Elder Ambrose's foresight was combined with another most valuable gift, especially for a shepherd - prudence. The elder often gave instructions in a half-joking form, but deep meaning his speeches were not diminished at all by this.

People involuntarily thought about the figurative expressions of Father Ambrose and remembered this lesson for a long time. Often on general techniques the question was heard: “How to live?” The elder answered complacently: “We must live on earth as a wheel turns, just one point touches the ground, and the rest tends upward; and even if we lie down, we can’t get up.”

“God gives grace to the humble”

One nun was severely reprimanded by the abbess for involuntary disobedience. She was hurt and offended, but, suppressing her pride, she fell silent and only asked for forgiveness. Returning to her cell, she noticed that her soul was light and joyful. In the evening of the same day, she reported everything that had happened to Father Ambrose. The elder said: “This incident is providential, remember it. The Lord wanted to show you how sweet the fruit of humility is, so that you, having felt it, would always force yourself to humility, first to the external, and then to the internal. When a person forces himself to humble himself, the Lord comforts him internally, and this is the grace that God gives to the humble. Self-justification only seems to make it easier, but in fact it brings darkness and confusion to the soul.”

About self-conceit

Father Ambrose tirelessly warned his spiritual children about the dangers of conceit and pride. The priest told one of the visitors, who had a vain thought, a parable: “One hermit was chosen as a bishop; he refused for a long time, but they insisted. Then he thought: I didn’t know that I was worthy, surely I have something good. At this time, an angel appeared to him and said: “Ryadniche (ordinary monk), why are you ascending, people there have sinned and they need punishment, that’s why they chose him, because they couldn’t find someone worse than you.” The elder said: “Memory, envy, hatred and similar passions lie within and are born and grow from the inner root of pride. No matter how you cut off the branches from the outside, as long as this root is raw and fresh and no means are used to cut the internal branches of this root, through which the harmful moisture penetrates and produces external shoots, the labor will be in vain. The ax to destroy the root of pride is faith, humility, obedience and cutting off one’s desires and understandings.”

About the fight against sins

“Why do people sin?” - the elder sometimes asked a question and answered it himself: “Either because they do not know what to do and what to avoid, or, if they know, they forget, or are lazy, or become despondent... These are three giants - despondency or laziness , oblivion and ignorance - from which the entire human race is bound by insoluble bonds. And then comes negligence with all its host of evil passions.”

On the patience of sorrows and insults

To those who complained about sorrows, the elder said: “If the sun always shines, then everything in the field will wither; That's why it needs rain. If everything rains, then everything will trample; That's why you need wind to blow through. And if there is not enough wind, then a storm is also needed for everything to blow through. All this is useful to a person in due time, because he is changeable.”

“When someone annoys you, never ask why or why.” This is nowhere in Scripture. It says the opposite: they will hit you on your right cheek, turn your left also; and this is what it means: if they beat you for the truth, then do not complain and give the left one, that is, remember your wrong deeds, and you will see that you are worthy of punishment.”

Human weakness

When someone told the priest “I can’t” (to endure or do something), he often told about one merchant who kept saying: “I can’t, I can’t - I’m weak.” And once he had to travel across Siberia; he was wrapped in two fur coats and dozed off at night; he opened his eyes and suddenly saw - like a radiance in front of him, everything seemed to be flashing by wolves; looks - they really are wolves. How he jumps... yes, forgetting about the weight of his fur coats, straight onto the tree!

About the dangers of praise

“When people praise you, you should not pay attention to it, not respond or argue. Let them praise, but only realize within yourself whether you are worthy of praise or not. If you contradict, then hypocrisy will result; after all, you still have a subtle feeling of pleasure from praise; and even those whom you contradict will not believe you, so when they praise you, don’t say anything, lower your eyes, and be silent.”

About repentance

The elder said about repentance: “What a time has come now! It happened that if someone sincerely repents of their sins, they will already change their sinful life to a good one; and now it often happens like this: a person will tell all his sins in detail in confession, and then again take up his own.”

“It is not the food that matters, but the commandment”

One opponent of fasting said to the priest: “Does it matter to God what kind of food?” To this the elder replied: “It is not the food that matters, but the commandment; Adam was expelled from paradise not for eating, but for eating, only for eating the forbidden. Why is it that even now on Thursday or Tuesday you can eat whatever you want and are not punished for it, but on Wednesday and Friday you are punished because you do not obey the commandments. What is especially important here is that obedience is developed through obedience.”

“Turkeys are her whole life.”

One day, the old man was stopped by a woman who had been hired by the landowner to go get the turkeys, but for some reason her turkeys were dead, and the landlady wanted to pay her off. “Father! - she turned to him with tears, - I don’t have the strength: I can’t finish eating them myself - I’m closer than my eyes, but they hurt. The lady wants to drive me away. Have pity on me, darling." Those present laughed at her. And the elder asked her with sympathy how she fed them, and gave her advice on how to support them differently, blessed her and sent her away. To those who laughed at her, he noticed that her whole life was in these turkeys. Afterwards it became known that the woman’s turkeys no longer died.

Sad Comforter

Prudence and insight were combined in Elder Ambrose with an amazing, purely maternal tenderness of heart, thanks to which he was able to alleviate the heaviest grief and console the most sorrowful soul.

For forgiveness and advice

This is an eyewitness account of how the elder arranged the fate of one already desperate young woman. She was the daughter of a famous merchant, educated but modest. The girl became interested in the young professor and was already expecting a child, but his father refused to marry her. The angry merchant kicked his daughter out of the house with nothing. One must imagine that at that time the attitude towards such situations was the most severe, and a girl who found herself in such a situation covered herself with shame for the rest of her life. She crossed over to a neighboring town, handed the child over to some bourgeois woman, promising to pay for his upbringing, and went to Optina Pustyn to Elder Ambrose “for forgiveness and advice.” Having reached Optina, she, in the crowd of visitors waiting for the elder, prepared for a difficult, shameful confession. Imagine her bewilderment and embarrassment when, bypassing everyone, Father Ambrose called her from afar, and as soon as she approached the elder, he kindly and sympathetically asked her where she had left the baby she had given birth to. She told everything in tears. Then he told her to immediately take the child, return to her father’s city, “and God will send money for food.” She did just that. The boy grew up to be extremely capable, studied well, the woman, with the blessing of the elder, began to paint icons, which is how she earned her living, leading a pious life, in works and prayers, often visiting Father Ambrose, who treated her son with special love and attention. Over time, the woman’s father softened and began to financially support his daughter and grandson.

“Your telegram was cut short”

One resident of Kozelsk, three years after the elder’s death, in 1894, told the following about herself: “I had a son, he served at the telegraph office, delivering telegrams. Father knew both him and me. My son often brought him telegrams, and I went for a blessing. But then my son fell ill with consumption and died. I came to him - we all went to him with our grief. He patted me on the head and said: “Your telegram was cut short!” - “It’s broken,” I say, “father!” - and cried. And my soul felt so light from his caress, as if a stone had been lifted. We lived with him as with our own father. Now there are no such elders anymore. And maybe God will send more!”

“Who is crying so bitterly here?”

One young girl with good education, striving for better life, but exhausted by her internal duality, doubts, the emptiness of life and the interests of her environment, unconsciously, under the influence of stories about the elder, she went to see him in Optina, without having any intention specific purpose. It was going on in the old man's cell all-night vigil. There were a lot of people. Standing with everyone, the girl felt some inexplicable excitement. A gracious warmth filled her heart. Looking at the large image of the Mother of God “It is worthy to eat,” she suddenly felt as if the affection of the Queen of Heaven Herself and, without noticing it herself, began to cry bitterly. Suddenly an old man comes out of his cell and, with a face full of compassionate love and sympathy, asks: “Who is crying so bitterly here?” They answered him: “No one, father, is crying.” “No,” the elder repeated, “someone is crying here.” The girl was deeply amazed. From that moment on, her fate was sealed. She asked the elder to accept her into the monastery in Shamordino. Soon her mother arrived to “snatch her daughter from this terrible monastic world.” With sorrow and reproaches she went to the priest. The elder offered her a chair. Several minutes of conversation passed, and the distressed mother involuntarily, not understanding what was happening to her, got up from the chair and knelt down next to the old man, the conversation continued, but the girl’s mother was already in a completely different state. Soon her mother, who also entered the monastery, joined the nun daughter.

Healing the sick

As for the healings through the prayer of the elder, they were countless. The elder covered up these healings in every possible way: he sent the sick to holy springs, directed them to St. Mitrophan of Voronezh, so that they would think that they were healed through prayers to the saint. Sometimes he, as if as a joke, hits his head with his hand, and the illness goes away. One day, a reader who was reading prayers suffered from severe toothache. Suddenly the elder hit him. Those present grinned, thinking that the reader must have made a mistake in reading. In fact, his toothache stopped. Knowing the elder, some women turned to him: “Father Abrosim! Beat me, my head hurts.”

“It’s not I who heal, but the Queen of Heaven”

The story of one of the elder’s spiritual daughters, who was brought to him by a friend for healing. For a long time she suffered from a throat disease that none of the doctors could cope with, and had already reached such a state that she could not swallow food: “When I went up to the priest’s room with Mrs. Klyuchareva, she, kneeling in front of him, began asking with tears: “Father! Heal her as you know how to heal.” The Elder became very angry at these words and ordered Mrs. Klyuchareva to leave immediately. He said to me: “It is not I who heal, but the Queen of Heaven; turn and pray to Her.” There was an image hanging in the corner of the room Holy Mother of God. Then he asked where his throat hurt. I showed the right side of it. The elder crossed the sore spot three times with prayer. It was as if I immediately received some kind of cheerfulness. Having accepted the priest’s blessing and thanked him for his gracious welcome, I left. I arrived at the hotel, where my husband and a lady I knew were waiting for me... In front of them, I tried to swallow a piece of bread to make sure whether I felt better through the prayers of the elder. Before, I couldn't swallow anything solid. And suddenly - what was my joy! “I was pain-free, very easy, I could eat everything, and until now the pain has never returned, 15 years have already passed.”

Healing a sick child

“One summer,” said the Optina monk Pamva, “I had to be in Kaluga. On the way back to Optina Pustyn, a priest with his wife and a boy of about eleven caught up with me. Having talked about Father Ambrose, the priest Father John said that his parish was not far from the Podborok station, in the village of Alopov, and that this boy, his son, was born through the holy prayers of Elder Ambrose. The priest's wife confirmed her husband's words. “The true truth,” she told me. “We didn’t have children. We were bored and often came to Father, who consoled us, saying that he was praying to the Lord God for us. We had this very boy. Besides him, We have no children." The priest said the following: “At one time, our son’s eye fell ill. My wife and I went to Kozelsk to see a doctor, but first we stopped in Optina and came to Father Ambrose. The elder, blessing the boy, began to lightly hit the sore eye My hair stood on end for fear that the old man would hurt the boy’s eye. And what happened? We came from the old man to the hotel, and the boy told us that his eye was better, and the pain in him subsided, and then completely. passed. Having thanked the priest, we returned home, glorifying and thanking God."

“Get up, lazy one!”

One day, Elder Ambrose, bent over, leaning on a stick, was walking from somewhere along the road to the monastery. Suddenly he saw a picture: a loaded cart was standing, a dead horse was lying nearby, and a peasant was crying over it. Loss of a nurse horse in peasant life it's a real disaster! Approaching the fallen horse, the elder began to slowly walk around it. Then, taking a twig, he whipped the horse, shouting at it: “Get up, lazy one!” - and the horse obediently rose to its feet.

About the benefits of monasticism

At that time, a low opinion of monasticism and monks was widespread in secular society, who were reproached for ignorance, idleness, etc. The universal worship of education, science and the human mind led to a humiliation of the importance of spiritual life and prayerful deeds. Exposing these accusations, the elder wrote: “The opinion that in monasteries the monk and hieromonk should be educated would have some probability if the twelve chosen disciples of Christ the Savior were educated. But the Lord, in order to disgrace human pride and arrogance, chose His disciples, simple fishermen, who simply and quickly believed in His teaching. And in order to convert and lead the educated Saul to faith, it was necessary to first punish him with blindness. Because the educated believe uncomfortably and do not easily humble themselves, inflated by scientific knowledge.

If an eloquent preacher against monasticism had lived at least three months in some deserted monastery and been like everyone else church services, getting up every morning at two o’clock or earlier, then he would have learned by experience how “the monks in the monasteries do nothing.”

No matter how bad monasticism is, the evil Satan wants in every possible way to destroy bad monasticism. Apparently it is salty to him and greatly hinders his intrigues and evil deeds. That is why he incites the educated people who are submissive to himself against the monastics. Every society needs educated, average and simple people. If everyone were educated, then who would do the lesser tasks..."

REVEREND AMBROSIY OF OPTINA. Advice and spiritual instructions March 1st, 2009

He who has a bad heart should not despair; because with the help of God a person can correct his heart. You just need to carefully monitor yourself and not miss the opportunity to be useful to your neighbors, often open up to the elder and give alms within your power. Of course, this cannot be done suddenly, but the Lord is patient. He only ends a person’s life when he sees him ready for the transition to eternity, or when he sees no hope for his correction.
You need to force yourself, albeit against your will, to do some good to your enemies; and most importantly, do not take revenge on them and be careful not to somehow offend them with the appearance of contempt and humiliation.
How to live?
From those who came to Elder Ambrose I often heard general question: "How to live?" The elder usually answered in a joking tone: “Don’t bother living, don’t judge anyone, don’t annoy anyone, and my respects to everyone.” “Don’t grieve” means to endure sorrows and failures in life complacently. “Do not judge” indicates the common lack of judgment among people to judge their neighbors. “Not to annoy” - not to cause trouble or sorrow to someone. “My respect to everyone” - treat everyone with respect and not be proud. The main idea of ​​this saying is humility. The elder answered this same question somewhat differently: “We need to live unhypocritically and behave exemplarily, then our cause will be correct, otherwise it will turn out badly.”
Or this: “You can live in the world, but not in the South.”
“We must live on earth like this,” said the elder, “like a wheel spinning - just one point touches the ground, and the rest certainly tends upward; but as soon as we lie down on the ground, we cannot get up.”
To the question: “What does it mean to live according to your heart?” - the priest replied: “Do not interfere in other people’s affairs and see all the good in others.”
“Look, Melitona,” the elder said to one nun, warning her against arrogance, “stick to the middle tone; if you take it high, it won’t be easy; if you take it low, it will be slimy; and you, Melitona, stick to the middle tone.”

About the cross
When man walking the direct path, for him there is no cross. But when he retreats from him and begins to rush in one direction or another, then different circumstances appear that push him onto the straight path. These shocks constitute a cross for a person. They come in different varieties, depending on which one you need.
The cross is sometimes mental - it happens that a person is confused by sinful thoughts, but the person is not guilty of them if he does not deign to them. One ascetic, the elder said, for a long time was overwhelmed by unclean thoughts. When the Lord who appeared to her drove them away from her, she cried out to Him: “Where have you been before, O my Sweet Jesus?” The Lord answered: “I was in your heart.” She asked: “How could this be, because my heart was filled with unclean thoughts.” And the Lord said to her: “Therefore, understand that I was in your heart, that you had no inclination towards unclean thoughts, but were sick about this and tried to get rid of them - by this you prepared a place for Me in your heart.”
Although the Lord forgives the sins of those who repent, every sin requires a cleansing punishment. For example, the Lord Himself said to a prudent thief: “Today you will go to heaven with Me,” and yet after these words they broke his legs. What was it like to hang on the cross for three hours on only your hands, with broken shins? This means that he needed purifying suffering.
For sinners who die immediately after repentance, the prayers of the Church and those praying for them serve as purification; and those who are still alive must themselves be cleansed by correcting their lives and by alms covering their sins.
Sometimes suffering is sent to a person innocently so that, following the example of Christ, he suffers for others. The Savior Himself suffered for people. His apostles also suffered for people.

About the sign of the cross
The elder wrote to one spiritual daughter: “Centuries-established experience shows that the sign of the cross has great power on all the actions of a person throughout his life. Therefore, it is necessary to take care to instill in children the custom of protecting themselves more often sign of the cross, especially before eating, going to bed and getting up, before leaving, before leaving and before entering somewhere. And so that children make the sign of the cross not carelessly, but with precision, starting from the forehead to the chest and on both shoulders, so that the cross comes out correctly... Protecting oneself with the sign of the cross saved many from great troubles and dangers.”
The elder told the following story about the power of the sign of the cross: “One of them liked to drink too much. In this state, he got lost somewhere, and he imagined that someone was coming up to him, pouring a glass of vodka and offering him a drink. But he got lost first, according to his habit , made the sign of the cross, and suddenly everything disappeared, and in the distance he heard a dog barking. Having come to his senses, he saw that he had wandered into some kind of swamp and was in a very bad situation. dangerous place. If it weren't for the dog's barking, he wouldn't have gotten out of there."
One woman told the priest that she was ashamed to be baptized in a worldly house, so that they would not see her. To this he brought next example: "P.V. S-na was in good home, she felt thirsty, and Father Macarius blessed her to be baptized. She thinks: “You can’t be baptized and you can’t not be baptized,” and she didn’t drink. So you: if you don’t want to be baptized, don’t drink tea.”

About the temple and prayer
By the time the service begins, you will be more sober.
When you go to church and come back from church, you should read “It is worthy to eat.” And when you come to church, bow three times with the words: “God, be merciful to me a sinner,” and so on.
You must definitely go to church services, otherwise you will be sick. The Lord punishes us with illness for this. And as you walk, you will be healthier and more sober.
You shouldn't talk in church. This is a bad habit. For this, sorrows are sent.
Read the “Our Father,” but don’t lie: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive...”
In all matters, a person needs God’s help, and therefore always ask for God’s help in everything, that is, fervent prayer is necessary.
When you wake up, first cross yourself. The state you are in in the morning will be the same for the rest of the day.
When you go to bed, cross your bed and cell with the prayer “May God rise again.”
First of all, one must pray, asking for mercy from God: “Beholden by fate, have mercy on me, a sinner.” In the morning, when you wake up, say: “Glory to you, God.”
"Theotokos" must be read 12 times or 24 times a day. She is our only Intercessor.
When you pray fervently, just be sure that there will be temptation.
When the clock strikes, you should cross yourself with the prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” As St. Demetrius of Rostov writes, “have mercy on me because the hour has passed and I am closer to death.” You don’t have to be baptized in front of everyone, but depending on who you can or shouldn’t be with, you have to say the prayer in your mind.
And when you start to dig (that is, when irritability towards someone begins to bother you during prayer), pray like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners!”
One brother complained to the elder that during prayer there were many different thoughts. The elder said to this: “A man was driving through the market. There is a crowd of people around him, talk, noise, and he keeps on his horse: “But, but! But, but!” So, little by little, the whole bazaar passed through. So you too, no matter what your thoughts say, do all your work - pray!”
Instructing that God first of all looks at the inner prayerful mood of a person’s soul, the elder recalled: “Once I came to Fr. Hegumen Anthony is sick with his legs and says: “Father, my legs hurt, I can’t bow down, and this confuses me.” Father Anthony answers him: “Yes, the Scripture says, “Son, give me a heart,” and not legs.”
One nun told the elder that she saw an icon in a dream Mother of God and heard from Her: “Make a sacrifice.” Father asked: “What, did you make a sacrifice?” She answered: “What will I bring? I have nothing.” Then Father said: “It is written in the psalms: the sacrifice of praise will glorify Me.”
One believer told the priest: “When I am angry, I pray absent-mindedly.” And the priest replied: “Whoever is angry is deprived of the protection of God. You need to pray without rancor.”
When the priest was asked to pray in order to correct himself, he answered: “You yourself need to help yourself. The prophet Nathan prayed for King David, and he wet the bed with tears, prayed for Saul, and he was faster and snoring.”
If you don’t want to pray, you need to force yourself. The Holy Fathers say that prayer with compulsion is higher than arbitrary prayer. You don’t want to, but force yourself: “We need the Kingdom of Heaven.”
“You should not pray for the sisters,” the elder wrote to one nun. - This is the enemy, under the guise of goodness; this is the work of the perfect. Just cross yourself and say: “Lord, have mercy on us.”
When they hit “Worthy,” if you are in a cell, you need to stand up and make three bows to the Holy Trinity: “It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Ask for the intercession of the Queen of Heaven and read: “It is worthy to eat as truly...”, and if someone is a stranger (in the cell), then just cross yourself.
Father o. Ambrose advised, in the face of human and enemy intrigues, to resort to the psalms of the holy prophet David, which he prayed when he was persecuted by enemies, namely, to read Psalms 3, 53, 58 and 142. Select from these psalms verses appropriate to grief, and read them more often, turning to God with faith and humility. And when despondency overcomes or unaccountable grief torments the soul, read Psalms 101, 36 and 90. If, in the name of the Holy Trinity, you regularly read these psalms three times daily, with humility and zeal, surrendering yourself to the all-good providence of God, then the Lord, like light, will bring forth your truth and your destiny,
like noon. Submit to the Lord and beg Him (Ps. 36:6-7).
So that people would not remain careless and would not place their hope in outside prayerful help, the elder repeated the usual folk saying: “God help me, and the man himself does not lie.” And he added: “Remember, the twelve apostles asked the Savior for their Canaanite wife, but He did not hear them; but she began to ask and begged.”

About the Jesus Prayer
To many Fr. Ambrose advised both in letters and orally not to abandon the short Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Say the Jesus Prayer even in a whisper, but many have been harmed by the clever one.
The priest talked about the power of the Jesus Prayer: “One priest had a starling who constantly heard the prayer from his owner and repeated it quite often. One day a kite flew at him on the street, and out of habit he said a prayer at that time. And what - a kite I didn’t dare touch him: I senselessly repeated the Jesus Prayer, and that saved me!”
The elder also said: “One brother asked another: “Who taught you the Jesus Prayer?” And he answered: “Demons.” - “How can that be?” “Yes, so: they bother me with sinful thoughts, but I did everything and said the Jesus Prayer, and I’m used to it.”

Sin
They asked the priest: “So-and-so doesn’t die for a long time, she always imagines cats and so on. Why is that?" Answer: “Every sin, no matter how small, must be written down as soon as you remember it, and then repented. That is why some people do not die for a long time, because some unrepentant sin is holding them back, but as soon as they repent, they are relieved.
In our barnyard (in Optina) there was a cowgirl in consumption, whose three sins had been forgotten, and it seemed to her that the cats were scratching her, or the girl was crushing her, and when she repented, she died. There was also a sick monk in the skete; It seemed to him as if someone was lying behind him, and he could not remember the sin. During the week, he remembered his sin and repented and died. You definitely need to write down your sins as soon as you remember, otherwise we put it off: sometimes the sin is small, sometimes it’s embarrassing to say, or “I’ll say it later,” but when we come to repent, there’s nothing to say.”
Three rings cling to each other: hatred comes from anger, anger comes from pride.

Why do people sin?
The elder resolved this issue this way: “Or because they don’t know what to do and what to avoid; go, if they know, then they forget; if they don’t forget, they become lazy and despondent. On the contrary: since people are very lazy in matters of piety, they very often forget about their main responsibility- serve God. From laziness and oblivion they reach extreme foolishness or ignorance. Laziness, oblivion and ignorance are three giants from which the entire human race is bound by insoluble bonds... Therefore, we pray to the Queen of Heaven: My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with Your holy and all-powerful prayers, take away despondency from me, Your humble and accursed servant, oblivion, unreason, negligence..."

Self-justification
People always try to justify their actions. And the elder said that self-justification is a great sin.
For example, he told next case: “The late Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich once came to the prison and began asking the prisoners why each of them was in prison. Everyone justified themselves and said that they were put in prison innocently, in vain. The Emperor approached one more of them and asked: “Why are you here?” And I received the answer: “For my great sins, prison is not enough for me.” Then the Emperor turned to the officials accompanying him and said: “Let him go free now.”

1. According to human opinion, the path of salvation, it would seem, should be a smooth, quiet and peaceful path, but according to the gospel word, this path is regrettable, cramped and narrow.

2. The Gospel commandments require, firstly, humble patience and enduring all temptations, according to what is said: “In your patience you will gain your souls” and “he who endures to the end will be saved”; so as not to judge or condemn anyone, but to leave everyone to God’s judgment and leave them to their own will. Since there is only one Judge of the living and the dead, before whom each of us will be glorified or ashamed by our deeds.

3. Who is more inclined to inner life, he should primarily be concerned most of all with leaving everyone and everything to the judgment of God...

4. The main means to salvation is to endure various sorrows, whichever is suitable for whom...

5. Anyone who wants to be saved must remember and not forget the apostolic commandment: “Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” There are many other commandments, but not a single one has such an addition, that is: thus fulfill the law of Christ. This commandment is of great importance, and before others we must take care of its fulfillment.

6. Many desire a good spiritual life in its simplest form; but only a few and rare actually fulfill their good desire, namely those who firmly adhere to the words of Holy Scripture that “through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter the kingdom of heaven,” and, calling on God’s help, try to endure the sorrows and illnesses that befall them without complaint , and various inconveniences...

7. If you want to place yourself on the firm path of salvation, then first of all try to listen only to yourself, and leave all others to the Providence of God and their own will and do not worry about edifying anyone. It is not in vain that it is said: “Everyone will either become famous or be ashamed by his deeds.” This way it will be more useful and saving and, moreover, more peaceful.

8. Mercy and condescension towards others and forgiveness of their shortcomings is the shortest path to salvation.

God creates everything for our salvation

14. You want to see your salvation in full view. But such a clear vision can lead a person either to pride or to laziness; and what is not useful is not given to people, as well as what is timeless, i.e. premature knowledge and death.

15. We often forget that “through many sorrows it is fitting for us to enter the Kingdom of God,” and therefore we often seek earthly happiness and temporary joy in the worries of everyday life and in attachment to worldly things. Therefore, the all-good Lord, with His all-wise Providence, resolves this knot, bringing unexpected hardships and unexpected sorrow, so that we look around and turn our spiritual gaze to the acquisition of blessings, not temporary, but eternal, which are durable and never changeable.

16. I advise you not to believe any premonition that brings melancholy and a joyless state of soul into you; but to believe how God builds. God always arranges for us what is useful and saving.

17. The Lord does not fulfill all our good desires, but only those that

serve for our spiritual benefit. If, when raising children, we consider what teaching is appropriate for what age, how much more will the Lord know what is useful to us and at what time.

18. Evil always ran ahead, but did not prevail, unless the Lord allowed it, and will allow it for the benefit of our soul and to test Christian patience.

19. It will be what God gives. God arranges everything only that is useful, and beneficial to the soul, and saving. Only on our part it is required not to be cowardly, but with submission to the will of God to endure the sorrows and illnesses sent, humbling ourselves before God and people and not daring to accuse or condemn anyone.

20 . The Lord allows everything to benefit our soul, to test our patience and humility and submission to the will of God; because without these three we do not acquire anything useful.

21. If we partake with faith and without condemnation of the Sacraments of the Body and Blood of Christ, then all the machinations of our spiritual enemies who attack us remain ineffective and idle.

22. We partake without condemnation when we approach this Sacrament, firstly, with sincere and humble repentance and confession of our sins and with a firm determination not to return to them, and secondly, if we approach without remembrance of malice, reconciling ourselves in our hearts with everyone, saddened us.

23. There are also Christians who bring repentance, but do not express everything in confession, and some sins are hidden and concealed for the sake of shame. Such, according to the apostolic word, receive communion unworthily

26. Try to resort to the Jesus Prayer often, at all times, also in church, especially if you can’t hear the reading...

Repentance. How to get rid of sins

27. If we cannot live completely as the Word of God requires, let us at least try to bring sincere and humble repentance for our mistakes and sins with feasible correction, so that at the Last Judgment we do not end up among the unrepentant sinners...

28.If you have to, according to the Gospel teaching, humble, then little by little, with God’s help, impatience and cowardice will recede from you.

29. Physical and visible decency can lead us to a good arrangement of internal thoughts. How the Lord first created a human body from the earth, and then breathed into it immortal soul, so external training and visible decency precede spiritual well-being; it begins with preserving the eyes and ears, and especially with holding the tongue...

35. No matter how plausible and reliable the thoughts that come may seem, if they lead to confusion, then it is a clear sign that they are from the opposite side, and, according to the Gospel word, are called wolves in sheep's skins. Correct thoughts and reasoning calm the soul, and do not outrage...

36. Sometimes people, due to their own negligence, done ever before, are subsequently subjected to difficult circumstances. In this case, one must arm oneself against embarrassment with self-reproach, and with the help of God a person will calm down.

37. Everyone knows that the primordial Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise through taste and eating. Therefore, all the holy fathers prescribe to beginners in piety, first of all, abstinence from eating.

38. If something or someone tempts or confuses us, then it clearly shows that we do not quite correctly relate to the law of God’s commandments, of which the main commandment is not to judge or condemn anyone.

Brief life of St. Ambrose

The Monk Ambrose (in the world Alexander Mikhailovich Grenkov) was born in the village. Big Lipovica of Tambov province in the family of a sexton.

While studying at the theological seminary, Alexander Mikhailovich fell mortally ill and made a vow to the Lord if he recovered, he would enter a monastery. He recovered, but fulfilled his intention only after 4 years, which passed in the struggle between the voice of conscience and attachment to the world.

In 1839, Alexander Mikhailovich visited the Troekurov elder Hilarion, who told him: “Go to Optina. You are needed there." In the fall of 1839, Alexander Mikhailovich arrived in Optina Pustyn and in March 1840 was accepted into the brotherhood. One of his obediences was reading the rule to Elder Leo, who before his death entrusted it to the care of Elder Macarius.

In 1842, Alexander Mikhailovich was tonsured a monk and named Ambrose. In 1843 he was ordained as a hierodeacon, and in 1845 as a hieromonk. In 1846, at the age of 34, Ambrose became Elder Macarius’ assistant in the clergy. Soon he became seriously ill, due to his inability to fulfill monastic obediences, and was removed from the staff of the monastery.

Those who came to Elder Ambrose often heard the general question: “How to live?” The elder usually answered in a joking tone: “ Don’t bother living, don’t judge anyone, don’t annoy anyone, and my respects to everyone".
"Don't push“means to endure sorrows and failures in life with complacency.
"Don't judge" indicates the common lack of judgment among people about their neighbors.
"Don't bother" - not to cause trouble or sorrow to anyone.
"My respect to everyone" - treat everyone with respect and not be proud. The main idea of ​​this saying is humility. The elder answered the same question somewhat differently: " We need to live unhypocritically and behave exemplarily, then our cause will be true, otherwise it will turn out badly".

Or like this: " You can live in the world, but not in the South".
"This is how we should live on earth, - said the old man, - like a wheel spins - just one point touches the ground, and the rest certainly tends upward; and as soon as we lie down on the ground we can’t get up".
To the question: " What does it mean to live according to your heart??" - the father answered: " Don't interfere in other people's affairs and see the good in others".
"Look, Melitona, - the elder said to one nun, warning her against arrogance, - stick to the middle tone; if you take it high, it won’t be easy; if you take it low, it will be slimy; and you, Meliton, stick to the middle tone".

About the cross

When a person walks the straight path, there is no cross for him. But when he retreats from him and begins to rush in one direction or another, then different circumstances appear that push him onto the straight path. These shocks constitute a cross for a person. They come in different varieties, depending on which one you need.

The cross is sometimes mental- It happens that a person is confused by sinful thoughts, but a person is not guilty of them if he does not deign to them. Although the Lord forgives the sins of those who repent, but every sin requires cleansing punishment. For example, the Lord Himself said to a prudent thief: “Today you will go to heaven with Me,” and yet after these words they broke his legs. What was it like to hang on the cross for three hours on only your hands, with broken shins? This means that he needed purifying suffering. For sinners who die immediately after repentance, the prayers of the Church and those praying for them serve as purification; and those who are still alive must themselves be cleansed by correcting their lives and by alms covering their sins. Sometimes suffering is sent to a person innocently so that, following the example of Christ, he suffers for others.

Father o. Ambrose advised, in case of human and enemy intrigues, to resort to the psalms of the holy prophet David, which he prayed when he was persecuted by enemies, namely, to read Psalms 3, 53, 58 and 142. And when despondency overcomes or unaccountable grief torments the soul, read Psalms 101, 36 and 90.

About the Jesus Prayer

To many Fr. Ambrose advised both in letters and orally not to abandon the short Jesus Prayer: " Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner". Say the Jesus Prayer even in a whisper, but many have been harmed by the clever one. The elder also said: " One brother asked another: “Who taught you the Jesus Prayer?"And he answered:" Demons". - "How can that be??" - "Yes, so: they bother me with sinful thoughts, but I did everything and said the Jesus Prayer, and I’m used to it"».

About sins

You definitely need to write down your sins as soon as you remember, otherwise we put it off: sometimes the sin is small, sometimes it’s embarrassing to say, or “I’ll say it later,” but when we come to repent, there’s nothing to say.”
Three rings cling to each other: hatred comes from anger, anger comes from pride.

Why do people sin?

The elder resolved this issue this way: “Or because they don’t know what to do and what to avoid; go, if they know, then they forget; if they don’t forget, they become lazy and despondent. On the contrary: since people are very lazy in matters of piety, they very often forget about their main duty - to serve God. From laziness and oblivion they reach extreme foolishness or ignorance. Laziness, oblivion and ignorance are three giants from which the entire human race is bound by insoluble bonds... Therefore, we pray to the Queen of Heaven: My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with Your holy and all-powerful prayers, take away despondency from me, Your humble and accursed servant, oblivion, unreason, negligence..."

Self-justification

People always try to justify their actions. And the old man said that self-justification is a great sin. As an example, he recounted the following incident: “The late Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich once came to the prison and began asking the prisoners why each of them was in prison. Everyone justified themselves and said that they were put in prison innocently, in vain. The Emperor approached one more of them and asked: “Why are you here?” And I received the answer: “For my great sins, prison is not enough for me.” Then the Emperor turned to the officials accompanying him and said: “Let him go free now.”

Repentance

"What time is now?, - said the old man, - It used to be that if someone sincerely repents of his sins, he will already change his sinful life to a good one, but now it often happens like this: a person will tell all his sins in detail in confession, but then again takes up his own life.". Sins like walnuts: You can crack the shell, but it’s difficult to pick out the grain. An unfulfilled promise is like good tree without fruit.

About the power of repentance and the goodness of God

True repentance requires not years or days, but one moment. The elder expressed the goodness of God to us sinners with the following saying taken from St. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov (teaching on the day of the Praise of the Mother of God): “The righteous are led into the Kingdom of Heaven by the Apostle Peter, and the sinners by the Queen of Heaven Herself.”

About humility and patience

"If someone offends you, - the elder said to one nun for edification, - Don’t tell anyone except the elder, and you will be peaceful. Bow to everyone, not paying attention to whether they bow to you or not. You need to humble yourself before everyone. If we did not commit the crimes that others committed, then this is perhaps because we did not have the opportunity to do so - the situation and circumstances were different. There is something good and kind in every person, but we usually see only vices in people, but do not see the good".
One must show mercy and every kind of leniency to one's neighbor. And demand from ourselves all the truth - the fulfillment of the commandments of the Lord.
"Kingdom of God, - the old man said, - not in words, but in power; you need to interpret less, be silent more, not judge anyone, and my respects to everyone".

What is the post?

"Does God care?, - some asked, - to What kind of food do you eat: fast or fast?“To this the elder answered: “ It is not the food that matters, but the commandment. Adam was expelled from paradise not for overeating, but only for eating the forbidden. Why is it that now on Tuesday, Thursday and other established days you can eat whatever you want, and we are not punished for this, but on Wednesday and Friday we are punished because we do not obey the commandments. What is especially important here is that obedience is developed through obedience.".

About pride

It is natural for a person to sin and needs to humble himself. If he does not humble himself, then circumstances will humble him, providentially arranged for his spiritual benefit. A person in happiness usually forgets himself and attributes everything to himself - to his impotent strength and imaginary power. One nun wrote to the elder that she was very worried about pride and arrogance. O. Ambrose replied: " Beware of these evil passions. From the example of the holy prophet and king David, it is clear that pride and arrogance are more harmful than adultery and murder. The latter led the prophet to humility and repentance, the former brought him to his fall".

About laziness and despondency

Boredom is a despondent grandson, and laziness is a daughter. To drive it away, work hard in action, don’t be lazy in prayer; then boredom will pass and diligence will come. And if you add patience and humility to this, you will save yourself from many evils.
When the blues come over you, don’t forget to reproach yourself; remember how much you are guilty before the Lord and before yourself, and realize that you are unworthy of anything better, and you will immediately feel relief. Said: Many sorrows for the righteous (Ps. 33:20); and many wounds for sinners. This is our life here - all sorrows and sorrows, and it is through them that the Kingdom of Heaven is achieved. When you are restless, repeat more often: Seek peace and marry (Ps. 33, 15). The fear of God's righteous judgment makes the powerless strong.

About Christian virtues

"Three apostles - Peter, John and James,- said the father, - and depict faith, hope and love. John portrays love - he was closest to the Savior and at the Last Supper reclined on the Savior’s chest. Peter, although he was behind the doors with the maids, was then given the Church and given the right to shepherd the flock of Christ: he portrays faith. Very little is said about Jacob at all. He is not even visible anywhere, but he, along with the other two apostles, was honored to see the glory of God - he depicts hope, since hope is not visible: it always lurks invisibly for others in a person and retains its power, and hope will not shame". We must have more simplicity. To teach is to throw small stones from the bell tower, and to perform is to carry large stones to the bell tower. The Lord rests in simple hearts. Where there is no simplicity, there is only emptiness. Humble yourself, and all your deeds will go well. Whoever gives in, he gains more. Without instilling the fear of God, no matter what you do with your children, it will not bring the desired fruits in relation to them. good morals and a comfortable life. Strengthen yourself with faith and hope in God's mercy. Seeing yourself worse than others is the beginning of humility.

About evil passions and vices

Pride and disobedience breed lies- the beginning of all evil and disasters. Hypocrisy worse than unbelief. You don’t have to believe signs, and they won’t come true. If you don’t humble yourself, that’s why you don’t have peace. Self-love ours is the root of all evil. Malice, envy, hatred and such passions lie within and are born and grow from the inner root of pride. Why is a person bad? Because he forgets that God is above him. It is a sin to spend time in idleness.

Attitude towards yourself and others

Speaking well is scattering silver, but prudent silence is gold.. If you don’t like to hear about the shortcomings of others, you will have fewer of your own. Tell your sins and blame yourself more than people. He who reproaches us gives us gifts. And whoever praises steals from us. We need to live unhypocritically and behave exemplarily, then our cause will be true, otherwise it will turn out badly.

On the meaning of sorrows

The Lord Himself does not force a person’s will, although he admonishes him through many sorrows. Blessed is he who endures tribulation for the sake of truth and a pious life. If the Lord does not allow it, no one can offend us, no matter who he is.

About irritability

No one should justify their irritability by some illness - it comes from pride. In order not to indulge in irritability and anger, one should not rush.

About the victory of good over evil

One day Fr. The following question was sent to Ambrose for his permission: “The duties of a Christian are to do good and try to good triumphed over evil. At the end of the world, the Gospel says, evil will triumph over good. How can one strive for the victory of good over evil, knowing that these efforts will not be crowned with success and that evil will ultimately triumph? According to the Gospel, human society before the end of the world appears in its most terrible form. This rejects the possibility of constant human improvement. Is it possible after this to work for the benefit of humanity, being confident that no means are able to achieve the possible moral perfection of humanity in the final result before the end of the world?
The elder replied: “ Evil has already been defeated- defeated not by the efforts and forces of man, but by our Lord and Savior Himself, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who for this sake descended from heaven to earth, became incarnate, suffered as a human being, and with his suffering on the cross and resurrection crushed the power of evil and the evil-doer - the devil, who ruled over the human race, freed us from devilish and sinful slavery, as He Himself said: Behold, I give you power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). Now all Christian believers are given in the Sacrament of Baptism the power to trample on evil and do good through the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments.
The Holy Apostle Paul says that before the second coming of the Savior there will appear a man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, an adversary and one who exalts himself above all words of God (2 Thessalonians 2:3 - 4), that is, the Antichrist. But it is immediately said that the Lord Jesus will kill him with the spirit of His mouth, and will abolish him with the appearance of His coming (2 Thess. 2:8). Where is the triumph of evil over good? And in general, any triumph of evil over good is only imaginary, temporary.”

Life is eternal

When the heart clings to earthly things, then we must remember that earthly things will not go with us to the Kingdom of Heaven.

About silence

One elder asked three monks about something. One explained it one way, another another, and the third answered: “I don’t know.” Then the elder said to him: “You have found the way.”

About non-judgment

The proverb says: " You can't put a scarf over someone else's mouth"People interpret right and wrong, but the Lord, the impartial Judge, will judge everyone. Therefore, regarding strangers, let us calm down and take care of our soul so that it is not judged for wrong opinions, not to mention deeds. Do not speak unfavorably about anyone in absentia, and you will not receive annoyance or harm from anyone.

Cry

They asked the priest: “What does crying mean?” The priest replied: “Crying means lamentation; crying does not come from tears, but tears from crying.”

About thoughts

If a thought tells you: " Why didn’t you tell this person who insulted you this and that??" - tell your thought: “Now it’s too late to talk - I’m late.”
If blasphemous and condemning thoughts come to you, then reproach yourself for pride and do not pay any attention to them. A person is constantly confused by sinful thoughts; but if he does not deign to them, then he is not guilty of them.

Fear of God

When asked how to acquire the fear of God, the priest answered: “You must always have God before you. I will foresee the Lord before me” (Ps. 15:8). The fear of God is also acquired by fulfilling God's commandments and doing everything according to conscience.

"How to live?" - the old man heard this very important question. As usual, he answered in a joking tone: “To live is not to bother, not to judge anyone, not to annoy anyone, and my respect to everyone.” This tone of the elder’s speech often brought a smile to the lips of frivolous listeners. But if you seriously delve into this instruction, then everyone will see a deep meaning in it. - “Don’t push”, i.e. so that the heart is not carried away by the inevitable sorrows and failures for a person, but is directed to the One Source of eternal sweetness - God; through which a person puts up with sorrows or “resigns himself”, and thereby calms down. - “Don’t judge”, “don’t annoy”. The most common condemnations and annoyances among people are the offspring of destructive pride. They alone are enough to bring a person’s soul down to the bottom of hell; but outwardly, for the most part, they are not considered a sin. - “My respect to everyone” - indicates the commandment of the Apostle: “warn one another in respect” (Rom. 12:10). Reducing all these thoughts to one general one, we see that in the above saying the Elder preached mainly humility - this is the basis of spiritual life, the source of all virtues, without which it is impossible to be saved.

About humility

You need to humble yourself in front of everyone, and consider yourself worse than everyone else. If we did not commit the crimes that others committed, then this may be because we did not have the opportunity to do so; the situation and circumstances were different. Every person has something good and kind, but we usually see only vices in people, and see nothing good.

To the question, is it possible to desire improvement in spiritual life? The elder replies: “You can not only desire, but you must also try to improve in humility, that is, in considering yourself in the feeling of your heart worse and lower than all people and every creature. It is natural and necessary for a sinner to humble himself. If he does not resign himself, then circumstances will subdue him, providentially arranged for his spiritual benefit. In happiness, he usually forgets himself and attributes everything to himself, to his impotent strength and imaginary power, but as soon as any misfortune visits him, he asks for mercy from an imaginary enemy.

The Elder also told how sometimes circumstances unexpectedly humble a person: “Once someone hosted a dinner at his place and sent his servants to invite guests. One of the invitees asks the sloppy servant sent to him: “Did your master really not find anyone better than you to send to me?” To this the messenger replied: “They sent good after good, but I was sent to your mercy.”

Elder Ambrose also spoke to edify his disciples about humility: “I came to the rector, Fr. Archimandrite Moses had a visitor, but did not find him at home, he went to his brother O. Abbot Anthony. In the midst of the conversation, the guest asked Fr. abbot: “Tell me, father, what rule do you follow?” O. Anthony answered: “I had many rules: I lived in the desert and in monasteries, and all the rules were different, but now there is only one tax collector left: “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”

At the same time, Father also told how “Alone kept wanting to wander here and there, and to Kyiv, and to Zadonsk, and the elder alone said to her: “All this is not good for you, you better sit and say Mytarev’s prayer.”

About how much we care about the soul

The Gospel says: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mark 8:36). That's how precious the human soul is! She is more valuable than the whole world, with all its treasures and benefits. But it’s scary to think how little we understand the dignity of our souls. All our thoughts turn to the body, this home of worms, this fallen coffin, from morning to evening, but to the immortal soul, to the most precious and beloved creation of God, to the image of His glory and greatness, barely one thought turns all week. The most are dedicated to the service of the body. blooming years our life, but the eternal salvation of the soul only last minutes decrepit old age. The body daily revels, as at a rich man’s feast, with full cups and sumptuous dishes, but the soul barely collects the crumbs of the divine word on the threshold of the house of God. The insignificant body is washed, dressed, cleaned, adorned with all the treasures of nature and art, but the dear soul, the bride of Jesus Christ, the heir of heaven, wanders with exhausted steps, clothed in the clothes of a wretched wanderer, without alms.

The body does not tolerate a single spot on the face, any uncleanness on the hands, no patch on the clothes, and the soul from head to toe, covered with filth, does nothing but move from one sinful mire to another, and with its annual, but often hypocritical confession , only multiplies the patches on his clothes, and does not renew them. The well-being of the body requires various kinds fun and pleasure; it often exhausts entire families, for which people are sometimes ready to do all kinds of work, and the poor soul barely has one hour on Sundays for service Divine Liturgy, barely a few minutes for morning and evening prayers, he forcibly collects one handful of copper coins for alms, and is satisfied when he expresses the remembrance of death with a cold sigh. For health and preservation of the body, they change the air and home, call on the most skillful and distant doctors, abstain from food and drink, take the most bitter medicines, allow themselves to be burned and cut, but for the health of the soul, to avoid temptations, to avoid sinful infection, do not take not a single step, but remain in the same air, in the same unkind society, in the same vicious house, and do not look for any doctor of souls, or choose a doctor unfamiliar and inexperienced, and hide from him what is already known and heaven and hell, and what they themselves boast about in their societies. When the body dies, then one hears sorrow and despair, but when the soul dies from mortal sin, then they often don’t think about it.

So we do not know the dignity of our soul, and, like Adam and Eve, we give our soul for a red-looking fruit.

Why don't we at least cry like Adam and Eve? For the most part, we are concerned with acquiring goods, only, unfortunately, they are often earthly and temporary, and not heavenly. We forget that earthly blessings are fleeting and unstoppable, while heavenly blessings are eternal, infinite and inalienable.

All-merciful Lord! Help us to despise everything that is fleeting, and to take care of the only need for the salvation of our souls.

About salvation

While a Christian lives on earth, his salvation, according to the word of St. Peter of Damascus, is between fear and hope, and people are still looking for complete satisfaction on earth, and, moreover, from place and from people, while the Lord himself says in the Gospel: “The world is sorrowful you will." These words clearly show that no matter where a Christian lives, he cannot live without some kind of sorrow. There is only one peace of mind - in fulfilling the commandments of the Gospel, as it is said in the psalms: “There is much peace for those who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them.” If something or someone tempts or confuses us, then it clearly shows that we do not quite correctly relate to the law of God’s commandments, of which the main commandment is “not to judge or condemn anyone.” Each one will be glorified or ashamed by his deeds the Last Judgment God's. And also in Old Testament It was prescribed to pay attention to yourself and your own salvation and correction of your own soul. This is what we should be most concerned about.

Nowhere does the Lord want to force a person involuntarily, but everywhere he submits to our good will, and by their own free will people are either good or evil. Therefore, in vain we will accuse that those living with us and those around us interfere and hinder our salvation or spiritual perfection. Samuel lived and was raised by Elijah the priest, with his depraved sons, and preserved himself, and was a great prophet. Eve also transgressed God’s commandment in paradise. But even his three-year life in the presence of the Savior Himself did not make Judas any better, when he saw so many miracles, constantly heard the Gospel sermon, but became even worse, selling his Teacher and the Savior of the world for thirty pieces of silver.

Our mental and spiritual unsatisfactoriness comes from ourselves, from our inability and from an incorrectly formed opinion, which we do not want to part with. And it is this that brings upon us confusion, doubt, and various bewilderments; and all this torments and burdens us and leads us to a desolate state. It would be good if we could understand the simple patristic word: “If we humble ourselves, then in every place we will find peace, without bypassing with our minds many other places where the same, if not worse, may happen to us.”

About disbelief

“I once told Father,” writes his spiritual daughter, “about one family, that I feel very sorry for all of them, they don’t believe in anything, neither in God nor in future life. It’s a pity precisely because it may not be their fault; they were raised in such disbelief, or there were other reasons. Father shook his head and said angrily: “There is no excuse for atheists. After all, the Gospel is preached to everyone, to everyone, even to the pagans; Finally, by nature, we are all from birth endowed with the feeling of knowing God, therefore, it is our own fault. Are you asking if it is possible to pray for such people? Of course, you can pray for everyone.”

Some, the Elder also said, renounced faith in God out of imitation of others and out of false shame. And here’s a case: one of them didn’t believe in God. And when, during the war in the Caucasus, he had to fight, in the midst of the battle, when bullets were flying past him, he bent down, hugged his horse and read all the time: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us.” And then, when, remembering this, his comrades laughed at him, he renounced his words. Then Father added: “Yes, hypocrisy is worse than unbelief.”

About repentance

To give a proper understanding of the power and importance of repentance, Elder Ambrose said: “What a time has come now! It used to be that if someone sincerely repents of his sins, he will already change his sinful life for a good one, but now it often happens like this: a person will tell all his sins in detail in confession, but then again takes up his own life.”

The Elder also conveyed an edifying story: “A demon sat in the form of a man and dangled his legs. He who saw this with spiritual eyes asked him: “Why aren’t you doing anything?” The demon answered: “Yes, I have nothing left to do but dangle my legs, people do everything better than me.”

“Three degrees of salvation. Said by St. John Chrysostom: a) do not sin; b) having sinned, repent; c) whoever repents poorly must endure the tribulations that come his way.”

“It happens, as Father said, that although our sins are forgiven through repentance, our conscience still does not cease to reproach us. The late Elder Fr. Macarius, for comparison, sometimes showed his finger, which had long ago been cut; The pain has long gone, but the scar remains. Likewise, even after the forgiveness of sins, scars remain, that is, reproaches of conscience.”

“Although the Lord forgives the sins of those who repent, every sin requires a cleansing punishment. For example, the Lord himself said to a prudent thief: “Today you will be with me in paradise,” and yet after these words they broke his legs, and what was it like to hang on the cross on the cross for three hours with only his legs broken? This means that he needed purifying suffering. For sinners who die immediately after repentance, the prayers of the Church and those praying for them serve as cleansing, and those who are still alive must themselves be cleansed by correcting their lives and by alms covering their sins.”

About alms

About alms Elder Ambrose said: “St. Dimitri Rostovsky writes: if a man on a horse comes to you and asks, give it to him. How he uses your alms is not your responsibility.”

Also: “St. John Chrysostom says: start giving to the poor what you don’t need, what you have lying around, then you will be able to give more, even with deprivation of yourself, and, finally, you will be ready to give everything you have.”

About suffering

“God does not create the cross for man, that is, cleansing mental and physical suffering. And no matter how heavy the cross that a person bears in life may be, the tree from which it is made always grows on the soil of his heart.”

“When a person, the Elder said, walks the straight path, there is no cross for him. But when he retreats from him and begins to rush first in one direction, then in the other, then different circumstances appear that push him again onto the straight path. These shocks constitute a cross for a person. They are, of course, different, depending on who needs which one.”

“There is a mental cross, sometimes a person is confused by sinful thoughts, but a person is not guilty of them if he does not deign to them. The Elder spoke as an example: “One ascetic was overwhelmed by unclean thoughts for a long time. When the Lord who appeared to her drove them away from her, she cried out to Him: “Where have you been before, O sweet Jesus?” The Lord answered: “I was in your heart.” She said: “How could this be? After all, my heart was filled with unclean thoughts.” And the Lord said to her: “Therefore, understand that I was in your heart, that you had no disposition towards unclean thoughts, but tried more to get rid of them, but, not being able, you were sick about it, and this prepared a place for me in your heart.” yours."

“Sometimes innocent suffering is sent to a person so that, following the example of Christ, he suffers for others. The Savior Himself first suffered for people. His apostles also suffered for the Church and for the people. To have perfect love means to suffer for your neighbors.”

About love

Love covers everything. And if someone does good to their neighbors out of the desire of their heart, and not driven only by duty or self-interest, then the devil cannot interfere with such a person.

Love, of course, is higher than everything. If you find that there is no love in you, but you want to have it, then do deeds of love, although at first without love. The Lord will see your desire and effort and put love into your heart. “Whoever has a bad heart should not despair, because with the help of God a person can correct his heart. You just need to carefully monitor yourself and not miss the opportunity to be useful to your neighbors, often open up to the elder and give alms within your power. This, of course, cannot be done suddenly, but the Lord is patient. He only ends a person’s life when he sees him ready for the transition to eternity or when he sees no hope for his correction.

About irritability

“No one should justify their irritability by some illness, it comes from pride. And the husband’s anger, according to the word of St. The Apostle James does not practice God's righteousness. In order not to indulge in irritability and anger, one should not rush.”

About laziness and despondency

“Boredom is the grandson of despondency, and laziness is the daughter. To drive it away, work hard in action, don’t be lazy in prayer, then boredom will pass and zeal will come. And if you add patience and humility to this, you will save yourself from many evils.”

“Why do people sin?” - the Elder sometimes asked a question and solved it himself: “Either because they don’t know what to do and what to avoid, or if they know, then they forget, but if they don’t forget, then they are lazy and despondent. On the contrary: since people are very lazy in matters of piety, they very often forget about their main duty - to serve God. From laziness and oblivion they reach extreme foolishness or ignorance. These are three giants: despondency or laziness, oblivion and ignorance, from which the entire human race is bound by insoluble bonds. And then comes negligence with all its host of evil passions. That is why we pray to the Queen of Heaven: “My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, with your holy and all-powerful prayers, drive away from me, your humble and accursed servant, laziness, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence and all nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts.”

About patience

“When someone annoys you, never ask why or why. This is nowhere in Scripture. On the contrary, it says: “If someone hits you on the right cheek, right cheek, give him the other one too. It is indeed inconvenient to hit the gum cheek, and this should be understood this way: if someone slanders you or innocently annoys you with something, this will mean hitting the gum cheek. Don’t complain, but endure this blow patiently, and offer your left cheek, that is, remember your wrongful deeds. And if, perhaps, you are innocent now, then before you sinned a lot; and thus you will be convinced that you are worthy of punishment. Self-justification is a great sin."

“Father, teach me patience,” said one sister. “Learn,” answered the Elder, “and begin with patience when you find and encounter troubles.” - “I can’t understand how one can not be indignant at insults and injustices.” The Elder’s answer: “Be fair yourself and do not offend anyone.”