Why we cannot be happy: about the violation of the main commandments of beatitude. Blessed are the persecuted for the sake of righteousness

FOR THE BLESSING OF THE EXILE OF THE TRUTH FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE THERE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. BLESSED THERE IS EVERYONE RESPONSIBLE TO YOU, AND THEY ARE EXPECTED, AND RECUTE EVERY EVIL VERB ON YOU LYING TO ME FOR THE SAKE.

Remember the word I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If I was persecuted, you will be persecuted; if they keep my word, they will keep yours. But they will do all these things to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

(John 15.20-21)

True Christians will always be persecuted because of Christ. They will be persecuted with Him, and like Him, for the truth they confess and the good they do. These persecutions can manifest themselves in many different forms, not only physical ones, but they will always be senseless, unjust, cruel and unreasonable, because

"All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted"

(2 Tim. 3.12). However, we must be wary of a false "persecution complex" and be sure that we suffer only for the truth, and not for our own weaknesses and sins. The apostolic writings clearly warn:

For it is pleasing to God if someone, thinking about God, endures sorrows, suffering unjustly. For what is it to be praised if you endure being beaten for your transgressions? But if, while doing good and suffering, endure, this is pleasing to God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that we would follow in His footsteps.

(1 Peter 2:19-21)

If they curse you for the name of Christ, then you are blessed; for the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God, rests on you... If only none of you would suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a villain, or as an encroacher on someone else's; and if as a Christian, then do not be ashamed, but glorify God for such a fate.

(1 Peter 4:14-16)

Christians should accept suffering joyfully, with mercy towards those who cause it. As Christ, who, dying on the Cross, said:

"Father, forgive them..."

(Luke 23.34), like the first martyr Stephen, stoned, who prayed:

"Lord, do not impute this sin to them"

(Acts 7:60).

But to you who hear, I say: love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you, and pray for those who despitefully use you. Turn the other to the one who strikes you on the cheek; and the one who takes away your coat, do not prevent him from taking your shirt too ... But you love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven. Let's give it to you...

(Luke 6.27-38)

Generous and loving forgiveness of persecutors by the persecuted is one of the basic conditions of spiritual life. Without it, no suffering “for the sake of truth” bears fruit and does not lead into the Kingdom of God.

The Nine Beatitudes

To be established in the hope of the eternalsalvation, you need to join prayertake your own feat to achieve bliss. leadership in thisfeat can be the teaching of the Lordour Jesus Christ, abbreviatedoffered in His commandments of blessingwomanhood. There are nine such commandments.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they are Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who weep, for they comfort sya.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the mercies, for they will be pardoned.

Blessed are the pure in heart, as God will be seen.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are the exiles of righteousness, for those is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are you, when they reproach you and Izhdenut, and they say every evil verb, on you lie for me. Rejoice and you are merry, as your bribe is much on Heaven

( Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, verses 3-12).

poor in spirit . Be poor in spiritmeans to have a spiritual conviction: everything,what we have, God grants, and nothinggood we can't do without Boliving help and grace; and so aboutconsider at once that we are nothing and inall seek the mercy of God. Briefly, spiritual poverty is humble no-wisdom.

Those who desire happiness must be crying . Crying are those who co-crumble and cry in remorse fortheir sins, that is, they lament overthat they serve unworthily before Godgom and offend Him with their sinsgreatness and deserve His wrath. Pla-those who feel will be comforted, that is, they will receive easierremission of sins and peace of mind.

Those who desire happiness must be meek . The meek are such peoplewho try not to let anyoneannoy and not be annoyed.These are gentle, patient in relation toto each other, not grumbling atGod's people. The meek shall inherit the earth,i.e. the Kingdom of Heaven.

Those who desire happiness must be hungry and thirsty for the truth . Alchu-hungry and thirsty, truths are those whowhich, like writing and drinking for the body,wish salvation for the soul - justification -through faith in Jesus Christ. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied, that is, they will receive the justification they desire and salvation.

Those who desire happiness must be merciful . The merciful are those whowho show mercy and compassionneighbor, or, in other words, someonewho do works of mercy. Mi-deedsbodily loins are as follows: the hungryto feed, thirsty to drink, clothenaked or lacking in non-walkable and decent clothes, visit to visit the sick in prison, to serve him and help himrecovery or Christianpreparation for death, a wanderertake into the house and provide rest,row the dead in squalor (in povertyness, poverty). Deeds of mercy of the spiritsnoah the following: by exhortation to turnsinner from his false way, neveblowing to teach truth and goodness,give your neighbor kind and well-timedadvice in difficulty or, in case ofunnoticed danger to them, to prayabout him to God, to console the sad, notto repay the evil that they have done to usothers, wholeheartedly forgive insults. The Lord promises the merciful that theywill be pardoned. Here it meansthere is pardon from the eternal for sinscondemnation at the Judgment Seat of God.

Those who desire happiness must be pure in heart . Purity of heart isnot quite the same as sincerity.Sincerity or sincerityaccording to which a person does not showhypocritically good dispositions, nothaving them in the heart, but good dispositions shows the affection of the heart in good mortars, there is only the lowest degree purity of heart. This purity manachieves constant and unrelentingthe feat of vigil over oneself, driving every unlawful thing out of your heart, any desire and thought, and everypredilection for earthly things and notconstantly keeping in mind the memoryabout God and the Lord Jesus Christwith faith and love for Him. Purethey will see God with their hearts, i.e., you will receivethe highest degree of eternal bliss va.

Those who desire happiness must be peacekeepers . Peacekeepers are thosepeople who live with everyone in the worldand consent, forgive insults to everyone and becometry to reconcile as much as possible and others who quarrel among themselves, andwhen impossible, pray to God fortheir reconciliation. Promises to peacekeepers -the blessed name of the sons of God,how much they imitate their featthey give to the Only Begotten Son of God,who went to earth to reconcile warmsewing man with justice bo live.

Those who desire happiness must be prepared to endure persecution for righteousness. . This command requires the followingqualities: truthfulness, constancy andfirmness in virtue, courage andpatience. For patient and uncomplainingthey are promised to endure persecutionKingdom of heaven.

Those who desire happiness must be ready to endure all sorts of solutions , disaster, the very death for the nameChrist. A feat, according to this orderlead, is called the feat of martyr- skim. The Lord promises for this featgreat reward in Heaven, i.e., a pre-property and high degree bliss.

New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia

The feast of the new martyrs and confessors of the Russian Church is always on Sunday, which reveals to us the light of the Lord's Pascha. The Holy Church says that there is life according to the flesh and there is life according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh cannot please God. Those who live according to the flesh are most afraid of sorrow and death. But sorrows, like death, no one can avoid. And today we must hear Christ to the end, not choosing in His words what we like, leaving what hinders us. The Lord says, consoling us: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul,” the Lord adds: “But fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10, 28). Amazing words! Tell me, please, what does it mean to kill a soul? Is it possible to kill a soul? Isn't the soul immortal?

We understand what the Lord is talking about, and He Himself explains it: “Whoever will deny Me before men, I will also deny it before My Father in heaven.” That's what we should be afraid of. The only thing we should be afraid of is losing faith, falling away from the Lord. Denying Christ means killing your soul. Churches are harmed not by persecutors, but by traitors. More than death, we must fear the loss of faith in the soul.

TV programs are now discussing how to save such and such individuals of the animal world from extinction, and naturally we cannot help but ask ourselves what we should do to save a person from extinction. So that he won't die forever. This is what the Lord fears in mankind. We cannot be neutral. We are always faced with a choice. Either we are for Christ or we are against Him. The stake is extremely high. Our life is infinitely serious. Do not fear the death of the body, fear the death of the soul. The Feast of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church reveals to us the depth of this meaning. Everything that happens here on earth is only preparation for the main thing.

In the Revelation of the Apostle John the Theologian, there is a vision of a host of martyrs - those who washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb. During the small entrance at the Divine Liturgy, the Church sings the beatitudes, and the priest blesses the open royal doors with the prayer: "Blessed is the entry of thy saints." This is the way of the Church. And we know how the fabric of history is woven - according to the Gospel of Christ. The Lord speaks of the poor, the hungry and the thirsty, the weeping, the tormented and the persecuted. Yes, we run the risk of seeing only one side of what is happening, only the visible surface. While the Lord invites us to see the world, which is already at the right hand of God. When it's all over, what will become of us? The word "blessed" is repeated nine times. This is truly good news. We can believe her or not. If we stubbornly hold on to a distant country, we will not get out of a state of hopeless darkness. We will assume that death, suffering is the end of a person. Christ says the opposite. “Blessed are those who weep. Blessed are the persecuted for the sake of righteousness. “Blessed are you when they reproach you and spit you out and say all sorts of evil words against you lying for Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is much in heaven."

The Feast of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church is a solemn invitation to everyone not to look at the world as turned inside out. The place that God has prepared for us opens up. We must see the world as God sees it - from above, not from below. The corner of the sky has already opened up, but we still do not know what will happen. We only know, those who once tasted the grace of Paschal, that everything will be even more beautiful. The purpose of the world is not death, but life, joy. And endlessly the Lord repeats: "Blessed, blessed, blessed."

Of the entire host of new martyrs and confessors of the Russian Church, just over 1,200 saints have been canonized. And of them, we really know the life of only a few - the great saints, who, like lamps, illuminate our path. But the feast of the New Russian Martyrs and Confessors reminds us that we are all called to the bliss of the Heavenly Kingdom. The holy martyrs tell us: “We were like you sinners, but the Blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, whitened our clothes. Holiness is attainable by all." They appear before us one by one: “I was a parish priest, I sang in the kliros, I was a watchman in the temple, I was a village teacher, I was a housewife, I was a schoolgirl, I was bedridden for many years, I was doctor." “Blossom the Russian spiritual meadow in the time of fierce persecution, wonderfully flourishing, countless new martyrs and confessors, saints, royal passion-bearers and shepherds, monasi and secularists, husbands, wives and children, who brought good fruit in patience to Christ,” we pray to them today.

Maybe we sometimes pay too much attention in the lives of our saints to miracles and exceptional deeds. But the Lord does not deprive anyone of sorrows and death. And holiness is simply the readiness of the most obscure people - such as all of us - to give their lives, if necessary, to God. The saddest and happiest life that can be. Which begins here and has no end in the Kingdom of God.

Archpriest Alexander Shargunov

After the election of the apostles, Jesus Christ descended with them from the top of the mountain and stood on level ground. Here His numerous disciples were waiting for Him, and a great multitude of people gathered from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the seaside places. They came to hear Him and be healed of their sicknesses. Everyone sought to touch the Savior, because power emanated from Him and healed everyone. Seeing before Him a multitude of people, Jesus Christ, surrounded by His disciples, went up to the hill and sat down to teach the people.

First, the Lord indicated what His disciples, that is, all Christians, should be in order to receive a blessed (that is, extremely joyful, happy) eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. This He set forth in the nine Beatitudes. The Lord also taught the doctrine of Divine Providence, non-judgment of others, the power of prayer, almsgiving, and much more. This sermon of Jesus Christ is called the Sermon on the Mount.

Beatitudes

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ indicates the ways or deeds through which all who seek it can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The first step to that is to realize your spiritual poverty, your sin and insignificance, to humble yourself.

NOTE: See Matt. 5, 6, 7. Luke. 6:12-41.

Blessed are you, when they reproach you, and spit you out, and speak every evil word against you, lying for My sake.
.
Blessed exile for the sake of righteousness, for those are the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are you, when they reproach you, and spit you out, and speak every evil word against you, lying for My sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is many in heaven. ( Matt. 5:11)

We join these two Beatitudes together because they are similar to one another. In Russian, the 8th and 9th commandments are read as follows: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they reproach you and cast you out, and utter every slander and slander against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad then, for great will be your reward in heaven.

The last two Beatitudes say that all who live in truth will be persecuted. Truth is to be understood as living according to the commandments of God. (From this the word "righteous"). In other words, blessed are those who are persecuted for faith and piety, for their good deeds done in the name of Christ, for constancy and steadfastness in faith. Such people in eternal life will be rewarded with the bliss of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Exile for the truth takes many forms. This can be spiritual alienation, rejection or censure, or opposition to the pious activities of those who live in truth, slander, oppression by the authorities, exile, torture, and, finally, death.

Remember the word, said Jesus Christ, which I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If I was persecuted, you will be persecuted; if they keep my word, they will keep yours. But they will do all this to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. In. 15:20-21). In these words, Christ calls upon His followers to imitate Him in everything, including His self-abasement. To imitate Christ is not some external duty, nor is it the fulfillment of a compulsion. In other words, this is not an external assimilation and repetition of His deeds and actions. Imitation of Christ is a living, free arrangement of religious and moral life in Christ, by the power of love for Him as His Ideal, Redeemer and Savior. In order to love Christ, we are called to walk the inevitable path of self-denial. Through self-denial as such, we come to reconciliation with all hardships, sorrows with all sorts of troubles. “There is no greater glory than to share dishonor with Jesus,” the great hierarch, Metropolitan Filaret of Moscow, liked to say.

True Christians will always be persecuted because of Christ. They will be persecuted with Him, and like Him, for the truth they confess and the good they do. As we have already said, these persecutions can manifest themselves in a variety of forms, not only physical ones, but they will always be senseless, unjust, cruel and unreasonable, for, according to the word of the Apostle Paul, everyone who wants to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted ( 2 Tim. 3:12). However, we must be wary of a false "persecution complex" and be sure that we suffer only for the truth, and not for our own weaknesses and sins. The apostolic writings clearly warn: For it is pleasing to God, - teaches the apostle Peter, - if someone, thinking about God, endures sorrows, suffering unjustly. For what is it to be praised if you endure being beaten for your transgressions? But if, while doing good and suffering, endure, this is pleasing to God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that we would follow in His footsteps ( 1 Pet. 2:19-21).

If they curse you for the name of Christ, then you are blessed, for the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of God rests on you. ... If only one of you did not suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a villain, or as an encroachment on someone else's; and if as a Christian, then do not be ashamed, but glorify God for such a fate ( 1 Pet. 4:14-16).

Why does the world persecute true faith, piety, truth, which are so beneficial to the world itself? The Word of God answers us: the world lies in evil ( 1 Jn. 5:19). People, according to the word of King David, loved evil more than good ( Ps. 51:5), and the prince of this world, the devil, acting through evil people, hates the truth and persecutes it, since it serves as a denunciation of unrighteousness. On this occasion, St. rights. John of Kronstadt wrote: “Evil, depraved people have always hated the righteous and persecuted, and will continue to hate and persecute. Cain hated his righteous brother Abel, persecuted him for piety, and finally killed him; the beastly Esau hated his meek brother Jacob and persecuted him, threatening to kill him; the unrighteous children of Patriarch Jacob hated their brother, the righteous Joseph, and sold him secretly into Egypt so that he would not be a thorn in their eyes; the wicked Saul hated the meek David and persecuted him to his death, encroaching on his life; they hated the prophets of God, who denounced the lawless life, and they beat some of them, killed others, stoned the third, and, finally, they persecuted and killed the greatest Righteous One, the fulfillment of the laws and prophets, the Sun of Truth, our Lord Jesus Christ ”(“ Full. coll. op. ”by Archpriest John Sergiev, vol. I, pp. 218-224).

The persecution by the enemies of Christianity embraces the totality of the external conditions for the existence of the ancient Church. The heavy oppression of persecution was further increased by the fact that poverty and poverty were a distinctive feature of the first Christians. Look, - writes the app. Paul to the Corinthians, who are you called: not many of you are wise according to the flesh, not many strong, not many noble; ... the ignorant of the world and the humiliated and meaningless God chose to abolish the signifying ( 1 Cor. 1:26.28). In addition to external trials, poor materially, but rich in spirit, Christians had to endure no less difficult internal trials - slander, blasphemy, ridicule, scolding, slander, and so on.

The history of the Church shows us that Christians who live in truth suffered not only from the pagans, but were persecuted even when Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. Such luminaries of faith as Athanasius the Great, John Chrysostom, Maximus the Confessor, John of Damascus, Sophronius of Jerusalem and many others were subjected to non-recognition, desecration, exile and martyrdom. So it is up to the present day, when in the communist countries with special force the state power was thrown to the destruction of Christianity and Christians.

Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, was a great zealot for the truth. But fearing persecution, in accordance with his sacred duty, he could not look indifferently at the vices of people and denounced them. Of course, vicious people, for their part, could not indifferently endure the denunciations of the preacher of truth and social justice. His enemies multiplied, but he was ready to endure any persecution for the sake of truth. The evil enemies of John Chrysostom triumphed, and the saint was condemned to imprisonment. When his friends complained and mourned for him, he was completely calm and even cheerful. “Pray, my brothers,” he said, “remember me in your prayers.” When the tears of those around him were the answer to this, he continued: “Do not cry, my brethren, real life there is a journey during which one must endure both the good and the bad.” John Chrysostom owns the wonderful words that many martyrs and righteous people later liked to repeat: “Glory to God for everything, but especially for sorrows.”

Christians should accept any suffering joyfully, with mercy towards those who cause it. As Christ, who, dying on the Cross, said: Father, forgive them ... ( OK. 23:34), as the first martyr Stephen, stoned, who prayed: Lord! do not impute this sin to them ( Acts. 7:60). Christ said: But to you who hear, I say: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. Offer the other to the one who slaps you on the cheek, and do not prevent the one who takes your coat from you to take your shirt. ... Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, not expecting anything; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. So be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you ... ( OK. 6:27-38).

The last, the 9th Beatitude, is a preparation for us to be able to accept the further preaching of Jesus Christ about following Him, bearing our life's cross; and most importantly, to come closer to the great Mystery of the suffering on the Cross of the Savior Himself.

Let no one be embarrassed by the seeming victory in this world of lies over truth, of darkness over light. The basic truth of the Christian gospel is that Christ is risen, that He is the Conqueror of death, and makes us, who believe in Him, partners and heirs of this victory. To those who believe in Him, Christ gave the cross, the strongest weapon against evil. On the image of the Cross forever fell the sanctifying reflection of the Paschal victory - the victory of God's truth over the kingdom of the prince of this world.

You have been with Me in My misfortunes, - says the Lord to His faithful followers, - and I will bequeath to you, as My Father bequeathed to Me, the Kingdom ( OK. 22:28-29).

In the Apocalypse we read about people who fulfilled the last Beatitudes: these are those who came from the great tribulation; they have washed their clothes and y6leated their clothes with the blood of the Lamb. For this they dwell before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple, and He who sits on the throne will dwell in them ( Rev. 7:14-15).

* * *

From the very first to the very last pages of the Gospel, the apostles of Christ, together with the Mother of God, and all Christians, constantly rejoice in the salvation He brought.

As the Father has loved Me, and I have loved you, says the Lord, abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will continue in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and continue in His love. Cue I have said to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy be full ( In. 15:9-11). ... And your heart will rejoice, - says Christ in another place, - and no one will take away your joy from you. …Until now you have not asked for anything in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be full In. 16:22-24).

True Christian joy is not earthly happiness, pleasure or a pleasant pastime, but an incomparable joy ... in faith ( Rome. 15:13), the joy of knowing God's love, the joy is worthy, according to the word ap. Peter, to participate in the sufferings of Christ ( 1 Pet. 4:13).

Spiritual joy is closely related to spiritual suffering. It is wrong to think that joy comes only after suffering: joy in Christ comes with suffering in Christ. They coexist and depend on each other for their strength and power. Just as sorrow over sin comes along with the joy of salvation, so suffering in this world is consonant with and even directly evokes this same inexpressible joy of salvation. Therefore, as the apostle James says, Christians should consider it a great joy when they fall into various temptations, knowing that the perfect action of their unshakable faith is expressed in that they can become perfect in all fullness, without any lack ( Jacob. 1:2-3). Such is the firm conviction of the Apostle Paul, who wrote: ... We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also boast in sorrows, knowing that patience comes from sorrow, experience comes from patience, hope comes from experience, and hope does not put us to shame, because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, given to us ( Rome. 5:2-5). Such is the spiritual joy of Christians, the joy of martyrs, which testifies more than anything to the truth of the Christian faith and the authenticity of the Christian spiritual life.