Against Laziness
October 19*
(Sermon from the Leimonarion: On Dorotheos the Hermit)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
October 19*
(Sermon from the Leimonarion: On Dorotheos the Hermit)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
To you, lazy ones, we will speak. Why is it that no one complains about work as much as you, the lazy ones? Why is it that when you have to bear even the lightest burden of labor, you give no one any peace afterwards, complaining to everyone, shouting that you are terribly exhausted, that you can no longer do anything, that your health has deteriorated, and many other such things? Why is this? Because you yourselves, without realizing it, have developed an aversion to work and have all become flesh and blood. But is this good for you? No, very bad; for laziness weakens and, what's more, even kills both soul and body, and, as the ancient sages said, is the mother of all vices. Therefore, you must abandon laziness without any delay, and as quickly as possible, and take up honest work. And to do this, where should you begin? First of all, learn from the Saints, many of whom labored day and night under the most difficult conditions and can therefore always teach you salutary lessons. Therefore, learn from them. And we, for our part, will now give you our first lesson from them.
One of the disciples of the Venerable Abbot Dorotheos related the following: “Dorotheos was an extraordinary worker and led a harsh life. He lived sixty years in the desert and was accustomed to leave his cell every day in the heat of the day, gather stones, and build cells for monks who did not know how to build them. Once I said to him: 'Why, Father, at such an old age, do you torment your body by working in the unbearable heat?' He answered me: 'I torment it so that it will not torment me.' The Venerable One ate only dry bread and some grains, and drank, and that in moderation, only water. And, God is my witness, I never saw him lie down or sleep on a mat or a bed; but all night he sat and weaved baskets and thus earned himself food. Once, when it occurred to me: was it only in my presence that he lived like this, then I asked the best of his disciples about his life, and they told me: 'From his youth he has lived like this, and he never slept like people, and when he ate food and then worked, he fell asleep, or, better yet, only dozed for a very short time.' But when one day we all began to beg him to lie down on the mat, even for a little while, he answered us: 'If you ever beseech one of the Angels of God to make him sleep, then beseech me too.'"
Therefore, do you see under what conditions and how the Saints labored? Dorotheos ate only dry bread, had almost no sleep, and worked day and night. Should you complain after this? Should you say after this that I am exhausted, and can do nothing more, and my health is ruined, and so on? After all, the enemy of your salvation speaks all this within you in order to destroy you; for there is nothing easier for him than to subject the lazy to his dark power. For thus says Poemen the Great: “Whoever lives in negligence and laziness, him the devil overthrows without any labor” (Aug. 27). Therefore, make an effort over yourself, overcome yourself, take up labor; and then you will drive away the enemy of your salvation from yourself, and in general you will receive great benefit. For then you will please God by fulfilling His commandment: "Six days shall you labor... In the sweat of your brow shall you eat your bread." Then nothing bad will come into your mind; then you will set a wonderful example for your neighbors to follow; then you will strengthen your body, and bring happiness and prosperity to your families. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Notes:
* In the original text, there is no entry for October 19th. There this is the third entry for September 16th.
