Rev. Antony the Great: "Evil clings to our nature, like rust to copper or dirt to the body. But, just as it was not the copper worker who made rust, and not the parents - the dirt on their children, so God did not create evil. He put a conscience and reason into a person so that avoided evil, knowing that it is harmful to him and leads to torment. Watch yourself carefully: when you see what a lucky man in strength and wealth, do not praise him under any guise. But immediately imagine death in front of you, and you will never wish anything thin ".
Macarius the Great: "Man is by nature changeable. Therefore, as one who has fallen into the depths of vice and is enslaved by sins, can turn to good, so he who is sealed by the Holy Spirit and filled with heavenly gifts is free to return to evil. Some who have tasted God's grace and those who have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, when they lose caution and vigilance, spiritually go out and become worse than they were before.This happens not because God changes or the grace of the Spirit is extinguished, but because people themselves lose grace and therefore are seduced and fall into a multitude angry. "
Rev. Isaac the Sirin: "When a person, remembering his previous sins, punishes himself, then God looks at him with favor. God rejoices that for deviating from His path, man himself imposed punishment on himself - this serves as a sign of sincerity of repentance. And the more the sinner compels himself , the more the favor of God multiplies to him. "
Abba Dorotheus: "If anyone's passion turns into a skill, then it will torment him. Sometimes a person does many good deeds, but one evil skill can overcome them all. For example, if an eagle has at least one claw entangled in the net, then he all will fall into bondage. So the soul, because of passion alone, can fall into the hands of the enemy. Therefore, do not allow even one passion to turn into a habit, but pray to God day and night so as not to fall into temptation. weakness, then we will compel ourselves to immediately get up, we will begin to cry before the goodness of God, we will be awake and strive again. And God, seeing our good aspiration, humility and contrition of heart, will give us a helping hand and will do with us according to His mercy. "
Right. John of Kronstadt: "All your life, watch your heart and take a closer look at what prevents it from uniting with God. Let this be the science of sciences for you, and with the help of God you will quickly learn to notice what moves you away from God and what brings you closer to Him. The evil one is trying very hard to become between our heart and God. It is he who alienates us from God with different passions: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. "
"The science of sciences is to conquer the passions acting in us. Great wisdom, for example, is not to be angry with anyone and not think evil of anyone, even if someone has caused us evil. Wisdom is to despise greed and love non-covetousness, despise delicacies and be content with simple food. wisdom - not to flatter anyone, but always fearlessly tell the truth; wisdom - not to be seduced by the beauty of the face, but to respect in every person the beauty of the image of God. Wisdom - to love enemies and not take revenge on them either in deed, word or thought. - not to collect riches for ourselves, but to give alms to the poor in order to acquire treasure in Heaven. Alas, we have almost studied all the sciences, but we have not learned to withdraw from sin at all, and thus we often turn out to be complete ignoramuses in moral science. And it turns out that the truly wise were saints, disciples of the true Teacher-Christ, and we so-called scientists are ignorant, and, often, the more learned, the more ignorant, because we did not know the most important thing, but we are enslaved by different with passions ".
Elder Nikon: "If every word, deed and thought puts a seal on us, then we must take all measures to preserve ourselves from everything harmful. Both Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov and the holy fathers write that very often, almost always we do not feel harm harmful deed immediately after this harmful deed; this harm affects after a while. It turns out the fruit of the accepted evil, which makes itself felt in its various manifestations. Everyone can see this on himself, reaping the bitter fruit of his mistakes and hobbies. Does not see and does not feels only the one who does not pay attention to himself at all and does not consider himself, his spiritual and heart condition in the light of the Holy Gospel and the fatherly writings, in other words, he spends a scattered life. his heart and reasoning. old fathers, as well as the advice of a spiritual father or elders, who from their experience and spiritual life can give edification. "
Bishop Alexander (Mileant). The essence of Christianity
Dear Reader!
This material is collected from the Patristic literature, which is freely available on the Internet, both separately (in fragments) and in whole e-books, the volumes of which are very large for the modern reader, who is accustomed, as a rule, to catch only the superficial essence. The author of this project has systematized and selected the material as much as possible, highlighting the most important thing, focusing on his point of view.
The creator of this project does not claim to be the authorship of the presented materials and strongly recommends interested readers to purchase in printed form the full versions of the Patristic works. The sources used are indicated in a special section of our site "Recommended literature and sources", in addition, we have accompanied each book with a small review, useful for all caring readers.
Few people think about the fact that sins inflict very serious wounds on the soul, leaving ulcers and scars, and sometimes they turn into a purulent, non-healing wound. In fact, sin is the reason for the absence of peace and joy in the human soul, but this is not all, sins give us the opportunity for dark forces to approach us, while the Lord and the Guardian Angel move away from us. Here is what Saint Paisius Svyatorets says about this.
Since baptism
After baptism, a person stains himself with sins. But it is important - how much. One gets smeared from head to toe. The other only splashes a little. Someone has one dirty spot, and some have two.
Deadly sin - kills the soul
Well, naturally, mortal sins defile Holy Baptism, and then Divine Grace also moves away from the Christian. Of course, she does not leave him at all, just as the Guardian Angel does not leave.
Who Feels Sin?
Everyone feels sin, but people have indifference. In order to come out to the light of Christ, it is necessary to come out of the Darkness.
Hell on earth, but there could be peace and joy
By sin, man turns earthly paradise into hellish torment. If the soul is stained with mortal sins, then the person also experiences a demonic state: he rears up, suffers, has no peace in himself.
An earthly paradise is possible
And on the contrary, a person who lives with God directs his mind to Divine providence and constantly has good thoughts. Such a person lives in an earthly paradise. He has something tangibly different from the one who lives without God. And others notice it too. This is the Divine Grace that betrays a person, even if he strives to remain in the unknown.
It's one thing to sin due to inattention, another thing by your own will
We should be very attentive to the sins of our will, because our will is what God will turn his attention to (when he judges us). The sins that we have committed through inattention are not so grave. Some of the sins also have mitigating circumstances, despite the fact that they still do not cease to be sins.
Sin with evil directed against people is very abominable before God
When we sin knowingly, we need to pray there that our sin does not cause any harm.
The future depends on you
Today our life is bleak and hard, because heroism and curiosity have diminished. Even spiritual people think like merchants and go so far as to live a pseudo-spiritual life. They strive to snatch any pleasure from life before it turns into sin. "It is still a sin or not a sin, then I can enjoy it."
“Tomorrow what? “It's Friday, it's now at fifteen to twelve at night, you can still eat,” and they begin to eat meat. Thus, their attitude to sin and hellish torment, like that of street vendors. We will not do good with calculation, but will relate to Christ, strive for the sake of love.
Let us be careful that in our actions there is no human principle, self-indulgence, self-interest, and the like. Let us remember that Christ sees us, watches over us, and try not to grieve him. Otherwise, our faith and love will creep at the seams.
What makes us stronger?
And if we take a closer look at everything that we do in the spiritual life: asceticism, fasting, vigil, and the like, we will see that all these means strengthen our bodily health.
A feasible cross or temptations within the power
God permits temptations according to our spiritual condition. In one case, he allows us to make some mistake, for example, to show a little carelessness, so that next time we draw a conclusion and do not repeat more serious mistakes. Spiritual life is very simple. It is we ourselves who are spiritually incorrectly striving. We complicate it. With a little effort, while having humility and trust in God, a person can be very successful. Where there is humility, there is no place for the devil.
Whether to sin or not - the person himself decides
God does not allow sin to be, but allows temptations, man himself falls into sin.
For example, if a person is proud, then Divine Grace departs from him, along with the Guardian Angel, and with him there is an opportunity for the demon to tempt a person. The result is complete failure.
Who is to blame for everything, is it the devil?
Meanwhile, one hears that the tempter is to blame for everything. No, this is not so, in fact, we ourselves are to blame for the wrong attitude to what is happening to us.
From dirt to Kings?
Those who previously lived a sinful life, and later began to live spiritually, should joyfully accept the humiliation and sorrow that happens to them, because by accepting them, they pay off their previous debts. A very interesting and powerful example of the life of Mary of Egypt. When I first heard the life of Mary of Egypt, I was overwhelmed with extraordinary feelings, because she was a great sinner with very outlined passions and, through her repentance, was able to achieve holiness. The Life is written very beautifully with detailed details that enable the reader to see a vivid picture of what happened in the life of the saint.
The magnitude of sin is not the worst, repentance is important
The great sinners, having come to know themselves, naturally have much of the starting material for humility. To become spiritually healthy, you need to cleanse yourself of spiritual toxins
Spiritual doing
One must do the right spiritual work and test one's conscience in order to always be able to hear its voice. Without a test of conscience, a person will not receive any benefit from reading spiritual books or from the advice of holy elders.
Regular cleaning is important, otherwise you will not wash it later
If a person does not follow his conscience and does not cleanse it, then gradually his conscience becomes covered with a layer of scale and becomes insensitive. He sins, but, however, nothing special happens to him.
It is important to confess and convict yourself correctly.
To be sure whether we are really acting according to the voice of conscience, we must watch ourselves and open ourselves to our confessor. After all, you can, trampling on your conscience, assume that everything is in order with you. Having distorted his conscience, a person can consider the crime committed by him as righteous.
It is also possible that it is harmful to a person if he makes his conscience overly sensitive.
Attention is the first step
Much attention is needed. After all, committing a sin for the first time, a person feels some inner conviction, experiences. Having done this a sin again, he already experiences less, and if he is not attentive, then in the end his conscience will harden.
They see a trifle, but no serious sins
Many repent that they stepped on the tail of a cat, killed a fly or a bug, but they forget about their sins ... Treason, abandoned children, ruined the family.
Lack of peace is a reason to think
If you see that you have no peace, then know that something is wrong inside you.
Spiritual examination required. We need to find this disorder and fix it. Suppose, having committed a sinful act, you hide it in confession. Time passes, and a joyful event happens. Joy covers the torment of sin. As a result, the conscience is rather stale. However, such a person does not have peace, since the disorder, driven inside, does not stop. He feels anxiety in himself, has no inner peace, silence. He lives with incessant torment, torments, cannot understand what his reason is, because sins are driven inside. Such a person does not understand what he is suffering from.
Don't calm your conscience
Calming his conscience, his thought for a long time, a person arranges for himself another - his own conscience. However, in this case, a person is deprived of inner peace, since a distorted, spoiled conscience cannot bring inner peace.
A clear conscience - joy and spiritual strength
For a person, there is nothing more important than a clear conscience. If your conscience does not convict you, you can do a great thing. In this case, a person has constant inner joy and his whole life is a celebration and a holiday. This inner joy gives spiritual strength.
Burning flame - tormenting conscience
There is no more burning flame, there is no more hellish torment than the burning of conscience. A pang of conscience is the most terrible and most painful worm for a person.
Hell's torment in hell
Those who are in hell will be tormented forever, because they will be tormented by the thought that they have lost the blessings of heaven during those short years that they lived on earth, although these years were full of remorse and internal suffocation. In addition, the passions of people in hellish torment will not find satisfaction in themselves, and this will be another torment for them.
Divine Consolation
If a person's conscience is calm, then even having sorrows, frustrations, and the like, a person feels Divine consolation in himself.
Can you cut a habit in one go?
First of all, a person must understand that this habit is harmful to him. Realizing this, he must be willing to start a struggle to eradicate this habit.
Cutting off a habit in one fell swoop requires tremendous willpower.
You need to be careful not to get bad habits, because it takes a lot of humility and great willpower to eradicate them.
Good habit is virtue, evil is passion
Stumbling, get up, there is no point in lying in a puddle, you need to look for the cause of the fall.
But whatever you say, I became convinced that if, while striving, a person still stumbles and does not change, then the reason is in his egoism, selfishness, self-interest. Such a person lacks humility and love, and this prevents divine intervention.
If in such a state a person conquers passion, he will attribute the merit to himself.
It's important to investigate yourself
Self-exploration is the most rewarding of all other exploration. A person can read many books, but if he does not take care of himself, everything he read does not bring him any benefit. And if he takes care of himself, the benefit is great, even if he reads a little.
It is important to work on mistakes - we were taught this at school
In exploring yourself, it will be very helpful for you from time to time to look at your life step by step, starting from childhood. This is necessary in order to see where you were before and where you are now.
Sin must be confessed when it is fresh, then the result from confession, after years through the distance will be less effective.
The more years pass, the more spiritually mature a person becomes.
Often, even changeable ups and downs in spiritual struggle help a person to make his spiritual path to Gorny fruitfully and confidently.
War like war
In the spiritual struggle, it is necessary to determine the coordinates of the weak points of our character - our shortcomings and then try to strike at these places.
It is unrealistic to define one's state adequately for a person, pride will override everything.
But at a certain stage, a person cannot always determine his condition correctly.
The symptom of the disease is to see others, not to see yourself.
I often see the shortcomings of others and condemn them: this is because you do not know your own illness, if you knew, you would not pay attention to others.
If a person does not deal with himself, he begins to deal with others.
Correction
What needs to be corrected: will, desire, understanding of the disease. And do not interfere with the confessor.
The one who justifies his passions is ultimately exposed to demonic influence, and the one who is exposed to it becomes hardened, becomes a beast, rears up, talks to people boldly, with shamelessness and does not accept help from anyone.
If there is an awareness of sinfulness, then there will be spiritual growth.
God loves sinners who are aware of their sinfulness, who repent and live with humility, more than those who struggle a lot, but do not acknowledge their sinfulness and do not have repentance.
If there is no pride, then God will help him.
A person can realize his sinfulness, but at the same time not have repentance because no humility.
Often those who have decided to correct themselves are then again attracted to the same sin with greater force, until a certain time.
A person living in a worldly way breaks off his connections with the worldly spirit, but then, often and unwillingly, he feels that this spirit attracts him to itself. However, such a person does not need to despair.
Lament in sin
If a person really hurts for his act, he will not repeat it. In order for a person to correct himself, there must be inner contrition with sincere repentance.
The greater the sin, the more repentance is required
Often people do not know what to say in confession, because they are not engaged in delicate work on themselves.
According to the teachings of the holy fathers of the Church, the sin of fornication or adultery is one of the most insidious, since, being born in the soul, it also affects the body. Scripture teaches: "For from within, from the heart of man, come forth evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder" (Mark 7:21).
There is a direct prohibition on extramarital affairs and adultery in the Bible: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ to make them the members of a harlot? Yes it won't! Or do you not know that he who has sex with a harlot becomes one body with her? for it is said: the two will be one flesh ”(1 Cor. 6: 15-16).
It is also important to know that this sin includes lustful thoughts, a passion for obscene dreams, stories and anecdotes, and watching pornographic films. Therefore, in order to overcome the sin of fornication, bodily abstinence alone is not enough. It is necessary to suppress lustful thoughts, to have sincere contrition and to pray.
After all, the consequences of mortal sin are terrible: “Marriage shall be honorable for all and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge ”(Heb. 13: 4).
We have prepared a selection of sayings of the Athonite saints and elders about the fourth deadly sin - fornication.
Saint Gregory Palamas
"Whoever walks in fornication is a common filth for the Church, and therefore everyone should turn away from such things."
"As in a fire, if someone who wants to extinguish it begins to somehow suppress the flame from above, he will not have time in extinguishing the matter. by prayer and humility, but only by fasting and mortifying the body to arm yourself against them, you will work unsuccessfully.
Monk Nikodim Svyatorets
"Never allow yourself to boldly judge your neighbor, do not judge or condemn anyone, and especially for this very carnal sin, which we are talking about, even if someone clearly fell into it, but have compassion and pity for him. Do not be indignant at him. him and do not laugh at him, but borrow from his example a lesson in humility and, knowing that you yourself are extremely weak and for the worst mobile. "
"But since, by the power of the cross, that is, malice and mortification of pleasures, - Christ called us to the former incorruptibility and delight of the mind, then leave you too, brother, the enjoyment of sensual pleasures and love spiritual delight, abandon the voluptuousness of the flesh and love her malice, so that receive incorruption, which will bring you closer to God. "
Venerable Paisios Svyatorets
"When we are tempted by carnal lust, the flesh is not always to blame for this. After all, carnal warfare can also come from thoughts of condemnation and pride. First, we need to find the cause of the temptation that has befallen us and then take appropriate action. business, to resist carnal warfare by fasting, vigil and the like. "
Venerable Gregory the Sinaite
"Consider as a deep muddy moat the filthy sweetness, the filth of fornication and sorrow for material acquisitions, with which, being burdened, the passionate mind sinks into the depths of despair with its thoughts."
Monk Simeon Athonite
"When you are subjected to mental battle, and the enemy strikes everything, gather your will and do not give in. This is especially true for very insidious and deadly poisonous thoughts of fornication, where delay is like death. A quick reaction to an evil thought gives an advantage in time, and he whoever has this advantage, gets the opportunity to finally completely overcome the thought. "
Shimonakh Joseph Vatopedi
"It is not marriage that is bad, but adultery, fornication, but marriage is a medicine that removes from fornication."
Holy fathers about confessing their sins
"But I revealed to You my sin and did not hide my iniquity; I said, 'I confess to the Lord my transgressions,' and You have taken away the guilt of my sin." (Psalm 31: 5).
As a person who is baptized by a person, that is, a priest, is enlightened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, so he who confesses his sins in Repentance accepts their abandonment through a priest by the grace of Jesus Christ. St. Athanasius the Great.
There is no need to ask what sins to forgive, because the New Testament makes no distinction and promises the remission of all sin to the repentant as it should. Saint Basil the Great.
I ask you, most beloved brethren, that we confess every sin while the sinner is still in this life, when his confession can be accepted, when the satisfaction and forgiveness performed by the priests is pleasing to the Lord. Saint Cyprian of Carthage.
Who can forgive sins except God alone, who also forgives them through those to whom he has given the authority to forgive? ... This right is granted to one priests. People perform only ministry for the forgiveness of sins, but do not show any of their own power, for they do not let go of them in their own name, but in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; they ask. God will grant; human obedience here, and mercy belongs to the supreme authority. Saint Ambrose of Mediolan.
God's intercessor for people, the man, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave the primates of the Church the power to teach the consecration of Repentance to the penitent, and through the door of reconciliation, admit them, purified by saving satisfaction, to the communion of the Holy Mysteries. But the Savior Himself constantly participates in this work. Saint Leo, Pope of Rome.
Do not open your thoughts to everyone, but only to those who can save your soul.
Do not reveal your thoughts to everyone, so as not to lead your brother into temptation. Venerable Anthony the Great.
Do not hide any thought of yours, no sorrow, no desire, no suspicion of your neighbor, which creates confusion in you; confess them with all sincerity to your spiritual father, and what you hear from him, try to accept with faith. Rev. Abba Isaiah.
Every thought that makes war in you, reveal to your mentor, and your battle will be easier. Out of shame, do not allow yourself to hide a single such thought, because demons find a place for themselves only in the person who hides his thoughts, both good and evil. Rev. Abba Isaiah.
If you are asking about your thought, then ask before you fulfill it. Ask about him at the same time as he is fighting you, whether it will be a thought about moving, or about learning some kind of handicraft ... or about living together with some brothers, or about separation from them. Ask freely about all this before you bring the thought to fruition. Rev. Abba Isaiah.
Before you ask the elders, pray to God: "Lord, my God! Show me mercy and inspire the fathers to give me an answer according to Your will." Having prayed in this way, ask the fathers, do what they say in faith, and God will comfort you. Rev. Abba Isaiah.
If you are weak and inclined to passions, then do not allow the brethren to reveal to you the passionate thoughts that come to them, as it were, to one who has achieved dispassion, because this is disastrous for your soul. Rev. Abba Isaiah.
Do not consult with everyone about your thoughts; consult about them only with your fathers. Otherwise, you will incur sorrow and confusion. Rev. Abba Isaiah.
Silence of sinful thoughts is evidence of seeking praise and shameful glory of the world. He who sincerely reveals passionate thoughts to his fathers casts out those thoughts. Rev. Abba Isaiah.
Do not reveal your conscience to someone to whom your heart is not disposed. Venerable Pimen the Great.
If you are confused by bad thoughts, do not hide them, but immediately speak about them to your spiritual father and denounce them. The more a person hides his thoughts, the more they multiply, strengthen and harden. Sayings of nameless elders.
Many trade in confession, often posing as the best they are. Others trade in repentance, buying it for themselves glory. Others turn repentance into an excuse for pride and write a new promissory note instead of forgiveness. Monk Ephraim the Syrian.
God wants to hear from us our sins, not because he does not know them. On the contrary, it pleases Him that we ourselves, through confession, realize our fall from grace. Monk Ephraim the Syrian.
You are ashamed and blush when you need to tell your sins. Better to be ashamed to sin than to confess. Reflect: if confession is not brought here, then everything will be confessed there before the whole universe. Where is there more torment? Where is more shame? In fact, we are brave and shameless, and when we must confess, then we are ashamed and hesitant. Monk Ephraim the Syrian.
Declare your sin not only as condemning yourself, but also as seeking justification through Repentance, then you will be able to induce the confessing soul not to fall into the same sins again. Saint John Chrysostom.
When you sin, do not wait for conviction from another, but before you are convicted and accused, condemn your actions yourself, because if someone else convicts you, your confession will not be your business, but the fruit of outside conviction. Saint John Chrysostom.
Confession of sins greatly contributes to their correction; denial of sin after committing it becomes the most grave of sins. Saint John Chrysostom.
The true confession is to reject sin with all your soul ... to avoid it and never return to it. Saint John Chrysostom.
If a priest has received the power to forgive sins committed against God, then much sooner he can forgive and blot out sins committed against a person. Saint John Chrysostom.
Nothing is more destructive to sin than its conviction and condemnation, combined with repentance and tears. Have you condemned your sin? By this you have laid off the burden. Who says this? The Judge Himself is God. "Let us be judged; speak thou that we may be justified" (Isa. 43, 26). Why, tell me, are you ashamed to say about sins? Are you talking to a person who will reproach you? Do you confess to a slave who will divulge your deeds? To the Lord, the Provider, the Humanitarian, the Doctor, you show the wound. Wouldn't He, who knows our deeds even before we do them, know if you don't tell? Does the sin of his conviction make it harder? On the contrary, it is easier. And God requires you to confess not in order to punish, but to forgive; not in order for Him to know your sin - does He not know without it? - but in order for you to know what debt He forgives you. He wants to show you the greatness of His Goodness so that you would incessantly thank Him, that you would be slower to sin, more zealous for virtue. If you do not speak of the greatness of duty, you will not know the superiority of grace. I will not force you, He says, to step into the middle of the spectacle and surround yourself with many witnesses; To me alone, in private, tell a sin, so that I heal the wound and deliver from the disease.
If any of the worldly judges suggested that any of the caught robbers or robbers open their crimes and thus get rid of punishment, they would very willingly accept this, despising shame for their own salvation. And here nothing of the kind happens, but God forgives sins, and does not force them to express them in the presence of others, but requires only one thing, so that the one who receives the remission himself knows the greatness of the gift.
... The Lord, knowing the weakness of our nature, when we stumble and fall into some kind of sin, requires us only not to despair, but to lag behind sins and hasten to confession. And if we do this, He promises us a speedy pardon, because He Himself says: "Do they not get up when they fall and, having gone astray from the road, do not return?" (Jer. 8: 4).
If He deigned His favor to the robber who was on the cross, then all the more will He deserve His love for mankind if we want to confess our sins.
So, in order for us to take advantage of His love for man, we will not be ashamed to confess our sins, for the power of confession is great and it can do a lot. So the robber confessed and found an open entrance to paradise.
Knowing this, let us not neglect the philanthropy of the Lord, but, so that we do not be punished and do not fall under the judgment, let each enter into his conscience and, after examining life and carefully considering all the sins, let him condemn the soul that made them, let him curb thoughts, tame, restrain his mind and will punish himself for sins with strict repentance, tears, confession, fasting and alms, abstinence and love, so that, leaving our sins here, we can go there with complete boldness. Saint John Chrysostom.There is no other, more reliable way to salvation than opening your thoughts to experienced fathers who direct you to virtue, instead of following your own thoughts and reasoning. Due to the inexperience and inexperience of one or several, there is no need to be afraid of revealing your thoughts to more experienced fathers, for they, too, not on their own motivation, but on the inspiration from God and Divine Scripture, commanded the younger to question the elders. Venerable John Cassian the Roman (Abba Moses).
We should not be surprised if after confession we are still struggling, for it is better to fight against impurity than with exaltation. Venerable John Climacus.
Even though we have the gift of clairvoyance, we should not warn those who have sinned by declaring their sins, it is better to encourage them to confess themselves. After confession, we must honor them with greater care than before and freer access to us, for they are more successful in faith and love for us. Venerable John Climacus.
A beneficent, humane and desiring our salvation, God wisely placed between us and Himself the Sacrament of Confession and Repentance. He gave everyone the power, if he wants, through Confession and Repentance to rise from his sinful fall and again return to the former kinship, glory and boldness that he had with God, to become the heir of all blessings again. Reverend Simeon the New Theologian.
Do not be secretive (in confession) so as not to remain unhealed. The Monk Theodore the Studite.
Confession is the Sacrament of Holy Repentance, in which a person, through a free and humble confession of sins, receives forgiveness from the mercy of God, according to what is written in the psalms: "I said," I confess my transgressions to the Lord, "and You took away from me the guilt of my sin" (Ps. 31 , 5). This Sacrament is the Sacrament of God, for from God Himself comes the power to forgive people sins, according to what is written in the Gospel: "Who can forgive sins, except God alone?" (Luke 5:21). To him alone we confess our sins, the spiritual father is the listener and witness of our confession and at the same time the judge and resolver established by God. So, no one should know this mystery of God, except for the Omniscient God Himself and the spiritual father, as a witness and hearer of the deeds confessed through the mouth of the penitent.
This Sacrament of God is sealed with the seal of God Himself, that is, the Holy Spirit, which completes this Sacrament, as the Lord said to the holy apostles: "Receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins will be forgiven" (John 20: 22-23). The Holy Spirit performs this Sacrament through the priest, as through an instrument, forgiving confessed sins and justifying the sinner with permission, which is pronounced through the lips of the priest. By this, as a seal, forgiveness and justification is affirmed and the mystery of confession is sealed, and no one should allow this seal and make confessions to famous people, according to the words of the Apostle: "Who will accuse the elect of God? God justifies them. Who condemns?" (Rom. 8, 33-34). That is, who has the right to expose the sins of God's servants, whom God justified for the sake of their confession and chose as heirs of His Kingdom for the sake of their repentance? If God has justified, let man not condemn. If God has hidden, let not man convict. If God has hidden, let man not declare.
God's mercy is like the sea, and our sins are like stones that oppress us heavily. Just as a stone thrown into the sea lies in the depths, unknown to anyone, so our sins, thrown into the sea of God's mercy by confession, cannot be known to anyone.
The spiritual father in this Sacrament, as interceding the place of Christ God Himself and the righteous Judge, must also manifest His disposition. Just as Christ God, knowing the sins of everyone, does not denounce and does not declare to anyone before His last Last Judgment, so the spiritual father, who takes the place of Christ, should not declare the sins spoken in confession, should not reprove, not only voluntarily, but also forced to this by someone else.
If any sovereign or civil court commanded or someone else compelled the priest to say any sin of his spiritual son, if he threatened and persuaded to reveal someone's sin with threats, torment and death, then the priest should rather die and marry a martyr's crown. than to destroy the seal of confession and the mystery of God to make known, declaring the sins of his spiritual son. For it is better for the spiritual father to accept temporary death from people who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul, for not declaring confession, than to be punished by God for declaring eternal death.
In addition, the spiritual father should also take care not only not to dare to denounce his spiritual son with a single word, but not even to expose him to human suspicions with some sign, so that people could not guess about his sin. ... Therefore, a confessor should not impose an explicit penance for a secret sin spoken in confession. Because if he imposes a clear penance for a secret sin, then many will begin to search for what kind of sin such a penance was imposed, and this will be contrary to the Sacrament of God and the seal of confession.
Let the spiritual father also know that after making a confession he should not remember the sins confessed to him, but must consign them to oblivion and not only not announce them to anyone, but even not to talk with his spiritual son himself later about his sins heard in confession, unless the spirit son himself alone would remember the previously confessed sins, seeking either useful teaching, or the relief of penance, which he could not bear, or for some other occasion.
But if some unskilled priest, raging in pride or vain exaltation, dares to denounce his spiritual children and declare their sins before people, such as an adversary, the destroyer of the Sacrament of God and the seal of the Holy Spirit, is subject to the Last Judgment of God and eternal execution. Eternal torment awaits him with Judas, a traitor to Christ, for he who reveals the mystery of God, that is, confession, and who gives it into the knowledge of people betrays Christ himself, who is in a repentant man. Such a confessor is no longer a confessor, but Judas, a traitor of Christ, and even more than that - Satan himself, a slanderer of our brethren, overthrown from Heaven, from whom there is great sorrow for people; for grief, and not salvation, comes from such a confessor. Saint Demetrius of Rostov.There is a difference between sins of weakness and sins of arbitrary, willful sins against conscience. The sin of weakness, which happens to godly people, should be exposed easily and affectionately. But sins committed against conscience and from arbitrariness, and especially old ones and those that have become customary, require cruel and severe conviction, just as an old disease requires a bitter and strong medicine. For such sins clearly lead to the death of sinners and cannot be freed from them except by cruel punishment and God's help. Such sinners must be severely denounced, so that, like thunder, they awaken from sinful sleep and create true repentance. We must speak the truth everywhere and not be silent about what should be said Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk.
It is necessary to declare to the one who confesses to forgive everyone, to whom he has enmity, since God does not forgive anyone who himself does not forsake the sins of his neighbor. This is what Christ Himself teaches: "If you will not forgive people their sins, then your Father will not forgive you your sins" (Matthew 6: 15). Let him reconcile with everyone, no matter who he offended, and if he kidnapped anything, let him return. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk.
It should be reminded that (the one who confesses) greatly regrets and laments in his heart that he has angered God, his Creator, since oral confession does not help without heartbreak. The repentant, with regret and heartfelt contrition, should speak of the mercy of God, with which God embraces all repentant sinners. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk.
In confession, act very carefully: beware lest you lead the sinner to despair; also beware lest the sinner get used to sin. The sinner easily gets used to sin when sin is left unpunished. The priest usually says, "God will forgive, God will forgive." But look, what is repentance, does a person truly repent, does he promise to continue to lag behind sin? Also, a sinner can come to despair if a priest treats him cruelly, showing the gravity of sin, and not mentioning the great mercy of God; in this case, the priest must also speak about the righteous Judgment of God to unrepentant sinners, and to those who repent, he must truly remind of the inscrutable mercy of God. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk.
Many call themselves sinful and sinful (no doubt, every person is a sinner, according to the Scriptures) (1 John 1, 8), but people do not tolerate this from people. He who truly, unhypocritically and in his heart calls himself a sinner, will easily endure any reproach and will not show signs of anger, for he is humble. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk.
"Confess your transgressions to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed: the fervent prayer of the righteous can do much" (James 5:16). And reason inspires us, and the word of God inclines us in the strongest way to repent of our crimes. Repent, repent. No one refutes this saving suggestion, unless he is completely blinded by passions and burned by his conscience.
Repentance is an awareness of your crime and heartfelt regret and torment about it, with a desire to predispose yourself to the best, and with a fear so as not to return to the bad again. And how from this it is evident that my thought sees the crime in me, and my torment is carried out in the innermost depths of my heart, and my striving for the best, and the fear of falling into the previous crime, is in my soul, that everything is seen in detail by the one who is testing God’s heart and womb, then why, someone will say, moreover, confession, that is, so that I can reveal my sins and speak about them before the Church or her servant?
... For the repentant soul, that you go through different degrees of repentance: you confess your sins, then you regret them, then you lament, sigh and cry, then in confession you overcome shame, then you break a habit, then you exhaust yourself by fasting, then prayer you endure work, then from the depraved people, from whom you lag behind, you endure reproach and contempt. These are different degrees of repentance.
...No no! - you cry, starting to confess, - while the long-suffering of God has not revealed my sins, I will go to the church minister, to my shepherd, who holds in his hands the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, I will go to him and secretly reveal my infirmity; show him my wounds; I will number him my sins; I will sincerely testify to my direct repentance; I will soften my hardheartedness with tears. I will present myself as a self-condemned sinner, may he guide me to a better life, may he encourage me with the mercy of God, may he permit with a sweet gospel voice, and may he give me the precious gift of the Body and Blood of the Lord without my condemnation. This is from what holy principle came confession, which even now in the Church of Christ is a mysterious and necessary action for a Christian!
What? Do Christians observe this with as much care as their essential benefit and salvation requires? If they are holy and are not involved in any sin, then, it is true, they have no need for that, but should only sing with the Angels a joyful song of thanksgiving and praise. But if they are sinful, as they really are, then why neglect the much needed treatment?
A wound is always dangerous if it is either not opened by a doctor or treatment is started. And in our very everyday affairs, we would be sinning a lot if we did not accept advice or instruction from anyone in anything, but only acted according to our thoughts alone; all the more so in the management of our soul we need advice and guidance. Confession is established so that we open our conscience to a confessor or a heart-bearer to God. Having opened, we will prove that we are not hardened in sin, that there is in us the hope of correction, for we are looking for healing. Having opened, we will receive advice on how to further warn us against sin; having opened, let us receive instruction showing us the rights and actions of God's judgment; having opened, we will be rewarded with merciful forgiveness from Him who alone "has the power on earth to forgive sins" (Matt. 9, 6). And with this let us calm down our spirit, tormented by passions and fear of punishment. Plato, Metropolitan of Moscow.A soul that knows that it is obliged to confess its sins ... by this very thought, as if by a bridle, is kept from repeating previous sins.
Whoever confesses his sins, they depart from him, because sins are based and fastened on the pride of the fallen nature and do not tolerate reproof and shame. Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
If you have acquired the habit of sins, then increase your confession of them - and soon you will be freed from sinful captivity, you will easily and joyfully follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
By the sacrament of Confession, all sins committed by word, deed, and thought are decisively cleansed. Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
Bodily lust fades away from confession rather than from fasting and vigilance. Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
The soul of the person who has the custom of frequently confessing his sins is kept from sins by remembering the forthcoming confession; on the contrary, unconfessed sins are conveniently repeated, as if committed in the dark or at night Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
Confession of sins is necessary in order to properly repent of past sins and in order to protect yourself from falling into sin for the future. Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
Thoughts, although sinful, but passing, not grafted into the soul, do not need immediate confession. Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
Nothing, nothing helps healing from a wound inflicted by mortal sin more than frequent confession. Nothing ... contributes to the mortification of passion ... as a thorough confession of all its manifestations. Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
Once, before the gospel, the Monk Paphnutius Borovsky was sitting on the church porch and sank into slumber. Suddenly it seemed to him that the monastery gates were opening and many people with candles were going to the church. Among them is Prince Georgy Vasilievich, who first bowed to the temple of God, and then to the blessed father. Paphnutius bowed to him and said: "Have you already passed away my son and prince?" - "Indeed so," - answered George. "How do you feel there now?" Paphnutius asked again. He answered: "Through your holy prayers, Father, God gave me good things. Especially because when I went against the Hagarians, I purely repented with you." When the sexton began to call, the monk woke up from a wonderful vision and glorified God. This God-fearing Prince George, who lived celibate until the end of his days, often came to confession to Father Paphnutius and told his loved ones: "Every time I go to confession to an elder, my knees buckle with fear." Trinity Paterik.
Saint Demetrius confession of sins, spoken before the priest on behalf of the penitent
I confess to the Lord God Almighty, in the Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the Most Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, and, to all the saints and you, honest father, all my sins, their evil deeds, thought, word, deed and all my feelings, as if I wasted away in sins, born in sins, brought up in sins, and I have lived in sins after Baptism even to this hour. I confess the same, as if they sinned exceedingly with pride, vain glory, exaltation of such clothes, as well as clothes and all my deeds, envy, hatred,
lust for tacos of honor, as well as avarice,
anger,
sadness
laziness
gluttony
sacrilege, unrighteous oath,
adultery
thief, robbery,
every form of fornication, the most filthy filth,
drunkenness, gluttony,
idle talk,
fleshly lust, kissing, touching unclean and genitive my uds,
clever murder with desire, [sinned] in faith, hope and love, the everlasting one and the Body and Blood of the Lord is unworthy of perception,
in admonitions and caresses of the wicked,
ignorance,
negligence,
in the creep of given and acceptable gifts,
in the creation of recklessness,
in the leadership by the evil arrangement of church things,
insufficient charity by alms, bitterness towards the poor, in the strange reception and treat of the poor,
in oppression of the households entrusted to me,
not visiting the sick, according to the commandment of the Gospel, and in the dungeon of those who are,
non-burial of the dead,
by the non-dressing of the poor, the non-saturation of the hungry, the non-intoxication of the thirsty,
days of the Lord's festive and His saints, reverence for the honor and celebration of non-repayment, and often drunkenly in those sojourns,
consenting to an evil elder, not helping before him, lowering comfort to those who demand, but harming even more,
strong elders and rulers by slander and blasphemy, and another benefactor of my fidelity by failure to preserve and due obedience to failure,
proud to walk into the Church of God by walking, standing, sitting and reclining, and an inappropriate procession from her, and idle verb in it, an unlawful act, bad with other conversations, sacred vessels and holy service with an unclean heart and bad hands touching, prayers and psalmics and the title of God doing in the Church of God,
the most omnipresent thinking, the perverse thinking and teaching, and the false opinion,
unreasonable condemnation,
by wicked consent and unrighteous advice,
lust and bad delight,
in idle, superfluous, unclean and vexatious words,
in lies, deceptions, in many different oaths, in incessant slander,
scattering quarrels and strife, laughing at others,
in idle mockery, in debate, flattery, in guile, in whispering,
in vain and vain joy and in all the evil tongues of murmuring and blasphemy, jesting, laughing,
malice, reproach,
foul language, abuse,
hypocrisy
bodily lust, prodigal thoughts, in the delights of the unclean and consent to the devil,
the transgression of the commandments of God, the negligence of my stay in love, even to God and my neighbor,
sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, lustful and impure
and in all thoughts, words of will and deed, perished.
Even in these and all other iniquities, if human weakness is against the Lord and his Creator, or by thought, or by word, or deed, or delight, or lust, he can sin, I have sinned and is guilty before the face of God, more than anyone else I know and confess these all and other countless of my many sins, I have also done voluntarily and involuntarily, knowledge or ignorance, by myself and through others, or by the delight of my brother and even the multitude for the sake of remembering and knowing, I am unbearable to myself, but in memory of remembrance, she uttered.
About all these who have been spoken, and for the sake of forgetfulness for the many and ineffable, I repent and regret, and I imagine myself guilty of the Lord my God being. And for this, for the sake of this, I humbly pray to the Most Holy and Most Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Heavenly Powers, and all the holy saints of God and to you, honest father, priest, before their presence all these confessions, that on the Day of Judgment you will be witnesses against the devil, the enemy and enemy of the human race. , as this is all about confessions; and pray for me a sinner to the Lord my God.
And I ask you, honest father, as if he had such a power given to you from Christ God, in the hedgehog who confessed to allow, forgive and forgive sins, so allow me from all these, their spoken before you, my sins, and cleanse me all, and forgive and give me penance for all my transgressions; I truly regret my sin, the imam will repent, and henceforth, it is only possible, through Divine help, to be observed.
Forgive me, holy father, and allow me; and pray for me a sinner. Amen. (Bulgakov S.V.)
Holy Fathers on the fight against sin. Saint Gregory of Nyssa: So that the thorns of this life (sins) do not bite our bare and unprotected feet, we will put on hard boots on our feet, and this is abstinence and strict life, which by itself crushes and erases the points of thorns, prevents sin, starting small and imperceptible, to penetrate the insides. The reason for sin is only that people do not want to add God's help to the means of fighting sin that they have at their fingertips. If prayer is preceded by intense endeavor, then sin will not find access to the soul. As long as the remembrance of God is firmly in the heart, the plans of the enemy remain ineffective, because the truth intercedes for us. He who fights with the help of virtue with any sin must destroy the principles of evil deeds in himself. For with the destruction of the beginning, the next one is destroyed. So the Lord teaches in the Gospel ... speaking about the killing of the firstborn of evil, when he commands those who have killed lust and anger in themselves not to fear either the filth of adultery or the horrors of murder, because both do not happen by themselves if anger does not give rise to murder, but lust is adultery. Therefore ... the one who kills the firstborn, no doubt, kills the next generation, just as the one who hits the head of the snake kills it entirely. Venerable Ephraim the Syrian: Reproaching oneself at all times helps to cleanse oneself from sins. If someone does not cleanse himself from every evil deed, from impure thoughts, from vicious desires ... God will not dwell in him. Work hard for your soul and do not be embarrassed by your fall, for there is shame that leads sin, and there is shame, from which glory and grace are born. Venerable Abba Isaiah: The sign that sin is forgiven is that it no longer produces any action in your heart and you forgot about it to the point that when you talk to your neighbors about such sins, you do not feel any sympathy for him, as he is completely alien to you. ... This means that you have been pardoned. It is impossible for Christ to dwell in a person with sin. If Christ has taken up residence in you, then sin has died in you. Remember your sins before God, if you want them to forgive you, and do not return evil for evil to your neighbor. But do not get too carried away by the memories of your misdeeds, so that your sins do not resume in you. Everyone should take care of their mental illnesses and everyone should mourn for their sins, regardless of the sins of their neighbors. It is not a change of place that takes away sins, but humility. He who courageously confronts sins sees and notices their poison. He who despises exploits against sins prepares torment for himself. Saint John Chrysostom: Remember your end - and you will not sin. Remember always about death and your thought will not experience hesitation. Let us extinguish the sinful fire, not with an abundance of water, but with small tears. We will undoubtedly believe and constantly talk about fiery hell, and then we will not soon sin. And remember that confessed sin decreases, and unconfessed sin increases. It is much better not to sin at all, but it is also important for salvation that the one who has sinned grieves, condemns his soul and punishes his conscience with great diligence; this is how sin is washed away, this is how the soul is cleansed. Sin is a cruel ruler, giving impious orders, dishonoring those who obey him. Therefore, I exhort you, let us with great jealousy avoid his power, we will fight with it, we will never reconcile with it, and having freed ourselves from it, we will remain in this freedom. The memory of sins tames the mind, convinces us to be humble-wise, and through humility attracts God's favor. He who is tormented for his sins is freed from punishment for the deeds already committed and in the future it becomes safer because of this grief. Let us list the healing remedies for healing your wounds (mental, inflicted by sin) and we will constantly apply them one after another: self-abasement, confession, good-naturedness, thanksgiving for sorrows, helping the poor ... and unceasing prayer. Forgive the offender, give alms to the needy, humble your soul and, even if you were the greatest sinner, you can reach the Kingdom of Heaven, thus cleansing your sins and washing away impurity. If we abstain from small sins, we will never fall into big ones, but in the course of time, with the help of heavenly, we will attain the highest virtue. It is a sin to put to death by confession, tears, condemnation of oneself, for nothing is so destructive for sin as conviction and condemnation, with repentance and tears. A meek and indulgent person greatly reduces the severity of sins; the cruel, stern and unforgiving adds much to his sins. Do not despair over sins: in sin, the most criminal thing is when they remain in sin, and in a fall, the worst thing is when they lie after the fall. He who fears sin will never be afraid of anything else, but will laugh at the blessings of real life and despise sorrow, because the fear of sin alone shakes his soul. Let's not present excuses for sins; it is a pretext and a deception that harms ourselves. Slavery to sin is the hardest thing; only God can deliver the soul from it. As fire, falling into thorns, easily destroys it, so the grace of the Spirit takes away sins. Sin is a wound, repentance is a medicine. In sin - shame, in sin - shame; in repentance - boldness, in repentance - freedom, in repentance - cleansing from sin. Greater sins require not so much diligence as small and insignificant ones. It is the very property of sin that makes one turn away from the former. And the little ones, precisely because they are small, dispose to laziness and do not induce us to courageously rise up to destroy them. Therefore, they soon become great if we sleep. Rev. Nilus of Sinai: If you want to be above any sin, then do not try to learn about other people's sins, there is much in you that you suspect others of. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk: The sinner is destroyed not by a multitude of sins, but by impenitence. Move away from evil and depraved people. For if a person is well brought up and lives piously, but communicating with the wicked, he can become corrupted, as one who touches soot gets dirty: “Bad communities corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). Therefore, like Lot from Sodom, so the good must flee from being with the wicked, so as not to perish, being corrupted by their iniquities. You see your neighbor's sins or hear about them - let it serve you not to condemn your brother - some have such an evil custom - but to the knowledge of your weakness, not to the ridicule of the one who sinned, but unfortunately and to your correction. From him, turn your gaze to yourself: weren't you yourself in the same or a similar sin, or are you now? If not, you can sin even more bitterly. Our common weakness and sinfulness are within us: our enemies are our passions; the flesh enslaves us, and Satan, our enemy, constantly wants to devour us. We are all subject to every calamity and fall, and we all fall; and we will fall if the grace of God does not support us. And from such a case, consider yourself, and after the fall of your brother, act more carefully with the help of God. Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov): The sin, through which our fall was accomplished, so embraced our whole nature that it became for us, as it were, natural. The renunciation of sin has become a renunciation of nature; renunciation of nature is renunciation of oneself. Whoever confesses his sins, they depart from him, because sins are based and fastened on the pride of the fallen nature, do not tolerate reproof and shame. If you have acquired the habit of sins, then increase your confession of them, and soon you will be freed from the captivity of sin, you will easily and joyfully follow the Lord Jesus Christ. He who wants to get rid of the sins that live in him by crying gets rid of them, and who wants not to fall into sins again by crying avoids falling into them. This is the path of repentance. Sinful and vain thoughts, dreams and sensations can then undoubtedly harm us when we do not struggle with them, when we enjoy them and plant them in ourselves. The sinner, arbitrarily and deliberately, in the hope of repentance, is suddenly struck by death, and he is not given the time he intended to devote to virtue. The general rule of fighting sinful beginnings is to reject sin at the very appearance of it ... When we resist sinful thoughts, dreams and sensations, then the very struggle with them will bring us prosperity and enrich us with an active mind. Consciousness of the damage caused in nature by original sin, and humble prayer for healing and renewal of nature by his Creator - is the most powerful and effective weapon in the struggle against nature. Whoever accomplishes a great deed will establish enmity with sin, forcibly tearing away the mind, heart and body from it, God will give him a great gift: the sight of his sin. Sin and the state of falling have become so assimilated to us, so merged with our existence, that renunciation of them became renunciation of ourselves, the destruction of our soul. No good deeds can redeem a soul from hell that has not been cleansed from mortal sin to separation from the body. Hate sin with determination! Change him by discovering him - and he will run away from you; expose him as an enemy - and you will receive the power from Above to resist him, to defeat him. The repentance that befits a godly Christian in the midst of the world is to reckon with your conscience every evening. Taking up your cross means valiantly enduring hard invisible labor, invisible anguish and martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel, in the struggle with our own passions, with the sin dwelling within us, with the spirits of malice, which with fury will rise up against us ... when we intend to overthrow ourselves from ourselves. yoke of sin and submit to the yoke of Christ. The victory over one's own sinfulness is at the same time the victory over eternal death. The one who possesses it can easily avoid social sinful attraction. Although sinfulness is defeated in righteous people, although eternal death is destroyed by the presence of the Holy Spirit in them, they are not granted immutability in good throughout their earthly wanderings, and they are not deprived of their freedom to choose good and evil. Life on earth until its last hour is a field of exploits, voluntary and involuntary. To reflect sinful thoughts and dreams, the Fathers offer two tools: an immediate confession of thoughts and dreams to the elder, and an immediate appeal to God with the warmest prayer for the expulsion of invisible enemies. There is no human sin that the Blood of the Lord God our Savior Jesus Christ cannot wash away. The repentance of a person who is in mortal sin can only be recognized as true when he forsakes his mortal sin. Weep constantly for your sin, and sin will become the keeper of virtue. Mortal sin decisively enslaves a person to the devil and decisively breaks off communion with God until a person heals himself by repentance. By holy Baptism, original sin and sins committed before Baptism are washed away, and violent power over us is taken away from sin. Sin is the parent of weeping and tears, it ... is mortified by its children - weeping and tears. Saving for us, murderous for sin - the remembrance of death born of sin. Nothing, nothing helps to receive healing from the wound inflicted by mortal sin as much as frequent confession. Nothing ... so helps to mortify passion ... as a careful confession of all its manifestations. All the fathers agree that the novice monk should reject sinful thoughts and dreams at the very beginning, without entering into discussion or conversation with them. The hope of all those who are saved is concentrated in God, the hope of those who overcome sin by the power of God and the hope of those who have been overcome by sin for a time, by God's permission, by their own weakness. Saint Ambrose of Mediolana: “If he sins, your brother is against you, rebuke him.” (Luke 17: 3) Jesus Christ prescribes a commandment on how to deal with a neighbor who, after a transgression, brings repentance so as not to bring him to despair. He prescribes the most prudent measures so that, on the one hand, by indulgence, not to give rise to a greater offense, and on the other, not to irritate and harden the heart with inappropriate severity; in this case, He says this: "If he sins against you. thy brother, go and reprove him between you and him alone "(Matthew 18:15). Because a meek reproof is more effective than a severe accusation: the former can arouse shame, and the latter instills displeasure and forces the guilty one to hide his guilt. the brother found in you a sincere friend, not an enemy: he would rather agree to follow the advice of a friend than leave the enemy's offense without revenge. Therefore, the apostle said: "But do not consider him an enemy, but admonish him like a brother" (2 Thess. 3, 15) Fear makes a person cautious for a short time, while shame is the best teacher in goodness. Fear keeps only a short time from vices and does not correct the vicious, and shame, on the contrary, can eventually turn into a habit of doing good. Rev. Isidore Pelusiot: “Would you like us to go and choose them?” - tares (Matt. 13, 28), - say the angelic forces, who always want to faithfully serve God's will, because they see our laziness and God's great patience. But they are forbidden to do this, so that together with the tares they pull out the wheat, do not kidnap a sinner who gives hope for correction, and together with their parents who have become vicious, innocent children are not destroyed - even those who are still in the paternal loins, but already stand before God, who sees the hidden things. The ranks of the angels, as servants of God, like all nature, do not know that which does not yet exist, and the Lord knows this, and often brought it to fruition. He did not take the life of Esau, who was sinning, while he was still childless, so as not to destroy Job, born of him, with him. He did not put the tax collector Matthew to death, so as not to hinder the work of the Gospel. He did not kill the harlots, so that there might be images of repentance in the world. Nor did he punish Peter's denial, because he saw his bitter tears. He did not destroy, having punished with death, the persecutor Paul, so as not to deprive the world of salvation. Therefore, those tares that remain until the harvest and do not change, that is, do not bear the fruit of repentance as completely barren, prepare themselves for the great burning. Saint Demetrius of Rostov: How Many Immortal Sins? It is impossible to count them, according to the words of the Psalmist: "Who will discern his faults?" (Psalm 18:13). How many mortal sins? There are seven deadly sins, or the most important ones: pride, covetousness, fornication, envy, gluttony, rancor and despondency. These sins are called major, major, or major sins because the rest of the sins stem from them. How are these sins overcome? The opposite virtues, namely: pride is conquered by meekness or humility; covetousness - generosity; fornication - by the bridling of the flesh, or purity; envy - with love; gluttony - by abstinence and sobriety, rancor and anger - by patience and forgetfulness of offenses; despondency - by diligence and hard work. What other sins are there? There are the following six sins, called sins against the Holy Spirit: excessive reliance on the mercy of God; despair in their salvation; opposition to the established truth and rejection of the Orthodox Christian faith; envy of neighbors who receive spiritual benefits from God; stay in sins and stagnation in wickedness; neglect of repentance until the end of this life. There are four more sins crying out to heaven for vengeance: intentional homicide; harm to the poor; hurting widows and orphans; withholding payments to mercenaries. How are these sins overcome? Virtues and observance of the commandments of God, contrition of the heart, repentance, confession and penance.
