Why you shouldn't strive to please everyone. Without sacrifice it is impossible to please God

Currently, we read a lot of semi-spiritual literature. We spend so much time reading artistic Orthodox books or books written by contemporaries that we completely abandon reading St. Fathers, but it should be remembered that only through true tradition can one recognize and preserve the purity of Orthodoxy, without which it is impossible to please God. The Holy Fathers teach that even the slightest deviation from the dogmas of the church leads a person to destruction, but unfortunately many of us do not even know what they sound like. It's scary not to know your faith. Ignorance is forgivable for a small child, but not forgivable for an adult who has the opportunity to learn his faith.

Ignatiy Brianchaninov writes this:

If you want to approach God and become assimilated to Him through constant prayer, look around! Examine carefully your way of thinking: are you infected with any false teaching? Will you follow exactly and without exception the teachings of the Eastern Church, the only true, holy, apostolic one? If anyone disobeys the Church, the Lord said to His disciple, become like a pagan and a tax collector (Matthew 18:17), strangers to God, enemies of God. What meaning can the prayer of one who is in a state of enmity towards God, in a state of alienation from God, have?

Ascetic experiences. volume II (On prayer. Article II)

Listening to the words of Saint Ignatius, it is worth thinking - maybe my prayer is not heard precisely because I do not believe in God, in my idea of ​​Him, I communicate not with the Bible, but with my idea of ​​it?

What to do in this case? The answer is obvious - study your faith.

Also, many indiscriminately pray with prayers that were composed by Protestant heretics or Baptist heretics. Recently I have been sent a lot of pictures and texts with such prayers. To this I would also like to quote Bishop Ignatius -

The prayers composed by heretics are very similar to the prayers of the pagans: they contain many verbs; they contain the earthly beauty of words; the blood is heated in them; they lack repentance; in them there is a desire for the marriage of the Son of God directly from the fornication of passions; they contain self-delusion. They are alien to the Holy Spirit: the deadly infection of the dark spirit, the evil spirit, the spirit of lies and destruction emanates from them.

Ascetic experiences vol.II

We are often amazed and say: “There is so much to know in Orthodoxy, so much to observe!” “But if you look at everything from the outside, then such confusion comes from a lack of love for God. When a woman becomes a mother, she is not embarrassed when she understands that in order to care for and raise a child she needs to know a lot of things; she is not embarrassed because she loves her child.

So let us respond with love to the love of God, let us keep the Orthodox faith pure and intact, but before we keep it, let us show the desire to recognize it and realize it in our lives.

Anatoly Badanov
missionary administrator
project “I Breathe Orthodoxy”

1. My brothers and sisters, first of all I would like to express to our God huge gratitude. He created us, put His Essence, His image and likeness into us. He gave us the land to manage, he invested in us gifts and talents to manage the land.

Surrounded us with various blessings of the earth. The sun is shining, life is going on in us, everything useful to us grows on the earth. We are given oxygen to breathe every day. Billions of cells and molecules work in us and for us, every second, and all this in order to we lived and glorified our Creator.

Moreover, we are not worthy, we are sinners, we have turned away from Him

"4 But He took upon Himself our infirmities and bore our diseases; and we thought [that] He was smitten, punished and humiliated by God. 5 But He was wounded for our sins and tormented for our iniquities; the chastisement of our world [was] in Him, and by His stripes we were healed. 6 We all like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way: and the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa.53:4-6)

1. And therefore, we, people, have no choice but to glorify Him and live a life that pleases Him. Every day thinking about how to please Him.

But how can we please Him?

Many, trying to please God, do some kind of religious deeds, thereby trying to please Him, but does He like it?

Does He expect from us merely religious works?

Yes, if our deeds that we do for God is the fruit of our faith, then we. Thus, we please Him. But if we do them somehow differently, then no.

1. Look at Abel and Cain, both did works for God, but God only accepted Abel's works. Why? Because He saw faith in them. There are many interpretations on this topic, but one thing is clear: Abel’s sacrifice came from his faith and trust in God.

“4 And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord looked upon Abel and his gift, 5 but did not look upon Cain and his gift. Cain was greatly grieved, and his face fell.” (Gen.4:4,5)

Look God at first looked upon Abel , and then donate it. God knows the heart. And He, first of all, looks at the heart, and not at external actions. And in the eyes of God, Abel looked righteous, that is, God saw his faith, that is, trust in Him.

We cannot say exactly how Abel showed faith, but he showed it by making a sacrifice to God.

The best sacrifice... - the most excellent, the most worthy. He did, says Chrysostom, a righteous deed, without seeing an example in anyone. In fact, who did he look at and honor God so much? On father and mother? But they insulted God for His benefits. On your brother? But he did not honor Him either.

Perhaps he had doubts, difficulties in his relationship with God. Name Abel - Vanity .

And this is understandable, he had no one to follow as an example, since his parents stumbled, betrayed God, were expelled from paradise, and vanity began around him. But despite this, he somehow managed to show faith. He managed to overcome difficulties by faith, and as a fruit of this, he brought the right gift to God, and God noted this.

1. It was even more difficult to trust God Enoch, since, firstly, he lived among a corrupt generation, since sin was already multiplying, and secondly:

Although he lived after Abel, what happened to Abel could turn him away from virtue... Abel worshiped God, and God did not deliver him.

Enoch probably had a lot of questions - “why”. Why, God, did you do this, why do good people die so early, and villains live long? Why is there so much evil in the world, but You do nothing? - he could reason.

1. In principle, today we ask God the same questions, and we have thousands "Why" to him. Some questions will be answered by God later, but some will only be answered in Heaven. And we need, no matter what, to continue to trust Him with our lives, just as Enoch did.

And Enoch, in spite of everything, in spite of no one, still lived every day by faith in God, faith in His goodness, completely trusting Him in everything. And that is why it is written about him:

"22 I walked Enoch before God, after the birth of Methuselah, he was three hundred years old, and begat sons and daughters. 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And walked Enoch before God; and he was no more, because God took him." (Gen. 5:22-24)

For three hundred years, Enoch lived trusting God every moment of his life. Despite difficulties, disappointments and problems, he managed to keep his faith

Enoch walked with God in an age of depravity and sin. Precisely because he walked with God while other people were moving away from Him ,

Enoch drew closer to Him every day, and admiration was the step that brought him into the immediate presence of that God before Whom he had walked all along.

And he, without seeing death, came to God, this is his reward!

" By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death; and he was no more, because God had translated him. For before his migration he received a testimony, that pleased God" (Heb. 11:5)

For a believer, pleasing God is the highest happiness. But we can please God only by faith , which Abel had, and Enoch, and other heroes of the faith about whom it is written in this message.

And so the next verse says:

“And without faith it is impossible to please God; for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6)

After all, belief in the existence of God implies not just knowledge that He exists, but dedication to Him throughout life, expecting grace from Him every minute.

Many people, even those who say they are believers, live as if God is not in their lives. While everything is fine with them, they say: “God exists, thank God.”

But from the moment small difficulties come into their lives, they begin to grumble, worry, fuss, instead of trusting Him.

After all, true faith in God manifests itself and grows precisely when difficulties come into our lives. . And it is in them that we can please God, showing our trust in Him.

In fact, the more difficulties in our life, the more suffering and disappointments, the more we have the opportunity to please God by faith, trusting Him with your life and believing in His reward.

This is what this entire chapter is about, describing people who were placed in very difficult circumstances, but who continued to trust God in these circumstances.

1. Look at Noah he built the ark precisely at a time when nothing at all spoke of a flood. Many people thought he was crazy, but he built.

Many at this time “engaged in business”, built their own houses, lived for their own pleasure, and he built the ark day and night.

Did he have doubts and difficulties? Did he want to give it all up? Did his family have any doubts about the entire construction process?

I think they were. I think his sons came up to him more than once and said: dad, our friends are laughing at us, can we live like all normal people.

Maybe his wife told him more than once: “Noah, everyone is relaxing, going to beauty salons, going to resorts, but you and I are building something unclear, and it’s not clear why.” But Noah continued to build, and therefore received reward from God in the end.

Thanks to his obedience, the whole house was saved, and the rest perished. His neighbors thought what he was doing was stupid, but he He proved the whole world wrong with his faith.

1. And then we will talk about someone who, for the sake of God, had to leave his usual culture, his business, and his home. And for what?

He didn't even know where he was going. And He received a slightly strange promise from God: that he will be a blessing to others.

Imagine, God says to you: “Go, I will lead you somewhere, leave your life and business, and culture, and in exchange for this, through you I will bless others, that is, thanks to you, everyone else will live well and richly, and you You may not even see this in your life."

It's hard to obey this command

Therefore, Abraham deservedly occupies the most honorable place in the Jewish tradition, as father of the nation, but it also occupies an equally honorable place in the New Testament teaching, as father of all believers.

But despite this, she remained faithful, she continued to trust God in this matter, and therefore she pleased Him and received a reward - a long-awaited son.

But the ordeal in their family did not end there; they, together with Abraham, experienced enormous stress when they heard a command from God to sacrifice their son to Him: dear, dear, only.

How can this be? God, why did you do this in my life? How can we continue to live without him? I think they had hundreds of questions of indignation towards Him in those minutes. But having overcome everything, they trusted God in this matter too.

And this is what the Bible says about these people

" 13 All these died in faith, not receiving the promises, but only saw them from afar, and rejoiced, and said about themselves that they were strangers and strangers on earth; 14 for those who say this show that they are looking for the fatherland. 16 but they strived for the best, that is, to the heavenly; Therefore God is not ashamed of them, calling Himself their God: for He has prepared for them a city." (Heb. 11:13-16)

My brothers and sisters, but we, Christians of this age, in our lives have seen the greatest promise of God to us, this is Jesus Christ, who died for us and gave us a future.

And therefore we have much more reason to please God by faith in this life:

By faith, despite everything worldly.

By faith, despite your feelings, circumstances and problems.

Faith in the future, despite the present.

Questions

1. Why should we Christians live a life pleasing to God?
2. How did Abel please God?
3. Why did Enoch please God?
4. Without what is it impossible to please God and why?
5. How did Noah demonstrate his faith by pleasing God?
6. Why was the life of Abraham and his family pleasing to God?
7. How should we live to please God?

If you are a people-pleaser by nature, then you are likely to put the interests of others above your own. You may be constantly trying to gain the approval of others. Most likely, your parents always taught you to sacrifice your interests for the sake of others. Of course, it will take some time to readjust in this regard. At the very least, start learning to replace your “yes” with “no” when necessary. Set reasonable boundaries. Do your best to make others respect your opinion. First of all, take care of yourself, and then take care of others.

Steps

Part 1

Remember that you have a choice. If someone asks you to do something, you can choose one of three possible answers: “yes,” “no,” or “maybe.” To you not obliged say yes if you think differently. When someone asks you for something, think about it and remember that you have a choice.

• For example, if someone asks you to stay late to finish a project, tell yourself, “I have a choice to say yes and stay or say no and go home.”

1. Learn to say “no” correctly. If you're in the habit of always saying yes, even when you don't want to or when you're stressed, start saying no. Of course, it will take time to learn this. However, others need to understand that you have your own opinion and you have the right to decide whether to say “no” or “yes.” There is no need to make excuses or try to explain the reason for your refusal. Just saying “no” or “no, thank you” is enough. That's all you need to do.

   • Start small. Respond to a minor request with a firm “no.” For example, if your partner asks you to walk the dog but you are very tired, say, “No. I can't. I’d like you to walk the dog today.”
   • You can also role-play with your friend to learn how to say no. Ask your friend to make a request to you. Answer “no” to any of his requests. Pay attention to how you feel inside when you say no.

2. Be persistent and empathetic. If you associate the word “no” with excessive severity, refuse, be persistent, but do not forget about sensitivity. Show the person that you understand their needs, but remain firm in your decision.

   • For example, say, “I understand that you really want me to make the cake. I would really like to help you with this, but, unfortunately, I cannot do this.”

   Part 2

   Set reasonable boundaries

   1. Take time to think about this. The boundaries you set are your values. They help you determine what you like and what you don't. You should not respond to a person immediately as soon as he makes a request to you. Say, “I need to think. We will return to our conversation later." Thanks to this, you will be able to think, assess your state in this situation, and reflect on possible consequences, for example, conflicts.

      Set your priorities. If you prioritize your life, it will be easier for you to determine where to say “yes” and where to say “no.” If you're having trouble making a decision, choose what's most important to you. If you're not sure, make a list of possible options and rank them in order of priority.

      • For example, taking care of your sick dog is likely more important to you than attending a party.

   2. Talk about your needs. There is nothing wrong with speaking your mind. Remind people that you are unique and have your own preferences. This will help you take a big step forward. If you are a people pleaser, instead of stating your preferences, try changing yourself and doing things differently.

      • For example, if your friends want to try an Italian restaurant and you want to eat Korean food, say that you want to try a Korean restaurant next time.
      • Even if you agree with something, you can still state your preferences. For example, you could say, “I like another movie, but I’d love to watch this one.”
      • Don't get defensive. State your preferences, don't get angry or blame others. Do your best to remain confident, calm, firm and polite.

   3. Set time boundaries. If you agree to help someone, be clear about the time frame. You don't have to make excuses if you want to leave early. Just say that you need to leave without explaining the reason for your leaving.

      • For example, if someone asks you to help with a move, say, “I can help you from 12 to 3 p.m.”

   4. be ready compromise when making decisions. Thanks to this, others will hear you, and you will be able to come to a common denominator. Listen to the other person's point of view, and then express yours. Make a decision that suits both of you.

      • For example, if your friend wants to go shopping and you want to go hiking, complete one task and then move on to the next.

   Part 3

   Take care of yourself

   1. Work on increased self-esteem . Your self-esteem should not depend on the opinions or approval of other people. Only you can influence your self-esteem. Surround yourself with positive people and pay attention to situations when you feel insecure. Notice how you feel about yourself (for example, calling yourself a loser or unattractive). Stop beating yourself up for your mistakes.

      • Learn from your mistakes and treat yourself the way you treat your best friend. Be kind, compassionate and forgiving of yourself.
      • Pay attention to your tendency to please others. This is often a sign of low self-esteem.

   2. Practice healthy habits. If you neglect your needs, then most likely you do not love yourself enough. Taking care of yourself and your body is not a sign of selfishness. If you tend to neglect taking care of yourself because you have to take care of others, try setting aside time each day to improve your health. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and do things that benefit your body. First of all, make sure you get enough sleep so that when you wake up in the morning you feel rested.

   3. Take care of yourself. This is necessary to feel good and effectively cope with stress. Spend time with friends and family. Pamper yourself from time to time: get a massage, visit a spa, or choose other relaxing activities.

      • Do what you enjoy. Listen to music, journal, volunteer, or take time for a daily walk.

   4. Remember that it is impossible to please everyone. The only approval that should be important to you is the approval of yourself. No matter how hard you try, people may still be unhappy about something. You cannot change their thinking and attitude towards you. They have the right to think as they please and make the decisions they consider correct.

      • If you're trying to gain the approval of your friends or want your grandma to think of you as a good person, be prepared for the possibility that you may not achieve your goal.

   5. Get professional help. In some cases, it is impossible to do without the help of a specialist, since people-pleasing is a serious problem. If you have tried to change the situation, but you have not achieved the desired result, visit a psychotherapist. A psychotherapist will help you cope with this problem and teach you how to respond correctly to people's requests.

      • Find a specialist who can help you. Ask your doctor, friend or relative about this.

Show respect to someone who deserves respect because he deserves it. Show respect to those who crave respect, because it is not difficult at all. Show respect to those who are not worthy of respect, because everyone has something worthy of respect.

Show-Dao

In relation to other people, especially those with whom we are not connected by family or friendly ties, our spiritual essence is revealed. A special indicator of maturity is our behavior in a situation when someone offended us or did something bad to us. In this case, as a rule, our dissatisfaction and desire to respond to the offender immediately manifests itself. However, we can take a different, wiser position. It is based on the realization that no one has the power to offend and upset us unless we want it ourselves. “The scary thing is not that you were deceived and or robbed, - Confucius said, - It’s scary if you constantly remember it.”

To be tolerant of others in any situation, maintaining inner peace, being in harmony with oneself and the world around us - this is the basis, the main rule that life experience tells us. Thus, W. Shakespeare wrote: “Don’t heat the stove too hot for your enemies, otherwise you yourself will burn in it.” And one of the practical recommendations also expresses this idea: “If selfish people want to take advantage of you, cut them out of your life, but don’t try to get even with them. wanting to take revenge on someone, you, first of all, harm yourself, and not your enemy.”

The position of an interested researcher helps not to “launch” negative attitudes towards another person. Thanks to this, we can come to the conclusion that “no person should be praised or condemned for the actions he has committed, because we are all, in one way or another, influenced by conditions, circumstances, environment, education, learned habits and hereditary traits. It is these factors that shape a person and make him who he is..." (Lincoln.) This approach allows you to be understanding, not judgmental.

SEED AND FRUIT

A farmer plants two seeds in the same soil. One seed is the seed of sugarcane, the other is the seed of neem, a tropical tree with wood and leaves of a very bitter taste. Two seeds in the same soil receive the same water, the same sunlight, the same air; nature gives them the same food. Two tiny shoots emerge and begin to grow. Ultimately, the neem seed developed into a plant with bitterness in every vein, whereas every vein of the sugarcane turns out to be sweet.

What is the reason, such is the result. As the seed is, so will the fruit be. Whatever the action, such will be the result.

It cannot be said that nature is kind to one plant and harsh to another. It only helps to manifest the qualities inherent in various seeds. The sugarcane seed has the quality of sweetness, so the plant will have nothing other than sweetness. The neem seed has the quality of bitterness and the plant will not have any other properties. As the seed is, so will the fruit be.

Often our difficulties in life are that we remain inattentive and plant neem seeds in anger or malice. And when the time comes to collect the fruits, we suddenly realize that we want sweet mangoes. Unfortunately, no amount of tears or prayers will help. If you want to receive goodness, sow goodness.

Parable from S. Shepel

One day a shepherd offended one man, and he harbored a grudge against him and decided to take revenge on him. He knew that he was grazing animals in a remote place where almost no one walked, and decided to take advantage of this and dig a deep hole for him to fall into. Late at night he started digging. When he was digging, he imagined how his offender would fall into it and, perhaps, break something for himself or die in it, not being able to get out of there. Or, at least, his cow, sheep, or, at worst, a goat will fall into the hole. He dug long and persistently, dreaming of revenge, that he did not notice how the hole was getting deeper and deeper. But then dawn broke, and he woke up from his thoughts. And what was his surprise when he saw that during this time he had dug such a deep hole that he himself would no longer be able to crawl out of it.

Therefore, before you even mentally dig a hole for someone else, remember: in order to dig it, you yourself will have to find yourself in it, because the one who digs it is the first to be in it. And before you get anyone dirty, you have to get your hands dirty first.

WOODEN FEEDER

Christian parable

Once upon a time there lived a very old man. His eyes were blinded, his hearing was dull, his knees trembled. He could hardly hold a spoon in his hands and while eating he often spilled soup on the tablecloth, and sometimes some of the food fell out of his mouth. The son and his wife looked at the old man with disgust and during meals began to sit him in a corner behind the stove, and served him food in an old saucer. From there he looked sadly at the table, and his eyes became wet. One day his hands were shaking so much that he could not hold a saucer of food. It fell to the floor and broke. The young mistress began to scold the old man, but he did not say a word, but only sighed heavily. Then they bought him a wooden bowl. Now he had to eat from it.

One day, when the parents were sitting at the table, their four-year-old son entered the room with a piece of wood in his hands.

What do you want to do? - asked the father.

“A wooden feeder,” the baby answered. - Mom and Dad will eat from it when I grow up.

LANTERN FOR BLIND

Zen parable

In ancient times, in Japan they used lanterns made of bamboo and paper with a candle inside. Once a blind man who was visiting a friend was offered a lantern to take home with him.

“I don’t need a lantern,” said the blind man, “light and darkness are equal for me.”

“I know that you don’t need a flashlight to see the road,” his friend answered. - But if you go without a flashlight, then someone else might run into you. So take it. By taking care of others, you will take care of yourself.

ABOUT NAILS

Eastern parable

Once upon a time there lived a very hot-tempered and unrestrained young man. And then one day his father gave him a bag of nails and ordered him to drive one nail into the fence post every time he could not control his anger.

On the first day there were several dozen nails in the pillar. The next week he learned to control his anger, and every day the number of nails hammered into the pillar began to decrease. The young man realized that it was easier to control his temperament than to drive nails.

Finally the day came when he never lost his temper. He told his father about this and he said that this time every day, when his son manages to restrain himself, he can pull out one nail from the pillar.

Time passed, and the day came when he could tell his father that there was not a single nail left in the pillar. Then the father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence:

You did well, but do you see how many holes there are in the pillar? He will never be the same again. When you say something evil to a person, he will have the same scar as these holes. And no matter how many times you apologize after this, the scar will remain.

REAL PARADISE

Parable from P. Coelho

Once upon a time a man, a horse and a dog were walking along the road. As they passed a huge tree, lightning struck it and incinerated all three. However, the man did not immediately realize that he had already left this world, and continued on his way with the horse and dog.

The path was long and uphill, the sun burned mercilessly, and all three were exhausted from heat and thirst. And then, around the bend, a majestic marble portal opened up to them, and behind it - a square paved with pure gold. In the middle there was a fountain of cold and clear water. The traveler headed towards the guard guarding the entrance.

Hello.

Hello.

What is the name of this wonderful place?

It is a paradise.

How nice it is that we have reached heaven, we are very thirsty.

You can come in and drink as much as you want.

But my horse and dog also suffer from thirst.

“I’m very sorry,” the guard replied. - But animals are not allowed here. The traveler was upset because thirst tormented him unbearably,

but he did not drink alone, but thanked the guard and moved on. They walked up the slope for a long time, but finally they saw a settlement surrounded by a dilapidated wooden fence. There was a man standing in the shadows.

“Hello,” the traveler greeted. “I, my horse and my dog ​​are dying of thirst. There is a spring behind those stones.”

The traveler, horse and dog went to the source and quenched their thirst. Then the traveler returned to thank.

Come, we will always be glad to see you,” he answered.

Can you tell me what this place is called?

Paradise? And the guard at the marble portal told us that heaven was there.

No, it's not heaven. It's hell there.

Why don’t you forbid them to be called by someone else’s name? - the traveler was confused from surprise. - This false information can cause terrible confusion!

Nothing happened. They retain all those who are capable of betraying their best friends.

THE THIEF BECAME A DISCIPLE

Japanese parable

One evening, while Shichiro Kojun was reading sutras, a thief with a sharp sword entered and demanded either money or life.

Don’t bother me, you can take some money from this box,” Shichiro said and continued his reading. After a while he stopped and said:

Don't take everything. I need some money to pay taxes tomorrow.

The uninvited guest took most of the money and prepared to leave.

When someone gives you a gift, you have to say thank you,” Shichiro added. The man thanked him and left. However, he was caught a few days later and, among others, confessed to the crime against Shichiro. When Shichiro was called as a witness, he said:

This man is not a thief, at least as far as I am concerned. I gave him money and he thanked me for it.

After his prison term ended, the man came to Shichiro and became his student.

Parable from P. Coelho

One of the monks of the monastery in Siete made a serious mistake, and the brothers called the wisest hermit to try him.

The wise hermit did not want to come, but the brothers were so persistent that he agreed. But still, before setting off, he took a bucket and made several holes in its bottom. Then he filled a bucket with sand and went to the monastery.

The Father Superior, paying attention to the bucket, asked why it was made.

“I have come to judge another,” said the hermit. - My sins follow me, like this sand in a bucket. But since I do not look back and cannot see my own sins, then I am not able to judge others.

The monks decided to immediately cancel the trial.

LOVE AND COMPASSION

One day a man came to Buddha and spat in his face. Buddha wiped his face and asked:

Is that all or do you want something else:

Ananda saw everything and naturally became furious. He jumped up and, seething with anger, exclaimed:

Teacher, just let me and I will show him! He needs to be punished!

Ananda, you have become a sannyasin, but you constantly forget about it, replied the Buddha. “This poor guy has suffered too much already.” Just look at his face, his bloodshot eyes! Surely he did not sleep all night and was tormented before deciding to do such an act. Spitting on me is the outcome of this madness and his life. But it can also be liberating. Be compassionate to him. You can kill him and become as mad as he is!

The man listened to this dialogue. He was confused and puzzled. He wanted to insult and humiliate Buddha, but for some reason he felt humiliated. The love and compassion shown by the Buddha was a complete surprise to him.

Go home and rest, said the Buddha. - You look bad. You've punished yourself enough already. Forget about this incident and don't worry, it didn't harm me. This body is made of dust and sooner or later it will turn into dust again, and people will walk on it.

The man got up tiredly and left, hiding his tears. In the evening he came back and fell at the feet of Buddha and said:

I'm sorry!

There is no question of me forgiving you, because I was not Angry,” replied the Buddha. - I didn't judge you. But I am happy to see that you have come to your senses and that the hell you were in has stopped for you. Go in peace and never plunge into such a state again!

There is an opinion that it is impossible to live in society and be independent from society. Indeed, we live in peace among other people, and therefore we depend on each other. Therefore, we must take into account those moral standards that help people coexist successfully. However, in this matter it is important not to go to extremes. Many of us, driven by the fear of being alone, of losing the approval and love of loved ones, strive at all costs to live up to them. At first glance, this is a noble aspiration, but a person often pays a high price for it. Focusing on other people, trying to earn their approval, a person gets used to being distrustful of his own sensations, desires and feelings, “betraying the wisdom of his body” (K. Rogers). The further, the more a person moves away from his own “I”, his true purpose. As a result - dissatisfaction with life, depression, apathy, etc. Mom seems to have an optimal position when a person in his actions listens, first of all, to his heart, realizes his values, but takes into account the interests of other people without causing them any damage.

DONKEY

Eastern parable

One day, a father with his son and a donkey were traveling through the dusty streets of the city in the midday heat. The father sat astride a donkey, and his son led him by the bridle.

“Poor boy,” said a passerby, “his little legs can barely keep up with the donkey.” How can you lazily sit on a donkey when you see that the boy is completely exhausted?

His father took his words to heart. When they turned the corner, he got off the donkey and told his son to sit on it.

Very soon they met another person. In a loud voice he said:

What a shame! The little one sits on a donkey like a sultan, and his poor old father runs behind him.

The boy was very upset by these words and asked his father to sit on the donkey behind him.

Good people, have you seen something like this anywhere? - the woman under the veil began to cry. - Torture an animal like that! The poor donkey's spine is already hanging, and the old and young idlers are sitting on it as if it were a sofa, oh unfortunate creature!

Without saying a word, the father and son, disgraced, got off the donkey. They had barely taken a few steps when the man they met began to mock them:

Why is your donkey not doing anything, not bringing anything?

benefit and not even lucky for any of you?

The father gave the donkey a handful of straw and put his hand on his son's shoulder.

Whatever we do, he said, there will definitely be

Someone who will disagree with us. I think we should decide for ourselves how we travel.

WOLF AND SHEEP

Greek parable

The sheep, fleeing from the wolf, ran into the fence of the temple.

If you don’t come out,” said the wolf, “the priest will grab you and kill you as a sacrifice.”

“I don’t care,” said the sheep, “whether the priest slaughters me or you eat me.”

“My friend,” answered the wolf, “I am saddened to hear how you consider such an important issue from such a narrowly personal point of view. I care!

We, as with countries,

meeting people.

Other customs and laws

Other perceptions and canons,

Different ideas about love.

We, as with countries,

meeting people

Entering these countries with amazement,

Intermingling, generation with generation

We are merging into one - we and they...

A. Bogoslovsky

When studying human nature, thinkers often unite people into groups based on certain characteristics. This is how theories of temperament, character accentuations, etc. appeared. To some extent, this is justified and understandable: identifying ourselves with a group allows us to understand some of the features of our inner world. But man - at the same time a particle of the all-encompassing world, and at the same time he himself is a separate world. Therefore, those who believe that familiarity with certain theories are right - a very useful activity, however, having met a specific person, you need to forget them and communicate with him as a unique and inimitable person. All attempts to bring a person to some parameters, norms, standards narrow our consciousness, make us limited and do not allow us to understand, see the richness and versatility of the inner world of the OTHER.

COMPARISON PROBLEM

One day a student asked Le Tzu:

Why are some people beautiful and others ugly, some smart and others stupid? Why is there such a contradiction? And don’t tell me about karmas, samsara and that all this is due to past lives. How did the difference appear from the very beginning, when the past did not yet exist?

The master took him into the garden and said:

This tree is big, and this one is small. I often used to sit under these trees and think, why is this? But when I dropped my mind, the question itself disappeared. Now I just know that this tree is big and this one is small. There's no problem!

COMPARISON

A samurai, a very proud warrior, once came to a Zen master. He was a very famous samurai, but looking at the master, seeing his beauty, feeling the grace of the moment, he suddenly felt insignificant.

Why do I feel insignificant? - the samurai asked the Master. “Just a moment ago everything was fine.” But as soon as I entered your yard, I felt like nothing. This has never happened before. I have faced death many times and never once felt fear. Why am I worried now?

Wait,” said the Master. - When everyone leaves, I will answer. All day long people constantly came to the Master, and the samurai

I was getting tired of waiting. By evening the room was empty, and the samurai asked: “Can you answer me now?

The master suggested going outside. It was a moonlit night, the moon had just risen. And he said:

Look at those trees: that one, rising high into the sky, and that small one, next to it. They have been growing under my window for many years now, and there have never been any problems. The little tree never once said to the big one, “Why do I feel insignificant next to you?”

This tree is small and that tree is big, why have I never heard a sound about it? - asked the Master.

Because they don’t know how to compare,” the samurai answered.

“In that case, you don’t need to ask me,” said the Master. - You know the answer.

MONKEY AND FISH

Parable from D. Adams

One day there was a big flood, and it overtook the monkey and the fish.

The monkey, an agile and experienced creature, managed to climb a tree and escaped the raging waters. Looking down from her safe place, she saw the desperately unhappy fish struggling against the rushing stream.

With the best of intentions, the monkey bent down and took the fish out of the water. The result was sad.

BETTER THAN THE ONE YOU LIKE

Avar parable

A long time ago, a terrible, huge dragon-azhdaha captured the only source in Avaria. People were left without water. Women cried, children moaned with thirst. The bravest and strongest horsemen attacked the monster with sabers in their hands, but he swept away everyone with blows from his long tail. Azhdakha built a huge beautiful palace at the source. He surrounded it with a palisade and planted the heads of the dead on it.

People were desperate. Who will defeat the terrible dragon?

At that time, a son was born to a poor widow. He went to drink water from the spring at night. And he gained unprecedented strength, courage and prowess. He saw how outrageous he was at the source of azhdakh, and he hated him. And he swore in front of all the people to free the country from the monster.

His mother, relatives, neighbors and friends tried to dissuade him for a long time:

You've just grown up. Still young. You will die in your prime. Have pity on yourself!

But the young man mounted his horse and went to fight the monster. Azhdakha already sensed it from afar and roared in a terrible voice:

Who dared to approach the source?!

I want to fight you, you damned monster! - the young man answered proudly.

Azhdakha cackled:

Insane! Don't you know that I don't fight with weapons? You must know that there is no one in the world equal to me in strength. I ask all my opponents only one question. If he cannot answer it correctly, then I will kill him with one blow of my huge tail! And if you answer correctly, then I myself will die right there!

Fine! I agree! - the young man answers. - Ask a question!

Azhdha growled loudly, and two women appeared at the window of his palace. One is an incredibly dazzling beauty, the other is an ordinary, simple woman.

Which one is more beautiful? - asked azhdaha. The young man looked at the women and answered:

The one you like best is more beautiful!

You are right! - Azhdaha croaked and gave up the ghost. Thus, Avaria was freed from the monster.

HOW MANY SAGES - SO MANY OPINIONS

Six blind Indian sages tried to determine what an elephant was. Each of them first felt the elephant. One felt his side and decided that the elephant was something like a huge wall. Another got a tusk, after which he concluded that the elephant was something like a spear. The third blind old man, holding the trunk of an elephant in his hands, said that the elephant looks like a snake. The fourth, feeling his leg, suggested that the elephant was very similar to a tree. The fifth sage, who got the ear, claimed that the elephant looks like a fan. The sixth, feeling the tail, believed that the elephant was something like a rope.

SCHOOL 3VEREY

Parable as told by Osho

One day the animals in the forest gathered and decided to open a school. Among them were a rabbit, a bird, a squirrel, a fish and an eel, and they formed a board of directors. The rabbit insisted that running be included in the training program. The bird insisted that flying be included in the curriculum. The fish insisted that swimming be included in the program, and the squirrel said that vertical tree climbing was absolutely necessary. They put all these things together and came up with a class schedule. Then they decided that all animals should study the subjects they introduced into the curriculum.

Although the rabbit got straight A's in running, he had difficulty climbing trees vertically. He kept falling on his back. Pretty soon he was seriously injured and could no longer run. It turned out that instead of an A in running, he gets a C, and in vertical climbing, of course, he always gets a 1.

The bird flew very well, but when it had to dig holes in the ground, it could not do it well. She constantly broke her beak and wings. Very soon she began to get C's in flying, A's in digging, and had hellish difficulties in vertical climbing.

In the end, the top performing animal in the class was a mentally retarded eel who did everything halfway. But the founders were happy because everyone studied all subjects, and this was called “broad general education.”

True happiness is impossible if you isolate yourself in the narrow world of personal well-being.

B.I. D Odons

Why does a person do anything and live in general? Each of us must find the answer to this question ourselves, based on our own value guidelines. But the experience of many people convincingly shows that a full life and self-realization is impossible without going beyond one’s “ego”, without creating and serving other people. Psychologist S. L. Rubinstein in his work “Man and the World” wrote: “The meaning of human life - be a source of light and warmth for other people. To be the consciousness of the Universe and the conscience of humanity. To be the center of transformation of elemental forces into conscious forces. To be a transformer of life, to root out all filth from it and to continuously improve life.”

TREE, CHERRY AND CROW

Parable from E. Vinogradov

There was a tree by the road. Every year, when the time came, it turned green, then dressed in white and fragrant, and finally bore fruit. Heavy branches hung over the fence almost to the ground, and people walking by enjoyed eating his cherries. The children were especially happy about this. The Old Master was not at all against it - he, like the Tree, had long understood that the most important thing in life is to learn to give, and to give joyfully. And people, passing by, picked cherries, even not quite ripe ones, some gratefully and admiringly, and some thoughtlessly and indifferently, but the cherries, dying, were happy that they were needed and rejoiced at their juicy taste.

At the top, in the thick of branches and leaves, Cherry grew. She was the first to meet the rays of the rising sun, and the last to see them off. This is probably why she was much larger and more attractive than her lower counterparts. Sometimes she liked to dream and thought: “If people below are so happy, then how can I make happy the one who notices and chooses me!” So she waited and reflected on her high destiny.

But time passed, and everything remained the same. There has long been no one left from the lower ones, and the leaves have already begun to fall. The cherry tree could now be easily seen, but people stopped looking upward, looking for ripe cherries, because the time for fruiting had long passed. Even the birds, flying by, did not linger. And they knew that the time for fruit has passed. The once tender and thin skin of Cherry became wrinkled and flabby, the flesh dried out, and Cherry herself shrank, turned black and dreamed of nothing else.

But then one frosty winter morning, a Black Crow sat on the branch where the cherry was. She had lived in the world for a long time and knew well both the Tree and the Owner, and that when you are hungry and cold, you can find old cherries on the trees in the garden, dried up from their high loneliness. Noticing Cherry and aiming with her beak, Dimensional Crow exclaimed with satisfaction: “Kar-r!” But Cherry no longer felt anything.

TWO CANDLES

Parable by N. Spirina

“I feel sorry for you,” said the unlit candle to its lit friend. - Your life is short. You are burning all the time and soon you will be gone. I'm much happier than you. I do not burn, and therefore I do not melt; I lie quietly on my side and will live a very long time. Your days are numbered."

The burning candle answered: “I don’t regret it at all. My life is beautiful and full of meaning. I burn, and my wax melts, but from my fire many other candles are lit, and my fire does not diminish because of this. And when the wax and wick burn out, my fire - the soul of the candle - will unite with the fire of space, of which it was a particle, and I will again flow into my magnificent and shining fiery home. And here I disperse the darkness of the night with my light; I delight the child’s eyes on the holiday tree; I improve the air at the patient’s bedside, because pathogens cannot tolerate living fire; I ascend as a symbol of prayerful aspiration in front of sacred images. Isn’t my short life wonderful?! And I feel sorry for you, my unkindled sister. Your fate is pitiful. You have not fulfilled your purpose; and where is your soul - fire? Yes, you will lie safe for many years, but who needs you like that, and what joy and benefit do you bring?

Indeed, “it is better to burn than to rest,” because in burning there is life, and in hibernation there is death. And you feel sorry for me that I will soon burn out and stop living, but you, in your preserved inaction, did not begin to exist and will die without beginning. And life will pass by."

So spoke the two candles.

SO THAT OUR GRANDCHILDREN CAN REAP THE FRUITS

Indian parable

King Anovshirvan, whom the people also called the Just, once went on a pilgrimage across the country. On the sunlit mountainside he saw a venerable old man hunched over his work. Accompanied by his courtiers, the king approached him and saw that the old man was planting small seedlings, no more than a year old. “What are you doing?” - asked the king. “I plant walnut trees,” answered the old man. The king was surprised: “You are already so old. Why do you need seedlings whose foliage you will not see, in the shade of which you will not rest and will not taste their fruits?” The old man looked at him and answered: "Those who came before us planted, and we reaped the fruits. Now we plant so that those who come after us can also reap the fruits."

WILL

Eastern parable

One old man was dying. He called his son and told him:

Now I must tell you my secret, for my death is already near. Always remember two things - thanks to them, I achieved success. First, whenever you promise something, keep your word. Whatever it takes, be honest and keep your promise. That was my principle, that's what I based everything I did, and that's why I was successful. And secondly, never promise anything to anyone.

WINTER PARABLE

Once upon a time there lived two neighbors. Winter has arrived and snow has fallen. The first neighbor came out early in the morning with a shovel to shovel the snow in front of the house. While I was clearing the path, I looked at how my neighbor was doing. And the neighbor has a neatly trampled path.

The next morning it snowed again. The first neighbor got up half an hour earlier, got to work, looked - and the neighbor’s path had already been laid.

On the third day there was snow - knee-deep. The first neighbor got up even earlier and went out to restore order... And the neighbor’s path was already flat and straight - just a sight for sore eyes!

That same day they met on the street and talked about O family, then the first neighbor casually asks:

Listen, neighbor, when do you have time to clear the snow in front of your house?

The second neighbor was surprised at first, and then laughed:

Yes, I never clean it up, it’s my friends who come to see me!

CARRY MY LOVE

The Buddha's disciple was about to go to spread the teachings in a very troubled place where no one had ever gone before. Having learned about this, the Buddha asked him:

Before you make your final decision, answer me three questions. You know that the people of that area are very cruel and easily angered. That's why none of my students went there. The first question is: if you are insulted, and they will, what will happen in your heart and how will you react?

The student replied:

You know very clearly what will happen in my heart, because you know my heart! But I will answer: if they insult me, then deep in my heart I will still feel gratitude to them for the fact that they only insulted me, and could even beat me.

Buddha said:

Fine. Now the second question. If they beat you, how will you feel towards them?

You know quite clearly that I will be grateful to them, because they only beat me, and could have killed me.

Now the third question, said the Buddha. - And if they decide to kill you, what then?..

You know quite clearly. But since you ask, I will answer you. Even if they decide to kill me, I will be grateful to them, because maybe they will free me, and maybe it will change them too.

Now you can go, said the Buddha. - I'm calm for you. Wherever you go, I will be with you. You will radiate my energy, bring my love and compassion to people.

WIND AND FLOWER

The Wind met a beautiful Flower and fell in love with it. While he gently caressed the Flower, it responded to him with even greater love, expressed in color and aroma.

But this seemed not enough to the Wind, and he decided: “If I give the Flower all my power and strength, then it will give me something even greater.” And he breathed the powerful breath of his love on the Flower. But the Flower could not bear the stormy passion and broke down.

The wind tried to lift him and revive him, but could not. Then he calmed down and breathed the gentle breath of love on the Flower, but it withered before our eyes. Then the Wind shouted:

I gave you all the power of my love, and you broke! Apparently, you didn’t have the power of love for me, which means you didn’t love!

But the Flower did not answer. He died.

Anyone who loves must remember that Love is not measured by force and passion, but by tenderness and reverent attitude. It's better to hold back ten times than to break once.

GENEROUS TREE

Parable from S. Silverstein

There lived a wild apple tree in the forest. And the apple tree loved the little boy. And every day the boy ran to the apple tree, collected the leaves that fell from it, wove a wreath from them, put it on like a crown, and played the forest king. He climbed the trunk of the apple tree and swung on its branches. And then they played hide and seek, and when the boy got tired, he fell asleep in the shade of its branches. And the apple tree was happy.

But time passed, and the boy grew up, and more and more often the apple tree whiled away its days alone.

One day a boy came to an apple tree. And the apple tree said:

Come here, boy, swing on my branches, eat my apples, play with me, and we will have a good time!

“I’m too old to climb trees,” the boy answered. - I would like other entertainment. But this requires money, and can you give it to me?

“I would be glad,” the apple tree sighed, “but I have no money, only leaves and apples.” Take my apples and sell them in the city, then you will have money. And you will be happy!

And the boy climbed the apple tree and picked all the apples and took them with him. And the apple tree was happy. After that, the boy did not come for a long time, and the apple tree became sad again. And when one day the boy came, the apple tree trembled with joy.

Come here quickly, baby! - she exclaimed. - Swing on my branches, and we will be fine!

- U“I have too many worries to climb trees,” the boy answered. - I would like to have a family, have children. But for this you need a house, and I don’t have a house. Can you give me a home?

“I would be glad,” the apple tree sighed, “but I don’t have a home.” My home is my forest. But I do have branches. Cut them down and build yourself a house. And you will be happy.

And the boy cut down its branches and took them with him, and built himself a house. And the apple tree was happy. After that the boy did not come for a long, long time. And when he appeared, the apple tree almost went numb with joy.

Come here, boy,” she whispered, “play with me.”

“L is already too old, I’m sad and have no time for games,” the boy answered. - I would like to build a boat and sail on it far, far away. But can you give me a boat?

“Cut down my trunk and make yourself a boat,” said the apple tree, “and you can sail on it far, far away.” And you will be happy.

And then the boy cut down the trunk and made a boat out of it. And he sailed far, far away. And the apple tree was happy. ...Although it is not easy to believe. A lot of time has passed. And the boy came to the apple tree again.

Sorry, boy,” the apple tree sighed, “but I can’t give you anything else.” I don't have any apples.

What do I need apples for? - the boy answered. - I have almost no teeth left.

“I have no branches left,” said the apple tree. - You won't be able to sit on them.

“I’m too old to swing on branches,” the boy answered.

“I don’t have a trunk left,” said the apple tree. - And you have nothing else to climb up.

“I’m too tired to climb up,” the boy answered.

I’m sorry,” the apple tree sighed, “I would really like to give you at least something, but I have nothing left.” I'm just an old stump now. Sorry.

“And now I don’t need much,” the boy answered. - Now I just want a quiet and peaceful place to sit and relax. I am very tired.

“Well,” said the apple tree, “an old stump is just right for this.” Come here, boy, sit down and relax. So the boy did. And the apple tree was happy.

GORGEOUS

A girl walked along the road, as beautiful as a fairy. She noticed that a man was following her. She turned around and asked: “Tell me, why are you following me?” The man replied:

O mistress of my heart, your charms are so irresistible that they command me to follow you. They say about me that I play the lute beautifully, that I am initiated into the secrets of the art of poetry and that I know how to awaken the pangs of love in the hearts of women. I want to declare my love to you, because you have captivated my heart!

The beauty looked at him silently for a while, then said:

How could you fall in love with me? My younger sister is much more beautiful and attractive than me. She's coming for me, look at her.

The man stopped, then turned around, but saw only an ugly old woman in a patched cape. Then he quickened his steps to catch up with the girl. Lowering his eyes, he asked in a voice expressing humility:

Tell me, how could a lie come out of your mouth? She smiled and replied:

You, my friend, also didn’t tell me the truth when you swore your love. You know perfectly all the rules of love and pretend that your heart is burning with love for me. How could you turn around to look at another woman?

The young man stood at night under the windows of a beautiful girl and sang serenades with a guitar.

Why don't you ask her to be your wife? - his friend asked the young man.

I already thought about it, but if she agrees, what will I do at night?! - answered the young man.

Priest John Pavlov

94. Without sacrifice it is impossible to please God

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; and if he dies, he will bear much fruit,” says Christ in the Gospel. These words mean that the Lord came to our world in order to sacrifice Himself for the salvation of people. Without sacrifice this salvation would have been impossible. A grain thrown into the ground decomposes and dies, but new life, many new grains, are born from it. And if the grain does not die and preserves itself, then it will not give new life and there will be no fruit from it.

Christ walked in this world along the path of sacrifice, and He calls us all to follow Him - through self-denial and sacrifice. “Whoever serves Me, let him follow Me,” He says. And again: “He who loves his life will destroy it; But he who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.” All service to God and pleasing Him is based on sacrifice, and without sacrifice it is impossible. If we look at any Christian virtue, at any Christian deed, we will see that all this is nothing more than a sacrifice. Fasting, prayer, obedience, monastic life, going to church, alms and charity - all this is our sacrifice to God.

For example, when we limit ourselves in food during fasting, we refuse food that would become our body, and thus sacrifice some part of ourselves. The same thing happens when we do acts of mercy, for example, giving money to a needy person - after all, at the same time we take away part of our benefits, that is, we make a sacrifice. And in this case, what is more important is not even how much money a person gave away, but how much he himself had left after that, that is, what is important is what part, what percentage, what share he tore away from himself for the sake of another person. Why did the two mites of a poor widow turn out to be more pleasing to the Lord than the large sacrifices of the rich - after all, the widow, as it is said in the Gospel, donated everything she had, while the rich donated only a very small part of their wealth.

When we pray or go to church, we also make a sacrifice - our time and energy, which we could spend on ourselves. When we exercise the virtue of obedience, we sacrifice our will, which is always prone to self-love and self-gratification.

Thus, the Christian life requires constant sacrifice and self-denial from us. One famous ascetic even said that one cannot live on earth as a Christian, but only die as a Christian, in full accordance with the words of Christ: if a grain of wheat, falling into the ground, does not die, then only one thing will remain... Thoughts about this are also known Saint Gregory the Theologian. “The best use of life,” he says, “is to die daily.”

To sacrifice oneself for the sake of God is a great thing and a great mystery; such a sacrifice has great power. If someone sacrifices himself for God or devotes his life to God, then, like a grain thrown into the ground, he acquires immeasurably greater benefits and fruits. Many examples can be cited from the history of the Church that confirm this truth. Thus, we know that the martyrs sacrificed themselves to God, died for the sake of Christ, and from this sacrifice the universal Church of Christ was born, spreading across the face of the entire earth. After all, it was the martyr’s blood that was the foundation on which the Christian era of our planet was established, completely turning it upside down and transforming it.

Or another example: the life of many ascetics, completely dedicated to God, was the seed from which grew famous Christian monasteries, these spiritual strongholds that shone to the world for centuries, revealed entire hosts of saints and righteous people and became the reason for the salvation of countless human souls. The Monastery of St. Savva the Sanctified, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Solovetsky Monastery, Valaam, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and all other great monasteries arose and were established by nothing other than the feat and sacrifice of their holy founders, who thereby became the dead and bountiful fruit of the Gospel grain. The Monk Anthony of Pechersk buried himself underground in the Kyiv caves, and this sacrifice became the reason for the birth of the great Lavra, in which entire hosts of saints shone and around which countless people were saved for a thousand years. The Monk Sergius died for the world, laboring in the Radonezh forests, but from the grain of his sacrifice came such fruits that it is impossible to evaluate or measure in any way.

The sacrifice that the ascetics made to God with their lives had such great power that it could even change the very course of world history. So, for example, the Monk Barsanuphius the Great said that in his time the prayer and holy life of just three people kept the world from catastrophe. And the life of the prophet Moses, pleasing to God, was the reason for the liberation of the Jews from Egypt - an event that most radically influenced the entire course of not only sacred, but also global history.

The law of sacrifice also applies in ordinary human life, for example in war. Heroes shed their blood, sacrifice their lives and die, but at the price of this sacrifice immeasurably greater benefits are acquired: a long, free and prosperous life for an entire people. And God sometimes pleases such a sacrifice, a heroic death. Among other things, such a death brings great benefits to the hero himself who sacrificed himself. Elder Paisios of Athos said that sacrifice in war can greatly appease God, that heroes do not die, that they are afraid of death itself. And the perspicacious Paraskeva Diveevskaya, when the First World War began, often repeated: “God, God is so merciful! - the robbers go to the Kingdom of Heaven just like that!” That is, even people who were not particularly pious and were Christians not so much in life as in name - even these “robbers”, having died heroically, sacrificing themselves in war, were acquitted by God’s judgment and acquired eternal life for themselves.

Without sacrifice it is impossible to please God and be saved, and perhaps for this reason God allows wars, illnesses and other trials on earth. After all, in war, people are placed in such conditions that they are often forced to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others, whereas in peacetime they would never do anything like that.

Also, illness and sorrow are, as it were, an involuntary sacrifice on our part, since we do not make a voluntary sacrifice. And this is especially important for Christians of our era, because, according to the holy fathers, sorrow and illness are the lot of our time, which is not given either the feat of martyrdom or the feat of true monasticism. The saints sacrificed themselves to God and people voluntarily - either through martyrdom or severe asceticism: fasting, incessant labor, night prayers. And since we do not make such a sacrifice, then sorrows and illnesses are allowed to us so that we at least involuntarily make it.

However, it must be said that sorrows and illnesses can also become a voluntary sacrifice - if we endure them in a Christian way: with trust in God, courageously and without grumbling. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, in a letter to one of his spiritual children who suffered a serious illness, has the following words: make the illness that has befallen you involuntarily, through thanksgiving to God, a voluntary sacrifice, so that God will accept it like a censer filled with the most fragrant incense...

Sacrifice gives rise to heavenly joy in a person’s soul, for by sacrificing himself, he receives mercy and Grace from God. This happens because, by sacrificing himself, a person imitates Christ and, together with Him, conquers the world, goes beyond the earthly gravity of selfhood, rises above the swamp of egoism, and becomes higher than himself. Thus, by sacrificing the earthly, a person receives the heavenly, giving up the human, receives the Divine, and lives no longer a natural, but a supernatural life. Elder Paisios recounted an incident that happened to him in his youth, when he was at war. During one of the battles, he lay in a trench he dug for himself due to heavy shelling of this territory. Suddenly, a mortally frightened soldier appeared nearby, having no place to hide, and began to ask Father Paisius (whose name was Arseny before becoming a monk) to let him into his trench. Since there was no room for two in the trench, Arseny, without hesitation, gave it up to the soldier, and he himself, exposed to mortal danger, went out into the open. They began to shoot at him, but God preserved him, the bullets rained past, and one “combed” his head, shaving off a large piece of hair, but without causing harm. Father Paisiy said that he reasoned then: it’s better that they kill me once than that my conscience will kill me all my life. And of course, sacrificing himself, he experienced heavenly joy, as an imitator of Christ Himself, who sacrificed Himself for the salvation of people.

When a person sacrifices himself for the sake of others, he draws closer to God and becomes an imitator of His perfection, His love. Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect, the Gospel commands us... So, let us, brothers and sisters, learn to sacrifice ourselves, conquer ourselves, let us fight the deep-rooted selfishness, self-pity and selfishness in us. For only by sacrificing himself can a person become godlike, become that Gospel grain that bears the fruit of eternal life. Amen.