Prologue in Sermons: April 1

On How Saving Is the Contrition of Heart and Sorrow for Sins

April 1

(A Word on the Repentance of Sinners)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

It is not in vain that the word of God and the Holy Fathers, when speaking of the impurity of the soul, compare it with bodily impurity; and it is not in vain that, when speaking of the repentance of a sinner and the cleansing of the defilements of sin by repentance, they compare this cleansing with bodily washing. Indeed: just as bodily impurity is harmful to health, unpleasant to the sight of others, and can be infectiously harmful to others, so also sinful impurity is deadly for the soul, repugnant to virtuous people, and likewise can be destructive for many. And just as bodily washing contributes to the health of the body and makes its appearance bright and pleasing, so also the washing of the soul from the defilements of sin contributes to the salvation of the soul and is beneficial also for others, giving them a saving example and stirring in them good emulation.

Let us add further: bodily washing can be accomplished quickly; likewise, when the grace of God touches the heart of a sinner, the cleansing of the soul is also accomplished quickly. This we shall show by an example.

The blessed father Paul, called the Simple, related the following incident from his life. Once he went to a certain monastery to visit the brethren and arrived at the time when they were entering the church for divine service. Since he possessed the gift of clairvoyance, he could discern in what state and with what spiritual disposition each one entered the church. He saw that all entered with bright countenances, and their Guardian Angels joyfully accompanied them. But at that same time he saw a certain brother entering the church dark, with demons mocking the unfortunate man, and his Angel following him from afar. Seeing this, Paul was grieved and wept bitterly. The brethren noticed this and began to entreat him to reveal to them the cause of his weeping and to enter the church. But Paul gave them no answer and remained as before at the church doors.

The service ended; all came out of the church, and with them the sinful brother. But what was Paul’s amazement when he saw him clean and radiant, the demons standing far off from him, and the Angel of God accompanying him with great joy! Paul began loudly to glorify God; the monks gathered around him, and he told them in what state he had seen the aforementioned brother entering, and in what state he saw him leaving. After this, the brother himself was questioned, and he related the following:

“I am a sinful man, and all the days of my life, even until now, I have spent in vile deeds. But when I entered the church today, I heard the reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah: ‘Wash yourselves, be clean; remove your evil deeds from before My eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek justice. Then, though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow. And if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land’ (Isa. 1:16–19). Having heard this, I was moved in my soul and said to God in my thoughts: ‘You are the only God who came to earth to save sinners! As You spoke before through the Prophet, now fulfill it in deed for me, a sinner and unworthy. For from this moment I give You my word—I have promised with my lips and confessed with my heart that I will no longer do that evil, but I renounce all iniquity and will serve You with a pure conscience. Therefore today, O Master, receive me as one who repents and turns away from all evil.’ And with these thoughts,” concluded the monk, “I left the church, having condemned my soul and made a promise before God henceforth not to sin.” And all glorified God.

Thus, brethren, the Lord is swift to show mercy to those who truly repent! Let us glorify His ineffable mercy and not fail to take advantage of it. Let us hasten to the grace-filled fountain and wash away the impurity of our souls. For when the body becomes greatly soiled, it must be washed at once, lest the impurity cause illness. But incomparably more must we care for the cleansing of the soul from sinful impurity, lest sins gain dominion over us, turn into a deadly disease, and deprive the soul of grace-filled life.

Let us arise, then, from the sleep of sin and open our hearts to Christ. According to His ineffable mercy, He will surely come and cleanse us and make His dwelling in us, and then we shall rejoice with great joy, and no one shall take this joy from us. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.