Prologue in Sermons: January 21

How One Should Speak with Simple, Illiterate People about the Salvation of the Soul

January 21

(From the Instruction of Saint Basil on Virtue.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

There are many simple, illiterate people who are not acquainted either with the Scriptures or with the power contained in them. How, brethren, should you — the educated — relate to such people, and how should you instruct them? You may say: “This is not our concern; this pertains to you, the spiritual shepherds.” No, that is not true. “For teachers alone are not sufficient for the instruction of everyone individually, but God desires that each person instruct and edify another,” says the blessed Theophylact. And the Apostle Paul teaches: “Therefore comfort one another and edify one another” (1 Thess. 5:11). And Chrysostom adds: “Even if we correct everything in ourselves, yet do not benefit our neighbor, we shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

What then, you will say, should we do? This is what: when you speak with a simple person about the salvation of the soul, speak with him as simply as possible, and all will be well. “But what should we say to him?” you will object again. Say whatever the Lord places upon your heart.

For example, a simple person says: “I want to be saved, but I do not know how.” Answer him thus: “If you wish to be saved, then listen attentively to what is read in the Gospel, and order your life according to what you hear: do not look upon evil; restrain your tongue; keep your body in purity; flee from pride and learn humility; keep your thoughts pure; overcome anger within yourself by meekness; accustom yourself more and more to doing only good deeds. When someone deprives you of something, do not seek revenge; love the one who hates you; when someone persecutes you, endure it; when someone reviles you, pray to God for him; hate sin; crucify your flesh with its passions and desires; love the Lord your God with all your heart. Direct your mind more often to where there dwell hosts of Angels, the righteous people of the Old Testament, the holy Apostles, the holy Patriarchs, the holy Martyrs, and other righteous ones; desire to be with them and imitate their way of life. When some misfortune or temptation comes upon you, such as nakedness, sorrow, hunger, or any other affliction — illness, the shedding of blood — for God’s sake endure all these things, glorifying the Lord and hoping to receive His mercies in due time.”

Thus, brethren, speak with simple people about salvation, and I repeat: all will be well. That what I say is true, Saint John Chrysostom himself will be my truthful witness. Once, during his lifetime, the following incident occurred with him: “Once,” it is said in his Life, “a certain woman, listening to John and not understanding what was being said, raised her voice from among the people and said to him: ‘Spiritual teacher! Or rather, I say, John Chrysostom! You have deepened the well of your holy teaching, but the ropes of our understanding are short and cannot reach down.’”

Saint Chrysostom reflected within himself that it is not beneficial to stretch out subtle, intricate speech before the people, and from that time on he strove to adorn his discourse not with artful rhetoric, but with simple, moral instruction, so that even the simplest listener might understand and receive benefit.

Therefore, after this — and I repeat once more — the more simply you speak with simple people about salvation, the better it will be both for you and for them. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.