Prologue in Sermons: February 28

To Avoid Sins, One Must Reflect on Their Consequences

February 28

(From the Lemonarion, the story of the monk Julian, whom an Angel saved from fornication.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Why is it, brethren, that we are so inclined toward sin?

It is because we do not reflect on its consequences. We only wish to taste a little of sin’s sweetness, and about the rest we scarcely think at all.

“Oh well, nothing will happen; everything will pass; God will forgive everything,” we say — and like a foolish fish rushing onto the hook, so we hasten toward sin and fall into the claws of the devil. This is not good.

In order to avoid sin, we must reflect on what consequences will follow if we commit it, and flee from it as from fire.

The monk Julian related the following about himself:

“Once I was sitting near the Jordan in my cave. The heat was intense. Suddenly someone knocked. I went out and saw a woman.

‘Why are you here?’ I asked.

The woman replied: ‘I live not far from you in a small cave and have lost my way. Show me the road to the south and give me some water, for I am dying of thirst.’

I brought her water; she drank and departed. But as soon as she left me, I felt sinful passion arise within me. Taking my staff, I ran after the woman so that, catching up with her, I might commit sin.

But then the Lord brought me to my senses. As I went along, burning with passion, suddenly I was seized with amazement and saw the earth opened before me, and upon it lay many decaying and foul-smelling bodies.

Then I saw a man clothed in priestly garments who, pointing to the corpses, said to me:

‘Here is a woman’s body, and here a man’s. Go now, and commit your sin. These people were just like you; they were slaves of their passions, died in sin, their bones were scattered in hades, and their souls suffer in Gehenna. For the sake of such pleasure do you wish to destroy all your labors, lose the Kingdom of Heaven, and afterward suffer eternally? O senseless people — for the sake of one hour they lose eternal blessings!’

Overcome by the terrible stench, I fell to the ground. But he who appeared raised me up, and the warfare of the flesh left me. I returned home glorifying God, who saved me from sin and from the bitter torment which I saw prepared for fornicators.”

Now see, brethren, what nearly destroyed the monk completely: his lack of discernment.

The attraction to sin arose — immediately he took his staff and went after it, without even thinking about what awaited him because of that sin. Had he reflected that the sin he pursued was a mortal sin; had he considered death, judgment, and eternal torment with the devil; had he thought on these things and fallen before the Lord with fervent prayer for help against sin — this journey toward destruction would never have begun.

Thus do passions blind us!

Let us therefore be attentive to ourselves and flee from sin as from a deadly plague. Let us call to mind the dread Judgment of God, and also that there we shall have to reveal our sins not only before the Lord, but before countless hosts of angels and men; that the Judge will be impartial and will repay each according to his deeds.

If we hold such thoughts during temptations to sin, then perhaps sin itself will withdraw from us.

And may God grant that it be so. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.