God's Kingdom is being taken by force!

Nothing is insignificant for God, even if you just offered a prayer for a loved one, this is already success in the Lord’s work. God wants us to be successful people in His work. With the Lord is knowledge and wisdom, power and authority. The main success that God has called us to is joy and peace in the heart. Jesus once said: For what is it to a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?(Mark 8:36,37)

We happy people, the Holy Spirit lives in us! We are filled with love, you just have to step into it. No matter what kind of spiritual disciplines you practice, it will definitely not be in vain.

So, my beloved brothers, be strong, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered force, and those who use force have taken possession of it...(Matthew 11:12)

He who makes the effort enters and possesses the Kingdom. We are called to live in God's Kingdom already here on this earth, which is also the Lord's. If you put in the effort, you will enter the Kingdom, and He has everything you need.

For many are called, but few are chosen.(Matthew 22:14)

God chooses from those who come to Him who open their hearts to Him. It is important for you to understand that you are not reading this by chance, God foreknew, predestined and chose you. Your heart pleases God! God is impartial, He does not look at your flesh, He looks much deeper, inside you, at your heart, and this is precisely what is precious in His eyes! In this world, everything is fleeting, everything changes and you simply cannot keep up with trends and opinions. In fact, you don’t need this, because God has already created you very beautiful both inside and out, He created you in His image and likeness! And God saw everything that He had created, and behold, it was very good… (Genesis 1:31)

We need to realize the greatness of God and understand that God himself is our Father. God, who created the universe, everything we see and do not see, is our Father. Strength, creativity, desire and ability to study and cognize - all this comes from Him. He who did not spare His Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also freely give us all things with Him?(Romans 8:32) God can give you everything you need.

God has endowed you with a great gift - to dream. Everything you can imagine is real!(Pablo Picasso)

You can achieve anything you can imagine, but there is one very important point, Jesus says about it: I am the vine, and you are the branches; He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.(John 15:5)

Without God it is impossible to hit the very target! Often in life we ​​seem to hit the target, but not the top ten; the result doesn’t seem bad, but we would like it to be better. Don't forget, you have a Father who can do anything! Everything in the universe is held together by His Word! Do you really think that God, who gave his Son to suffer, will not take care of you, for whose sake he did it? God knows you and everything about you better than you know yourself!

So if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.(Matthew 7:11)

God gives you good and you need to be confirmed in this. It is important to know the truth—to connect with Jesus. Only in this way will you become free from everything that oppresses you. You are freed from the bondage of sin and death. You live in the law of the Spirit and life - this is freedom from any oppression or torment.

You need to hold on to Him and then everything around you will be arranged, no one and nothing will be able to harm you. God is our Father, He takes care of us, but we ourselves can let go of His hand and He will not hold us back. God is great and He respects your choice, He gives you the opportunity to decide for yourself what to do and how to act.

If it does not please you to serve the Lord, then choose for yourself now whom to serve, whether the gods that your fathers served who were beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live; but I and my house will serve the Lord.(Joshua 24:15)

God asks the question whether you want to serve Him and how serious you are in your intention. .. no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God. ( Luke 6:9 )

Today God is looking for the faithful because such a person can be trusted. ... You have been faithful in small things, I will put you over many things;(Matthew 25:23)

He who is not faithful in a little cannot be faithful in much. The Kingdom of God is taken by force, and everyone who makes an effort delights Him. Effort is a firm, unshakable intention that you remain true to, no matter what the circumstances.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6,7)

There is no lack in Christ; everything is in Him. First of all, you need to abide in Christ.

For this reason, brethren, we ask and plead with you by Christ Jesus, that you, having received from us how you ought to act and please God, may be more successful in doing so...(1 Thessalonians 4:1)

The answers to any questions are in Christ.

The greatest value today is not money, it is time. And the most terrible question that one can ask at the end of life is: “What did I live for?”

If you prosper in God, you will not be disappointed! Your work before the Lord will never be in vain. Your reward may overtake you already here, on this earth. God will not keep you waiting for rewards for success in Him. Prosperity is expressed in the state of your soul - it is peace, joy, love, tranquility.

God's Kingdom is taken by force! Set yourself apart for God! Prosper in the work of the Lord! Succeed in knowing God and He will reveal to you something new that you do not yet know.

This week on Wednesday evening Orthodox churches A service will be held, which can only be attended once a year. This long and unusual church service is not like all services and is especially called: the standing of Mary of Egypt.

With Great Lent in the middle of the fifth week, it is no coincidence that the Church reminds us of the feat of this truly amazing saint. How is she so different from other Christians who pleased God?

After the parable of the sons, one of whom promised his father to fulfill his request, but remained as he was, and the second at first refused, and then repented and fulfilled his father’s order, Christ says “that tax collectors and harlots go ahead” of others to the Kingdom of God ( Matthew 21, 31). These words of His were fulfilled by the Venerable Mary, who showed the Christian world an example of the deepest and selfless repentance.

In her way of life, she was a perfect Cynic, but not out of a desire for human wisdom, but out of a complete striving for Christ, by whose suffering on the cross and death all people without exception were redeemed from the snares of sin. The feat of the Venerable Mary might have remained unknown to the world, but by the Providence of God the holy monk Zosima saw in the desert a man who, in strength of spirit and prayer, surpassed all the hermits known to him. Just three meetings with the ascetic deeply shocked the experienced elder.

And there really is something to be surprised in her life! Lacking not only theological education, but even basic literacy, she is in knowledge Holy Scripture reached the learning of the Apostle Paul. Without receiving even a hint of a righteous upbringing, she found an equal life with the angels, like John the Baptist of the Lord. In fact, having fulfilled the commandment of Christ that “the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force, and those who use force take it away” (Matthew 11:12), she became the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit and, while still in the body, overcame the limitations of space-time laws. She knew the past, present and future equally. The waters of the Jordan allowed the saint to cross the river as if on dry land, and gravity did not keep her on the ground during prayer.

Using the example of this woman, immeasurably steadfast in her repentance, the Church reminds how the ancient prophetic promises were fulfilled on the true followers of Christ that “they will all be taught of God” (John 6:45), and that “the Lord gives the Spirit without measure” (John 3, 34) who sincerely believe in Him. No matter how petrified the hearts of sinners may be, they, like ice in the spring sun, melt from the grace that abides in the Church of Christ. You just need to repent with all your heart and earnestly seek and thirst for the Kingdom of God, just as the Venerable Mary sought and thirsted for it in the Jordanian desert.

Remembering this ascetic, let us force ourselves to rise from spiritual slumber and physical laziness, from a relaxed and distracted life in the spirit of the times, so as not to become like the careless son from the Lord’s parable and not ultimately lose the promised Kingdom, and so that the days of Great Lent will bring us closer to God.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and those who use force take it by force.”(Matthew 11:12)

Read below the interpretation of the holy fathers of the church on this verse.

Trinity leaves of Abbot Panteleimon

So, Christ has come, the Kingdom of God has already opened, John the Baptist, who announced His coming, no longer belongs so much to the Old Testament as to the New Testament: from the days of John the Baptist, from the time he pointed out to everyone the coming of Christ, until now, and now the Kingdom The heavenly is no longer expected only as something to come, but is also taken by force, with such jealousy as cities are taken by storm, because it has already arrived. And everyone who exerts effort on themselves admires him. He is admired by all repentant sinners who, with heartache, part with the flattering expectations of the conquering Messiah and sensual bliss in His kingdom, and condemn themselves to repentance and a difficult change in their entire moral life.

Grigory Dvoeslov

We must consider these words of the Supreme Wisdom with special care. For one must ask: how can the Kingdom of Heaven be taken by force? Because who can do violence to the sky? And we must also ask: if the Kingdom of Heaven can be taken by violence, then why did this violence begin from the days of John the Baptist, and not before? But when the Law says: if someone does this or that, let him die, then it is clear to all who read that this Law struck every sinner with punishment according to its severity and did not bring him to life through Repentance. When John the Baptist, preceding the grace of the Redeemer, preaches repentance so that the sinner, dead through guilt, might live through conversion, then truly Since the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by violence (forced). What is the Kingdom of Heaven if not the place of the Righteous? For only the Righteous are given the rewards of the Heavenly Fatherland, so that the humble, pure, meek and merciful may achieve the Highest Joys. When someone, either inflated with pride, or defiled by carnal iniquity, or angry, or a cruel wicked man, after guilt, turns to repentance and receives Eternal Life, then the sinner takes on a place that is, as it were, someone else’s. So, from the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force, and the strong achieve it because the one who preached repentance to sinners, what else taught them if not to take the Kingdom of Heaven by force?

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So, beloved brethren, let us think about the evil that we have done and crush ourselves with incessant weeping. We will steal the inheritance of the righteous, which we did not retain with our lives, through repentance. Almighty God wants to tolerate such violence from us. For he wants the Kingdom of Heaven, to which we have no right based on our merits, to be delighted with our tears. So, let no quality, no quantity of our sins distract us from the fidelity of hope. Great hope for forgiveness is presented to us by that venerable thief, who is venerable not because he is a thief—for he is a thief by cruelty—but venerable by confession. So, think, think, how incomprehensible is the mercy in Almighty God. This robber, removed from the narrow path with bloody hands, was hung up on the gallows of the cross; on it he made a confession, on it he was healed, on it he deserved to hear: today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). What is it? Who can sufficiently express and appreciate such goodness of God? From the very punishment for crimes it moves on to rewards for virtue. But Almighty God allowed His chosen ones to fall into certain crimes in order to show the hope of forgiveness to others who lie in iniquity, if they turn to Him with all their hearts, and thereby open the way to piety through tears of repentance. So, let us exercise ourselves in crying, we will destroy the crimes we have committed with tears and fruits worthy of repentance; May we not waste the time given to us for correction, because, looking at many who have already been healed of their iniquities, what else do we gain if not a guarantee of Supreme mercy? - So, may there be honor and glory to our Lord I. Christ with the Father and the Holy Spirit throughout all ages of ages. Amen.

Discourse 20, spoken to the people in the Church of St. John the Baptist on the fourth Saturday before the Nativity of Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ and John the Baptist

We read:

Feofan the Recluse

Why did the Lord say that since the time of John the Baptist the kingdom of God will take force, but before John, wasn’t it taken by force?

Answer: Take by force- the translation is not accurate. For in the divine orders of salvation you cannot take anything by force. The Slavic translation is more accurate: it's necessary, with need, with self-coercion, is being sought with great effort. The Greek “needs” means that. The thought is: they are squeezing through to the kingdom, just as they are squeezing through a crowd. In practice, this is true: self-coercion and self-resistance are integral features of the search for salvation and the kingdom of God. And only those who are like this achieve the kingdom. It is not given to anyone at ease. Why this is from the days of John, or, as elsewhere, after the law and the prophets, one need not look for it, admitting one’s powerlessness to explain it.

Another interpretation

The Kingdom is necessary, that is, it is achieved with need, with difficulty, effort and difficult feats; That’s why only those who lead a difficult, ascetic life achieve it. This, on the path to the Kingdom, denies all kinds of consolation. Pleasures of all sorts are removed from the Kingdom, but now we only care about pleasures, sometimes spiritual, but more carnal: eating, drinking, having fun, walking and luxuriously in everything. They told the kingdom: “I beg you, forgive me,” although there is a feast in it, and a royal feast, which no one would even think of preparing, but our tastes are not the same. What is considered sweet there is bitter for us; What’s pleasant there is disgusting to us, what’s fun there is painful to us—we’ve completely separated. And the Kingdom, with the needy women who delight it, departs from us. We are glad, we would even be ready to drive them away as quickly as possible and are already starting to talk about it, but the evil one still doesn’t manage to sort it out.

Read

John Chrysostom

What connection do these words have with what was said before? Great, and very cramped. The Savior forces and forces His listeners to believe in Him, and at the same time confirms what he said before about John.

Another interpretation

Christ said: “those who make effort delight the kingdom of heaven”(Matthew 11:12). Of course, where spiritual acquisition is meant, perseverance is appropriate and effort is commendable.

Another interpretation

...I beg you, we will try in every possible way to correct our lives, to cleanse our souls, so that nothing unclean will serve as an obstacle for us. Shine the light of knowledge within yourself, and do not throw seeds among the thorns. Who does not know that covetousness is a vice, how will he know anything more? Whoever does not turn away from this (earthly) how will he desire that (heavenly)? It’s good to admire, but not perishing things, but the kingdom of heaven: "using effort", it is said, "delight him"(Matt. 11:12); therefore, one can achieve it not by laziness, but by diligence. What does it mean: "using effort"? A great effort is required, because the path is narrow, you need a youthful and vigorous soul. Those who admire want to precede everyone, do not look at anything, neither at censure, nor at condemnation, nor at punishment; they think of only one thing, how to take possession of what they want to delight, and warn everyone in front. Let us begin to delight the kingdom of heaven. This admiration is not sinful, but praiseworthy; The sin here is not to admire. Here our wealth does not harm others. Let us try to delight, and if we are oppressed by anger, if we are disturbed by lust, then we will conquer nature, we will become meek, we will work a little in order to calm down forever. Do not steal gold, but steal wealth that makes gold look like dirt. Tell me: if lead and gold lay before you, what would you steal? Isn't it obvious that it's gold? So, in the case when the kidnapper is punished, you prefer the better thing: then, when the kidnapper deserves honor, will you not give preference to the better? After all, wouldn’t you choose (out of two things) preferably this (better), if there was a punishment for stealing one and the other? But there is nothing like that here, but on the contrary, there is bliss. How can you, you ask, steal (the kingdom of heaven)? Drop what you have in your hands. As long as you hold it, you cannot kidnap it. Imagine me a man whose hands are filled with silver: will he be able to steal the gold while he holds the silver, and not throw it away and become free? The kidnapper should not be tied to anything in order not to be detained. After all, even now there are hostile forces that attack us and try to take away (the kingdom of heaven) from us. Let us run away from them, let us run away, leaving nothing behind us for them to grab onto. Let us cut off the threads and expose ourselves to the objects of everyday life. What need do you have for silk clothes? How long will we wrap ourselves in these ridiculous clothes? How long will we bury gold in the ground? I would like to stop talking about this every time; but you don’t allow it, always giving reason and motivation for it. Now, at least, let us leave this, so that, having taught others through our lives, we may receive the promised blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Another interpretation

How so? "Kingdom of heaven", says (the Lord), “It is taken by force, and those who use force take it away”(Matthew 11:12). Be a strong seeker here, be a predator here; what is stolen here does not decrease. Virtue is not divided, piety is not diminished, nor is the kingdom of heaven. On the contrary, virtue increases when you plunder it; material goods decrease when you plunder them. This can be seen from the following: let there be countless people in the city; if they all plunder virtue and righteousness, they will multiply it, because it will be in thousands of righteous people; and if they don’t plunder it, they will reduce it, because it will not be visible anywhere.

Archbishop Averky (Taushev)

Here the law and the prophets, that is, the Old Testament Church, are contrasted with the New Testament Church of Christ. With John, who stood at the turn of two covenants, the Old Testament, which had only a temporary, preparatory meaning, ended, and the Kingdom of Christ opened, which includes everyone who made an effort for this.

“Among those born of women there has not arisen a greater one than John the Baptist,” said Jesus Christ. It was he, John, who announced the coming of Jesus to earth and the “Approaching of the CN.” He spoke about the One who himself bestows the kingdom and life. “He who believes in the Son has life.” Even then, the kingdom approached, but did not come. Why? The King and the Kingdom were rejected, both were rejected: John was killed by Herod, and the king was crucified religious people. What if things had gone differently?? If Israel had accepted their king, the millennial kingdom would have come. The pagan nations would also have entered into Him. But the Heavenly Father knew that He would be rejected, because the Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world. And now “the Kingdom is forced by force, and the one who makes the effort takes it away” (Matt. 10:12) “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is taken by force, and the forceful takes it away” (Matt. 11:12). I. The Baptist was in prison, having heard rumors about Jesus Christ, he sent two of his disciples to Him with the question: “Are you the one who should come, or should we expect someone else?” (13). What, John was not familiar with Jesus and did not know that He was the Messiah of Israel? After all, John recognized Jesus even at baptism. He was His forerunner. He saw the open heaven and Jesus already sitting there, seeing Him from afar, on the Jordan, saying: “Behold, the Lamb of God comes, who takes away the sin of the world...” So, is this Him or should we expect something else? Why did such a strange question arise in John? There are several explanations for this:1) prison conditionsput pressure on him and threw him off balance. John doubted: “Is he the Christ?” But this does not really suit John, whose preaching was “an ax to the root.” He was never afraid of anything. He came in the form of Elijah, the Thunderer.2) John did it,for he wanted Jesus to free him from prison. And indeed Jesus could free John in a supernatural way, just as He did to Peter and Silas. But the Lord had a different plan.3) By this acthe tried to correct the ignorance of his disciples, who revered John more than Christ. (Tertullian). John the Baptist was not a fickle man; he did not waver in his faith as a reed wavers from one opinion to another. He was unshakable and firm in his trust. Prison did not break him, he did not change his opinion about Jesus. John did not indulge his feelings, did not wear silk, but walked in rough clothes made from camel hair. He preferred to live not in the royal palace, but in the desert. (Mt.3:3 and 4). He did not eat the royal dishes and did not drink wine; he ate locusts and wild honey. Christ introduces John as his forerunner, who prepared the way before Him (Mt10:11). John was the morning star who preceded the sun of Righteousness. Christ does not even put him on an equal footing with other prophets, but puts him above the rest, calling him the greatest prophet. (11:9). “What did you go to see? Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and greater than the prophet.” (11:8,9)How did John preach?He first broke down human sins, denounced them, saying: “you brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come... (3:7), and after that he preached Christ to them. First he poured out the “vinegar of the law,” and then he poured out the “wine of the gospel.” He preached not to please his listeners, as is fashionable today, so as not to offend anyone, but to benefit them. Ask schoolchildren in grades 2-3 “Who is the best teacher at school?” The one who comes to class says: “Go play, there will be no classes today.” “I forgot my fountain pen at home,” says the teacher. John was a hot and shining light,burned in faith and shone in his life. Listening to him, people repented and rushed to heaven. People came to him in crowds. the main idea here “The kingdom of heaven is taken by force...”. The words “Kingdom of Heaven” here means the heavenly glory of Jesus. Places where God sits. Here it is compared to a fortress that can only be taken by storm. “The meek will inherit the earth, but the vigorous will inherit heaven.” (Mt.5:5). This means that it is not enough to be baptized and sit in the congregation for two hours on Sunday. No, my friends, this is not enough, heaven can only be taken by effort. “The Sky Fortress is being taken by storm. You have to fight for heaven. We know that the spiritual war in the spiritual world does not stop for a single minute. Our commander in this war is Christ, the Gospel is our banner, the grace of God is our spiritual artillery, heaven must be taken by storm - by force. Although heaven is given to us freely, “For by grace you have been saved...”, yet we must fight for it. Because there is an enemy who prevents this. Scripture says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your strength.” (Eccl. 9:10). Our work is great, our time is short, our Master is in a hurry. Therefore, we must stay awake, sober, hurry, mobilizing all the forces of the soul, since this is a matter of life or death. The strength and effort that we must use excludes: self-torture, zeal without knowledge of the truth, excessive fuss, bloody violence, bloodletting or an ascetic lifestyle. This is what the Arabs, the followers of the Prophet Muhammad, do. We must not destroy our body, our prison where the Lord has placed our soul, but remain in it until God releases it from there through death.What means are given to us to conquer the Kingdom of Heaven?In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul describes them in detail: the girdle, the helmet, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of the gospel, the shield of faith, the Word of God, and prayer. “Therefore stand still, gird up your loins with TRUTH, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. We will take the word truth.True – we must be brave warriors in the fight for truth. Pilate asked Jesus "What is truth"? The truth is the WORD of God, which is calledword of truth. The Word of God is so consistent with the truth as sundial with the sun. The truth comes from him who is called the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:9). Truth is infallible because it comes from God. She is compared to a star that leads to Christ. She is compared to silver purified seven times (Ps. 11:7). There is not a single spot on the face of truth; it emits only the pleasant fragrance of holiness. She is victorious. “Then the heavens will be on fire” (2 Peter 3:12). But the truth will never be destroyed, because it came from heaven. It is the seed of the new birth; God regenerates us not through miracles and prophecies, but through the word of truth (James 1:18). Truth sanctifies: “Sanctify them through Thy truth” (John 17:17) Truth produces grace, it nourishes us and leaves the imprint of its holiness on us. It has the ability to reflect and emit God's light; it is a mirror reflecting our spiritual state. What is it like today? Are we spiritually asleep?Truth does on with the free, freeing us from the bonds of sin and elevating us to the position of heirs of God (Rom. 8:11), kings and priests. The harp and lyre could not comfort David; the truth did. (Ps. 119:50). Truth is the antidote to sin. People sin so much and deceive each other because they do not know and do not love the truth. Truth is the main guarantor of our faith. From ancient times it was said that “God is righteousness and truth” Deuteronomy 32:4, and the prophet Jeremiah said “The Lord God is truth.” God is true and He is the truth. Truth can be compared to the Capitol in Rome, to the Tower of David in Jerusalem, which defend better than all the land and naval forces Russia. Because truth is the army of the kingdom of God here on earth for all of us. This is the power to defeat the enemy. Don’t rely, my friend, on your own strength and don’t look for it in something else. God is truth and there is no lie in Him.

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is taken by force, and those who use force take it. ( 11, 12.)

Law and Prophets before John; From now on, the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone enters into it with effort. ( 16, 16.)

My son! Everything good, everything honest, everything just is achieved through labor, effort and struggle. This good, this honest thing that you will do in the name of Christ and His Church - these are the seeds from which the Kingdom of God grows and is created: it is within us, according to the words of the One who called to Him all who labor and are burdened. Take it upon yourself my son This is a good and kind yoke, and bear it with difficulty and effort. “The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force” - remember this always and everywhere, wherever you are, whatever you do.

It is taken by force, because we are sinful, evil, ungrateful and, although with all our anger we give good gifts to our children, most often and most of all we wallow in the abyss of sin, luxuriate in the warm, soft and sweet bed of sin. It’s hard for us to get up, and it’s too early, we think, and we lie around... Look, my son, where and how this Kingdom of God is taken by force, where everything honest, everything good, everything good is taken by force...

It's morning. 5-6 hours. A bell sounded in the parish church, calling Christians to prayer. And you’re lying in bed, you hear the gospel message as if in a dream, but you think: “I’ll lie down for a while! It’s still early. By the time the priest comes, while the clock reads, I’ll have time to get up, get dressed, and come to church. And what’s the trouble? , if I come, well, to the Gospel or Cherubim, both the one who came at 12 o’clock and the one who came at 9 o’clock receive the same price, according to Christ...” All this quickly flashed through your head, too. would be through a dream. Remember here, my son, that the Kingdom of God is taken by force. Force yourself, get out of bed quickly, soon... So you came to church. God, how crowded, how they crowd, push each other, and they step on your foot, it’s annoying, the heat in the church, stuffiness, and sometimes

bad smell

from tar, leather or something else. “What kind of prayer is this?”

One of your close relatives lives with you and eats from your table.

If you notice anything in them that is inconvenient or unpleasant for you, if you don’t like anything about them - remember, my son, those labors and illnesses that they undertook and with which they sometimes suffered for your sake, remember them position, their years, their infirmities, force yourself, command yourself to love them. Remember, my son, that the Kingdom of God is taken by force...

You didn't get along with your friend. Both are to blame, each in their own way. And the time has come for you to turn to him. Don't waste this time, my son. Don't be proud and quick to judge people. Conquer your hot heart, curb it.

Remember that the Kingdom of God is taken by force...

You're busy with your own business. It's urgent. We need to finish this evening, but there is still a lot of work. And then, in the midst of your work, in a strong surge of your energy, in an interesting and precious moment of the flight of your thoughts, your feelings, one of your close relatives, or acquaintances, or comrades turns to you for a solution to some perplexity, to your view of something insignificant, or for help, for which, apparently, it was not worth bothering you.

My son, do not set your heart on fire, do not lift up your eyes in anger.

The snares of the evil one are placed everywhere.

Here you are walking along the main street of the city. There is a lot of excitement, there are a lot of people. Here is life, here is struggle... Hurry here, here, warrior of Christ, into this hot oven, where Christian blood is shed, where the spirit of malice, the spirit of lies, deceit, the spirit of envy and despair, struck by the arrows, fall. Here is your post, soldier of Christ. Stand strong, my son, and go with the banner of Christ against evil spirits. Look around, what strong enemy