To the Young Monks on How One Should Conduct Oneself in Order To Be Saved
December 15
(A Teaching From the Sayings of Father Moses, Which He Sent to Abba Poemen)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
December 15
(A Teaching From the Sayings of Father Moses, Which He Sent to Abba Poemen)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Young, inexperienced monks often get carried away in their judgments about salvation, giving free rein to their fervent imaginations. Some seek miracles, others interpret the words of God and the writings of the Holy Fathers as they please, and still others engage in fruitless debates about faith with hot-blooded and unreasonable people. And what comes of this? Such monks become like poisoned fish, often going mad or becoming a laughingstock to others. How can we reason with such people, and what can we say to them? We say simply: believe with simplicity of heart, do not be too clever, and you will be saved. They will ask: what should we do then? We answer: here's what.
Venerable Moses says: “Flee sin, and you will have hope of calmly meeting the hour of death. Hate the empty words of this world, and your heart will see God. Love frequent prayer, and your heart will be illumined. Do not eat much, and your heart will not be defiled. Refrain your tongue from evil, and the fear of God will dwell in you. Be diligent in your service, prayer, and psalmody, and impure thoughts will not torment you. Watch your thoughts and drive away the bad ones. Do not quarrel with people, and your prayer will be pleasing to God. Humble yourself with everyone, and you will find boldness before the Lord. Turn your eyes away from vile sights, and your inner man will be preserved. Guard your hearing against evil, and you will attain peace of soul. Love manual labor, so that you do not eat bread in vain. Do not seek rest, lest it burden your body, and keep it under your control. Avoid idle talk to maintain the purity of your soul. Finally, lament, beloved, over your sins, remembering that those who sow with tears will reap with joy."
Thus this is what you, young monks, must do to be saved. As you see, you must not be clever, not get entangled in the entangled words of human wisdom, not be proud, but live as our Heavenly Teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ, taught. And how did He teach? “The disciples,” says the Evangelist Matthew, “came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ Jesus called a child and set him among them and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles themselves like this child is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven’” ( Matthew 18:1-4 ).
Therefore, brethren, do this: live in simplicity of heart and you will be saved. And at the same time, do not forget this word of the Lord: “To whom shall I look? Only to him who is meek and silent and trembles at My words.” Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
