaste and pious? Do you think you can still be a Christian? And do you truly believe you can be pardoned after committing so many of our evils? Come out of there quickly and return to your former deeds. The prostitutes and receivers of stolen goods are already waiting for you. Why do you not go to satisfy your vile desires? Look, if you don't go, we'll take what is ours. And why are you starving yourself so much? And why, accursed one, do you think to avoid torment? Aren't you ours? And didn't he sell himself to us? And have you not done all our iniquities? And is it not for this reason that he is guilty of all of us? And will you dare to answer us anything to all this?" But the young man, believing in God's boundless mercy to repentant sinners, was strengthened by God's help and power, and answered nothing to the demons. For a long, long time, the demons continued to torment him with their cries, but seeing that they did not help to take the youth again into their hands, by God's permission they began to inflict evil on his body as well. The demons beat him so hard many times that they left him barely alive. And there were times when the young man could not even move one of his limbs, so he moaned and thought that his last hour was already approaching.
Meanwhile, his relatives sought him out and, finding him in the cave, asked, "Why have you come here?" Not knowing his intentions, they urged him in every way to return home, but the young man did not heed them. The demons, however, continued to torment him, and his relatives came again and pleaded with him once more to leave the cave. The young man said to them, "No, I would rather die in these tombs than return to the world for mortal sins." And no matter how much his loved ones beseeched him, he remained unyielding. Thus, they were compelled to return home alone. After their departure, the demons attacked the young man once more, with such ferocity that they nearly killed him. But this, in fact, was their final assault. Seeing the young man steadfast in patience and courage, like a rock, they ultimately departed from him, crying out, "Indeed, by the grace of God and your perseverance, you have overcome us!" After this, the young man no longer experienced evil from the demons and, without further tribulation, it is said that he lived in the tombs until his death.
Is it not true, brethren, that it is indeed difficult for us when we turn from sin to virtue? Often we are afflicted with anguish and despair precisely because, at this time, the devil waged an implacable battle against us, tormenting us invisibly and striving with all his might to lead us away from the path of salvation to the path of destruction? Notice: when the aforementioned young man committed many evils and robbed the dead, it was not said that the demons even touched him with a finger; but when he recalled the judgment of God and set himself to do good, they nearly killed him. The same is true for all of us when we abandon evil deeds and take up good ones. At that time, we feel bored and tormented because the devil wages an implacable battle against us.
Remembering this, let us with all the strength of our souls drive away the inner and corrupt serpent from ourselves through patience and courage, and along with this, without a doubt, through prayer and fasting; for these two latter means of struggle against the enemy of our salvation have been pointed out to us by the Lord Himself. "This kind," He says, "does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:21). Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
In a certain city there lived a young man who had committed much evil, and his trade was that of robbing the dead. But one day, the grace of God touched his heart; he was horrified by his wicked deeds, recalled the judgment of God, and resolved to live the rest of his life in repentance and humility. To this end, he went to the caves where the corpses he had robbed lay, and at first, he wept bitterly there, not daring even to utter the name of God, and then he completely secluded himself in one of the caves. But here began a dreadful struggle for him against demons. A week had passed living among the graves, and after this, legions of demons appeared and cried out: "Where is this foul and impure one, who, having become satiated with sin, now wishes to present himself as chaste and pious? Do you think you can still be a Christian? And do you truly believe you can be pardoned after committing so many of our evils? Come out of there quickly and return to your former deeds. The prostitutes and receivers of stolen goods are already waiting for you. Why do you not go to satisfy your vile desires? Look, if you don't go, we'll take what is ours. And why are you starving yourself so much? And why, accursed one, do you think to avoid torment? Aren't you ours? And didn't he sell himself to us? And have you not done all our iniquities? And is it not for this reason that he is guilty of all of us? And will you dare to answer us anything to all this?" But the young man, believing in God's boundless mercy to repentant sinners, was strengthened by God's help and power, and answered nothing to the demons. For a long, long time, the demons continued to torment him with their cries, but seeing that they did not help to take the youth again into their hands, by God's permission they began to inflict evil on his body as well. The demons beat him so hard many times that they left him barely alive. And there were times when the young man could not even move one of his limbs, so he moaned and thought that his last hour was already approaching.
Meanwhile, his relatives sought him out and, finding him in the cave, asked, "Why have you come here?" Not knowing his intentions, they urged him in every way to return home, but the young man did not heed them. The demons, however, continued to torment him, and his relatives came again and pleaded with him once more to leave the cave. The young man said to them, "No, I would rather die in these tombs than return to the world for mortal sins." And no matter how much his loved ones beseeched him, he remained unyielding. Thus, they were compelled to return home alone. After their departure, the demons attacked the young man once more, with such ferocity that they nearly killed him. But this, in fact, was their final assault. Seeing the young man steadfast in patience and courage, like a rock, they ultimately departed from him, crying out, "Indeed, by the grace of God and your perseverance, you have overcome us!" After this, the young man no longer experienced evil from the demons and, without further tribulation, it is said that he lived in the tombs until his death.
Is it not true, brethren, that it is indeed difficult for us when we turn from sin to virtue? Often we are afflicted with anguish and despair precisely because, at this time, the devil waged an implacable battle against us, tormenting us invisibly and striving with all his might to lead us away from the path of salvation to the path of destruction? Notice: when the aforementioned young man committed many evils and robbed the dead, it was not said that the demons even touched him with a finger; but when he recalled the judgment of God and set himself to do good, they nearly killed him. The same is true for all of us when we abandon evil deeds and take up good ones. At that time, we feel bored and tormented because the devil wages an implacable battle against us.
Remembering this, let us with all the strength of our souls drive away the inner and corrupt serpent from ourselves through patience and courage, and along with this, without a doubt, through prayer and fasting; for these two latter means of struggle against the enemy of our salvation have been pointed out to us by the Lord Himself. "This kind," He says, "does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:21). Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
